| Destinations | Gorenjska region

GORENJSKA REGION

If you were only allowed to visit one region of Slovenia, there is no doubt that Gorenjska would be a good choice. Magnificent views of Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj, towering peaks of the Julian and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, a wide range of outdoor activities in the resort town of Kranjska Gora, strolls through the beautifully preserved centres of old towns such as Kranj and Škofja Loka. But there's more...

 

 

At the heart of the Triglav National Park, lies Triglav, the highest mountain in Slovenia (2,864 m). It is an area of high, rocky mountains, deep river gorges and sunny Alpine pastures offering protection to many endemic animal and plant species, where the traditions of the former way of life of rugged mountain dwellers and Alpine dairy farmers are still alive.

 

On the northern side of the park is the Upper Sava Valley. In summer, the popular tourist resort of Kranjska Gora offers a wealth of outdoor recreational activities and sports (hiking, climbing, cycling, horse riding, skydiving, fishing), while in winter it has excellent facilities for various forms of skiing and other winter pleasures. Visitors to Kranjska Gora can also enjoy a casino and a range of wellness programmes, while children will have fun in the land of the fictional hero Kekec. In nearby Planica, in the shelter of two-thousand-metre peaks, the world's best ski jumpers come to compete every year.

 

The area of the Julian Alps encloses two spectacular lakes. The resort town of Bled, with its legendary island in the middle of the lake, its cliff top castle and its pleasant climate, has been attracting cosmopolitan visitors for centuries. Bathing establishments, hotels with swimming pools, footpaths, tennis courts, golf courses, a casino and the sports airfield in Lesce provide plenty of reasons for a visit. Bohinj, with its crystal clear Alpine lake, is popular with visitors for its beautiful natural setting and the ski centres of Vogel, Kobla and Soriška Planina. Nearby Pokljuka is a paradise for hikers, mushroom pickers and haven for cross-country skiers. In winter it becomes a venue for important international biathlon competitions.

 

The centre of Gorenjska is Kranj, with its surprising industrial, commercial and cultural traditions. The architect Jože Plečnik had a profound impact on the appearance of Kranj's old town centre.

 

Škofja Loka has the most beautifully preserved medieval town centre in Slovenia. The rooms of Loka Castle contain various museum collections, while the former castle garden has become an open-air museum.

 

Železniki, a former ironworking centre, conserves the lace making tradition, while Dražgoše is famed for its gingerbread. The Škofja Loka Hills are full of pleasant paths and trails for hikers and cyclists.

 

To the north, near the border with Austria, is Jezersko, an attractive area with its own autochthonous breed of sheep, Planšarsko Jezero (a man-made lake), Čedca Waterfall (the highest in Slovenia), ancient farmhouses and granaries, and unspoilt mountain scenery. The Kamnik-Savinja Alps also contain one of the most popular ski resorts in Slovenia: Krvavec.

 

Lovers of cultural heritage can also enjoy a tour of Radovljica's ancient town centre, a walk along the cultural heritage trail in Žirovnica and a visit to the house in Vrba where Slovenia's greatest poet, France Prešeren, was born.

 

TOP 10 EXPERIENCES OF GORENJSKA REGION

  1. Ride with »pletna« boat to the island on Bled Lake: admire the strong local row men as they take you to a visit of the island. Ring the church bell and make a wish – it's bound to come true!
  2. Visit Bled Castle: perched atop a steep cliff rising 130 metres above Lake Bled stands the symbol of Bled and Slovenia. The view will take your breath away...
  3. Visit Planica during Ski Jumping World Cup: in March every year ski jumping fans from the whole world visit Planica to experience the unique atmosphere of this spectacular sport.
  4. Learn to ski in Kranjska Gora: spend a week in a cosy little hotel while your personal trainer shows you the basics and the tricks of skiing.
  5. Swim in Bohinj Lake: crystal clean water, surrounded by woodland and mountains. Choose your own private spot of the beach and enjoy the sun.
  6. Take a cable-car to Vogel: experience the view of The Julian Alps, the lake below, the surrounding pines, the mountain paths (ski slopes in winter)...
  7. Visit Bovec & Trenta Valley: this green oasis was the setting for the Hollywood movie »Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia«. Stop at Dobra Vila (Good Fairy) Hotel for a gourmet meal.
  8. Kamen Castle: the ruins of the castle will take you centuries back into the middle ages - free of charge and at your own risk.
  9. Apicultural Museum: take a flight to the world of the Carniolan honey bee, become acquainted with the history of beekeeping, and marvel at the variety of beehive panels.
  10. Taste the Bled cream cake: you have not been to Slovenia until you have tasted one!

ACCOMODATION

SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS

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LAKE BLED

The Lake Bled came into existence when the Bohinj Glacier after the last ice age moved away and gave the basin its present form. When the ice melted the basin was filled with water. The thermal springs in the northeast part are captured in three hotel swimming pools...

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BLED CREAM CAKE

A cream slice made of leaves of dough, filled with vanilla and sweet cream that was invented after the Second World War and is now Bled's main culinary speciality. The recipe cake was brought to the local Hotel Park in 1953 by Ištvan Kovačevič, chef of the hotel's confectionery store.

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THE BLED GOLF COURSE

It is the only Slovenian golf course to be ranked on the list of the Top 100 Golf Courses in Continental Europe. It comprises the King's Golf Course and the Lake Golf Course.

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VINTGAR GORGE

The path through Vintgar Gorge leads along wooden bridges, galleries and the rushing River Radovna through the picturesque gorge, which measures 1,600 m and ends with the 26-metre waterfall Šum.

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GINGERBREAD MUSEUM

In the cellar of Radovljica's Restaurant Lectar traditional Slovenian gingerbread (lect) hearts are made. The in-house gingerbread workshop serves as a live museum. You can observe the skilled staff produce little sweet surprises and presents, honouring age-old recipes and using antique tools.

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APICULTURAL MUSEUM

Beekeeping in Slovenia boasts several centuries of world-renowned tradition. The most comprehensive presentation of this tradition takes place in the Museum of Apiculture, which is located on the first floor of Radovljica Mansion. Take a flight to the world of the Carniolan honey bee, become acquainted...

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IRON FORGING MUSEUM

Where else more appropriate could the Iron Forging Museum be located than in the village of Kropa, the cradle of Slovene iron forging? A centuries-old tradition comes together in the mighty Klinar House which is situated in the middle of the square and was the first technical museum in Slovenia.

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AVSENIK GALLERY – MUSEUM

The Avsenik Museum in the village of Begunje na Gorenjskem will take you to the world of Slovene popular folk music. Get acquainted with the intriguing story of this world music phenomenon in the house where its legendary pioneers, Slavko Avsenik and Vilko Ovsenik, were born.

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THE SEVEN TRIGLAV LAKES VALLEY

The Triglav Lakes Valley is an Alpine valley situated between Bohinj and Trenta, with seven lakes that were formed in watertight sediment depressions at the mighty fault line of the Slatna plate. It is approximately 8 km long.

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ALPINE DAIRY MUSEUM

The Alpine Dairy Museum is arranged in an abandoned village dairy where cheese was still produced only decades ago. The original equipment has been preserved, and the items exhibited tell the story of the life of the alpine herdsmen, the work in the mountains, and Bohinj's pastures,...

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SAVICA WATERFALL

Bohinj Lake has numerous inflows, the most important one is the Savica. Its water bursts from the underground of The Seven Triglav Lakes Valley in the walls of Komarča as Savica Waterfall, which is the most famous Slovenian waterfall.

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CHOCOLATE DAY

Every year in April in the Old Town of Radovljica, the biggest chocolate fair in Slovenia takes place. You can taste and smell the chocolate in many shapes, flavours and colours. If you are a chocolate lover you must not miss this unique opportunity to pamper your taste buds with sweet pralines,...

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NATURAL RESERVE ZELENCI

The Zelenci nature reserve is located at the three-country border (Slovenia, Italy & Austria). Many rare and unique animal species, as well as some sparse and endangered plants have found their haven at Zelenci.

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VRŠIČ, RUSSIAN CHAPEL

Because of problems supplying the Isonzo hinterland, even before the outbreak of the First World War the Austrian army decided to build a mountain road over Vršič. Due to the lack of labour, they used Russian prisoners of war for the construction.

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BUCKWHEAT GIRL

Legend has it that the Ajdovska (buckwheat) maidens foretold the local people their fortune at birth. They also advised the people when to sow their crops and when to harvest them. One of the maidens foretold the son of a hunter that he would kill the Goldhorn...

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RATEČE – PLANICA

Rateče is distinguished by its position alongside the tri-border of Italy and Austria and Slovenia. Nearby Planica Valley is best known for one of the largest ski jumping hills in the world. At the end of the valley, lies the Tamar with the first source of the Sava Dolinka River, the Nadiža Waterfall.

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TOWN OF ŠKOFJA LOKA

A thousand-year-old city at the confluence of the Poljanska Sora and Selška Sora rivers, was the centre of the Loka dominion owned for 830 years by the Bishops of Freising, who placed an indelible stamp on the city. The old city core boasts numerous points of interest from the past...

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THE KINGDOM OF THE GOLDHORN

»The Kingdom of the Seven Triglav Lakes is a land that does not know how to smile, so deeply serious have the natural forces designed its face and chosen its colours.« With these words, the famous mountaineer Julius Kugy described the Valley of Triglav Lakes where the national park was born...