Cycling holiday Highlights of Istria

Highlights of Istria

The largest peninsula in Croatia

Ab € 1.290,-
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Summary
  • 8 Days Friday to Friday
  • 38 km average per day
  • Arrival Omisalj Rijeka Airport
  • Departure Omisalj Rijeka Airport
Highlights
  • The beautiful Limski-Canal
  • The impressive amphitheatre in Pula
  • The famous Baredine Cave with its underground lake
  • The famous white truffles from Istria
Characteristics
  • Guided Tour
  • Group Tour
  • Bike & Barge
  • Cycling level 2

    Distance: 40-60 km average per day Altitude: 100-500 hm average per day. The daily tours will take us through hilly and mountainous terrain. 

The largest peninsula in Croatia, Istria

The largest peninsula in Croatia offers an incredible backdrop for our Istria Highlights e-bike tour. Situated between the Kvarner Bay and the Gulf of Triest, Istria is an oasis of superlatives.

We offer this tour as an e-bike tour on the ship Andela Lora.
The 500m long coastline offers countless picture perfect beaches and fascinating historical harbor towns such as Pula, Porec and Rovinj. The fertile hinterlands in contrast, are characterized by their medieval hilltop villages and colorful vineyards and the silver-green olive groves. Much like the landscapes typical for Tuscany.
In addition, Istria is graced with over 2300 hours of sun each year, assuring with great certainty that your visit will be a sunny one. The region has also made itself a name for its culinary delights: home to some of the world’s best truffles, olive oil and wine.

 

Daily Program

  • Tag 1 Friday: Omisalj- Cres

    Individual arrival to Omisalj, a charming pirates nest on the island of Krk. If you decide to arrive by car, we can gladly organize a secure parking space for your car for the week. If you are arriving from Zagreb (airport), we can also arrange a transfer for you to the harbor of Omisalj. Check-in on board is possible from around 2pm. Once we have made ourselves comfortable in our cabins, we enjoy the first crossing to Cres. If the weather is good, we stop for a swim in a beautiful bay and you can take a dip in the Adriatic Sea. Our destination is the island capital of the same name, where we spend the night. The Venetian-influenced old town of Cres, with its beautiful alleys and many churches, entices you to take an extensive evening stroll.

  • Tag 2 Saturday: Cres - Pula, 19 km

    After breakfast on board, the first task is to adjust our bikes in the idyllic harbor of Cres and take a first bike tour to the lighthouse. Afterwards, we take a longer crossing to Pula at the southern tip of Istria, where a guided tour of the old town awaits us. The secret capital of Istria awaits us with impressive evidence of its Roman past. Take your time for an extensive stroll and explore impressive ancient monuments, such as the famous amphitheater reminiscent of the Colosseum in Rome, the Temple of Augustus and the Golden Gate.

  • Tag 3 Sunday: Pula - Vrsar, 38 km

    In the morning we explore some picturesque places in and around Pula. Via Galizana we go to Vodnjan and further through the fishing village Fazana before coming back to Pula. Once there, the boat takes us to Vrsar with the chance for a swim break at the Limski Fjord. In Vrsar, where you will spend the night, the heartbreaker Casanova is believed to have sought temporary refuge from the husbands of his lovers.

  • Tag 4 Monday: Vrsar - Porec, 29 km

    From Vrsar we cycle along the Limski Canal to Kloštar in the rural hinterland. During a longer break we fortify ourselves with a local meal before the tour continues onwards to the destination of Poreč. In the afternoon, we encounter the colourful history of Poreč at every turn as we stroll through the charming old town with its beautiful buildings from bygone eras. There is a real energy to be felt in the shopping alleys. A visit to the famous Euphrasius Basilica with its magnificent early Christian mosaics is also worthwhile.

  • Tag 5 Tuesday: Porec - Rovinj, 59 km

    In the morning we follow the "Parenzana", an abandoned railroad line, which leads us to the famous artists' village of Groznjan. The picturesque artists’ village is a medieval jewel in the Istrian hinterland. It awaits us with romantic alleys, flower-filled squares and diverse galleries that have made their home in old natural stone houses. In the afternoon, we bike through rural Istria via Buje to Novigrad, where we hop on board, with the chance for a quick swimming break, before continuing onwards to Rovinj for our overnight stay.

  • Tag 6 Wednesday: Rovinj – Fazana - Rabac, 41 km

    Our morning bike ride takes us near the coast, mostly on natural forest paths to Fažana, with its quaint little harbor and promenade lined with colorful houses. Afterwards, we continue to Pula, where our boat will take us on a longer crossing to Rabac. Here, located on a picturesque bay on the east coast of Istria, we can enjoy gorgeous white pebble beaches, crystal clear waters and a beautiful harbor. Not to be missed is an evening cocktail in a local bar.

  • Tag 7 Thursday: Rabac - Omisalj, 38 km

    In the early morning, we cross to the island of Krk, where a final cycling stage awaits us. The route will lead us from Njivice to Omišalj. The largest island in Croatia and home of the delicious Zlahtina white wine impresses with its diverse landscapes. Don’t miss the opportunity to cover yourself in the mineral rich mud in the bay of Soline – it will not only leave you looking ten years younger, but also makes for a wonderful holiday memory! Back in the harbor of Omišalj, our boat awaits us with a delicious last evening meal on board which can be spent in great cheer in the company of the fellow travelers, crew and guides.

  • Tag 8 Friday: Omisalj

    After breakfast disembarkation until 9 am. Individual trip home or extended stay in Croatia.

Cycling in Croatia

Cycling in Dalmatia

This cycle tour fit for both: hybrid and e-bikers. You have to decide beforehand, which bicycle you like to rent, if you decide to rent one. The cycle tours require a basic level of fitness from participants, which they should have acquired from steady cycling.

The riding pace is determined by the cyclists on e-bikes. Guests who are taking part on the tour on a regular bike, should have the necessary physical condition to keep up with this pace.

The tours will take us up to a height of 200 to 500 m above sea-level. The daily tours from 15 to 31 mi./25 to 50 km will take us through hilly and mountainous terrain and will be completed without any time-constraints. Participants will also need to master long and steep climbs, during which they are, however, also permitted to push their bicycles. We traverse mostly asphalted roads, which are rarely frequented outside the holiday seasons.

You are free to set aside a half or full day to swim or to spend time on board the boat, instead of taking a planned cycle tour.

This tour is primarily a guided group tour. Upon consultation with your tour guides, the possibility to cycle on your own along recommended, suitable routes, may present itself. Helmet use is mandatory on all cycle tours.

Ship Andela Lora
Ship Linda
Day 2 Pula
Day 4 Groznjan
Day 4 Motovun
Day 5 Rovinj
Inland
Day 6 sailing along Kamenjak
Day 7 Labin

Travel dates

Anreise
Abreise
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Ab
Verfügbarkeit
Anreise
10 Mai 2024
Abreise
17 Mai 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Linda
Ab
€ 1.290,-
Verfügbarkeit
Available
Buchen
Anreise
17 Mai 2024
Abreise
24 Mai 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Andela Lore
Ab
€ 1.890,-
Verfügbarkeit
Available
Buchen
Anreise
24 Mai 2024
Abreise
31 Mai 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Linda
Ab
€ 1.290,-
Verfügbarkeit
Available
Buchen
Anreise
07 Jun 2024
Abreise
14 Jun 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Linda
Ab
€ 1.290,-
Verfügbarkeit
Available
Buchen
Anreise
14 Jun 2024
Abreise
21 Jun 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Andela Lore
Ab
€ 1.890,-
Verfügbarkeit
Fully booked
Anreise
21 Jun 2024
Abreise
28 Jun 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Linda
Ab
€ 1.290,-
Verfügbarkeit
Available
Buchen
Anreise
28 Jun 2024
Abreise
05 Jul 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Andela Lore
Ab
€ 1.790,-
Verfügbarkeit
Available
Buchen
Anreise
12 Jul 2024
Abreise
19 Jul 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Andela Lore
Ab
€ 1.790,-
Verfügbarkeit
Fully booked
Anreise
26 Jul 2024
Abreise
02 Aug 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Andela Lore
Ab
€ 1.790,-
Verfügbarkeit
Available
Buchen
Anreise
09 Aug 2024
Abreise
16 Aug 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Andela Lore
Ab
€ 1.790,-
Verfügbarkeit
Available
Buchen
Anreise
23 Aug 2024
Abreise
30 Aug 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Andela Lore
Ab
€ 1.990,-
Verfügbarkeit
Fully booked
Anreise
30 Aug 2024
Abreise
06 Sep 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Linda
Ab
€ 1.290,-
Verfügbarkeit
Available
Buchen
Anreise
06 Sep 2024
Abreise
13 Sep 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Andela Lore
Ab
€ 1.990,-
Verfügbarkeit
Fully booked
Anreise
27 Sep 2024
Abreise
04 Okt 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Linda
Ab
€ 1.290,-
Verfügbarkeit
Fully booked
Anreise
04 Okt 2024
Abreise
11 Okt 2024
Unterkunft/Schiffsname
Andela Lore
Ab
€ 1.790,-
Verfügbarkeit
Available
Buchen

What else do you need to know?

Prices are per person in 2024

Please note: departure is on Friday

Supplements:
Reservation costs € 25,- per booking
Contribution Dutch Guarantee Fund € 5,- per person (Insolvency Protection)
Flat rate for bottled water, visitor’s tax and local charges: € 60,- for adults or € 30,- for children up to age 16 (to be paid to the captain)

Andela Lora (DeLuxe)

19 April & 3 May
Lower deck: twin/ double cabin € 1.690,- 
Lower deck: cabin single use € 2.290,- 
Upper deck: twin/ double cabin € 1.940,-
Upper deck: cabin single use € 2.490,- 

17 May & 14 June
Lower deck: twin/ double cabin € 1.890,- 
Lower deck: cabin single use € 2.490,- 
Upper deck: twin/ double cabin € 2.140,-
Upper deck: cabin single use € 2.690,- 

28 June & 12+26 July & 9 August & 4+18 October
Lower deck: twin/ double cabin € 1.790,- 
Lower deck: cabin single use € 2.390,- 
Upper deck: twin/ double cabin € 2.040,-
Upper deck: cabin single use € 2.590,- 

23 August & 6 September
Lower deck: twin/ double cabin € 1.990,- 
Lower deck: cabin single use € 2.590,- 
Upper deck: twin/ double cabin € 2.240,-
Upper deck: cabin single use € 2.790,- 

Linda (Comfort)

All departures
Lower deck: twin cabin € 1.290,- 
Lower deck: cabin single use € 1.690,- 
Upper deck: twin/ double cabin € 1.440,-
Upper deck: cabin single use € 1.890,-

Bike rental:
E-bike per week € 225,- (private e-bikes are not allowed on board)
Hybrid bicycle per week € 180,- (only possible on the Linda)
Bike insurance 25,-, optional

Included

  • 8-day-trip on a motorized yacht with crew
  • 7 nights in a twin cabin with shower/toilet
  • 2 x full board and 5 x half board
  • Guided cycling tours and sightseeing as described in the itinerary
  • Guided tours in Pula and Rovinj
  • Overview-maps for the daily tours (on board)
  • Bed linen and towels
  • English speaking tour guide

Additional optional services (on request)

  • Rental e-bike
  • Use of (own) helmet, mandatory (limited available; reservation required)
  • Bike insurance (against theft and damage): € 25,-/week (not insured: deliberate damages)
  • Collective transfer between Zagreb and Omisalj harbour on day of embarkation/disembarkation only (12:15 PM from Zagreb Airport/ return transfer at 8 AM; prices on request)

Not included in the basic tour price

  • Reservation costs 
  • Contribution Dutch Guarantee Fund (Insolvency Protection)
  • Journey to Omisalj
  • Flat rate for bottled water and tourist taxes € 60,- for adults and € 30,- for children up to age 16 (to be paid to the captain)
  • Beverages on board (tally sheet; to be paid to the captain)
  • Meals and beverages ashore
  • Entrance fee for sights are not included in the tour price

Special details

  • Operated by local partner
  • Please take good notice of Terms & Conditions.
  • Minimum number of participants: 14 persons
  • Bringing private e-bikes is not permitted
  • The program is subject to change without notice.

Info

Embarkation takes place between 2 and 2:30 PM. The boat leaves Omisalj harbor at 3 PM. The mooring place of the boat is in the harbor of Omisalj, on the island of Krk.

Airport

For this tour the nearest airport is Rijeka Airport (RJK), situated at a distance of 6 km/4 miles from Omisalj on the island of Krk. The harbor can easily be reached by taxi. That takes about 10 minutes. Or you can prebook a transfer from Rijeka airport to Omisalj harbor, price on request.
Another arrival alternative is to fly to Zagreb (ZAG) (transfer time to Omisalj: 2 hours). On embarkation day and disembarkation you can prebook a collective transfer from/to Zagreb airport. These costs are € 60,- per person, one-way and needs to be reserved at least two weeks in advance.

Car

If you travel by car we advise to plan your route on viamichelin.com. Please keep in mind that you have to buy a toll sticker for passage through Austria, Slovenia and Switzerland. To avoid delays you can buy those stickers in advance. A parking place on private property in Omisalj needs to be reserved in advance. 
The use of this parking costs € 60,- for a week and must be paid upon arrival to the tour guide. If you car is longer than 6 m, then these costs are € 120,-.

For the duration of the tour we supply you with a waterproof pannier by Ortlieb, a practical way of carrying drinks, bathing gear, camera etc.

  • Rental E-bike Croatia & Greece

    An e-bike powered mainly by a Bosch motor capable of covering long distances. Standard components in varying frame sizes include, 28 inch rims with puncture proof tires, derailleur gears and break systems, a carrier and a stand, touring saddle as well as mudguards and a pannier rack. 

A ship as your hotel

Imagine a floating hotel sailing to the next stage, while you are calmly pedalling along. No lugging of luggage: that is exactly what Bike & Barge is all about! In the pleasant atmosphere on board you can have a chat, go through the day with the others, and enjoy the meals prepared specially for cyclists. In the evenings you can enjoy a drink in the salon or admire the setting sun on deck. Do not expect a cruise ship with its passive luxury. The Bike & Barge Holidays are for people who really enjoy the physical activity of cycling and who value sociability more than wholesale luxury.

The team

The captain/skipper, the chef and your tour guide all welcome you warmly. They are prepared specifically for these trips and will provide good and safe passage, good meals, and a friendly, pleasant atmosphere. They will, of course, also give you a great deal of interesting information during and after the cycling and sailing. The skipper is responsible for the smooth running of things on board; the cook is in charge of the catering. A tour leader accompanies you during the bike ride and can assist in case of breakdowns. He/She will be your guide to point out the things of interest along the way and is multi-lingual (German/English).

The meals

The on-board chef is a member of the crew and prepares the breakfast and one or two warm meals a day. The catering consist of 2 x full board and 5 x half board and starts with dinner on embarkation day and ends with breakfast on disembarkation day. Lunch could be packed or a picnic as well. The food served on board is traditional and characteristic for the country. Higher nutritional demands of bikers are taken into account. Breakfast on board generally includes at least bread, butter, cheese, ham, coffee and tea. For lunch/dinner the chef generally serves light fish or meat dishes or vegetarian meals.The on-board chef is a member of the crew and prepares the breakfast and one or two warm meals a day. The catering starts with the dinner on the arrival day and ends with the breakfast on the departure day. 
If you wish to eat vegetarian food or have distinctly different eating habits please inform us in time before your arrival. Please keep in mind that special food requirements cannot always be met in all details. If you have extensive food allergies we ask you to give us a list of the food that you can eat. This should be done before your arrival so that the cook can be instructed to plan and shop accordingly.
If you need gluten free meals then please note that due to the small size of the kitchen and the available equipment on board, we cannot guarantee that your food will not come into contact with kitchen utensils in which gluten-containing foods have already been processed.
So if you have a serious celiac disease, where the food must not come into contact with utensils in which food containing gluten was prepared, then we would recommend not to participate in the trip as the risk of an allergic shock would be too high. If it is a (mild) gluten intolerance it is not a problem.

You and the group, new friends from around the world!

One of the most attractive aspects of the Bike & Barge holidays is that you encounter an international company on board. It’s a great opportunity for you to get to know various cultures at the same time! 
This tour is for cyclists with a good fitness level.

F.A.Q.

  • Which countries do the participants come from

    The main countries represented by our cycling guests are: United States and Canada. We also receive guests from United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia and New Zealand. The common language on board is English.

  • What packing list do you suggest

    Specialised cycle clothing may be handy but not strictly necessary. What you do need (among other things) is the following:
    •    shorts/ long trousers/ track suit/ legging
    •    shirts/ sweater/ rain clothing
    •    good solid shoes/ sneakers
    •    sunglasses/ cap/ swimming costume​​​​​​
    •    personal care and beauty items
    •    insect repellent
    •    sunscreen
    •    gloves (if you travel in April or October it will be chilly in the morning)

    A  hair dryer is available on all barges.

    Your travel documents include the final packing list we suggest for your booked tour.

  • What is the average age of the participants

    The average age varies between 50 and 80, but of course we have younger and older guests. In particular it is quite possible during the school holidays that children might be booked on your tour.

  • What happens when it rains?

    Most of the participants then wear rainwear. When the weather is so bad that cycling becomes really impossible (but that is almost never the case!), you can stay on board or your guide can organize an alternative program with, for example, cultural excursions and city tours (at your own expense).

  • Can I rejoin the barge before the end of a stage

    No, the barge doesn’t take the same route as the cyclists do. Sometimes the route may be altered because of weather conditions or repairs to bridges or locks and then the guests and the guide can arrange with the skipper to be met at a different place. Naturally you can always stay on board for one or more days.