From the Dolomites to the Sea – My Next Cycling Adventure is Already Waiting

Actually, I just wanted to "take a quick look" at which cycling trip could be next.

Now I’m sitting here, already excited like a little child on Christmas.

Why am I telling you this?
Because it’s time to introduce a tour once again.

In 2026, I’ll be going on a multi-day tour from the Dolomites to Trieste on the Adriatic. And to be honest: The combination sounds almost unfairly good. Mountains, Italian villages, Slovenian landscapes, small old towns, good food, and at the end, the sea.

So exactly the kind of trip where you fall into bed completely exhausted in the evening and still willingly get back on the bike the next morning.

The tour starts in the Hochpustertal in the middle of the Dolomites. From there, it goes along the Drava River towards East Tyrol, later continuing through Italy and Slovenia to Trieste. In between, there are river valleys, old railway tracks, small towns, alpine panoramas, and probably one or two situations where I think:

“Who on earth thought that the ascent was a good idea?”

The itinerary sounds fantastic:
From Toblach or Niederdorf, it first heads towards Lienz, then further through Carinthia and Friuli. Later, the route goes over Bled and through the Soča Valley towards the Italian Adriatic coast until reaching Trieste. Overall, it’s a true Alpine-Adriatic tour with three countries, completely different landscapes, and probably thousands of photos on my phone.

Especially nice:
The luggage will be transported. This means:
I get to cycle while my suitcase enjoys the more comfortable version of the journey. Exactly my concept.

Included are also overnight stays in hotels and guesthouses, breakfast, GPS data, travel documents, a train ride in Slovenia, and individual transfers on more challenging sections.

And I know myself:
I’m already looking forward to the little things along the way.

To the first espresso somewhere in Italy.
To the moment when the sea suddenly appears.
To the completely unnecessary second portion of pasta after a long stage.
To small places that you would never see otherwise.
And probably also to standing somewhere completely sweaty in cycling clothes in front of a 4-star hotel and pretending that it’s absolutely normal.

Of course, I will report along the way.
With photos, impressions, little stories, and probably also one or two realizations about why one might have needed to train a bit more before a cycling trip.

But that’s exactly what it’s all about:
Not just arriving somewhere, but experiencing the journey in between.

And I have a feeling that this tour will be just such a journey.