Bike Travel in Slovenia – From the Alps to the Mediterranean
23. December 2011 by Robert Reimann
Travel in Slovenia
On Monday you’re biking in the Alps and it feels like Austria. On Wednesday you’re relaxing in a European capital hopping with life, and you’re reminded of Prague. By Friday, you’re taking a dip in the Mediterranean, sampling fresh calamari, and the flair is Italian. This is cycling in Slovenia, a country smaller than New Jersey that is packed with pristine natural beauty, tidy & charming towns and proud, friendly people.
Slovenia’s landscape has it all – Alpine mountains opening into pleasant plains and a small coastline on the Adriatic Sea. The climate varies from continental to alpine and Mediterranean and is lush, green and full of rivers, lakes and caves.
Although Slovenia was the northernmost region of the former Yugoslavia, the people seem more Austrian and Italian than Croatian. They are sophisticated, relaxed and have a friendliness to visitors that you find in countries that aren’t yet overrun with tourists. Slovenians have their own language but in the cities many people speak English and in the countryside German is the most common second language.
Some of Our Favorite Places in Slovenia
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is small for a capital city, only 280,000 inhabitants. You’ll want to focus on the Old City, stroll along the Ljubljanica River and sample some of the tasty restaurants along Stari trg, one block parallel from the river. In the old town, there’s a mix of bohemian tourists and hipster students and make for a nice crowd to enjoy the cafes and bars with.
Bled
Bled is a 1000+ year old town set among an idyllic scene, surrounded by mountain peaks and lying along a Alpine lake. There’s a little island on the lake with a wonderful 15th Century church and a medieval castle overlooking town from the top of a hill. Bled is a great place to make a home base for soaking in the natural beauty of the Julian Alps. One side of the city is a bit tacky, with a block-house casino, shopping mall and ubiquitous Irish pub. But up along the castle, there are smaller local bars that great for meeting outdoorsy hipsters from around the globe.
Piran
Slovenia has a tiny 29 miles of Mediterranean coastline wedged between Italy and Croatia. On the coast, the town of Piran is a real highlight of a visit to Slovenia (and definitely better than nearby Koper, an industrial port town). The people in Piran consider themselves to be Istrians and their Italian-Croatian mannerisms and seafood based cuisine is noticeably different than the more Austrian-Slovenians in the mountains. The town centers around Tartini Square (it’s round, actually) and it’s fun to get lost among the narrow passages within the medieval old town. You can enjoy lounging by the water among the mostly Italian visitors and enjoy fresh seafood at one of the many restaurants along the shore.
Predjama Castle
Predjama is one of the most stunning castles is all of Europe. It’s built into the mouth of a cave on the side of a cliff and there are passageways through the caves that were used as escape routes in the middle ages. A castle like this deserves a fitting legend and Predjama’s is the story of Erazem Lueger, a 15th Century robber baron, who held out in a year long battle with troops from Trieste. Legend has it that an informer told the attacking troops when he was sticking his butt out of the window for a ‘natural break’ and the troops blew the tower up.
The Slovenian Alps
Slovenia’s Julian Alps (yes, named after Julius Caesar) aren’t the biggest in Europe but within a short proximity, you’ll be surrounded by mountain peaks, waterfalls, forests, meadows and tidy Alpine villages. Bled is an ideal base to discover the Julian Alps, you’ll also want to check out the glacial Lake Bohinj, set within Triglav National Park, one of the largest natural parks in Europe.
Food and Drink
Given that Slovenia is a melting pot of Austrian, Hungarian, Italian and Croatian cultures, it’s no surprise that you’ll find a wide range of European cuisines. In the mountains, hearty Austrian and Hungarian dishes are the local specialties. Lot’s of ham, mushrooms, walnuts, delicious pork dumplings, buckwheat pancakes, sausages (Slovenian sausages (klobasa), and schnitzel. Down towards the Mediterranean, it’s polenta, risotto and calamari.
Try some of the local wines too. After all, one of Slovenia’s national treasures is a 400 year old grape vine, considered the oldest in the world. You’ll find tasty Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay wines. You can also try local varieties like Ribolla, Tocai Friulano and Refosco.
Comparable Countries / Places
If you’re looking for an undiscovered alternative to Austria or northern Italy, Slovenia is the place. Piran, on the Adriatic coast, is a pleasant combination to Croatia and Italian coastline towns.
Cycling in Slovenia
It’s not an exaggeration to say Slovenia has some of the best cycling possibilities in all of Europe. The roads are mostly well paved, traffic is usually not a problem and the scenery is spectacular. Given the country packs so much in a small area, Slovenia is an ideal place for bike tours.
Here are BikeSherpa’s tours in Slovenia: Road Bike Dolomites to Trieste
