Julian Alps - Road

Spend seven-days tackling the scenic roads crisscrossing the Italy, Austria and Slovenia borders. Adventure athlete Mark Van Liere and former Italian National Ski Champion Marco Tonazzi blend thrilling rides with relaxation, culinary delight and culture into one fantastic journey.

Included in package:

• All transportation during the trip (airport pick - up and drop - off; any day trip transfers)
• 7 nights accommodation at the Valbruna Inn
• All breakfasts, lunches and dinners. All drinks are included; all alcoholic beverages, water, soda, coffee, juice, etc
• After ride snacks and drinks for each day’s ride
• 6 days of riding (option for a 1-day mountain bike rental)
• Bike guide (s) for all rides and activities
• Mechanical support
• Support vehicle for all rides/activities, gas and tolls
• Welcome goodie bag
• Up to 3 side activities (some examples: adventure park, spelunking, WWI guided tour, horseback riding, hiking, white water rafting, winery tour)
• All incidentals: i.e.; all the extra wine, beer, snacks, gelato & cappuccinos you can handle)

Group can choose / secure the week of its choice on a first come -first serve basis.
Prices are to be confirmed when making reservation due to the fluctuations of the dollar/euro exchange rate. The price is final only when the deposit is paid.

Dates of Operation:  July - September

Day 1
Arrive in Klagenfurt Austria or Venice International Airport from an overnight flight and transfer to the Valbruna Inn in private vehicles (approximately a 45 minute drive). Check into the Inn and while you get settled in, we’ll assemble your bikes. Dinner will be in a nearby town.

Day 2
Start with the huge breakfast buffet at the Inn with unlimited cappuccinos, lattes and espresso. Today will be our first ride and will be on flat/rolling terrain from the Inn into Austria and back for about 40 miles. We will enjoy lunch at the area’s best pizza stop. This will be followed by an afternoon guided WWI ruins tour by a local historian in the Valbruna Valley. You will get first hand knowledge of what an important role this area played in WWI history and get to see different bunkers and trenches where these battles took place. We head to dinner in Valbruna tonight.

Day 3
Breakfast at the Inn. Today we ride in three countries, starting in Italy from the Inn, following the bike path into Slovenia to the border and into Austria for a spectacular downhill ride back to Valbruna. Today’s bike route will be approximately 40 miles. In the afternoon we will head to the base of the ski resort Mt. Lussari for a gondola ride up to the Lussari Sanctuary. Here you will get an incomparable view of the entire chain of the Julian Alps. An easy 1.5 hour round trip hike will take us to the top of the peaks with views of Italy, Slovenia and Austria. Lunch will be on top of Mt. Lussari after the hike. Tonight we take a short drive into Slovenia for dinner.

Day 4
Breakfast at the Inn. We head out earlier today to ride to a city named Pontebba (a long time trading post of the Hapsburg Empire and at the time divided by the Italo-Austrian border). The ride will start as a fast flat & rolling ride and then we come to a town and climb called Chiusaforte before having an amazing big mountain decent with spectacular views of the valley and mountains. Round trip back to the Inn will cover approximate 50 miles. Tonight we have a grappa tasting at the Inn before heading to dinner on slopes of Tarvisio Ski Resort.

Day 5
Breakfast at the Inn. We will load up the support vehicles and head into Austria for a 52 mile loop of rolling terrain around two mountain lakes. From this loop you will see historic castles and small villages that make up this popular summer destination area. We’ll grab lunch and drinks in Austria and attend one of the many Austrian summer festivals on the way back to Valbruna. We will pack a light bag to change out of cycling clothes. In the afternoon we will head to the trailhead for a short spelunking hike to get to the entrance of a 300 ft long cavern in the mountain for an unforgettable experience. Dinner in nearby Camporosso.

Day 6
Breakfast at the Inn. We have a choice between a 70 mile, two high mountain climbs crossing the boarder into Slovenia through the ski resort town of Kranja Gora and back to Valbruna. This ride goes along the Koritnica River and as we make the turn north towards the pass following the Soca River. Slovenia is a beautiful country and there is no better way to see it than this ride. Or choose a small mountain pass ride to the border of Slovenia and then up to the ski resort of Sella Nevea, Italy passing the Fusine mountain lakes. We will have lunch at a mountain hut near the ski resort before heading back to Valbruna. Trip is approximate 50 miles. Dinner at a fine restaurant in town.

Day 7
Breakfast at the Inn. After our big day in the saddle yesterday we will take a different 40 mile rolling/ flat ride into Austria and back. Lunch will be in Tarvisio where guests will have time to shop at the local markets and retail stores. We’ll stop at a fun wine shop to get the best choice of local wines and grappa from the region. We will also stop at a cheese co-op, where you can taste and buy your favorite cheese vacuumed packed for the trip back home. The afternoon you can spend relaxing at the Inn while we will break down your bike for you to get ready to head for home the next day. Tonight will be an amazing farewell dinner at the Inn, first meeting out back on the lawn for an apertivo and snacks.

Day 8
Departure day. Breakfast at the Inn and shuttle vehicles will depart to take you to the Klagenfurt International Airport or Venice International Airport.