The ancient italian town of Muggia sits at the very top of the Istrian Peninsula just one kilometre from the Slovenian border looking north across the bay to the port town of Trieste. This gorgeous little walled town is the perfect place to spend the first night of your holiday as it offers old world charm with some great little restaurants and bars as well as easy access to the hustle and bustle of Trieste by boat and bus.

The first day’s route is easy and relatively short to ease you into the holiday. Leaving Muggia you cross the border into Slovenia and join a pleasant coastal path that leads you through the charming, traditional villages of Koper and Izola. There’s plenty of time to stop and absorb the atmosphere of these idyllic little places before continuing on, through slightly more hilly terrrain, to the charming little port-town of Piran. Surrounded on three sides by the Adriatic, Piran is a delightful little place and you’ll love exploring its winding labyrinth of alleyways as well as its beautiful Tartini Square.

Leaving Piran you continue south along the coast, first through the slovenian spa town of Portorôz and then around the extensive salt pans of Sečovlje (top tip – try to set off early to see this spectacle in the early morning light). You then leave Slovenia and cross the border into Croatia. The route leads you inland across some slightly more hilly terrain before descending to the bustling little port of Umag, where you will spend the night. Over the years the town has spread around the whole bay but don’t miss the original, beautiful medieval village on the bay’s southern flank.

Today’s ride leads you through quiet rolling countryside. The coastline dips in and out of view between the trees as you make your way further south. Eventually you descend back to the coast and to the town of Novigrad. Novigrad means ‘new city’ which, considering the town dates back to medieval times seems a bit of a misnomer. Take a stroll around the narrow lanes or adjourn to the beach for a refreshing swim. In the afternoon you continue south along the coast to the town of Poreč where you stop for the night. Poreč is yet another gorgeous old Istrian port town with a pleasant harbour and quayside to stroll along.

You’ll spend a second night in Poreč this evening and so today you have a choice. Do you take a day off from cycling and head for the beach or explore the delightful town in more detail? You could take a boat trip to the impressive Limski Fjord National Park just along the coast or mount up for an enjoyable 48 km loop ride into the surrounding countryside. Of course a combination of any of these options is also a possibility.

Of all the medieval walled towns on Istria’s coastline, the town of Rovinj is probably the most beautiful and that’s where you’re headed today. The ride is the longest of the week but by now your legs will have become accustomed to the daily routine and the miles will fly by. You follow the coastline to begin with but after a while the route detours inland to circumvent the beautiful Limski Fjord, a 10 kilometre long inlet flanked by wooded hillsides. The town of Rovinj, a tightly packed cluster of medieval houses interwoven with a maze of narrow winding alleyways, sits on a tiny headland surrounded by water on three sides. It is considered to be one of the most picturesque and romantic coastal towns on the Mediterranean and artists flock here to try and capture its essence on canvas. An active fishing fleet is based in the harbour and it’s quite a sight to watch the restaurant owners haggle with the fishermen for the best of the catch on the quayside.

Today you complete your journey along the coast of the Istrian Peninsula with an enjoyable ride to the town of Pula on the southern tip. You’ll ride through pine forests and olive groves. It’s a relatively short ride designed to give you plenty of time to enjoy Pula, the largest and most important city in Istria. The town itself is over three thousand years old and has a wealth of Roman architecture to admire including the Temple of Augustus and the Arch of the Sergius. The key attraction though has to be the impressive Roman Amphitheatre that dominates the town. The caverns beneath the amphitheatre are also worthy of a visit as is the old Roman Forum on top of the hill. In the evening it is nice to stroll the bustling streets of this ancient town.

After breakfast it’s time to head for home or your next adventure.