Adriatic Rollercoaster Extreme

Eight days from Ljubljana through Istria to the Croatian lakes and back, and at 3,300 euros one of the cheapest guided tours the operator runs. Two countries, two nights in each of the two best stops, and very little dead mileage.

Motovun gets the first pair of nights, a walled town on top of a conical hill in the middle of Istria with views over vineyards and truffle woods in every direction. It makes a good base for runs down to the Croatian coast and the islands offshore, and the roads on the Istrian peninsula are quiet and twisting.

Plitvice Lakes gets the other two nights. Sixteen terraced lakes connected by waterfalls, with the water an improbable blue-green from the dissolved limestone, and a UNESCO World Heritage listing since 1979. Having two nights there means the park can be walked properly in the early morning before the coach parties arrive, which makes a considerable difference. The return goes through the mountains to Novo Mesto, taking in the Karawanks, the Loibl Pass at 1,367 metres, the Julian Alps and Postojna Cave.

This is a RIDE4FUN Extreme tour, so riding takes priority over polish, with hotels described as having regional character. Edelweiss include a choice of BMW motorcycle, the seven nights, a guide and a tour book, with flights separate and the inclusions not itemised in full. Prices are per person for 2026. Slovenia and Croatia offer Alpine riding, Mediterranean coast and limestone lake country within a week, which almost nowhere else manages.