Are you looking for a recommendation for an active daily trip? Well, I have one! :)
Between 1902 and 1935 there was a
railway connecting Trieste in Italy and Porec, a coastal town which is nowadays in Croatia. At the time of the at the time of the railway's existence,
Porec was called Parenzo – hence the name
Parenzana.
The
railway trail was 123 km long and had in total 33 stations in present-day Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. The
journey by train lasted approximately 7 hours.
Although
all tracks have been removed and there are no trains here anymore, the amazing
Parenzana trail still does exist: it is a bike trail! Of course, it can be used by both cyclists and hikers! ;)
In the tourist office or information centre you can ask for the map. It would be a
good idea to make a plan in advance which part of the trail you will take and how many kilometres you will cycle. Some parts of the Parenzana path are close to the main roads in case it proves to be too challenging for you. The road is
mostly rocky and covered with gravel so it is not an easy terrain through its whole length, but the fairy-tale scenery is worth it: nature, rocks, hills, amazing views, bridges, viaducts, tunnels, vineyards, olive groves, sightseeing platforms…
Most of the path is flat, but there are also uphill parts. There shouldn’t be cars on the path since it is impossible for them to pass the narrow paths, but the
Parenzana trail crosses public roads. The paths are marked with signs.
Most of the trail
passes through Central Istria. Central Istria is known for its landscape of small, picturesque medieval towns which are irresistibly reminiscent of Tuscany or Provence. This part of Istria is a mountains region so it can get cooler despite the sun. Also, some parts are in the shade, so I would suggest layer clothing. In addition to the usual equipment, it would be good to take enough water, maybe some food or something sweet for the ride. On the way, if there are any smaller grocery stores, their opening hours are not the same as those of the big supermarkets in the cities. It would be recommendable to take a cell phone, GPS and a light with you, just in case.
Taking a day trip on the paths of history by cycling (or hiking) for a couple of hours in the amazing nature and then visiting small towns such as beautiful Motovun, Oprtalj, Groznjan, Vizinada or Livade and enjoying gastronomic specialties as a reward? It really does sound great! :) So try it out while staying in one of our beautiful villas with pool in Porec, Motovun, Oprtalj or villages nearby. I wish you a nice ride! Until next time - bok! p.s. If you would like to rent bike, do not hesitate to contact
our trusted partner.
Nikolina Mladic
16.3.2016
MY ISTRIA GUIDE
