Itinerary

Day 1 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Depart U.S./Fly overnight to Ljubljana

Depart from the U.S. for Slovenia. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day 2 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Arrive Ljubljana/Begin your Trip Extension in Ljubljana

Upon arrival at the Ljubljana Airport, a VBT representative will meet you outside the customs area in your arrival terminal, and help you transfer by private car (approximately 30 minutes) to your hotel in Ljubljana city center. The representative will be holding a VBT sign. At the hotel, you will receive a VBT Information Packet containing a city map and information for your stay in Ljubljana. The rest of the day is free to for you to settle in and explore the city. Tonight, choose a local restaurant for dinner on your own.

Please note: If you arrive early, your hotel room may not be available until 1 p.m. You may store your luggage with the Reception Desk. If you are traveling from the West Coast, your arrival in Ljubljana may not be until late in the evening.

Day 1 of AIR PACKAGE Depart U.S./Fly overnight to Ljubljana

Depart from the U.S. for Slovenia. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day 3 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Independent exploration of Ljubljana

Stroll the quiet pedestrian streets of this romantic city and explore the central market, where local produce, wooden crafts and native flowers are on display. Walk the Ljubljanica promenade and its small, unique bridges: the Cobbler's Bridge, the Triple Bridge and the Dragon Bridge. Ljubljana is large enough to be a bustling national capital, but still small enough to preserve the individuality of its inhabitants. Pick a distinctive, Slovenian “Vinotek” for a glass of good wine, or relax at one of the many streets cafes, always lively and cozy at any time in the day – and particularly romantic at night.

Day 2 of AIR PACKAGE Arrive in Ljubljana

Upon arrival at the Ljubljana Airport, claim your luggage and clear customs. VBT's local representative will meet you outside the customs area in your arrival terminal and will be holding a VBT sign. Your representative will help you transfer (approximately 30 minutes) to your hotel. At the hotel, you will receive a VBT Information Packet containing a city map and information for your stay in Ljubljana. The rest of the day is free to for you to settle in and explore the city. Choose a restaurant for dinner on own.

Please note: If you arrive early, your hotel room may not be available until 1 p.m. You may store your luggage with the Reception Desk. If you are traveling from the West Coast, your arrival in Ljubljana may not be until late in the evening.

Stroll the quiet pedestrian streets of this romantic city and explore the central market, where local produce, wooden crafts and native flowers are on display. Walk the Ljubljanica promenade and its small, unique bridges: the Cobbler's Bridge, the Triple Bridge and the Dragon Bridge. Ljubljana is large enough to be a bustling national capital, but still small enough to preserve the individuality of its inhabitants. Pick a distinctive, Slovenian “Vinotek” for a glass of good wine, or relax at one of the many streets cafes, always lively and cozy at any time in the day – and particularly romantic at night.

Day 4 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Independent exploration of Ljubljana/Join VBT Air Package guests

After breakfast, continue exploring Ljubljana. You might choose to take a funicular cable car to the Castle, or visit the Cathedral, the Baroque Old Town and the Art Nouveau Mansions. Or take an optional trip to visit the Postojna Caves, the longest system of Karst caves in the country. Dinner is on your own tonight. Air Package guests arrive throughout the day.

Day 1 of BIKE TOUR Meet Trip Leaders/Warm-up ride/Welcome reception

VBT No-Air Package guests: Meet your VBT Trip Leaders and the rest of the group at our Ljubljana hotel (address: Antiq Hotel, Gornji trg 3, Ljubljana, phone +386 1 42 135 60) at 9 a.m. Please meet your leaders dressed in cycling clothes and ready for biking. Make sure your luggage is tagged with VBT yellow tags. If you have brought your own pedals, please have them ready to give to your trip leaders. If your arrival at the hotel is scheduled for later than 9 a.m. or if you are delayed, you must take a taxi at your own expense (approximately 140 euros/$210 USD) to our tour starting point in the village of Begunje (address: GOSTILNA – RESTAVRACIJA AVSENIK, Begunje 21, phone + 386 4 5333 402) where we hold our safety and bike-fitting session starting at 10:30 a.m, followed by a warm-up ride.

If you are at the Brnik airport and are delayed, we recommend you to take a taxi direct to Begunje--where the group will be until 11:30 a.m.-- because the airport is much closer to Begunje than Ljubljiana. If you are so delayed that you will miss the morning safety meeting and warm-up ride, then we suggest you take a taxi to our first hotel in Podkoren-Kranjska Gora (about 56 miles from Ljubljana, at approx 200 euros/300 USD), where the group will arrive around 4:30 p.m.

If you are delayed for any reason, please contact Hotel Antiq in Ljubljiana to advise of any travel delays or changes, and the staff will pass your message on to your VBT Trip Leaders.

VBT Air Package guests & Pre-trip Extension guests: Meet your VBT Trip Leaders at the Ljubljana hotel at 9 a.m. They will be wearing VBT staff garments. Please come dressed in cycling clothes and ready for biking. Make sure your luggage is ready in the lobby and tagged with VBT yellow tags. If you have brought your own pedals, please have them ready to give to your trip leaders.

From Ljubljana, transfer by private motorcoach (approx. 50 minutes) to the little village of Begunje. The village is very famous and loved by Slovenians because of the Avsenik homestead, gallery and restaurant: Slavko Avsenik is a Slovenian composer and accordion player, a native son of Begunje. His ensemble, an internationally renowned Alpine folk-music band, plays here regularly. Upon arrival at our inn, our leaders will hold a safety and bike-fitting session followed by a warm-up ride. The area is particularly charming and ideal for easy biking. Our route takes us to the historical city of Radovljia, where we have lunch on own, and continues in the afternoon to scenic Lake Bled.

Later today, we transfer by coach (approx. 30 minutes) to our first hotel in the hamlet of Podkoren, outside Kranjska Gora. Upon arrival, take some time to settle in and relax, or enjoy the sauna or a stroll around the quiet hamlet before enjoying a welcome reception and hearty dinner.

The Hotel Vitranc in Podkoren, in the Julian Alps, has a long tradition of hospitality. Vitranc was the name of the beloved stallion of the first owners. The house maintains the simplicity and charm of a family-run mountain guesthouse or Gostilna, where guests immediately feel at home. The Pajzl area, or pub, has a separate entrance and is still the preferred stop for a chat and beer by locals after dinner.

Day 2 of BIKE TOUR Cycle into Italy and Kranjska Gora/Slovenia

After breakfast this morning, we ride along an easy path in a pristine alpine landscape that takes us beyond the Italian border. Riding back to Slovenia, we visit the cute village of Kranjska Gora, famous for its World Cup ski area and a peaceful retreat for nature lovers. We cycle through pine forests, passing cute wooden houses along the Sava River. When we arrive at the village of Mojstrana, we'll pause for a picnic lunch prepared by our tour leaders.

After our stop, we'll cycle back to our inn, where we'll learn how to prepare Struklji, a Slovenian sweet, with our smiling Chef Ales and some local friends. The class is an opportunity for a cultural exchange with people still tightly linked to old traditions.
Dinner is at a local restaurant.

Day 3 of BIKE TOUR Bike to Austria/Villach/Ride on easy bike paths to Ossiacher Lake

This morning, a scenic ride through the century-old forest of Tarvisio takes us from Slovenia into Italy. Along the way, we'll be treated to staggering vistas of the snow-capped Julian Alps. In Tarvisio, we stop for a short walk near the old main square and maybe for an Italian gelato, and then resume cycling on an easy bike path into Austria.. Beyond the pass – and through the immense limestone wall formed by the Carnic Alps and the Karavanken -- we continue cycling along the banks of the Gail River in Karinthia. This region is a scenic paradise due to the abundance of rivers and small emerald lakes set against the backdrop of the Noric and Carnic Alps. En route to Villach, we pick a local Gasthof (café) for lunch on our own. In the afternoon, we continue biking to Villach – the largest city of Karinthia -- and can opt for a longer loop to the Ossiacher Lake. Our hotel is located on a charming cobblestoned street of Villach, a few steps away from our bike path on the Drava River.

This evening, you might choose to relax and enjoy a sauna or Turkish bath on the roof of the hotel before gathering for an Austrian dinner at a local restaurant. The restaurant brews its own beer, called Villacher after the city.

Day 4 of BIKE TOUR The Drava River Bike Path/Ride to Spittal

Today, our easy bike path follows the banks of the picturesque Drava River. The Drava is a major right-bank tributary of the Danube River and is still a small river in this section. Our path follows the valley through deep wooded slopes and sunny cornfields. At times we'll catch a glimpse of the high roof of a church bell tower or of a small village laid out like a blanket against the flanks of the mountain. We stop for an organic lunch at a small farm. In the afternoon, our ride continues to Spittal, where there is time to explore before catching a ride back on the local train, a very popular means of transportation for bicyclists in this area.

Back in Villach, we have time to relax or shop before picking a restaurant for dinner in one of the vaulted medieval streets just behind our hotel.

Day 5 of BIKE TOUR Cycle to Rosegg and Rosenthal valley /Saint Jakob and Velden

After breakfast, we cycle along the Drava River bike path toward Wörthersee Lake. The bike path starts literally a few steps from our door. As we leave behind us the high pinnacles of Sant Jakob's Church, we are immediately immersed in natural beauty: the quiet Drava River on our right, small fishing ponds on our left, then a little hamlet with heart-shaped windows and manicured gardens…the landscape varies every few miles. On the way, you may stop at your leisure to enjoy the packed picnic lunch prepared for you, so you may make the most of your day in the tranquil countryside.


Later in the afternoon, we arrive in Velden, the little “Monte Carlo” of Karinthia. Home to many wealthy, ancient families, Velden is a town of elegant mansions, colorful gardens and refined lakeside restaurants. Our hotel is the magnificent Schloss Velden, an ancient castle on the lake banks, re-opened in 2007 after a long, accurate restoration. Conde' Nast Traveler has featured Schloss Velden as a “Hot Hotel” and its spa centre as the “Hot Spa” of Austria – making Schloss Velden one of the 139 most luxurious and innovative hotels and resorts in the world.

Day 6 of BIKE TOUR Cycle around the Wörthersee Lake

Our bike ride today takes us around the Wörthersee Lake. On the southern bank, be sure to visit the picturesque village of Maria Wörth, which features two little medieval churches and a small peninsula that jets dramatically into the lake. A more challenging option for avid bikers follows the hills south of the lake, with scenic rides in the forest before getting to Maria Wörth. On the northern side, Pörtschach is a more exclusive tourist resort, beautifully located on a little bay. The longer cycling option allows you to make the full circle back to the hotel. The shorter option offers a shuttle from Pörtschach, where you may also opt to take a ferry ride across the lake.

Spend the rest of the afternoon swimming, relaxing or doing water sports on our hotel's beach. Thanks to the natural hot springs, the waters are sure to be warm and pleasant. Alternately, you might choose to pamper yourself at the hotel's luxurious spa center.

In the evening, we gather for a festive farewell dinner.

Day 7 of BIKE TOUR Transfer to Venice/Free time/VBT No-Air Package ends

VBT No-Air Package guests: After breakfast, transfer to the Velden railway station, where you can easily connect to Salzburg and Vienna. You will be arriving at the railway station at about 8:50 a.m., in time to catch the 9:02 a.m. train to Salzburg,

VBT Air Package guests: After breakfast, transfer by private motorcoach (approximately 3 hours) to Venice for your final overnight stay. Our hotel is located on Venice Island, in the city center. Our driver will drop you at one of the city gate parking areas, where a water taxi will take you straight into the heart of the city. At the hotel, you will receive a VBT Information Packet and a hospitality desk by a local VBT representative, a map and tips to help you discover the city on your own, as well as the details of your airport transfer.

Day 8 of AIR PACKAGE Depart for U.S.

After breakfast* this morning, transfer to the Venice airport (approximately1 hour) for your departing flight.** Please ensure that you are ready in the hotel reception area at the designated time. Do not let your water taxi wait.

*Please note: For guests with early-morning departures, breakfast at the hotel may not be available. Please check with the Front Desk to verify the times that breakfast is served.

**VBT recommends that you check your transfer time in your “Transfer Reminder.” VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense.

Day 1 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Begin your optional extension

If you have chosen the optional Post-Trip Extension, you have a full day to explore Venice. Built on 118 islands in a shallow lagoon, Venice is a city like no other. It contains more than 150 canals and 400 bridges, which are delightful to explore by gondola or water taxi. Much of the island can also be seen on foot. Be sure to visit the Grand Canal and the famous Rialto Bridge, as well as St. Mark's Basilica, one of the best examples of Byzantine architecture in Europe. Other spots not to miss include the Bridge of Sighs (said to provide prisoners with their last view of freedom before their incarceration), the Doge's Palace, the Academia gallery and the famous glass-blowing island of Murano. Your centrally located hotel will make it easy to access all the wonderful features this famous city has to offer.

Day 2 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Independent exploration of Venice

Continue your independent exploration of Venice today.

Day 3 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Depart for U.S.

After breakfast* this morning, transfer to the Venice airport (approximately 1 hour) for your departing flight.** Please ensure you are ready in the hotel reception area at the designated time.Do not let your water taxi wait.

*Please note: For guests with early-morning departures, breakfast at the hotel may not be available. Please check with the Front Desk to verify the times that breakfast is served.

**VBT recommends that you check your transfer time in your “Transfer Reminder.” VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense.

Slovenia, Austria & Italy 2010

Pre and Post Trip Extensions

Pre-Trip Extension

Ljubljana 2010 - 2 nights for only $295

Discover the beautiful capital of Slovenia, with its historic center, delightful waterways and bridges, and charming, peak-roofed houses.
The market square is full of wooden stalls selling traditional food and local crafts, and is a short stroll from your centrally located hotel. From here, you can easily discover the city highlights: the Castle, the Three Rivers Fountain, the Triple Bridge with the Cathedral, and the many cafes and restaurants that you will find along the way.
Enjoy the charm of this still-untouched European gem, and relax in the shade of its characteristic weeping willow trees.

Note: Single supplement for this extension is $145.

Post-Trip Extension

Venice 2010 - 2 nights for only $345

Often referred to as the most romantic city in the world, the island of Venice is a sight not to be missed. During your extension, you will stay in a four-star hotel furnished in the elegant, traditional Venetian style. Located in the heart of Cannaregio district on Venice Island on a quiet side street, you are just a short walk from the Rialto Bridge, the lagoon and St. Mark’s Square. Travel as the locals do, by vaporetto (water bus) or more privately by gondola, as you view the Grand Canal. View masterpieces by Titian, Bellini and Donatello. Venture to Murano, the famous glass-blowing center and relax at an outdoor cafè at the Piazza San Marco. This historic city is truly a must-see!

Note: Single supplement for this extension is $195.

Accommodations

Antiq Hotel

A small boutique hotel located in the pedestrian area on the wonderful medieval Gornj trg square, the Antiq Hotel is within easy walking distance from the bars, monuments, and the castle. The cozy common areas are decorated in authentic Slovenian elegance, with antique furniture, a delightful back garden, and a warm family welcome. 2 internet free of charge points are available for guests.

Hotel Vitranc

This small hotel was built before the Second World War and has a long tradition as a family-run guest-house (Slovenian ‘Gostilna’). The beautiful renovation in 2007 preserved the country-style and simple, welcoming ambience. It is located in Podkoren, outside Granjska Gore, facing the World Cup ski track. The hotel has a restaurant, a ‘Paizl’ (pub) where locals stop for a chat and beer after work, and an ancient annex with 10 apartments, a fireplace room and a small wellness area with sauna.

Romantik Hotel Post

In the old days, this hotel was a stop for travelers, coaches and horses on an important trading road. Stables for 10 horses were once located where the Postcafe’ is now, and regular departures were scheduled from here to Spittal, Tirol, Klagenfurt, Ljubljana, Udine and Venice. This hotel – built in the 14th century – proudly displays the history and the distinguished noble families who stayed here. In 1759 the ‘Post’ empress Maria Theresia resided here. This romantic hotel has beautiful, vaulted ceilings, thick walls, a lovely garden and a convenient location in the Villach city center, just a few steps from our bike path along the Drau river.

Hotel Schloss Velden

The Schloss Velden is an ancient castle situated on the most prominent location along the lakeside promenade of the small city of Velden. It re-opened in 2007 after 20 years and, after a long, accurate restoration, now works as a resort with 105 suites and large, elegant rooms. Conde’ Nast Traveler has featured Schloss Velden as a ‘Hot Hotel’ and its spa center as a ‘Hot Spa’ of Austria , making it one of the 139 most luxurious and innovative hotels and resorts in the world. Its restaurant, Sclossstern, has a one Michelin Star rating and 17 Points in Gault Millau. Its wellness centre has been elected "best Spa in Austria by Gault Millau 2008". The other modern restaurant is located in a glass structure right on the water. Sunchairs, a private section of lake front, access to the spa centre are available at no extra charge for our guests.

Hotel Giorgione

In the late 18th century this building was a large confectionary warehouse, and in the early 19th it was turned into a hotel called Hostaria. Later on, while still in possession of the same family, it became the elegant, refined 4-star Hotel Giorgione. The hotel has the matchless advantage of being run by a family, plus a great central location on a quiet street near the Rialto bridge. This hotel looks like a welcoming home rather than just a hotel. In the afternoon, your hosts serve complimentary iced tea in the garden near the fountain, to help you relax and unwind after visiting the city.

Rating Level

Easy

This tour offers easy terrain throughout the trip and is ideal for beginning cyclists.