I live in Slovenia and I love cycling. Here are my favourite cycle routes.
I strongly advise you to include one or more of these cycle routes in your holiday programme . You’ll have a great time on them. Above all, they allow you to discover a very authentic Slovenia.
I’ve done all these cycle routes several times and I like to take my friends along them when they visit me in Slovenia because I find that they are an excellent way to enjoy the Slovenian dolce vita.
After moving to the heart of Ljubljana, it soon became clear to me that I had to cycle every day, and that’s exactly what I do. I now own three of them:
- For the pleasure of riding around town, I have an old Yugoslav Rog bike made in the heart of Ljubljana.
- I also have a racing bike.
- An excellent mountain bike for taking advantage of the incredible possibilities offered by the hills of Ljubljana, particularly in Golovec.
You’ll see that the Rog bikes made in Ljubljana during the Yugoslav era are still very much in use today.
So it was only natural that I should be tempted to explore Slovenia’s cycle routes, and I’ve based this article on all those explorations.
Very often, when I go exploring Slovenia for new articles on the blog, I slip one of my bikes into the boot of the cars I hire. Once parked, I continue my explorations by bike. I also often take the train with my bike when I’m exploring Slovenia.
All the cycle paths in this article are away from the road, in a quiet area
The first trail I recommend is on the Slovenian coast, and it’s the best cycle path in Slovenia. It’s the best cycle path in Slovenia and I’ve never found a better one, as the route is surprisingly varied (vineyards, tunnels, the seaside, old villages, salt marshes, etc.).
The second track is in Ljubljana. On days when I’m working, I often ride it to take my mind off things.
Another trail in this article follows a river of a fabulous green colour and will end with a nice swim, like the very first trail, which I also recommend.
A final trail leads to Slovenia’s most beautiful lake, and so on.
The Parenzana, Slovenia’s most beautiful cycle route
The Parenzana allows you to discover the entire Slovenian coast, from Italy to Croatia. It follows the route of an old railway line. So the gradient is never too steep. In all your life, you’ve never ridden a track with such varied scenery. I’ve devoted an entire article to it, which I strongly recommend you read. The Parenzana is the best way to discover the entire Slovenian coast.
A beautiful and amazing cycle route in Ljubljana
If you’re spending more than a day in Ljubljana, you’ll want to explore the green areas of the Slovenian capital. There are an incredible number of them. This flat two-hour ride will allow you to discover unsuspected and charming parts of the Slovenian capital. I’ve written an article about this cycle path, which I use around forty times a year to relax during my working days, and always with the same pleasure.
The cycle path to Lake Bohinj
This fabulous track is not very well known and winds its way along the bottom of a valley in the heart of the mountains. It runs from the small village of Bohinjska Bistrica to Lake Bohinj. If you’re planning to visit this magnificent alpine lake during your stay, even if you’re not a big cycling fan, I’d advise you to take this route. Don’t forget your swimming costume for a dip in the Sava Bohinjka, which you’ll follow all the way to the lake.
A trail that follows the incredible Soca River
This trail starts in Nova Gorica, a Slovenian town on the Italian border. It follows a river whose colour is probably one of the most incredible in the Alps, the Soca (or Isonzo as the Italians call it). You’ll cycle along a cycle path to the village of Plave, where you can go for a swim. The colour of the water is fabulous along the way but, a shame, you can also hear the busy road that runs along the other side of the river. Unlike the other cycle paths I recommend, this route is not totally peaceful in the countryside.
Swimming on arrival: Once you’ve reached the village of Plave, you can take a dip under the bridge in the icy waters of the Soca. A refreshing swim on a summer’s day.
Route: 24 km round trip. Leave Nova Gorica at the huge Solkan bridge and follow the cycle path to the village of Plave. Once in the village, enjoy a coffee at the bridge restaurant.
When you return from your ride, you can eat at the excellent, slightly chic Primula restaurant in cycling gear. Slovenia is a country of sportsmen and women. You’ll never be refused access to a restaurant because you’re in sportswear, and no one will think it strange. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Restaurant Primula // Soška cesta 40 // 5000 Solkan
Please note : The photos in this paragraph are the most beautiful in this article, but that doesn’t mean that this is the cycle path that will give you the most pleasure. I often try to explain on the blog that there’s a real difference between the beauty of the photos you can take in a place and the experience you can have there. There are some great experiences to be had in Slovenia, but they all result in photos of little interest. Don’t build your holiday on beautiful photos and don’t build it on Instagram alone.
The Kranjska Gora cycle path
Kranjska Gora is a ski resort located in the north-west of Slovenia, in a valley at the foot of impressive mountain faces. There are some great cycle paths here. I cycled them in all directions and along their entire length. From these days of scouting, I’ve created a fabulous route to follow. It’s a star route, meaning that you return to Kranjska Gora each time before setting off again. You can hire electric bikes in the resort.
- From Kranjska Gora, take the metal bridge over the river Save (GPS coordinates: 46.4797499,13.8689588). Return to your starting point. The trail is flat. 14 km round trip.
2. Then make a return trip to the very photogenic Lake Jasna. It’s a bit uphill but not long. 4 km round trip. Enjoy a coffee on the lake terrace.
3. For the final stretch, head for the Italian border, just 7.5 km from Kranjska Gora, and if you’re brave enough, cross it to reach two fabulous Italian Alpine lakes, Lago di fusine. Warmly recommended.
During your day, take a break at lacni Kekec(Smerinje 11), an excellent rustic restaurant in the heart of Kranjska Gora where I like to go and which serves large portions. The chef prepares daily dishes cooked over a wood fire under a bell (lamb, octopus).
Bonus: Pedal at night along the Adriatic
The best memory I have of the Parenzana cycle path I mentioned at the start of this article is the long section between Koper and Izola, which is closed to traffic and which I cycled on a warm summer’s night in the moonlight. The track follows the twists and turns of the Adriatic. A gentle pedalling session in flip-flops to the sound of the waves lapping at your back in a gentle, warm breeze. Happiness in its summer version! It’ll be an unforgettable souvenir of your holiday. This trail can be ridden alone, with a friend or, even better, as a couple.
Unusual: Pedal through a mine
One of the extraordinary activities I did in Slovenia was this mine tour by bike. The activity takes place in the Mezica mine, accompanied by a guide. The activity is interesting and very enjoyable, but the region is long to get to and there are few interesting attractions around the mine, which is why I didn’t select this activity for the blog. Although it’s good, I wouldn’t recommend going there.
Address // Glančnik 8 // 2392 Mežica
Testimonial from Carole, a reader
“Hello, we discovered a small part of Slovenia this summer and thanks to all your advice we brought our bikes and didn’t regret it (also true for our teenagers…)! This country is really well organised, with superb cycle paths and a priority given to cycling that we haven’t yet experienced in France! Great rides to Bled, Bohinj, Ljubljana and along the coast! Thank you for your secret slovenia site, which is full of good tips and ideas and is a pleasure to read (it makes you want to discover the whole country!). Carole.”