In recent years, Slovenia has really skyrocketed as a popular and much-celebrated cycling destination. Partly due to the success of professionals Primoz Roglic and, of course, Tadej Pogacar, Slovenia is on the map. But not only that. The country is very diverse, has high mountains, but also a beautiful coastline and in terms of gastronomy, this country in Central Europe can compete with the best. We took a closer look at the possibilities for cycling in Slovenia. Here are our tips!
Julian Alps - Julijske Alpe
The area in north-west Slovenia is very popular with cycling enthusiasts. The most famous name in this area is Kranjska Gora, but mainly because of the ski races held there. The name Bled will also ring a bell with many, because of its beautiful lake (with the much-photographed island).
Nice round Vršič - Mangart
You can really test your legs here. A nice route is the one from ski village Kranjska Gora to the south, where you can start right away on the beautiful Vršič pass. In the beginning, you meander over the Pišnica River a few times. Nice to warm up a bit. This is also necessary because after a few kilometres the first hairpins appear and there are also some nice cobblestones. Like riding up the Gotthard pass. The climb is eventually 12.4kilometres at 6.5% with the last 4 kilometres actually not getting below 10%. Really painful, then.
At the top, if you are on a gravel bike, you can do a little extra walk to the lodge Postarski Dom. The view is cool and quite rugged. The road surface is really suitable for the gravel bike. The road up the Vrsic pass is very good and is actually a bit reminiscent of the Dolomites.
To Mangart
From the Vršič pass, it then goes down towards Bovec, where you can start the Mangart ascent. You ride back and forth for a while because the real climb, a total of 24.7 kilometres uphill with an average of 6.5%, starts in Bovec. From Log pod Mangartom, it's 'only' 16.5 kilometres with an average of 8.6% to make it even heftier.
The big advantage of this climb is that the top of the Mangart is a cul-de-sac. This means that traffic is fairly quiet, allowing you to climb and descend at a nice leisurely pace, as far as is possible with the steep gradient. When you reach the top, you can ride a nice lap before descending from this highest cycling peak in Slovenia.
Back via Italy
To eventually end up back in Kranjska Gora, you'll have to smuggle your way through Italy. Here, you will pick up few more altimeters and via the mostly quiet Strade Statele 54 you can cycle out the last part towards the starting point
Route
Rather more choice
As the north-west is mainly mountainous, you can also opt for another part of the country. The Karst, for example, is very varied. Especially the Vipava valley is a must, but you can also follow the Parenzana Cycling Trail a little further south (gravel bikes are a must). Partly over the old railway line, this 129km route is a nice challenge. Much unpaved, along the coast via Koper and eventually to Porec. Also in the Brda hills, a bit more towards the Julian Alps, you can find nice routes.
Versatile
Of course, there are also wonderful places to discover in the other parts of Slovenia. Here we will dive further into later, as there are also plenty of nice rounds around Ljubljana, the capital, and besides the Julian Alps, there are more nice climbs to discover.
Route alternative
This route is best done in two days, or take a cut-off through the valley. You do get to see the best of this region here!
Enthusiastic?
Totally excited about cycling in Slovenia? Want to know more about cycling in this beautiful country? Then go to the site of the Tourist board of Slovenia Or keep an eye on the strava of toppers Primoz Roglic or Tadej Pogacar.
