From Austria to Slovenia, with a loop in the Italian Alps
The Alpe Adria Trail starts at the foot of the Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria (3,798 m). the 21 stages cover Carinthia, a mountainous Austrian state with many lakes and the Hohe Tauern National Park. The route then switches to Slovenia, at the Jepca Pass in the Karavanke range.
An alternative loop (stages R1 to R7) follows the course of the Gail River from east to west, south of the Austrian town of Villach, and then branches off to cross the Italian border into the Carnic Alps. This cross-border stage (R3) is classified as very difficult due to its high positive altitude difference of 1,321 m. It crosses the Carnic Alps before descending into the Val Canale and ending in Valbruna, revealing magnificent mountain scenery.
The R4 stage connects Valbruna to Tarvisio through the massifs of the Julian Alps and the sanctuary of Monte Lussari, an important place of pilgrimage whose typical little village is a real postcard village. From the terraces of the restaurants and refuges, the view of the high limestone walls and the imposing peaks is sublime.
The next stage (R5) starts from Tarvisio, a famous winter sports resort and a pleasant and dynamic town during the summer. After following the course of the Slizza torrent, the route crosses meadows and goes into the forest until it reaches the Fusine lakes, two lakes of glacial origin crowned by the Mangart massifs. At the end of the hike, the Luigi Zacchi refuge, nestled in an amphitheater of mountains, offers room and board
The R6 route crosses the Slovenian border and passes various sports facilities, such as the Planiza ski jumps. In Kranjska Gora it joins the main route of the Alpe Adria Trail. The next four stages cross western Slovenia from north to south. The trail winds through the Triglav National Park and along Slovenia's most beautiful river, the clear Soča. It then follows the course of the Isonzo River.
From the Julian Alps to Cividale del Friuli
The E27 stage starts in the Slovenian town of Tolmin, in the Isonzo Valley, and ends in Italy at Tribil di Sopra. To cross the border, you have to cross the mountain ridge of Kolovrat, which rises to around 1,100 m. At the top, the spectacular panorama is well worth the effort of the climb: on one side, the massifs of the Julian Alps form a seemingly impenetrable wall, on the other, the view extends to the Adriatic Sea. The Kolovrat was the scene of violent clashes between Italian and Austro-Hungarian troops during the First World War. The itinerary crosses the open-air museum of the "Third Italian Defense Line" where the trenches and fortifications have been meticulously recovered and restored
Stage 28 takes the hiker to Cividale del Friuli, a peaceful and attractive town, but also one of the major sites of Friuli, listed by UNESCO for its exceptional remains of the Lombard era. Cividale is well worth a more in-depth visit to discover the Tempietto Longobardo and the altar of Ratchis exhibited in the Museo Cristiano. The other highlight of the stage is the sanctuary of Castelmonte, perched on the top of a ridge covered with forests and surrounded by a fortified medieval village, a few kilometers from Cividale.
From the vineyards of Friuli to the Gulf of Trieste
Stage 29 follows a route that winds through the vineyards of the DOC Colli Orientali del Friuli area. It crosses farmhouses and wineries with the possibility of visits and wine tasting. It then crosses the Slovenian border and ends in Breg, the starting point of stage 30, dedicated to the Goriska Brda, an idyllic wine region with picturesque villages. With stage 31, the borders are crossed again and we reach another DOC area of Friuli, the Collio. This hospitable region, where rows of vines shape the landscape, promises great gastronomic and wine discoveries
Stage 32 crosses the Collio municipalities dedicated to the cultivation of grapes, then leaves the hills for the alluvial plain of the Isonzo. At the end of the route, the pretty town of Gradisca has pleasant café terraces to refresh and rest your legs.
The next stage (E33) is one of the longest of the Alpe Adria Trail. It crosses the Isontino, a region tragically marked by the conflicts of the Great War because of its strategic location on the border between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The open-air museum of Monte San Michele, near San Martino al Carso, presents three itineraries dotted with trenches, galleries and memorials. Then the trail reaches the Carso or Karst plateau, a dry limestone plateau that is divided between the province of Trieste and Slovenia. The itinerary crosses the Natural Reserve of the Doberdò and Pietrarossa Lakes, which is home to a rich ecosystem with numerous aquatic species, birds and mammals such as the wild cat and the golden jackal. Finally, the Gulf of Trieste is revealed with, at the end, Duino and its picturesque castle.
From stages 34 to 37, the itinerary follows the coastline, guaranteeing panoramic views of the sea, and makes incursions into the Carso plateau. It first follows the Rilke trail in Duino and reaches Prosecco, from where there is a magnificent view of the castle of Miramare. Then it goes deeper into the Carso, until Lipica and the Val Rosandra Nature Reserve, crossing steep and impressive landscapes, crossed by gorges and hollows and dolines. Finally, from Bagnoli della Rosandra, we return to the sea, which can be seen from the wild highlands. Muggia, a charming little port on the Gulf of Trieste, is the arrival point of the Alpe Adria Trail.
The Alpe Adria Trail in practice
The official website of the Alpe Adria Trail(www.alpe-adria-trail.com) details all the stages, specifying the degree of difficulty (easy, medium or difficult), the total length, an estimate of the walking time, the positive and negative differences in altitude and the best times of the year to do it. This site is in English, German, Italian and Slovenian. You can also find the complete GPS route as well as accommodation addresses. An application is available on Apple Store and Google Play. A guidebook and free leaflets can also be ordered from the website.
The reservation centers in Carinthia (Austria), Slovenia and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, whose contact details can be found on the website, will be your best allies for the organization of your trekking: they will make reservations for you at the accommodations, organize the transportation of your luggage and, at the end of your itinerary, will provide a shuttle service to bring you back to the starting point.
