Cycling through the land of Refošk wine (K1)

Koper - Prade - Bonini - Sv. Anton - Kavaliči* - Lopar - Popetre - Trsek - Boršt - Marezige - Montinjan - Vanganel - Koper

The dynamic soil of Slovenian Istria, marvellous views of the Gulf of Koper and the hinterland, the hills of Slovenian Istria and, on a clear day, the Julian and Carnic Alps and the Dolomites. It is possible to cycle the route in two parts, using the Kavaliči - Marezige connection.

We start at the car park, from where we take the cycle path under the motorway, ride along the local roads with traffic lights and climb the hill between the cemetery and the Vinakoper wine cellar. At the top of Škocjanski grič, turn left and follow the main road slightly.

Turn right there and continue straight on for about 300 metres at the next crossroads and rejoin the main road, which you leave after another 300 metres just behind the school and tavern on the right. We slowly start to climb the hill and turn left at the next crossroads (signposted Bonini), drive slightly downhill and then steeply up the hill towards Bonini.

From there, take a sharp left turn along the panoramic ridge and continue between the houses to the main road below Sv. Anton.

Here we turn right, drive up to the village with a shop and tavern and after 300 metres behind the church of Sv. Anton turn right to the next crossroads in Kavaliči.* If we want to halve the route or skip the most difficult part along the dynamic hills, we can continue straight on towards Marezige. However, the main route turns left towards Lopar.

A short descent is followed by a longer, gradual climb that takes us to the ethnological collection "the Bardinc House", well worth a visit.

From here, the path continues uphill to the crossroads with a mighty oak tree, from where a wide view opens up in all directions.

Turn left towards Popetre (signpost Gračišče) and down to Trsek, which lies along the steep slope above the upper course of the Dragonja River.

From here, there is an even steeper descent to the Dernarnik stream and then another ascent to Truške. We pass the former school on Korina and continue for another 200 metres to the crossroads (chapel, tavern).

Although the road leads towards Marezige, we turn left and descend between the wide vineyards surrounded by stone walls to a kind of saddle and from there gradually climb up to a long, almost horizontal ridge, pass the sharp bend with the memory of the American parachutist Charles R. Dogherty and continue past the natural sculpture in the shape of a sheep towards Boršt.

Here we turn right and descend to the crossroads for Glem, then right again, down a very steep descent into the valley and over the Rokava bridge. This is followed by another short and fairly steep climb to the crossroads (saddle) - straight ahead to Babiči and right to Marezige, the heart of the land of Refošk wine. Here you can rest and enjoy the view. All the difficult climbs are behind us and the only thing left to do is return to Koper.

We cycle to the Church of the Holy Cross, turn left at the school and descend to Montinjan and on to Vanganel, where the steep descent ends.

Here we turn right, pass the tavern and the school with the monument to the fallen soldiers, where we turn left and follow the valley towards Škocjan. We descend the hill by the Vinakoper wine cellar, cross under the motorway and return to the railway station, the starting point of our tour.