LA REINE ISTRIA
A Week in Rhythm
Seven days — each with its own direction, its own distance, its own character.
Day 1 · Arrival in Istria
Individual arrival at Venice Airport (Marco Polo, VCE)
Shuttle to Poreč at 11:00 or 15:00 (approx. 2.5–3 hours)
We meet at 18:00 at the hotel.
Arriving, settling in, getting a first sense of the place — and of the group.
A short briefing and bike fitting, followed by a first dinner together at the hotel — calm, open, unhurried.
Day 2 · Into the Hinterland — Back to the Sea
59 km · 550 m elevation · Discover route
We start along the coast, leaving Poreč behind. The route leads inland — through vineyards, olive groves, and small villages that sit quietly within the landscape.
The first longer climbs and flowing sections create space to settle into the ride and find a sense of the group’s rhythm.
In Kaštelir, we pause for a shared lunch — a moment to arrive, before rolling back towards the coast.
With the sea in view, the route returns to Poreč.
Breakfast, lunch along the way, refreshments during the ride, and dinner at the hotel are all part of the day.
Day 3 · Between Legends and the Sea
60 km · 650 m elevation · Discover route
We ride through small villages and follow the Lim Bay inland, passing the ruins of the medieval town of Dvigrad — set within a landscape where history and legend still linger.
Stories of hidden treasures and ancient caves accompany this stretch, without ever imposing themselves. The surroundings feel quiet, almost timeless.
From Kanfanar, we follow a former railway line — now a car-free gravel path, steady and calm all the way to Rovinj.
Rovinj rises tightly built by the sea, one of the most striking places in Istria — narrow streets, pale facades, and the open water just beyond.
In the afternoon, we return together to Poreč by shuttle.
Breakfast, lunch along the way, refreshments during the ride, and dinner at the hotel are all part of the day.
Day 4 · Along the Parenzana
64 km · 775 m elevation · Discover route
In the morning, a shuttle takes us to Grožnjan — the starting point for one of the most memorable sections of the week.
We follow the Parenzana, a former narrow-gauge railway stretching across Istria — a route that connects places, landscapes, and eras.
The path leads through gentle hills, vineyards, and wide valleys, through tunnels and across old bridges. At times steady and quiet, then opening to expansive views.
Below Motovun, we stop with a local family. A simple lunch, truffles from the region — and a glimpse into the work with the dogs that find them.
In the afternoon, the route leads back to Poreč.
Breakfast, a light lunch in Motovun, and dinner at the hotel are part of the day.
Day 5 · All the Way to Istria’s Southern Tip
67 km · 455 m elevation · Discover route
In the morning, a shuttle takes us to Kanfanar. From there, we ride through the wide landscapes around Bale — across open stretches, through small villages, and along quiet paths winding between fields and cypress trees.
In Svetvinčenat, we pause briefly — a Renaissance village shaped by the Morosini-Grimani fortress and its expansive square lined with cypresses. A quiet place where the history of the region still lingers.
In Bale, we visit one of Istria’s leading olive oil producers. Among ancient trees, harvest, and craft, an oil is created here that is valued far beyond the region. We gain insight into this work — and taste what emerges from it.
Further south, the views open to the sea and the Brijuni islands beyond. The landscape widens, the light grows brighter as we approach Pula.
After a short stop, the route continues to Cape Kamenjak — the southernmost point of Istria. A place where the land gives way and the sea takes over.
In the afternoon, a shuttle brings us back to Poreč.
Breakfast, an olive oil tasting, and dinner at the hotel are part of the day.
Day 6 · Along the Coast and Through the Lim Bay
59 km · 560 m elevation · Discover route
We start along the coast, soon reaching Vrsar — a small fishing village quietly set by the sea.
Casanova once returned here.
The route continues through the Kontija forest — a dense, almost silent stretch that opens as the view extends across the Lim Bay.
Passing the old Benedictine monastery near Kloštar, we head back inland — through vineyards and small villages that shape the rhythm of the day.
In the afternoon, we roll back to Poreč.
Breakfast, lunch along the way, refreshments during the ride, and dinner at the hotel are all part of the day.
Day 7 · A Fitting Finale
74 km · 715 m elevation · Discover route
We start along the coast, heading north — through vineyards, olive groves, and past small coves that have become familiar over the past days. The rhythm has settled, the group carries.
In Savudrija, we reach the northernmost point of the peninsula. The lighthouse stands quietly by the sea — as it has for centuries. A place that endures.
From here, we turn inland. The route grows quieter, more open — almost like a closing chapter, yet still held by everything that came before.
In Brtonigla, the ride comes to an end at a winery. A long table, house-made wines, a moment to pause. Conversations, laughter, a look back at the days in the saddle.
In the afternoon, a shuttle brings us back to Poreč.
In the evening, we celebrate together — a closing that stays.
Breakfast, refreshments during the ride, a wine tasting with light bites, and a shared farewell dinner in Poreč are part of the day.
Day 8 · One Last Morning
After breakfast, the week together comes to an end.
Transfers to Venice Airport are arranged in line with departure times.
Is this for you?
This is an intense week.
Six days in the saddle, 60–75 kilometres on gravel — from Poreč through the hinterland, along the coast, to Rovinj and up to Motovun.
You ride through small villages and vineyards, follow the quiet stretches of the Parenzana, roll along the Lim Bay, and reach Cape Kamenjak at the southernmost tip of Istria.
In between: olive oil, truffles, wine — and again and again, the sea.
The routes are well rideable, but demanding in their overall rhythm.
Gravel remains gravel — with loose surfaces, shifting flow, and the steady rise and fall of the terrain.
Experience on a gravel bike is helpful. What matters is that you feel confident on loose ground and are used to longer rides over several consecutive days.
We ride in two groups with slightly different paces — but on the same routes, as one shared week.
If this speaks to you — this sequence of days unfolding from coast to hills, from vineyards to sea, the experience of riding together with women from around the world, and everything that happens in between — then this retreat is exactly right for you.