Tour description:

Almost 45-minute drive from Sežana railway station to Gradež is interesting in itself, as we first cross the bed of the Soča river and shortly after we descend to an area criss-crossed with numerous water channels and later to a picturesque shallow lagoon.

First, we will take a boat to the island of Barbana, which is famous for its pilgrimage processions, among which the procession of colorfully decorated ships on the anniversary of the victory over the plague stands out. Slovenian fishermen from the coastal villages of the Kras Riviera also made a pilgrimage to Barbana twice a year, singing so loudly that it spread far and wide.

When we return to the mainland, we will take a walk through the narrow and picturesque streets of the town of Gradež, which today is mainly a flourishing resort town, mainly because of the endless sandy beaches, which are especially loved by children. In the summer months, vast crowds of bathers gather on the beaches, but now there are only here and there a shell collector, a walker or a sun lover. The route will lead us to the end of the lagoon, to the tourist resort of Pineta, first along a well-maintained walking path that also serves as a defensive embankment for Grado against the raging sea, and later along paths through the pine forest.

At the end of the route, we will load into the van and drive back to the starting point of the trip, to the railway station in Sežana.

.Overall Tour Level::

Irena Hlede is an architect by her profession, but she has worked in the fields of graphic design, journalism and sustainable mobility as well. It was engaged in many sports activities, from sailing to skiing or badminton, but the common thread throughout remains cycling. She regularly participates in the non-governmental organization Slovenska kolesarska mreža (Slovenian Cyclists network) as well as with the European Cycling Federation ECF, lectures on cycling and remains loyal to long-distance cycling. In this field, she completed several trainings – among others for the Assessor under the scheme “Cycle Friendly Employer”, Development of Mobility Plans and for the EuroVelo Route Inspector. She obtained the title and knowledge of a tourist guide at the national level, too, and is the founder and owner of the travel agency GremoZeleno – GoGreenWay. In addition to the in the university obtained areas of architecture and art, she is also keenly interested in ethnology, geography and history with an emphasis on everything related to the local tradition, especially some less known areas, such as the indigenous religion and the people who followed it. She also researches many “borderline” skills, such as dowsing or geomancy. It is a convinced environmentalist and an opponent of violence and wars in general.

She speaks English and French and, of course, Croatian and Serbian.