Parenzana MTB: Trieste to Poreč Short Break

Day 1: Arrival in Trieste
You will arrive in Trieste, the elegant border city where Central European tradition meets the Adriatic. Relax in one of its historic literary cafés — little has changed since the days of Svevo, Saba, and Stendhal. A stroll through Piazza Unità d'Italia, the city's grand open-air "drawing room," is a must, and if time allows, visit the clifftop Miramare Castle a few kilometres outside the centre.

Day 2: Trieste – Piran/Portorož (approx. 45 km)
Your ride will begin at the exact spot where the old Parenzana narrow-gauge railway once departed — Trieste's 1906 Austro-Hungarian station. Leaving the city behind, you will cross the border into Slovenia and pedal through forests and countryside, discovering the natural beauty of the Istrian hinterland. A magnificent descent will reward you with a sweeping view over the spa town of Piran.

Day 3: Piran/Portorož – Livade/Motovun (approx. 55 km)
From Piran, still radiant with its Venetian architecture, you will rejoin the Parenzana trail. Inland, you will pass the geometric salt pans of Sečovlje, where prized fleur de sel is still harvested by hand — a truly unique patchwork to behold. The cycle path then leads through pristine countryside to Livade or Motovun, a hilltop village renowned for wine, olive oil, and truffles.

Day 4: Livade/Motovun – Poreč (approx. 35 km)
On your final stage you will follow the central section of the Parenzana, riding through tunnels and over viaducts built at the end of the 19th century. Dirt tracks wind through cultivated fields, vineyards, and Istria's distinctive red earth. As you approach the coast, the railway's traces vanish — no stations, no signs remain — and the sea opens up before you. Poreč, with its millennial history, will welcome you.

Day 5: Departure from Poreč
Individual departure or extension of stay.