Istria is the northernmost peninsula of Croatia, a land rich in history but above all a territory where you can get lost among the infinite shades of colours. From the blue of the sea to the green of the inland woods. From the alternation of fashionable beaches to ancient villages that have kept their traditions intact. A hinterland that immediately attracts us as soon as we take our eyes off the crystalline sea.
It is no coincidence that Istria is the region of Croatia that has committed itself most in recent years to sustainable and responsible tourism development. Since 2016, this message has been spread at all levels, becoming a truly positive marketing message.
Istria is perfect for cycling tourists
Bike tourism enthusiasts will immediately notice the particular attention paid to them: Charging places/stations for e-cars and e-bikes are included in all promotional materials distributed by the tourist office. There are currently thirty e-bike stations throughout the peninsula: Motovun, Barban, Visnjan, Gračišće (Gallignana), Sv. Lovreč (San Lorenzo), Cerovlje (Cerreto), Žminj (Gimino), Kanfanar (Kanfanaro), Torre-Abrega Thanks to a strategic partnership with BOSCH, the tourist board aims to have an e-bike station every 30-40 km throughout Istria.
And of course the raw material, the cycle paths, are not lacking
In fact, there are 160 “adventurous” cycle paths with technical description, downloadable GPS track and online map. However, they are not marked on the field.
Then there are the “official” routes which have all the data online but are also marked in the field and continuously maintained.
www.istria-bike.com
Istria Bike and Istria Outdoor
Until 2017-2018 Istria Bike and Istria Outdoor were promoted as the only tourist destination. In fact, throughout the territory, there are standardized maps / information panels / promotional materials.
Shortly before the pandemic, the need arose to develop specific infrastructure – roads/lanes – separated from traffic. This has allowed tourists who are passionate about cycling to transit, safely and easily, from the large tourist centers along the coast to the hinterland where they can move with more safety and tranquility.
Routes have also been developed for other types of cyclists, such as enduro, single trail, family, educational trails, but also other bike parks similar to the one in Rabac. For those who don’t know, Bike Center Rabac is the only bike park in all of Croatia and was built in collaboration with the Valamar Hotels & Resorts hotel, the local community and the city of Labin. It is open all year and is free to use.
And for the near future?
The Istrian tourist board let us know that the projects already exist and are ready to be implemented and include:
- The transversal, main transport routes that will connect all parts of Istria. The routes will mainly be on local roads, dirt roads and forest roads.
- The improvement of the entire destination system – standards for signage, cartography, info-sheets and reports, web, communication with guests, information and promotional material
- development of cycle paths separated from road traffic
- development of specialized cycle paths (enduro, thematic, for special disciplines)
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