Discover Trieste, on the quiet corner of North East Italy, elegant, cosmopolitan, airy and bright.  You’ll walk the beautiful trails surrounding the city, including the famous Rilke Trail, with awesome views of the cliffs and the sea, and you’ll pedal on bike paths along the sea, making a foray into Slovenia. Cherry on top you’ll taste the peculiar cuisine of Trieste, a true melting gastronomic pot, and you’ll learn about the undiscovered wines of Karst at one top-notch winery.

Day 1:  bike on Alpe Adria trail 

Rendevouz at designated place and start your trip to this extraordinary yet undiscovered region of Italy. Before reaching the city of winds you will detour for a bike day, starting in Palmanova. Built in 1593 by the Republic of Venice, Palmanova, with its perfect nine-pointed star shape, monumental entrance gates and the three circles of fortifications from the 16th, 17th and 19th centuries, Palmanova is at the same time a model Renaissance city and an example of military architecture that reveals in concrete detail to the visitor the technical developments of the science of fortification construction in the modern era. After a quick cappuccino, you will start biking directly from the city hearth, the Piazza Grande, and as you exit the city, you hop on the Alpe-Adria Trail, a bike and walking path that start in the city of Mozart, travel through Austria and Slovenia, it ends up in Grado, a charming fishermen village by the Adriatic Sea. On the way, stop in Aquileia to visit the important basilica and this important site of late Roman Empire with amazing mosaics (also UNESCO heritage). Follow on to reach Grado where you’ll have lunch, after which hop on the van and head to Trieste. Check in at the hotel, a bit of time for freshen up and meeting up with our guide for a walking tour of Trieste historical city centre. 

Activity: a 30-km bike ride on flat bike path  and pm walking tour of Trieste

Meals:  Lunch in Grado

Day 2: walk Napoleon trail  and the Miramare castle park

This morning you start your walking with a short transfer, to reach the start of the so called “Napoleon trail” or Via Vicentina. The walk is easy and on mostly flat, at certain point flanked by the high Karsik walls, a natural climbing frame, a true paradise for climbers. Soon you’ll reach the small village of Prosecco, where to stop for a quick drink at a local osmize, a peculiar inn which serves local wine with cheese, ham and local food. Follow on, on local quiet roads towards the beautiful Castle of Miramare, built in 1856  for Archduke  Ferdinand Maximilian and his wife, Charlotte of Belgium, when he settled in Trieste after he was appointed in 1854 Commander in Chief of the Imperial Navy. You’ll walk the extensive Miramare park, styled with a whole romantic fashion typical of the English gardens of the era. After the visit to the castle reach the close by village of Grignano, which hosts the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano, a very important sea club, organiser of the Barcolana, the biggest regatta in the world.  After a short transfer to hotel, rest of the day is for you at leisure. 

Activity: 10 km walking mostly flat or downhill 

Meals: Breakfast | Lunch in Grignano

Day 3: bike on Parenzana into Slovenia

This morning you’ll embark on the ferry shuttle right in front of your hotel to reach the village of Muggia. A quick cappuccino and hop on the bikes: you’ll pedal on Parenzana, a beautiful bike path out of dismissed ancient train track, which connected Trieste to Parenzo. You’ll make a foray into Slovenia and reach beautiful Pirano, pedalling along the sea, and into and out of woods of Slovenia countryside. Lunch at our preferred spot in Pirano, before getting back to Trieste with our van. You’ll stop to visit a local producer of an exceptional olive oil, cultivated in the Rosandra valley, just minutes from Trieste centre.

Activity: a 40-km bike ride on rolling path + a walking tour of Trieste

Meals:  Breakfast | Lunch in Piran | Olive oil tasting

Day 4: walk Rilke trail 

Today, after breakfast, you’ll leave for a short transfer to San Giovanni al Timavo, where today hike will start. Begin with an easy walk on flat, quiet roads until we reach Duino and its castle on the rock above the Adriatic Sea. From there you’ll start an easy climb on the Karst cliffs, reaching and elevation of 114 mt above the sea. The hike will follow on a trail dedicated to the Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke,  and you’ll go into woods and back on to the sea cliff limit, with amazing views of the Gulf of Trieste: the Miramare Castle, Trieste and the Istrian coast on the back. After about 9 km you’ll hop on the transfer to reach in few minutes our local friend producing fine Karst wines. Edi will host you for lunch and you’ll also visit his awesome cellar, dug in the Karst. After lunch optional more walking on the Gemina trail, among olive trees, vineyards and Mediterranean bush. 

Activity: a 9 km easy walking with about 115 mt elevation gain |optional walking after lunch 

Meals: Breakfast at hotel | Lunch at wine farm

Day 5: Arrivederci

We bid farewell to Trieste, you have a transfer organised to Venice. Arrivederci!