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Highlights
Hike the Mediterranean coast as you explore the three countries that make up Istria
Hike along the sunny coastline and amongst the vineyards of the karst hills as you explore the peninsula.
Visit fascinating sites, including the UNESCO-designated Euphrasian Basilica and Roman aqueducts.
Look for traces of historic settlements along numerous scenic, coastal hiking trails.
Spend the night in the amazing car-free seaside village of Koper, where peace and tranquility awaits.
Explore the beautiful Mediterranean peninsula of Istria on this 8-day self-guided hiking tour. Discover three breathtaking countries as you hike from coastal fishing villages in Italy to the charming hilltop towns of Croatia.
This walking adventure shows off the diverse landscapes of the Istria peninsula. You’ll hike along the sunny coast that belongs to Italy and Slovenia and then turn inland for walks through the hills, valleys, and vineyards in Croatia. You’ll soak in the culture as you experience the sights and sounds of charming overnight stops along your route. This hiking tour is the perfect way to escape the hustle and bustle of busier tourist destinations while enjoying the Mediterranean sunshine. Check three incredible countries off of your bucket list in one go on the Istria Coastal Walking Adventure!
Explore the beautiful Mediterranean peninsula of Istria on this 8-day self-guided hiking tour. Discover three breathtaking countries as you hike from coastal fishing villages in Italy to the charming hilltop towns of Croatia.
This walking adventure shows off the diverse landscapes of the Istria peninsula. You’ll hike along the sunny coast that belongs to Italy and Slovenia and then turn inland for walks through the hills, valleys, and vineyards in Croatia. You’ll soak in the culture as you experience the sights and sounds of charming overnight stops along your route. This hiking tour is the perfect way to escape the hustle and bustle of busier tourist destinations while enjoying the Mediterranean sunshine. Check three incredible countries off of your bucket list in one go on the Istria Coastal Walking Adventure!
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Istria Coastal Walking Adventure Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Trieste
After you’ve checked into your Trieste hotel you’ll have the whole day to explore this beautiful port city. It has a fascinating history and unique personality for you to discover.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Trieste
Distance: None
Meals: None
Day 2 Hike to Koper via Parenzana
In the morning you take the ferry from Trieste to Muggia. The stage begins in Muggia, the only Istrian town in Italy. You hike inland from the sea. After crossing the border with Slovenia, you’ll enjoy a beautiful view of the Muggia valley and the Julian Alps. You descend gently along the Slovenian Alpine Trail. Here the landscape opens up above the Gulf of Koper amidst wooded areas and vineyards. You will walk part of the stage on the Parenzana, the former Istrian narrow-gauge railway that connected Trieste and Poreč until 1935. End the day in the car-free town of Koper with all of its magnificent buildings. It is possible to shorten the route today by taking a public bus (ticket not included).
Overnight Location: Hotel in Koper
Distance: 5 hours, 250m of ascent, 220m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 Hike through the Strunjan National Park
Continuing along the sea, you leave Koper and hike to the old fishing town of Izola and on to Piran/Portoroz, your destination today. You will hike through the beautiful Strunjan National Park. Piran is the birthplace of Giuseppe Tartini, an Italian violinist and composer, and its centre is strongly marked by Venetian influences. Stroll through the alleys with their Venetian palaces, or enjoy the flair in the Piazza Tartini in the centre of Piran. Portorož and Piran are surrounded on both sides by salt flats. Thanks to the preciousness of the famous salt the picturesque Piran had its boom in the Middle Ages. In fashionable Portorož, salt is an important part of the wellness offer. It is among the most holistic in Europe. There is the possibility to shorten the route from Koper to Izola by bus today (ticket not included).
Overnight Location: Hotel in Piran
Distance: 4-5 hours, 200m of ascent, 180m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 Hike towards Buje
In the morning you take a public bus to the starting point of the stage (ticket not included). You leave Portoroz and the coast, then you will cross the border into Croatia. You hike through the inland to Buje. In Buje and the surrounding area, the soil is particularly fertile. 23 of Croatia‘s best-known winegrowers cultivate their wines in this area. Wine roads lead you through the vineyards and olive groves around the small town. In the evening, the well-known wine-cellars and restaurants invite you to enjoy the delicacies of Istrian cuisine.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Buje
Distance: 4.5 hours, 150m of ascent, 100m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 Hike towards Brtonigla
Starting from Buje, you walk amidst green fields, olive groves and vineyards to Brtonigla. Brtonigla combines typical rural Istrian cuisine with Mediterranean sea cuisine. Worth seeing here are sacred buildings such as the parish church of St. Zenon. Worth a visit is also the Mramornica cave!
Overnight Location: Hotel in Piran
Distance: 4 hours, 280m of ascent, 340m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 Hike through Skarline Nature Park
You will hike through the Skarline Nature Park. The park is named after the Škarlina stream that rises nearby. North of Kastelir, above the valley of the Mirna River, lie the ruins of the medieval settlement of Nigrinjana, now Gradina. The Via Flavia, a military road that once went through Trst, the Mirna valley and Porec to Pula, passed through Kastelir. The village of Kastelir is surrounded by Mediterranean plants, olive trees, vineyards and fields. The surrounding forests are rich in mushrooms and wild asparagus. From Kastelir you take a transfer to Tar.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Motovun
Distance: 4.5 hours, 300m of ascent, 200m of descent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 Hike to Porec
The last day of your discovery trip in Istria takes you to Porec. Most of your hike will be along the coast. From far away you will see the Euphrasius Basilica, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and should definitely be visited. End your hiking tour with a good glass of wine on one of the squares in the old town of Porec.
Overnight Location: Hotel in Porec
Distance: 4 hours, 110m of ascent
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 Departure
Your tour is completed after breakfast. Begin your journey home, or extend your stay to spend more time in historic Porec.
Overnight Location: None
Distance: None
Meals: Breakfast
Istria Coastal Walking Adventure Price and Dates
This self-guided tour is always run as a private tour for your group only, where the pricing depends on your travelling dates, as well as the types of rooms that you need.2024 Departures: The departures are available every Saturday, from March 30th to July 27th and from August 22nd to November 2nd.
- Single room: from EUR1058*
- Sharing a double room: from EUR829*
Accommodation on the Istria Coastal Walking Adventure
This tour is based in hotels and B&Bs. Hotels on this trip are 3 and 4-star and offer inviting, comfortable rooms. Spend each night enjoying the hospitality of a different town or city along your route.
In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other comparable accommodations.
Single Rooms and Solo Travellers
Rooms are double occupancy. If you prefer a single rooms, the required supplement is included in the listed prices.
What’s Included in the Istria Coastal Walking Adventure?
Meals
7 breakfasts are included.
Accommodations
Accommodation for 7 nights are included. Accommodation before the tour in Trieste and after the tour in Porec are not included but can be added as a supplement.
Transportation during the Tour
This tour includes all transfers as outlined in the itinerary and a ferry ticket from Trieste to Muggia. Your luggage will be transported between hotels during your hikes. Airport transfers are not included but may be added as a supplement.
Also Included
- Pre-planned hiking route
- Detailed documents, guides and trail maps
- Emergency telephone support hotline for the duration of the tour
- Luggage transfer between hotels
Not included
- Guide services
- Meals, drinks, or snacks not previously mentioned
- Tourist hotel tax, payable each night at the hotel
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Any public transport not listed as included
- Visas if required
- Anything not mentioned as included
- Gratuities for drivers, servers, or other staff if desired
- Admissions or entry fees
Optional Extras
- Additional nights before or after the tour
- Airport transfers
- Single occupancy upgrades
- Optional activities or excursions
- Shuttle transfer from Porec to Trieste (runs each Saturday and can be booked in advance)
- How hard is the Istria Coastal Walking Adventure?
- Do I need a visa to travel to Italy or Croatia?
- Are meals included on the Istria Coastal Walking Adventure?
- Do I need insurance?
- How do I get to Trieste to start this tour?
- Is the Istria Coastal Walking Adventure guided?
- Where does the Istria Coastal Walking Adventure end?
- Is the Istria Coastal Walking Adventure family-friendly?
- Do I need special vaccines to travel to Italy and Croatia?
- Are there any travel restrictions for Italy and Croatia?
We rate this tour as a 3/5. This tour includes daily hikes up to 5 hours per day, but most days you’ll walk about 4 hours. The paths are comfortable with varied terrain. You will be climbing through a hilly region for a portion of the tour.
Check with your local country about visa requirements. You could also try this website, though you should verify with your government.
7 breakfasts are included.
Yes, it is mandatory to have health and medical insurance to join this trip. Get your Travel Insurance.
Fly into Trieste Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport (TRS). You can also access Trieste by car or by train and by bus. Airport transfers can be booked as a supplement.
No. You will be provided with all necessary information to complete your self-guided tour. Self-guided tours offer great flexibility in your day-to-day, but you should be comfortable with more independence than you’d have on a guided tour.
This tour ends in Porec, Croatia. The nearest airport is Trieste Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport (TRS). There is regular bus service between Porec and Trieste, as well as a weekly shuttle that runs on Saturdays that can be booked in advance.
Yes, this tour would be suitable for families with children ages 14 and older. Children should be comfortable completing all included walks on this tour.
Check with your family doctor.
Please check with your local government about travel restrictions before you book your tour. This map from the US Department of State provides an overview of the current status in countries around the globe. The UK‘s Foreign Office and Government of Canada also provide advice on foreign travel. Note that the travel advice may change depending on your nationality.
Customer Ratings
FunActive Tours operates adventure tours in the heart of the Italian Dolomites. Thanks to the ideal
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Trieste, FunActive Tours can offer excellent walking and cycling tours not only in the mountains, but
also towards Austria, Slovenia, and Istria.
FunActive offers efficient, high-quality service to clients from all over the world, making it one of the
best choices for those seeking an experienced local provider. Attention is given down to the smallest
details, and the tours are designed to suit travellers of many abilities according to how adventurous
they wish to be. FunActive can find you an incredible tour regardless of age, skill level, or time of
year. Come discover Italy and beyond!
