The Cycling Ambassador of Slovenia
EXPERIENCE UNFORGETTABLE cycling adventure FOR FREE
30 May – 4 June 2017
SLOVEnia is diverse. Green. Active. And healthy. A little gem located in the heart of Europe, which you will have a chance to experience. You will not only cycle along Slovenia, you will feel, taste, smell, hear and see Slovenia. And LOVE it at the end of the journey, if not sooner!
30 May, TUESDAY – WELCOME TO SLOVENIA
Arrive to Slovenia, the little green gem in the heart of Europe. You will have a chance to see, taste and feel it from the cycling perspective. 6 days of incredible adventures, combined with the best things Slovenia has to offer. Feel the diversity as you cycle along Slovenia and share your experience with your friends.
After arriving to Ljubljana airport, you will meet your cycling guides and get all the necessary equipment for the tour.
Your cycling day will consist of up to 50 km long routes, which will take you through different Slovenian regions. You will have a chance to sleep at specialized cycling locations, taste local food and see the main highlights of the country.
The first day will be spent in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. You will experience very compact, very green, and very cyclist-friendly capital of Slovenia, which makes it a great place to explore by bicycle. The cycling tour will take you through the historical city centre including architectural masterpieces of Slovenian famous architect Jože Plečnik.
3 pm: Meeting point: at Mons, 4 Points by Sheraton, together with the crew to discuss the itinerary and the details with regards to GoPro Cameras etc.
Transfer to the centre of Ljubljana.
5 pm: Tour of Ljubljana
Participants will split in 2 groups. One will go and see The General Tour of Ljubljana and the others on Plečnik Tour of Ljubljana
8: Gourmet Slovenian dinner up at Ljubljana Castle and overnight in Mons, 4 points by Sheraton, Ljubljana
31 May, WEDNESDAY – DISCOVER THE MYSTERIES OF THE PECA UNDERWORLD
It’s true that mountain bikes are made for enjoying the mountains, but in Koroška you can also bike through unique 6 km long maintained bike route deep within the earth. Equipped with headlamps, you will be guided through the mountain, along abandoned mine levels and galleries. The lower sections of the pit are flooded, which means your adventure will also include water activities – you will explore the little underground lake by kayak (subject to weather and safety conditions).
8:00 Pick up in front of the hotel and depart towards Mežica
10:00 Arrival to location, meet with the local organisers
Cycling through the underground, kayak activities, lunch (6 hrs in total)
16.00 Transfer to Eko Hotel Koroš
17:00 The tour and testing of Jamnica Single Bike Park
19:00 Dinner and overnight
1 June, THURSDAY – THE EASTERN PART OF SLOVENIA
Today, you will separate in three different groups and head on discovering three different regions:
A)Maribor with the surrounding area (ITA)
B)Logar Valley (DEU)
C)Posavje Region (UK, EN)
GROUP A – MARIBOR and the surrounding area (ITA)
7:00 Depart towards Maribor
9:00 Arrive to Maribor at Stara Trta House, the oldest vineyardand meet your local guides at the Old Vine House, where the cycling also starts.
Explore to the land through the Stara Trta Route where plains and hills are dotted with vineyards. This area is known for an exceptional winemaking tradition, symbolized by the oldest grape wine on the earth, which is in Maribor, the second largest city in Slovenia.
Lunch is organized in the new Hotel Maribor in the city centre. Afterwards you will be transferred to Špičnik, a place with an amazing view towards road shaped in the form of heart.
14:00 Arrive to Prlekija
With its towns of Ljutomer and Jeruzalem, Prlekija is a land of superlative wines, winding terraced hills, humming klopotec scarecrow rattles, a wealth of cultural, natural and ethnological heritage, thermal springs, spas and horse trotting. At the same time it is a land made for road, trail and family biking. You will be biking between Svetinje and Jeruzalem.
Afterwards, transfer to Snovik Spa, the highest lying spa in Slovenia. Dinner, overnight, if time permits also swimming&sauna.
GROUP B – Logar Valley (DEU)
The Logar Valley (Logarska dolina) is one of the most beautiful Alpine glacial valleys in Europe. The harmonic balance between tradition, man and nature that found its home in this part of the Solčava Region is both exceptional and difficult to find. Make your stay in this peaceful landscape park an opportunity for hiking, cycling, horseback riding or a photo safari. The park has also won the international CIPRA Future in the Alps Award for successful management of the protected area.
8:00 Depart towards Logar Valley
9:30Arrive to Logar Valley and meet your local guides to proceed to the cycling tour. Lunch included.
After the tour (in the evening, late afternoon), transfer to Snovik Spa, the highest lying spa in Slovenia. Dinner, overnight, if time permits also swimming&sauna.
GROUP C – Posavje Region (UK, EN)
7:00 Depart towards Krško
9:30 Arrive to Krško and meet your local guidesKsenja Kragl and well – known triathlon competitor Jaroslav Kovačičguides at City Hotel Krško, where the cycling also starts. You will be cycling through Krško, visiting Brestanica Castle, wineyards and the House of the Chocolate Kunej. Afterwards you’ll visit an amazing island on the river Kostanjevica na Krki and the gallery of Božidar Jakac, one of the most famous Slovenian painter.
14:30 Lunch
16:00 Departure
Transfer to Snovik Spa, the highest lying spa in Slovenia. Dinner, overnight, if time permits also swimming&sauna.
2 June, FRIDAY – SOUTH-WESTERNPART OF SLOVENIA
7:30 Depart from Snovik Spa – all participants
10.00 Visit the Postojna Cave (1,5 hrs)
11.30 Lunch, afterwards meet your guides and split into three groups
13:00 Depart towards your area
A)Goriška Brda Wine Region (ITA)
B)Slovenian Coast (DEU)
C)Soča Valley, Kobarid (UK, EN)
GROUP A – Goriška Brda Wine Region (ITA)
14:00 Arrive to Brda Tourist Information Centre and meet your local guide Vasja Benedetič at Grad Dobrovo, where the cycling also starts. The route among the picturesque wineyards of so called Slovenian Tuscany will go through Viševnik, Krasno and Gonjače to lookout tower. Typical local lunch at Marica House and then cycling through Kozana, Vipolže and Medana to Dobrova.
Afterwards, transfer to Kobarid. Dinner, overnight.
GROUP B – Slovenian Coast (DEU)
By now, you already had numerous chances to feel the diversity of Slovenia. But this is by far not everything. The saying goes you need to save the best for last. That is why we will take you to the coast. Though Slovenia only has a bit less than 40-kilometre long coast, it includes a number of natural and cultural features which are not to miss. Visit Sečovlje salt pans and get to know Fonda Fish farm, where they breed the Piran sea bass. Feel the romance in the medieval coastal town of Piran and wave goodbye as you head northwest, to Soča Valley.
13:30 Arrive to the coast and cycle from Koper on Parenzana Trail to Lucija. Start returning back to Koper and make an enroute stop in Piran, Strunjan and Izola. Cycling distance: 35 km, 400 m of altitude change.
Afterwards, transfer to Kobarid. Dinner, overnight.
GROUP C – Soča Valley, Kobarid (UK, EN)
14:00 Arrive to Kobarid and meet your local guides, the representatives of Positive Sport. You will get a bycicle and the itinerary.
Afterwards, return back to Kobarid. Dinner, overnight.
3 June, SATURDAY – Red Bull Goni Pony
One of the most interesting bike races in the world is Red Bull Goni Poni cycling race. You will join the third edition of Red Bull Goni Pony and given vintage Pony bikes to cycle up to Vršič pass (1611m elevation). Retro and fun!
9:00 White water-rafting on Soča River and picnic
12:00 Transfer to Kranjska Gora to attend Red Bull Goni Pony Race
15:00 Red Bull Goni Pony is a cycling hillclimb race that unites two legends of Slovenian cycling – Vršič pass and Pony bike.
Dinner and overnight in Kranjska Gora
4 June, SUNDAY – BOHINJ -BLED: THE ALPINE JEWELS AND A FAREWELL TO SLOVENIA
On the very last day of the tour, you will experience cycling in the two of the most well-know alpine jewels, Bled and Bohinj. Bled is the final stop, where you will finish your cycling adventure of Slovenia with a superb lunch at Bled Castle.
8:00 Transfer from Kranjska Gora to Bohinj
9:30 Arrive to Bohinjska Bistrica and exploring Bohinj valley. The tour will start in Bohinjska Bistrica. Warming up by cycling on the cycling route along the Sava Bohinjka river. After a short and fairly easy ride reaching the shore of Bohinj Lake, the largest permanent lake in Slovenia, in the village Ribcev Laz. Visiting the statue of the Four brave men (the men who climbed Mt. Triglav the first), church of St. John the Baptiste (the most photographed church in Slovenia) and get to know the legend of the Goldenhorn. We will continue biking along the lake to the village Stara Fuzina known for its iron production in the past.Hike to the Devils bridge and get familiar with typical alpine architecture. A short ride in the upper Bohinj valley and then return back to our starting point in Bohinjska Bistrica.
Cycling distance: approx. 15 km
13:00 Depart towards Bled
14:00 Lunch at Bled Castle, afterwards you have a chance to enjoy in Bled for a while
16:00 Time to say goodbye. Transfers to the airport/hotels (if the departure is a day after), return flights/train etc.
IMPORTANT: We reserve the right to change the timing of the itinerary as well as included sights due to force majeure. Nevertheless, we will make sure we guarantee the same level of quality and a superb adventure.
Additional information
Slovenian Tourist Board
Dimičeva 13, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenija
Tel.: 00386 (0)1 5898 550, Fax: 00386 (0)1 5898 560
Global Public Relations,