The Alpe-Adria-Trail connects the three regions of Carinthia, Slovenia and Friuli-Venezia Giulia in a total of 43 stages and circa 750 km. This long-distance hiking trail leads from the foot of the highest mountain in Austria, the Grossglockner, through the most beautiful mountain and lake regions in Carinthia, and without any major detours leads close to the point where the three countries of Austria, Italy and Slovenia intersect at the Dreiländereck, and then on towards Muggia.

The Alpe-Adria-Trail has been designed mainly with pleasure hikers in mind. The Trail runs mainly through the non-Alpine area and as far as possible there are only slight differences in altitude. The stages are around 20 km long and each take about 6 hours to walk, and are consistently signposted. Each stage leads along a defined route which can be walked in both directions. Each stage also offers at least one attractive culinary offering and ends in a place with suitable overnight accommodation options.

The Alpe-Adria-Trail runs along existing paths, connects them and hence has all the character of a hiking trail. On each stage there are several landmarks which substantially influence the rhythm of hiking. In future each stage will include at least one “magic place”, a special place where the four elements are in harmony. These places already exist, and are “jewels of the landscape” of great intensity for all who see them. They are inviting spots to stop for a while with gentle interventions, and will enable you not only to see the landscape, but to feel it as well.

Goriška Brda stretches from the far west of Slovenia to the southern plain of Friuli. It is an idyllic wine-growing region with a variety of natural and cultural attractions. The route begins in the village of Breg pri Golem Brdu, meanders through the villages of Vrhovlje pri Kožbani, Fojana and Dobrovo - the center of the Brda region - and ends after a short detour at the Gonjače lookout tower in the picturesque village of Šmartno, one of the most beautiful cultural monuments in Slovenia.

The enchanting Brda region is rich in tradition and fertile, and is situated at the point where three different cultures meet, namely the Slavic, Romanesque and Germanic. The local people (the women known as “Brike” and the men as “Brici”) are distinguished by their hospitality. In no way does the Brda region lag behind much better known and more highly frequented tourist regions such as Tuscany and Provence in terms of its oenological and gastronomic delights. Various old grape varieties have been cultivated here for a long time, but recently indigenous old varieties such as the Ribolla have started to take on an increasingly important role. The location, soil and climate of this region have enabled local wine growing and the art of pressing the grapes to mature to perfection.
In particular the whole of the region north of the towns of Cormons, Capriva and Mossa up to the gates of Gorizia has acquired fame as a traditional wine growing region. The Collio was originally a hilly region where mainly oak trees predominated, but the look of the landscape has changed a great deal: While the forest has been pushed back to the northern slopes, the southern slopes are now covered in extensive vineyards laid out in terraces. The alternating forests and areas prepared to be fertile for grape growing, together with the scattered cherry trees, create charming contrasts. As a result of the trees being cleared, the sandy, marly soils (flysch) that are typical of this region are not very stable, and heavy rainfall in particular can choke them. Keeping this sensitive balance requires constant care by the wine growers.

On this stage wine lovers will certainly get their money’s worth. In particular the entire region north of the little towns of Cormons, Capriva and Mossa up to the gates of Gorizia has acquired fame as a traditional wine growing region. Labels such as Ribolla Gialla, Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Picolit and Malvasia Istriana occupy a regular place amongst the noblest favourites of wine lovers.
The main place in this magical hilly landscape in the immediate vicinity of Gorizia is the pretty little town of Cormons with its Habsburg charm, which is surrounded by small picturesque villages on the border with Slovenia in which Slovenian is spoken. The mountains and the sea are close enough to touch : The simply unique microclimate here due to the winds and the temperature fluctuations is the ideal complement to the typical marly soil of the Collio, known locally as “ponka”, which could not be better for wine growing. It is well worth stopping at one of the typical wine cellars, where the wine matures in large casks and the master of the wine press guards the secrets of his art!

Whilst the Collio was originally a hilly landscape characterised mainly by oak trees, the appearance of the landscape has now changed greatly: While the forest has been pushed back to the northern slopes, the southern slopes are now covered in extensive vineyards laid out in terraces. The Piana del Preval, once marshland, still shows a few traces from the period when it was drained, and a few lakes have remained. Further southwards the hilly landscape gives way to the alluvial plain of the Isonzo. Past the hills of Farra d’Isonzo the small town of Gradisca emerges, once an important outpost of the Republic of Venice under the rule of the Habsburgs.