SEVEN NATIONS & NORTHERN CROATIAN COASTSaturday July 4th - Sunday July 19th, 2020 (15 nights, 16 days)
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This sixteen day tour takes you through seven European countries – France, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy & Switzerland – giving you a window into different cultures. You’ll see an array of scenery including plains, hills, mountains, lakes, rugged coastlines as well as towns and villages full of history – all of which you’d be hard pressed to find alone. A three-night and a two-night stop on the Adriatic coast at four-star hotels with sea-view rooms. With time off to relax, this is one not to be missed.
This tour will be accompanied by a support van to carry your luggage, so you don’t have to worry about securing it on your bike and riding with it for the duration of the tour. If you wish to join the tour at a later date or leave early, this is possible providing a minimum of five consecutive nights are booked. Prices will be adjusted accordingly. 
Day 1. Saturday July 4. Calais to Sedan (approx. 200 miles)
Leaving Calais we have a short motorway run to get us into the French countryside and to our lunch stop in Cambrai. From here we pick up the route nationale and after stops at La Capelle or Hirson we skirt around Charleville-Meziers before arriving in Sedan. Our first night’s, four-star hotel, was formerly a fortress and dinner with wine is included. Day 2. Sunday July 5. Sedan to Strasbourg (approx. 190 miles) Today we head south-east through the countryside, following the course of the river Meuse. Then east towards Pont-a-Mousson which stands on the Moselle River and a stop in the old town square. More minor roads as we make our way across the Lorraine and to our overnight stop just north of Strasbourg. Our four-star hotel is situated away from the busy city centre and overlooks a lake. Dinner with wine is included. Day 3. Monday July 6. Strasbourg to Bregenz (approx. 160 miles) As we leave Strasbourg we cross the Rhine into Germany and head to our first stop in Biberac. Now a pretty German town, but once the site of two P.O.W camps, one for officers and one for civilians. Onwards to Tuttingen and Messkirch and through the beautiful hills and countryside to Lake Bodensee and Austria and then to our four-star hotel in Bregenz which stands 100m from the lake. Bregenz itself is famous for its opera festival – set on a massive floating stage and attracting over 200,000 visitors. It was featured heavily in the Bond movie, Quantum of Solace. Tonight you will be free to eat out. Day 4. Tuesday July 7. Bregenz to Gerlos (approx. 175 miles) Leaving Bregenz it’s back into the lush, green, rolling German hills, following the Alpenstrasse and climbing to Ruette and a stop at the beautiful Lake Plansee. From here we go via Garmisch and into the scenic lakes and mountains of the Tyrol, criss-crossing borders along the way. We finish the day with a steep, twisty climb up to Gerlos. Our family run, four-star hotel has a spa and indoor pool and dinner with wine is included tonight. Day 5. Wednesday July 8. Gerlos to Lake Bled (approx. 170 miles) This morning we climb a little higher – to 1,600m – and then descend via a stop at the Krimmler waterfall and at Mittersill. We then take the 3.2 mile Felbertauerntunnel to Lienz and after a couple more passes take a break in Kranjska Gora, an alpine resort in north-western Slovenia near the mountains and glacial lakes of Triglav National Park. Continuing into Slovenia we make our way to Bled and our four-star hotel which sits overlooking Lake Bled, with views to the castle, Monastery Island, and Julian Alps. Tonight you are free to eat out. Day 6. Thursday July 9. Lake Bled to Opatija (approx. 115 miles) Today we first head towards Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, which we skirt around to get to Vrhnika – once an important trade route between Vienna and Trieste. We then take a break in Ribnica, one of the oldest towns in Slovenia, having been a settlement since 1300 B.C. We then cross the border into Croatia and on to Opatija, a fabulous coastal resort on the Adriatic Coast. With views to the neighbouring islands, our four-star hotel is a beautiful Empire-style building, considered to be a local landmark. Each room has sea views and tonight there is a buffet dinner* included or you are free to eat out. Day 7. Friday July 10. Day off in Opatija A day off to explore the town, shop, take a water taxi to a nearby local village or just relax and enjoy the facilities at the hotel. A buffet dinner* is included tonight or you are free to eat out. Day 8. Saturday July 11. Day off in Opatija or a ride out to the islands (approx. 100 miles) Another day off to relax and enjoy the facilities at the hotel or, there is a 100 mile, island hoping ride-out. We have a coastal run down to Bretsova, a 20 minute ferry ride to the island of Cres and a stop in Dragozetici. We cross the island, taking another short ferry ride to the Island of Krk and then re-join the mainland via a bridge. From here we have a stop in Rijeka, a quaint old coastal town. Back to Opatija and there is a buffet dinner* again tonight or you are free to eat out. Day 9. Sunday July 12. Opatija to Umag (approx. 80 miles) Leaving Opatija, we follow the coastline of the Istrian Peninsula to Plomin and then inland to Pazin – once included as part of Mussolini’s fascist state – and known for its’ 12th century castle. From here we head back to the coast and the resort of Porec, continuing along the Adriatic coastline until we arrive in Umag. Our four-star hotel is 1km from the town centre and sits overlooking the sea. All rooms have sea views and a buffet dinner* is included tonight or you are free to eat out. Day 10. Monday July 13. Day off in Umag A day off to explore this unusual, historic town and port, or just relax at the hotel. Enjoy the day and you are free to eat out again tonight or there is a buffet dinner* available at the hotel. Day 11. Tuesday July 14. Umag to Oberdrauberg (approx. 190 miles) Back into Slovenia today with a selection of motorway and main roads to avoid some of the less well maintained roads of central Slovenia. We make another stop in Kranjska Goro before taking the 1,000 metre Wurzen Pass back into Austria, where we take the valley road into Hermagor. Our final stop of the day is in Wesissbriach before we arrive at our three-star hotel for tonight’s stay. This attractive, typically Austrian hotel has been family run since 1803. Dinner with wine is included. Day 12. Wednesday July 15. Oberdrauberg to Hall in Tirol (approx. 135 miles) This morning we arrive in Italy as we follow the Pastor Valley in the southern Italian Tyrol via Lienz, Toblach, Brunico and stops along the way. We then head high and over the Brennerpass and then arrive in back Austria. Our three-star hotel is in the small town of Hall in Tirol, on the outskirts of Innsbruck and dinner with wine is included. Day 13. Thursday July 16. Hall in Tirol to Konstanz (approx. 160 miles) Westward today and to the ski resort of St. Anton and then to the medieval city of Feldkirch on the Swiss, Lichtenstein border. This city is the most western point in Austria and sits on the River Rhine. From here we cross the border to Switzerland and to the small, rural, historic town of Altstatten. We follow the shoreline of Lake Bodensee into Germany and Konstanz, where the Rhine exits the lake and splits the medieval city in two. Our four-star hotel sits on the River Seerhiem and is a 15 minute walk from the lake and you are free to eat out tonight. Day 14. Friday July 17. Konstanz to Nancy (approx. 200 miles) This morning we make our way to Donaueshingen in the Black Forest, where it stands on the confluence of the two sources forming the River Danube. We continue through the southern Black Forest and to our final stop in Germany – the quaint old town of Endingen. From here we cross the Rhine and are back in France. We ride the curves and twists of the High Vosges to Senones where we take our final stop of the day before arriving in Nancy. Tonight’s four-star hotel stands on the edge of a canal and is only a short walk away from the famous Stanlias Square. Considered the most beautiful royal square in Europe and on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the city of Nancy is known all over the world thanks to Place Stanislas. The square has plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants and the nightlife is plentiful so we’ll be free to eat out tonight. At 10.45pm every night during the summer, there is a spectacular sound and light show with projections onto the buildings in the square. Day 15. Saturday July 18. Nancy to Chamouille (approx. 160 miles) We leave Nancy and cross the Lorraine region, heading to St. Mihiel where a major WWI battle was fought. We cross the River Meuse and ride cross-country via Chaumont-s-Aire to Reims where we will call in at the H-D dealer (if open!). If time allows we will stop at the old Reims Grand Prix circuit before making our way to our hotel in the Chemin de Dames. Dinner with wine is included tonight for our final night of the tour. Day 16. Sunday July 19. Chamouille to Calais (approx. 150 miles) Motorway and main roads today to get you back to Calais in time for a late afternoon crossing back to Dover. Total tour mileage approx. 2,230 (* Buffet dinners do not include drinks) Please ensure you have read our Terms & Conditions
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Prices
Rider sharing a room £2,395 ......................................... Rider & pillion £4,695 ......................................... Rider, single room £3,295 ......................................... Price Includes:
We both wanted to say thank you so much for a great tour. We both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The hotels, food and weather were all great. However, the main reason for us joining a Brettour is for the riding and that certainly did not disappoint. From day one the scenery was spectacular and the roads good quality |