Europe is full of places where cycling is the dominant sport. France, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland (just to name a few countries) all host pro cycling tours, and the culture of these countries is heavily influenced by cycling. Central Europe, however, is not a location one thinks of when it comes to bike touring.
While several bicycle tour/ travel companies offer trips to Slovenia among their other European country tours, only one specializes in tours specifically in Slovenia. And only one promises those tours to be sustainable: Visit Goodplace.
What is “Sustainable” Bicycle Travel?
With Climate Change becoming more of a priority among the global community, the word “sustainable” gets batted around quite a bit by the media and by those in the travel industry. It refers to something that is “able to continue over a period of time.”
You’re probably thinking that cycling is about as “sustainable” sport or activity as there can be. Well, yes and no. All human activity has an impact on the environment in one way or another.
The Mission of Visit Goodplace
The ultimate goal of Visit Goodplace is to conduct their tours without negatively impacting a place environmentally. Not many companies can (or would) make that claim. Ideally, the company sets out to achieve these 5 sustainable goals.
- Focused Work with Green Partners. Visit Goodplace chooses to work with destinations committed to sustainable development, authentic local stories, and boutique experiences for guests.
- Go Local. The company makes sure to provide local environmental benefits.
- Leave No Trace. Focus on sustainable mobility and aim for zero carbon footprint.
- Lead by Example by Following Rules. Responsible behavior in places visited by staff and guests.
- Offset C02 Emissions. Participate in reforestation in various Slovenian regions.
Who Is Visit Goodplace? What Makes Them Unique?
Visit Goodplace was founded in 2015 (or thereabouts) and was born out of inspiration from the Institute Factory of Sustainable Tourism. That organization is responsible for promoting sustainable travel in Slovenia. Visit Goodplace continues that idea via the trips it offers.
Launched by Jan Klavora, who was responsible for generating cycling tours in the Slovenia region, Visit Goodplace aims to provide “authentic and unique experiences for…guests while supporting responsible travel and nature preservation.”
The company tries to achieve this aim with its trips and tours. Additionally, it attempts to “minimize negative effects on the natural and social environment and maximize benefits to local businesses.” This is Visit Goodplace’s primary focus. Both staff and guests contribute to this “sustainable” policy.
Type of Tours Offered
Visit Goodplace offers Hiking and Wildlife Watching tours, but its bread and butter is its cycling tours. The company currently supports four types of tours: MTB (mountain biking), Touring, Gravel, and a special tour called Bike Slovenia Green.
With Bike Slovenia Green, the company works with destinations that are “green-certified,” so it can also promote other “sustainable business practices,” as it calls them. Visit Goodplace claims it is one of the first bicycle touring/ travel companies to focus on these aspects.
The company supports self-guided tours or group tours with 8 guests or fewer. The reason for this is simple: the company is a small 11-person team with only one guide (or at least that’s what is shown on its website). However, the company will happily design a tour around a guest’s wants and needs.
What’s Included on a Visit Goodplace Tour?
According to the FAQ on its website, Visit Goodplace makes rental bikes available along with other accessories. However, most of its guests bring their own bikes, so the company does not include a rental as part of its tours.
Food, transport/ transfer services and 3 to 4 star hotels are provided by the company. However, these places are usually fairly small, so that’s why Visit Goodplace offers small group tours. But the company says it will let guests create the type of trip they want, the duration of the trip, and other factors within reason.
Visit Goodplace’s “Wellness and Wine Country Tour,” listed under its Bike Slovenia Green category, includes these options.
- 7-night accommodation in 3 to 4-star quality hotels or guest houses.
- 7 breakfasts and 7 dinners; all meals include typical local food.
- 6 cycling days.
- Fully qualified and experienced cycling guide for the entire trip.
- Baggage transfers between tour stages.
- Extensive Tour Booklet.
- Departure transfer from Moravci to the tour starting point.
What it doesn’t include, however, are these things. These points are not unusual as many bicycle travel companies state these elements are not included.
- Travel and activity insurance.
- Personal safety and cycling equipment.
- Lunches.
- Any beverages consumed with meals that are included in the package.
- Any other items not mentioned as included.
Costs and Length of Tours
Most of the trips offered by Visit Goodplace run for 8 or 9 days. Difficulty for their trips mainly falls in the medium fitness range with a few trips classified as low, medium-high, or high difficulty for fitness.
One of the three tours the company has listed under its Bike Slovenia Green category, labeled as its “Wellness and Wine Country Tour,” for example, costs 2,450 Euros (around $2,700 in U.S. dollars). It is an 8-day tour that requires a medium fitness level to achieve. This tour can be self-guided, guided, or customized to a guest’s preference.
Last Thoughts
Visit Goodplace’s Slovenia bike tours is a good place to utilize if your desire is to explore Slovenia and other parts of central Europe. Their tours look to be all-inclusive and not specifically geared toward hardcore roadies. If you work with this company, keep that in mind.
Visit Goodplace does offer bicycle touring, which can be done on a touring or road bike. Unfortunately, the company isn’t large enough to overly categorize its trips. However, rest assured that if you book a trip with them, Visit Goodplace will happily offer a challenging ride.
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