How much does the Pula Istria cycling loop cost?

The 8-day self-guided loop starting in Pula costs from €1,310 per person in a double room. Prices change with the season, with the highest rates from 20 June to 19 September. A 4-star hotel category is available at a higher rate, and single or solo traveller supplements apply. Bike rental is booked separately, from €140 for six days.

When is the best time to cycle around Istria from Pula?

You can start on any day of the week between 15 March and 15 November. Spring and autumn bring milder temperatures for the inland climbs and lower prices, while 20 June to 19 September is the peak season. With no fixed departures, you pick your own start date.

How hard is the Pula cycling loop of Istria?

It is graded moderate to fit, so it suits active cyclists who ride every week. Over six cycling days you cover 367 km, with stages between 53 and 72 km and a total climb of around 4,700 m. The toughest day, Buzet to Labin, is 67 km with roughly 1,200 m of ascent.

What bikes can I rent for the Istria loop from Pula?

The options are a trekking bike (€140 for six days), a gravel bike (€240), a carbon road bike (€270), an e-trekking bike with low entry or high bar (€260) and a carbon e-gravel bike (€360). Every bike comes with helmet, lock, pump, phone holder and a saddle bag with spare tube. A GPS unit, extra panniers and clipless pedals can be added at extra cost.

Is luggage transfer included on the Pula Istria bike tour?

Yes. Your bags travel from hotel to hotel each day, so you ride with just what you need. Nights are in 3-star or 4-star hotels according to the category you choose, always with breakfast. Lunches and dinners are not included, but the navigation app recommends restaurants along the way.

How do I get to Pula for the start of the Istria loop?

You travel to Pula independently. Pula has its own airport, just a few kilometres from the city, which makes it the most convenient arrival point for the tour. A private transfer from the airport to your hotel can be organised at extra cost.

How do I find the route on a self-guided cycling tour of Istria from Pula?

You receive maps, a road book and access to an offline navigation app with voice guidance, points of interest and restaurant tips. A digital information pack with GPX files and detailed route descriptions is also provided, and a 24/7 emergency number is available for the whole trip.

Pula Istria Cycling Loop

Istria

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from€1,310

Gravel BikeE-bikeTrekking bikeRoad Bike8 days / 7 nights367 km5/5ChallengingLoop

Short Description

Start and finish in Pula, home of the Roman Arena and the Arch of the Sergii, on this 8-day self-guided loop of Istria. You ride 367 km along both coasts and through the green interior, to Rovinj, Poreč, Grožnjan, truffle town Buzet and Labin.

Tour Program

Day 1: Pula — Arrival
You will arrive in Pula, the largest city in Istria and home to the Roman Arena, where a welcome briefing at your hotel will prepare you for the week ahead. Overnight in a 3- or 4-star hotel in Pula.

Day 2: Pula — Rovinj (61 km; +591 m / −586 m)
Your loop of Istria will begin in Pula. You will cycle towards Rovinj through the Bale area, where the Gothic-Renaissance Soardo-Bembo castle and the parish church of St. Julian stand on the route of the old Roman road between Trieste and Pula. Further on, Svetvinčenat will show you its towered Morosini-Grimani citadel, a municipal loggia and a line of 16th-century Renaissance houses. The stage ends in Rovinj. Overnight in Rovinj.

Day 3: Rovinj — Poreč (60 km; +787 m / −791 m)
This is a stage of legends. Via Kanfanar you will reach the ruins of medieval Dvigrad, a town said to have been emptied by the plague because of an ancient curse, in an area where stories also tell of Captain Morgan's buried treasure near Mrgani and of a cave where the hermit St Romuald once lived. A coastal stretch will then take you to Vrsar, the fishing village Casanova returned to twice, and on to Poreč. Overnight in Poreč.

Day 4: Poreč — Buje (72 km; +724 m / −581 m)
Before you set off, Poreč invites a walk past its Roman Forum, its palaces from many periods and the Euphrasian Basilica. You will then follow a coast of bays, vineyards and olive groves, where local families make their own wine, brandy and honey, passing Višnjan and its astronomical observatory, the Mirna river delta and Novigrad. Umag, with a historic centre shaped by the Venetian Republic, leads you to Savudrija, the northernmost point of Istria, before you turn inland. Overnight in the Buje area.

Day 5: Buje — Buzet (54 km; +845 m / −831 m)
After breakfast you will climb into the hills to Grožnjan, the town of artists, with its old walls, a Renaissance loggia from 1585 and lanes lined with studios and galleries. The route continues through the village of Šterna and medieval Oprtalj, where the view from the town loggia is often called the most beautiful in Istria. You will finish in Buzet, the City of Truffles, whose surrounding forests in the Mirna valley are prime truffle-hunting ground. Overnight in a 4-star hotel in Buzet.

Day 6: Buzet — Labin (67 km; +1204 m / −1069 m)
This is the toughest stage of the week. A steep climb to Prodani will bring you to Draguć, a stone village so picturesque that it has been used as a set for films and TV series. You will continue to Pazin, the heart of Istria, where the castle rises on the edge of a 130-metre abyss and hosts the Ethnographic Museum of Istria. Passing Gračišće and its Gothic-Renaissance Salomon mansion, then Kršan, you will come down to Rabac on the Kvarner bay. Overnight in a 4-star hotel in Labin.

Day 7: Labin — Pula (53 km; +560 m / −815 m)
After breakfast you will pedal through Raša, the first modern mining town in Istria, and Barban on your way south. Along the road, the Liburna reserve keeps native animals, among them friendly donkeys, together with an ethnological collection of old tools. You will reach Pula, the largest city in Istria, in time to explore its old town, the Arch of the Sergii and the Roman Arena. Your loop will close in Pula, back where you started. Overnight in Pula.

Day 8: Pula — Departure
Breakfast and end of services.

Tour details

LoopSelfguidedSolo travelersMinimum 1 personMinimum age 16 years

✅ What is included in the trip?

🏨 Overnight stay and breakfast
💼 Luggage transfer
📲 GPS or navigation APP
🗺️ Maps
📞 Local telephone assistance 7/7
🧍‍♂️ Welcome briefing
💧Biodegradable water bottle

❌ What is not included?

🚎 Transfers not listed as Included
✈️ Journey to/from the starting point
🍽️ Meals and drinks not listed as Included
🖼️ Entrance fees and extras not listed
🛡️ Travel insurance
🌎 Tourist taxes

🙋 Common questions

How much does the Pula Istria cycling loop cost?
The 8-day self-guided loop starting in Pula costs from €1,310 per person in a double room. Prices change with the season, with the highest rates from 20 June to 19 September. A 4-star hotel category is available at a higher rate, and single or solo traveller supplements apply. Bike rental is booked separately, from €140 for six days.
When is the best time to cycle around Istria from Pula?
You can start on any day of the week between 15 March and 15 November. Spring and autumn bring milder temperatures for the inland climbs and lower prices, while 20 June to 19 September is the peak season. With no fixed departures, you pick your own start date.
How hard is the Pula cycling loop of Istria?
It is graded moderate to fit, so it suits active cyclists who ride every week. Over six cycling days you cover 367 km, with stages between 53 and 72 km and a total climb of around 4,700 m. The toughest day, Buzet to Labin, is 67 km with roughly 1,200 m of ascent.
What bikes can I rent for the Istria loop from Pula?
The options are a trekking bike (€140 for six days), a gravel bike (€240), a carbon road bike (€270), an e-trekking bike with low entry or high bar (€260) and a carbon e-gravel bike (€360). Every bike comes with helmet, lock, pump, phone holder and a saddle bag with spare tube. A GPS unit, extra panniers and clipless pedals can be added at extra cost.
Is luggage transfer included on the Pula Istria bike tour?
Yes. Your bags travel from hotel to hotel each day, so you ride with just what you need. Nights are in 3-star or 4-star hotels according to the category you choose, always with breakfast. Lunches and dinners are not included, but the navigation app recommends restaurants along the way.
How do I get to Pula for the start of the Istria loop?
You travel to Pula independently. Pula has its own airport, just a few kilometres from the city, which makes it the most convenient arrival point for the tour. A private transfer from the airport to your hotel can be organised at extra cost.
How do I find the route on a self-guided cycling tour of Istria from Pula?
You receive maps, a road book and access to an offline navigation app with voice guidance, points of interest and restaurant tips. A digital information pack with GPX files and detailed route descriptions is also provided, and a 24/7 emergency number is available for the whole trip.