Parenzana Trail Croatia Adventure
Our last morning at the Štanfel Tourist Farm was spent enjoying another lovely breakfast from our host Ester. Stefan had the day off since there aren’t many guests staying there this week. It’s pretty much near the end of tourist season for a lot of these areas, so I think we came at a good time.
Off to Croatia
The rain finally cleared up, and it’s looking to be a lovely day. Our Slovenia portion of the trip is coming to an end, and we are making our way to the coast. We will be staying at La Parenzana, a 100-year-old building that has been converted into a restaurant and hotel.
We had a nice drive from Slovenia into Croatia. We made a little pit stop and found a nice bakery off the side of the highway. We got some pastries and an espresso. Back on the highway, we went into Italy for a bit, then back into Slovenia, and finally into Croatia again. The drive took about 2.5 hours, and we arrived at our hotel around 11 a.m.
Parenzana Hotel
Sara reserved us bikes, which is the main reason she chose this spot. It is located right on the Parenzana Trail Croatia. This gravel path spans about 100 miles and passes many quaint little towns along the way. Off the trail, you will find old castle ruins, abandoned towns, railroad tunnels, viaducts, and some amazing views.
Sara reserved herself an e-bike, and I stubbornly requested a regular bike. Though the regular mountain bike was doable, the e-bike would have probably been the better choice. Gravel bikes can make it down the trail with not too much problem, but a bike with some suspension would be a bit more forgiving.
Grožnjan
After riding about an hour on the Parenzana Trial Croatia, we made it to a little medieval town. I don’t know much about the town, but it is extremely old. The streets are so narrow that cars cannot make it in. The roads were paved with cobblestones, but it is quite bumpy and could be quite difficult to get around if you have mobility restrictions.
There were a lot of art vendors and some street vendors. It was a cute town. A lot of the stores were cash only, and we were fresh out of euros, unfortunately. Back on the bikes, we continued down the trail. We were hoping to make it to the next little town, which seemed not too far away, but it ended up being too far. We turned around and retraced our ride back to the hotel.
One note: on our way out, a large tree had fallen and blocked the trail. By the time we made it back to that point, the tree had been cut and removed from the trail.
Ready for Food
Back at the hotel, we cleaned up and made our way down to their restaurant for dinner. Dinner was wonderful, and the service was good. It is really great that most people speak English here. It makes everything so much easier.
The owners of the hotel run the restaurant too. We were greeted by the host, who let us know that he is the head chef. I went with the spare ribs, and Sara got the fried squid on sweet potato purée. To finish things off, we had a tiramisu. I got a coffee, and Sara got some liqueur to wash everything down.
The bike ride on the Parenzana Trail Croatia was about 5 hours total with all the different stops, and we did about 30 miles total. On the way back, I hitched a bit of a ride on Sara’s e-bike to make getting back quicker. The extra boost really helped on the climbs.
For Tomorrow
We are heading all the way to the coast and will be staying at a little resort right on the water. But not so fast! We will be making a stop along the way that is sure to impress. Here’s a hint: “Are you not entertained?” Until then, keep exploring.
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Day 7 -Brda Slovenia Wine Tasting: Rainy Day Adventures at Villas and Vineyards
