Nanos, every Slovenian knows this mountain! They regularly climb this magnificent plateau between Ljubljana and the Adriatic. All the details you need for this magnificent hike are in the article.
An easily accessible hike with a view of the sea!
I chose to present this walk on the blog for three reasons:
- Once on the plateau, the view of the Slovenian hills and the sea is breathtaking.
- The plateau itself is magnificent.
- You’re bound to pass right by the start of this hike during your stay in Slovenia.
The hike up to Nanos (1,263 m)
Nanos is a rocky spur and a magnificent grassy plateau with a beautiful stone church in the middle of nowhere. From the start of the hike, you’ll be able to see the finish line, but to reach the summit, you’ll have to make a hard, intense effort (1 hour 45 minutes). The hiking trail up to Nanos is not very winding. It goes in the mountain head-on. The 700 metre ascent is almost straight up the slope. This steep ascent turns the climb into a real physical exercise. So Nanos can hardly be described as a peaceful hike.
Nanos is a real hike, where you quickly gain 700m in altitude!
To complete it without suffering, you’ll need to be in good physical condition and wear hiking boots because of the many rocks (in trainers, your feet will hurt towards the end of the hike and that’s not serious). One short and unique section is a little vertiginous, but you can easily hold on to the sturdy rope and there is really no danger. To sum up, Nanos is a physical hike, but it doesn’t take all day.
Allow 3h30 for the return trip.
At the top of Nanos, three rewards await you!
Once you reach the summit, at an altitude of 1,263 m, there are three rewards for your efforts:
- The first is a splendid 300° view over the green hills of Slovenia. You’ll even see the sea and be able to make out Piran in the distance.
- The second reward is a refuge (a koča) serving great cold beers for €3.50. You can also eat traditional Slovenian dishes here for very little money. The only problem is that on busy days, you’ll have to wait a while before being served.
- A wonderful, panoramic start to the descent
The descent takes place on a magnificent plateau
The descent doesn’t take the same route, which makes this hike even more interesting. From the summit, allow 1 hour 45 minutes for the descent. The path doesn’t go straight down, it winds. The first half-hour of this descent is extraordinary.
At the start of the descent, you walk across a grassy plateau to reach a beautiful stone church isolated from the rest of the world.
The view from this plateau is splendid. However, don’t miss the sign indicating the left-hand bend, which is located just before the church. The path then winds through the shrubbery.
A hike to be grouped with the sea or the caves
I’m featuring this walk on the site because, as well as being beautiful, it’s very easy to get to. During your Slovenian holidays, whichever route you choose, you’re bound to pass by the start of this hike. Nanos lies between Ljubljana and the sea. The start is just off the motorway linking the Slovenian capital to Koper (the largest town on the Slovenian coast). You can combine this hike with a visit to the Skocjan or Postojna caves, or do the hike early in the morning before diving into the sea at Piran, Koper or Izola mid-afternoon.
Nanos is an excellent base camp for visiting Slovenia. I took advantage of the hike and my visits to the area to take a look at the establishments around Nanos.
- Don’t hesitate to book the flat at the Lojtrnik tourist farm (great owners, quiet, beautiful location).
- You can also stay at the Lippizaner lodge , a great place where I spent two nights a year ago (in a beautiful, very clean house with a friendly owner who speaks French).
Take a morning hike and then plunge into the Adriatic!
If you combine the sea or a cave with this hike, you’ll create a full day’s holiday and that’s generally what you need to do for a great holiday in Slovenia.
Practical information for climbing Nanos
The start of the hike is in the village of Razdrto. It nestles on the edge of the motorway linking Ljubljana to the port of Koper. Leave the motorway at the Razdrto sign. Once in the centre of the village, follow the Nanos signs, which will take you to the bridge over the motorway.
Parking: A large car park offers free parking.
Fountain: There’s a fountain at the start of the walk, so you can fill up your water bottles with fresh water (it doesn’t always work).
Important information: Shortly after the start of the hike, the path splits in two.
- A red sign indicates Vojkova Koca (strma pot) 1h30 and another Vojkova Koca (polozna pot) 2h30. Vojkova Koca is your arrival point (the name of the hut/refuge at the summit).
- Strma pot means short path and polozna pot, long path.
- If you don’t want to climb up the slope, take the long polozna pot route on the way up and on the way back (the hike is then longer but not too difficult)
Take the short path (Strma) on the way up and the long path on the way down.
The red sign says 1 hour 30 minutes, but it will take you 1 hour 45 minutes to go up and the same time to come down.
As a final reminder, the hike is perfectly feasible, but it’s by no means a leisurely stroll through the forest. It’s a tough climb! You’ll need hiking boots and a good physical condition, as climbing the rocks on the way up is no easy task.
You can reach the start of the hike by car or bus from Ljubljana. It takes about 1? hours and costs €8.
Map of the hike
- Start from Razdrto (575 m above sea level).
- Climb to Vojkova koca na Nanosu (1,263 m above sea level).
- Descend via Sv. Hierononim (the stone church)