Tour to Friuli in Italy and western Slovenia

This tour is filled with activities and beautiful countryside. You will bike through vineyards, try different local wines, hike in the Alps, visit the stunning Postojna caves in Slovenia and a lot more. If you are interested in football you will have the opportunity to go to a serie-A match and watch Udinese play. The trip starts and ends in Venice, a city that has captured visitors for centuries. Well worth mentioning is that plenty of traditional Friulien/Italian dinners and lunches, accompanied with wine, will be served during this trip. So prepare yourself for an unforgettable experience!

Day 1 Venice/Mestre

We will meet up at our hotel during the day. We stay in Mestre, a town close to Venice. If you arrive early we suggest that you go in to Venice and explore this beautiful town. In the evening we will get together for a welcoming dinner and for some information about the tour from the tour leader.

Day 2 Venice - Queen of the Adriatic

What better than an early summer Sunday in Venice? We take the local bus to Venice. The group leader will give you advice about what to see and to do. Enjoy this day, exploring the magical city at your own pace: wander the narrow streets, spacious piazzas and cross the hundreds of small bridges, watch the gondolas. In the afternoon we will meet up for a drink at the elegant and world famous Gran Caffé Quadri, one of the oldest public salons in Venice. Gran Caffé Quadri was founded in 1775 and offers an excellent view over St. Marc´s Square.

Day 3 Collio (Colli Orientali) - biking and vineyards

Now it is time to discover the genuine landscape of Friûl and its people. In the morning we will go to Collio, one of the finest wine districts in the world. We are going to stay at an agriturismo. Agriturismo means that you will live in the countryside at a vineyard or farm and eat food and drink wine produced here. After a typical Friulian lunch we will receive our mountain bikes. It is time to explore the countryside, do not forget your camera! Of course there will be pit stops for wine at some local Frascjes (small wine producers selling their own wine). We will have dinner at a traditional agriturismo. (Bus 150 km., bike 25 km.)

Day 4 Biking to Cividât (Cividale) and then we go for -
La Strada Del Vino

After breakfast we will bike to Cividât, one of the best-preserved Longobard cities in the world. Here you will find Celtic archways, the Devil's bridge and a magnificent Longobard temple. The afternoon will be spent biking the "la strada del vino" (the "wine road"). Along the way we will visit traditional Frascjes. Of course we will try the superb local wines: Merlot, Cabernet, Refosco, Tokaj, Sauvignon, Verduc; the wine is accompanied with cheese and salami. In the evening we will enjoy a nice traditional dinner with polenta and frico at a well-known agriturismo. (Bike 30 km.)

Day 5 Time for some adventure in the Slovenian Alps

Early in the morning our bus will take us to Bovec in Slovenia. Bovec is situated in the beautiful Soca valley, an area in the Slovenian Alps with dramatic peaks and hidden waterfalls. Bovec provides excellent rafting, kayaking, hydro speed, canyoning, hiking and mountain biking opportunities.Be prepared for a few days with unforgettable adventures! At night we have dinner together at the hotel. (Bus 50 km.)

Day 6 One more beautiful day in Slovenia

We will spend half the day in Bovec. At noon the bus will pick us up and take us to the Slovenian Colli here we will check-in to our agriturismo, we will also have lunch here. The evening is spent at "La Perla", a casino in Nova Goriza. This casino offers much more than gambling, you will see! We will have a dinner buffet at the casino. (Bus 60 km.)

Day 7 The mysterious Postojna cave - then back to Friûl

After a late breakfast the bus will take us to the Postojna cave, located in the south of Slovenia. Here you will enter the mysterious and fascinating underworld. An electric railway will carry us deep underground through an enormous maze of crystalline stone curtains and altars. A memory for life! Later in the afternoon we go back to Friûl and the mediaeval town of Spilimbêrg (Spilimbergo). At night we go for a nice dinner at a genuine tavern, very popular among the locals. (Bus 160 km.)

Day 8 Culture and culinary experiences in Friuli - In the evening
we will visit a traditional Friulian fiesta a so called "Sagre"

Today we will head off to San Denêl (San Daniele) and visit one of the regions most well-known prosciutto producers. Here you will try the "Prosciutto di San Daniele"¨. Today's lunch will be served at the prosciutto producers. After lunch we are going to Udin (Udine) Friûl´s capital. Now you will have the chance to shop Italian clothes, shoes and delicatessen. After a day full of "culture and culinary experiences" it is time for some party - we will visit a "Sagre"! A Sagre is a traditional Friulian fiesta held in the countryside. We can promise you that there will be a lot of dancing, laughing, barbecue, and wine. (Bus 30 km.)

Day 9 A traditional aperitif before lunch and then: Football, shopping or relaxing

After a late breakfast we will join the locals for their traditional Sunday's pre-lunch aperitif. After the aperitif we go for lunch in the historical centre of San Denêl. After lunch we will go to Udin (Udine), where you will have an opportunity to watch a serie-A football match: Udinese will play!

If do not like football you can do some more exploring of the nice town Udin. In the afternoon our bus takes us back to Mestre where the tour started. We will have a farewell dinner at the hotel. (Bus 160 km.)

Day 10 The last day of the tour

Today there are no activities planned and you can leave any time you want.