The view of Trieste accompanies us on two of the total of five stages
Interesting rock formations like this are typical of the Triestine Karst
On our hike we cross the Lipica stud farm in Slovenia, the origin of the "Lipizzaner" horse breed
Lokev (Slovenia) is the finish of stage 4
Trieste is a stunningly beautiful port city. Especially great: the waterfront with the Molo Audace
Start and end point of the circular walk is Trieste, a very attractive and anything but crowded port city at the easternmost tip of the Italian Adriatic.
From here it goes in five daily stages through the karst landscape to Slovenia and back to Trieste:
| Stage | Duration | Route | Increase | Descent | Stage destination | Overnight stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | 6:45h | 18,5 km | 290 m | 555 m | Sistiana | Hotel Eden in Sistiana |
| Stage 2 | 5:00h | 13,6 km | 345 m | 135 m | Sales o. Sgonico | B&B Sgonico |
| Stage 3 | 6:00h | 16,9 km | 340 m | 395 m | Opicina | Hotel Valeria |
| Stage 4 | 7:30h | 21,5 km | 375 m | 265 m | Lokev (Slovenia) | Casa Krasna Guest House |
| Stage 5 | 6:00h | 14,5 km | 425 m | 800 m | Bagnoli Superiore (from there bus ride to Trieste) | Trieste hotels |
| Total | 31:15h | 85,0 km | 1.775 m | 2.150 m |
Notes on the routing
The route documented on this website runs for the most part along the path of the Alpe-Adria-Trails (AAT)which, coming from the Alps, ends in Trieste. In order to be able to make a varied circular walk, we have combined the AAT with the Via Alpina, as well as some small ones, regional trails combined.
Actually Circular hike for our route even the wrong term. Because strictly speaking we do not hike around but in the form of a lying eight! The fact that we pass the starting point of the starting stage again at the beginning of stage 4 is on the one hand due to the topography and on the other hand due to the fact that Opicina is a really nice place for an overnight stop. Besides, this also has quite practical advantages: The long-distance hike can be interrupted or shortened very well at this point.