Adventourus Active Vacations

8 day Escorted tour

THE SUNNY PENINSULA IN THE ADRIATIC SEA

Istria is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea, a region of almost eternal spring with comfortable temperatures and Mediterranean vegetation. Istria is the home of olives, figs, almonds, grapes and numerous other wonders.

Slavonic, Romanic and Germanic peoples meet here and cultures, customs and points of view merge into one. Despite the evident Italian past of Istria, there is not one road that leads to Rome, but all the roads lead into medieval little towns, situated along the coast, up to small hills, to lonely churches, villages, inns and to the last craftsmen of dying trades.

Individual arrival at Pula, the secret capital of Istria, a town full of impressive remains of its Roman past. From 11.00 hrs onward you can move into your cabins on the motor yacht. Your first bike tour takes you from the harbour along beautiful bays to the southern tip of Istria. From there you ride on a good asphalt road to Medulin, easily recognized from afar by its two white church towers. In the shady village square you take a short break for refreshments. From Medulin you bicycle to the bay of Banjole for the overnight.

After breakfast you start on a ca. 3.5 hrs cruise to Vrsar, the town where lady-killer Casanova found temporary refuge from lovers pursuing him. Starting from Vrsar, you bike along the Lim fjord to Klostar in the hinterland. After a break - long enough to taste some fresh suckling pig - your route takes you to Porec. On a walk after dinner with your town guide, you encounter evidence of the town's eventful past at every step along the way, strolling through the charming historical centre, with its beautiful buildings of many different era's, and the bustling shopping lanes. The famous Euphrasius Basilica, with its gorgeous early-Christian mosaics, is also well-worth a visit.

Day 3: Porec - Grosnjan - Umag (60 km)

Today's bike tour takes you from Porec through extensive vineyards to Visnjan, home of the famous white cattle. After a coffee break you continue through the gentle hills of the hinterland via Vizinada to the artists' village of Grosnjan. Along the way you have a fortifying picnic. Your destination is Umag, which offers a picturesque old town centre with the remains of a medieval city wall located on a promontory. Dinner on board.

In the morning you undertake a round trip to the Savudrija peninsula, the northernmost point of Istria. In favourable weather conditions you have an amazing view as far as Slovenia, Italy and even the Alps. On the way back to the ship, there are plenty of opportunities for a refreshing dip in the sea. In the afternoon you bike along quiet sea promenades from Umag to Novigrad. There you find the impressive crenellated city wall as well the 7th century Pelagius Basilica. Around the pretty harbour you find many cafes and bars, where you can end your day.

After breakfast you leave Novigrad and bicycle along the coast to Porec. Here you meet up with the ship and have time for a swim or another stroll through the wonderful old town centre. After lunch on board you continue along the coast to Vrsar, where you spend the night. Along the way you have a break at an open-air museum, where you can admire the sculptures of the famous stonemasonry school of Vrsar.

Your ship takes you in the morning to Rovinj, often called the "pearl of Istria". The charm of this dreamy artists' town will quickly captivate you. After a round trip to the Palud Nature Reserve, you have plenty of time to enjoy the unique atmosphere of Rovinj. A town guide leads you after dinner through the maze of narrow lanes making up the old town.

After a short cruise to the bay of Barbariga, you unload your bikes there and cross with a ferry over to the Brijuni Islands. Until Tito's death in 1980, the paradise of the Brijuni Islands was a prohibited area accessible only to the government elite and their official guests. The island's sight-seeing train takes you to the remotest corners of this sub-tropical nature park with its lush vegetation and exotic fauna. On the way across the island you also visit with your local guide some well-preserved Roman excavations. In the evening you bicycle from Fazana to Pula, where dinner on board of the ship is already waiting for you.

Disembarkation by 9 a.m. after breakfast aboard. Individual departure or extend your stay in Europe.

PRICE & DETAILS

DEPARTURE DATES:

April 22, 29      June 10      September 23, 30        October 7, 14, 21

- 7 nights accommodation in a double room with private facilities (upper & lower beds)

- 2 meals per day, starting with 3-course dinner on Sat. and ending with breakfast on the day of departure.

- 7 days of escorted cycling

- 21 speed trekking bicycle with pannier.

- Maps & road guide book

- English/German speaking tour guide

- Entrance fee and guided tour in the National Park

Optional Services:

- Additional night (B&B): from $65 CAD /Person in double room and $80 CAD in single room

Excluded are:

- taxi to/from Pula Airport, 10 minutes distance

- alcoholic drinks and pop aboard the boat (tally system)

- local harbour taxes of 20.00 Euro (paid to captain)

- gratuities to guides and crew

- Helmets. These are mandatory starting 2010 and may be rented for free aboard ship, however we recommend you bring your own.

Logding:

The Tarin is a fairly new two-masted motorsailing ship that was built in 2004.

The 23 meters long and 6 meters broad ship has 11 cabins, from which 10 are above deck. Four cabins have a French bed (140 cm) and a single bunk. Two further cabins are equipped with just a French bed (140 cm). The five remaining cabins have two bunks, which are arranged one above the other or next to each other. Another cosy cabin is below deck. It has one small desk, separate beds and two portholes. Each cabin has got private shower/WC. All of her 10 cabins are above the water level.

The fore sundeck measures 40 m2, the upper deck 60 m2. Together with the large saloon, captain Nevio’s TARIN offers ample space to her passengers.

EASY TO MODERATE: A reasonable level of fitness is required. Our Istria tour is one of the easier ccling tours in Croatia as there are no climbs where you might gave to push your bike. The highest hills is a mere 200m above sea level. Daily routes averages only 30km.The roads are mostly asphalted and there is little traffic outside of holiday periods.

You can decide everyday for yourself whether you would like to cycle individually using the maps provided, or join one of the tour guides for a day of escorted touring.

The nearest international airport is Zurich, with regular rail transfers available directly from the terminal.

Zurich Airport to Constance (1 1/2 hours) rail transfers are available at $55.00 one way.