The Municipality of Ilirska Bistrica, a partner of the Inter Bike III project, organised promotional events for tourism stakeholders and local communities in northern and southern Primorska between 14 and 16 May 2025 to introduce the Alpina Mediterranean cycle route, which connects the three countries. It starts in Venzone in Friuli and continues through Cividale del Friuli to the Soča Valley, Nova Gorica, the Karst, Brkini, passes the Jelšane border crossing and ends in Opatija-Croatia. It is divided into six stages of approximately 50 kilometres each. In Slovenia, it follows the route of the D7 long-distance cycle route, which is already being marked in the area of Brkini. The Tourist information centre of Ilirska Bistrica will be in charge of promoting the new tourist product. Online promotion will also be carried out on www.bike-alpeadria.eu (designed in the previous Inter Bike II project). The website presents cycling routes in the cross-border Slovenian-Italian area, including the Alpina Mediterranean. Sights and providers will be highlighted along the route map. A weekly pilot bicycle shuttle bus service will also run on a trial basis along part of the route, between the Vipava Valley and Cividale del Friuli, this summer. Twice a week, it will link Ajdovščina and Predmeja.
Photo: Sežana Botanical Garden, Jošt Gantar
The Alpina Mediterranean also passes through Sežana, where you can see over 170 species of plants from all over the world in the botanical garden.
