Slovenian miracles & the Alpe Adria Cycle Path - SPE26001
After a long journey – for some of us almost halfway around the world – everyone has finally made it to Velden am Wörthersee. At 4 p.m., we meet for the first time, and our welcome briefing is the perfect opportunity to get to know each other, settle in, and finally start our adventure together. First, there are a few organizational details to go through. But things soon get more exciting: hearing about the route ahead makes us eager for the days to come, and the excitement really starts to build when we are handed our e-bikes. The cycling adventure itself, however, doesn’t start until tomorrow. Today, we take things easy and enjoy a leisurely walk through picturesque Velden and along the shores of Lake Wörth. Afterwards, we head out for our first dinner together. Over good food, great conversations, and plenty of anticipation for the days ahead, we enjoy a relaxed first evening together.
After a delicious breakfast and a short briefing, we started our adventure. We left Velden under a perfectly blue sky. It only took everybody a few kilometres to get used to the new bikes. Our route took us first to Lake Faak, just one week before the famous European Bike Week (a big Harley Davidson event). We continued along the Gail River to Arnoldstein, where we had a little lunch. The famous church at Thörl-Maglern was our last stop in Austria. A few kilometres later we crossed the Italian border. Tarvisio in Italy was our destination and a very tasty dinner was the reward for us tough cyclists!
Today is an easy day. We follow the Alpe-Adria Cycle Path southwards, mostly enjoying a gentle downhill ride along the former railway line through the Canal Valley. After a relaxed coffee stop, things get truly spectacular: the cycle path takes us through tunnels and galleries, across bridges, and past sheer rock faces and rushing waterfalls. Around every bend, a new panorama awaits – definitely one of the highlights of the route. In the afternoon, the route becomes a little hillier. Near Moggio Udinese, we visit the Abbazia di San Gallo Abate, perched high above the Fella Valley. The former abbey is impressive not only for its history, but also for the fantastic views across the surrounding mountains. When we arrive, Marko is already waiting for us with a welcome drink. After such a varied day, it’s the perfect way to wrap things up.
A day full of highlights was waiting for us after we left Carnia. We stopped after a few kilometres to visit the town of Venzone, which had been totally destroyed by the earthquake 50 years ago. If you look closely, you still see some scars, but the town has been beautifully restored to its original state. The Castello in Osoppo was the next stop, and the views over the Tagliamento valley were definitely worth the steep climb up. Instead of the regular lunch stop, Ernst surprised us with a delicious picknick next to a small river. As Udine was our big destination for the day, we cycled straight through to reach this beautiful city early enough to do some sightseeing.
Today we make our way from Udine all the way to the sea – and summer shows us what it’s made of. It’s hot! Luckily, the breeze while cycling gives us some relief, and we also make the most of short stops in the shade. Eventually, we reach Palmanova. The star-shaped fortress town has a fascinating history. As we enter through the impressive gates, it feels like stepping back in time to the days when Palmanova played an important role in the Venetian Republic. Once we reach the main square, there is one thing on our minds: a well-deserved coffee break in the shade, with a cappuccino or a refreshing Italian gelato. We continue on to Aquileia, where history suddenly feels very real. It’s fascinating to see how much of what we encounter here dates back to Roman times. We admire ancient walls, impressive mosaics, historic buildings and beautiful frescoes, all offering a glimpse into the city’s remarkable past. And then we’ve made it: Grado and the Adriatic Sea! After arriving, we swap our bike saddles for a comfortable bar. A well-chilled Aperol Spritz is, of course, a must. Pure Italian holiday feeling.
Rest day on the Adriatic Coast - there are worse ways to spend a day. We could sleep in a little bit, enjoy the tasty breakfast and leave the e-bikes in the garage for a day. Instead we went on a city walk, where we were introduced to the 2000 year old history of Grado. We strolled through the charming city for a while, had coffee and ice cream - and now we are back at the hotel, ready for a leisurely afternoon. Swimming, cycling, shopping - there are almost too many options for one afternoon.
Most people stay on the beautiful beaches around Grado - we have to keep going. Our ride was quite interesting today, lots of different sights and sceneries. First we rode along the endless beach, then we reached the Isonzo river. From here we turned north, through picturesque Italian towns and many fields all kinds of vegetables. After a very tasty lunch in Gradisca we continued to Gorizia. Two flat tires within 10 kilometres tried to stop us, but we reached Gorizia early enough to visit the beautiful old town and also the Oslavia War Memorial on a hill above the town.
After a few days of preparation, we are ready for the queen stage. Around 70 kilometers lie ahead of us, with a few hills to conquer along the way. Sounds like a challenge – but for us, it’s no big deal. With the help of our e-bikes, we power up the climbs and enjoy the scenery, the wine-growing region, and the charming little villages of Slovenia along the way. In the evening, we are rewarded for our efforts with a very special experience: a visit to the Postojna Cave, one of Europe’s most impressive cave systems. Deep underground, we marvel at huge chambers, bizarre stalactites and stalagmites, and a fascinating subterranean world that has been developing over millions of years. And of course, no visit would be complete without meeting one of the cave’s most unusual inhabitants: the olm. This mysterious, almost translucent creature lives exclusively in the underground waters of the Karst and looks a little like a tiny dragon. After such a full day, we have certainly earned a good night’s sleep. We’re pretty sure everyone will sleep well tonight!
Tough start today - there was only one direction for the first 20 kilometers: uphill. The break for visiting the beautiful Predjama Castle made the climb a lot easier. Just short of the top of the hill we had another tasty picnic. One advantage of a long climb : you have a long descent as well. So we had a fairly easy cruise (except for a small but challenging gravel section) to Ljubljana. Everybody seemed a bit exhausted - a good opportunity for another rest day!
Today is a rest day – the bikes stay in the garage. After all, there is plenty to discover on foot in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. In the morning, Mandy takes us on a personal guided tour of the city. We explore this lively and relaxed city, stroll through the market, and discover a fascinating mix of different architectural styles. And one thing quickly becomes obvious: there are dragons everywhere! No wonder the famous Ljubljana Dragon has become one of the city’s most recognizable symbols. Then comes another little surprise: completely spontaneously, we decide to take a boat trip along the Ljubljanica River. And of course, it fits perfectly with our sustainable approach to travel. Instead of a noisy sightseeing boat, we cruise through the heart of the city on a cozy wooden boat powered by electricity. A whole new perspective on Ljubljana included. In the afternoon, everyone is free to do whatever they like. Time for strolling around, shopping, enjoying a coffee, visiting a museum, or simply relaxing. There is definitely something for everyone in Ljubljana.
Today’s stage takes us to our final destination: Bled, right in the heart of the Julian Alps. But before we reach the famous Lake Bled, there is still one little weather challenge waiting for us. The forecast doesn’t look particularly promising – heavy rain is on the way. Luckily, it doesn’t start quite as badly as expected. We actually stay dry all the way to our coffee break in Kranj. But afterwards, the forecast proves to be right: suddenly, torrential rain starts pouring down. No reason to panic. Rain gear on, hoods up, and off we go! Thankfully, it isn’t cold, so the rain shower almost feels like a welcome change. And most importantly, everyone still has a smile on their face. Cycling in the rain really isn’t so bad after all! And sure enough, the weather is kind to us once again towards the end. By the time we reach Lake Bled, the skies have cleared and the cycling conditions are perfect again. What perfect timing! We can arrive at our final destination and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere around the lake to the fullest.
The final day of the tour had arrived - and so had the rain. After almost two weeks of cycling in beautiful sunshine, we woke up for the first time to pouring rain. Not perfect, but no big deal, considering that there were many things to do in Bled, even with bad weather. Visit the castle, take a boat to the island, take a train ride around the lake - or go cycling. And then the tour was finally over - we all enjoyed our last dinner together and then it was time to say goodbye to our new friends. Another wonderful tour came to and end, with many new impressions, new stories, new pictures - memories that will last a lifetime.