The Parenzana is almost flat — it was a railway, after all — but it changes character along the way: asphalt and coastline at the start, then gravel, tunnels and hills in the second half. Here's what you'll find, stage by stage.
You start from kilometre zero in Muggia, the last Istrian town in Italy: the path follows the bank of the Ospo stream, skirts Rabuiese and, on a gentle climb, crosses into Slovenia at Škofije. A wooded stretch drops gently down to Dekani, with its well-preserved little station, then runs between vineyards and fields along the Val Stagnon nature reserve, before reaching Koper.
The sea keeps you company all the way to Izola; two lit tunnels, Saleto and Valeta (the longest on the route), lead straight above Portorož. From here you can take a small but worthwhile detour to Piran, or carry on along the campsite and the sea to the Sicciole salt pans.
Past the salt pans, you cross the Slovenian–Croatian border and climb with views over the Bay of Piran towards the abandoned — but intact — station of Salvore; the route starts to become hillier and gravelled. Through Kaldanija you reach Buje, the "watchtower of Istria" on its hill.
The surface turns back to gravel through quiet woods as far as the San Vito tunnel and Grožnjan, the Town of Artists, well worth a stop. After the Calcini tunnel the route drops towards the Mirna valley, with a possible detour to the village of Završje (900 m off the route). Between viaducts and further tunnels you reach the remains of Oprtalj station (a 2.8 km detour to the village) and finally, downhill, Livade, with its perfectly preserved station.
From Motovun, perched on its hill overlooking the Mirna valley, the route heads back into the woods, offering some of the finest views on the whole Parenzana: on the Krvar viaduct, in the clearing where the Raccotole station once stood, and on the Sabadin viaduct, with the Mirna valley on one side and the Buje plateau on the other. This brings you to Vižinada, among olive groves and cultivated fields.
The route continues over the red Istrian soil, dropping gently towards the sea, passing the old station of Višnjan. After Nova Vas, just off the route, are the Baredine Caves, open to visitors. The last stretch runs on asphalt to the end of the Parenzana line, a few steps from the historic centre of Poreč and once again facing the sea.
Note: between Livade and Motovun the route continues on the road, crossing the valley of the Mirna river.
Map & GPS tracks → The history of the Parenzana →