Venice is known as the city of love, and it certainly doesn’t fall short of romance. Described as one of the most beautiful cities built by man, it is not only known for its art, architecture and culture, but also for its intricate streets and winding canals. Spread over 118 islands, the whole city is an architectural masterpiece of unrivalled beauty that has inspired artists and writers for centuries. The perfect starting point for this tour of the Italian coastline, through Slovenia and into Croatia where you’ll finish in Porec, Croatia’s most popular destination with nearly 2000 years of history under its belt.

Following the coastline whilst occasionally jutting back towards the Alps, this route will have you cycling through some of the most picturesque and historic hotspots of the farthest northeastern region of Italy. From Aquileia – an ancient Roman city known for its vast Roman excavations – to Miramare – home to its famous castle, built according to the wishes of Maximilian of Augsburg and situated in a beautiful park more than 20 hectares in size. Crossing into both Slovenia and Croatia you’ll also have a chance to take in the varied cultures and history between these 3 wonderful countries.

Dominated by arresting coastal trails, the tour also sees its historic stopping points interspersed with areas of stunning natural beauty. The lagoons or Valli da Pesca just north of Caorle being just one of the many highlights you’ll encounter on your way to the finish line.

Day 1: Mestre/Venice

Arriving in Mestre (mainland Venice), should you find you have the time to explore the islands, the beautiful churches and palaces and the famous Peggy Guggenheim Collection are highly recommended. Take a romantic gondola ride along the canal or simply relax in one of the many coffee shops and soak in the atmosphere for which Venice is loved.

Day 2: Mestre – Jesolo/Cairle/SeaCoast: 40/65km

Leaving Mestre, you’ll cycle a few short kilometres before taking a ferry and vaporetto ride to Punta Sabioni via the Piazza San Marco. From here the days cycle is dominated by stunning coastal views, with various opportunities for a refreshing bath in the Adriatic Sea. Your overnight stay will be along this famously beautiful coastline.

Day 3: Jesolo/Caorle/SeaCoast – Portogruaro: 65/40km

Heading north towards the Julian Alps with the wind and sea behind you, today you’ll pass through a multitude of ‘Valli da pesca’ – stretches of lagoon where extensive fish farming is practiced. Carrying on your journey you’ll arrive in the town of Portogruaro, one of the main centres in the period of the Serenissima Republic of Venice, still a most impressive area with its mesmerising Palazi or Palaces taking centre stage.

Day 4: Portogruaro – Palmanova/Aquileia: 60/70km

Today’s stage is spent between the regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, cycling amongst the areas many canals, rivers and ancient Roman towns. The history of these regions is vastly rich, and nowhere is this more evident than the stage’s two possible destinations. Aquileia – known for its many Roman excavations, and Palmanova – for its unique footprint, which from above resembles a 9-pointed star and is referred to as ‘The Starry City’. The stage can be reduced by 20km by taking a train from Portogruaro to Latisana.

Day 5: Palmanova/Aquileia – Trieste: 70/50km

Heading back towards the sea, the gulf of Trieste awaits you as you pass through many grand and historic points of interest. The characteristic bay of Sistiana, and the famous castle at Miramare – built to the wishes of Miximilian of Augsburg and situated in a beautiful park more than 20 hectares in size – just two possible resting points on this fabulous stage, ending along the coast in one of the most underrated destinations in Italy, Trieste. The ancient port of the Asburgic Empire, Trieste is filled with piazze surrounded by inspiring traditional architecture of Italy and is a great place to do some shopping, or wonder the streets taking in some of its many attractions. It is also possible to shorten this stage of the journey by 30km by taking a train at the end of the stage from Monfalcone to Trieste.

Day 6: Trieste – Portoroz: 45km

Cycling further south you’ll soon cross over the border and into Slovenia, mainly riding along well known cycle paths and through famous holiday resorts such as Koper – first a Venetian town before becoming Austrian and then Slovenian – and Piran – an important town ruled for a long time by Venice. Finally, arriving in Portoroz, take the evening to enjoy some of the spa and bathing facilities of which the town is renowned for.

Day 7: Portoroz – Porec: 55km

Leaving Portoroz in the direction of the Croatian border, today you’ll pass through the salt mines of Secovlje, a large, humid town and key area in regards to Slovenian ornithology. After some kilometres you’ll then cross the Croatian border and cycle down along Istria, the Adriatic Sea’s largest peninsula. The home stretch concludes in the tourism capital of Croatia, Porec, where lies the Euphrasian Basicalla, one of the best examples of early Byzantine architecture in the Mediterranean and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 8: Depart from Porec

After breakfast your tour officially comes to an end. A boat will take you back to Venice but if you wish to continue your tour of the region, you can combine it with one of the following tours: Venice – Mantova or Bolzano – Verona – Venice. Buon viaagio!