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, stay in a 13th century castle-hotel in the Collio vineyards, hike a coastal trail high above the Adriatic, and enjoy Trieste itself.
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, hike through the deep Raggaschlucht Gorge, with its breathtaking waterfalls
- 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, 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 hike through Raggaschlucht, a dramatic canyon with spectacular waterfalls and one of Austria’s natural monuments, 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 Tarvisio, cradled in the mountain triangle of Italy, Austria, and Slovenia, a region graced with hilltop castles.
We’ll slip across the Slovenian border to the pretty town of Kobarid for a hike through deep forests and past waterfalls. Kobarid was the center of the infamous Isonzo Front during World War I, 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, 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, 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
Review Trip Level Details
- 3 hours
- 5 miles
- 1,000 feet gain/loss
- Day 6: 7 miles, 4 hours, ascent 1,500 feet, descent 1,000 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
"It was an awesome trip. I liked the fact that we stayed two nights in each hotel. It felt more relaxing and gave us time to enjoy the local town and food. I cannot say enough good things about the food offered on the trip. I particularly enjoyed the local cuisine, gourmet food and lessons in history. I came back feeling more enlightened, stimulated, and invigorated. "
Parul D.
San Mateo, CA
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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.