The Alpina Mediterranean Cycle Route was planned so that the length of the daily stages is around 50 kilometers. The excellent infrastructure and the frequency of settlements allowed us to achieve this goal, as the shortest stage is 41 kilometers long and the longest is 56 kilometers. This means that you will not be cycling for more than a few hours and that there will be enough time left to get to know the local nature, culture and gastronomy.

But cyclists know that length is not the only information, the difference in altitude that needs to be cycled is also important. The most difficult stage is from Sežana via Brkini to Ilirska Bistrica – there you will have 900 meters of elevation gain, while the easiest stage is almost flat, from Pušja vas to Čedad you will only have to overcome 280 meters of elevation gain.

And the surface? Approximately 15 percent of the road will be gravel, but it will never be difficult to ride, so you can tackle the Alpina Mediterranean Route with almost any bike, even a road bike, while the best choice will be a touring, trekking or gravel bike. The stage between Nova Gorica and Sežana is particularly cyclist-friendly, where 25 percent of the road is gravel – but most of it is a new bike path with a well-consolidated gravel surface, and all around you are karst vineyards, meadows and traditional stone walls. A real cycling romance!

We won’t say that the route is child’s play, but if you are able to cycle 50 kilometers and gain just under 1,000 meters of elevation, you shouldn’t worry.