NEW TRIP
Off the Beaten Path in Austria, Slovenia, and Italy
Hiking the Alpe Adria: Salzburg to Trieste
Overview
The Alpe Adria Trail carves its way from snow-capped mountains to the sea, starting below Austria's highest peak, crossing Slovenia's Julian Alps, winding into Italy's secluded Collio wine region, then finishing in the ancient Adriatic port of Trieste. We'll hike the best sections of this three-country trail, enjoying the cultures and cuisines of an under-the-radar corner of Europe. Along the way, we'll visit a mountaintop pilgrimage site in the Julian Alps, explore charming Kobarid, with its evocative WWI heritage, stay in a 13th century castle-hotel in the vineyards of the Collio hills, hike a coastal trail high above the Adriatic, and enjoy Trieste itself, with its spectacular Neoclassical buildings and open-air cafes.
Arrive: Salzburg, Austria
Depart: Trieste, Italy
Highlights
- Hike the best sections of the long-distance Alpe Adria Trail through three countries
- Experience WWI history in charming Kobarid, Slovenia, hike a balcony trail above Lake Ossiach in Austria
- Discover the hidden wine region of Collio, where some of Italy's finest white wines are produced
- Stay in historic castles and palazzos, savor the cuisines and wines of three countries
Itinerary
From Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart, we head to the alpine village of Heiligenblut (4,265') for warm-up hikes on the Alpe Adria Trail below the towering Grossglockner (12,461'), Austria’s highest peak and the center of its largest national park.
We’ll hike to a gorgeous waterfall above mountain-ringed Lake Ossiach, then head into Italy for a cable-car ride up to the 16th century pilgrimage site of Monte Santo di Lussari. Our hotel is in the ancient town of Tarvisio, cradled in the mountain triangle of Italy, Austria, and Slovenia, a region graced with hilltop castles and the cuisines of three alpine countries.
After a “top of the world” hike on the alpine terrain of Italy's spectacular Montasio Plateau, we head across the Slovenian border to the pretty town of Kobarid, center of the infamous Isonzo Front during World War I. The town was immortalized in Hemingway's
A Farewell to Arms. We'll visit the war museum and walk the Kobarid Historical Trail along the jade-green Soca River.
In the rolling hills of the Collio, Italy, we'll hike from our 13th century castle-hotel to high vineyards on the Sentiero delle Vigne Alte. Our historic castle (Casanova stayed here!) has a spectacular wine cellar and we'll enjoy the local vintages. Ending in Trieste, with its Hapsburg heritage, we walk along the panoramic Strada Napoleonica in the hills above the city. Depart on Day 11.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated a Level 3+, Moderate to Strenuous, according to our trip grading system. You will need to be comfortable hiking 9 miles in a day and hiking on uneven surfaces including downhill over loose scree. Trail conditions, weather, and the group's level of fitness can affect hiking times and pacing.
Average Hiking Day
Challenge Day
Review Trip Level Details
Average Hiking Day
- 3 hours
- 5 miles
- 1,000 feet gain/loss
Challenge Day
- Day 2: 8.5 miles, 5 hours, ascent 900 feet, descent 2,000 feet
The trails traverse a variety of terrains, from mountain trails to rolling hills to coastal tracks—all of which have rocky steps and uneven surfaces that may become muddy and unstable in bad weather. The trip starts with some steep hikes in the Austrian Alps and Friulian Dolomites, then continues onto hilly vineyard trails, and ends with mostly level coastal walks.
We strongly urge you to train for your trip, as your enjoyment will be highly dependent on your level of fitness. The best training for a hike is to hike, especially over hills or rough terrain. Next best are running, swimming, bicycling, or other cardiovascular exercises. Stair-climbing machines are excellent preparation for hiking uphill. Your feet should also be well prepared—make sure your hiking boots are sturdy, comfortable, and thoroughly broken-in.
The weather in early summer and fall is generally clear and pleasant. At the times that our trips are scheduled, we tend to miss the humidity, making hiking conditions very comfortable. Expect a mix of sun and partly cloudy days, with a less than 30% chance of precipitation. Rain showers can occur at any time, so a rain jacket is advised. Our hiking adventure explores three distinct regions: the mountain realms of the Austrian Alps, the Friulian Dolomites in Kobarid, Slovenia, and Tarvisio, Italy's hill country of the Collio, and finally down to the Adriatic Coast at Trieste. In the mountainous region of Austria and around Kobarid and Tarvisio, temperatures should be in the mid 60°Fs during the day to the low 40°Fs at night. In the Collio, it can be cool, with temperatures ranging from the low 60°Fs during the day to the high 40°Fs at night. Along the Adriatic Coast, expect temperatures ranging from the mid 70°Fs during the day to the low 60°Fs at night.
We spend several nights in mountain hotels (in Heiligenblut, Austria, and in Kobarid, Slovenia, and Tarvisio, Italy). The remaining nights are in historic buildings, palazzi, or castles, where the rooms are not always of uniform or international size. Our leaders do their best to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip. Single rooms can be requested but are not always available, due to the limited space in the hotels. If you prefer a single room, please make your request as early as possible.
Meals will be taken at the hotels where we are staying or at restaurants in nearby towns. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 7:30 pm.
Our support vehicle will transport the group's luggage, so you only need to carry a daypack (rain gear, sweater, camera, water bottle, etc.). Trip members are always free to skip a day's hike and travel to the next destination in the support vehicle (or remain at the hotel if we are not transferring that day).
Client Testimonials
"Wonderful variety to the itinerary and some excellent food experiences."
Jeanne P.
Baltimore, MD
"The complicated history of the area, coupled with endless natural beauty, was amazing. The trip itinerary and guides brought both home to us."
Mary L.
Jamaica Plain, MA
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Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.