Tag Archives: St. Peter’s Trail

Let The Train Take The Strain!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Begunje, hiking in Slovenia, ifeelsLOVEnia, Karavanke mountains, Maribor, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia blog, Slovenian mountain huts, Slovenian railways, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

With the world becoming, or trying to become, ever ‘greener’, many of us are trying to do our bit here and there, including taking public transport, where possible.

The great news is that Radovljica is really well connected, so it’s an ideal place to base yourself for getting around Slovenia and even further afield.

In addition to Radovljica’s new railway station, Slovenian Railways also introduced some new trains late last year. The first journey took place on the new electrified KISS trains, produced by the Swiss producer Stadler, on the Ljubljana-Litija line. The trains are renowned for their improved comfort, spaciousness and functionality, as well as panoramic windows for a literal ‘seat with a view’.

Na slovenskih železnicah prvi novi dvonadstropni električni vlak - Zelena Slovenija

Within minutes of stepping off the train at Radovljica’s railway station you can reach Linhart Square – the heart of the historic old town centre.

It takes less than an hour to reach Radovljica from Ljubljana (or vice versa), or in the other direction, you can go to Jesenice and from there to Villach in Austria and onwards. In the opposite direction, i.e. from Ljubljana, you can travel to Maribor or Celje – Slovenia’s second and third largest cities respectively – or to Zagreb in Croatia and further.

Below I’ve put together a few suggestions of what to see and do by train (and bus) in the local area.

Take the train from Radovljica to Globoko, where you can visit the Barbana Stud Farm to see the famous white Lipizzaner horses.

Lipizzaner Stock Photos, Pictures & Royalty-Free Images - iStock

From Globoko you can either return by train or walk back through the Forest Nature Trail.

Take the train from Radovljica to Otoče, then walk the Otoče to Brezje Pilgrimage Trail.

On reaching Brezje, you can see Slovenia’s national pilgrimage sanctuary – the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians – as well as the Nativity Museum, then return to Radovljica by bus.

Take the bus from Radovljica to Bled, so much easier than searching (and paying!) for somewhere to park. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you about Bled’s ‘star attraction’!

Take the bus from Radovljica to Begunje na Gorenjskem, where you can visit the Elan Alpine Skiing Museum, the Avsenik Museum, and the village is also an excellent destination for hiking in the Karavanke mountains, for example to St. Peter’s church above the village, on the Lamberg Trail past Kamen Castle to the Draga Valley, from where you can continue up to the Roblekov dom mountain hut or even higher up to Mt. Begunscica.

Photo: Miran Kambic

Of course, there are numerous other options, which, for travel in the Radol’ca area, the lovely folk at the Radovljica Tourist Information Centre can help you with, or for travel further afield take a look at the Slovenian Railways website to get some more ideas of what to see and do.

So, why not sit back and let the train take the strain?!

© Adele in Slovenia

 

 

 

Theme Trails in Radol’ca – Take Your Pick!

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Following a themed hiking trail is a great way to discover more of a place, whether its history, culture, and/or natural features.  In the Radol’ca area you are spoilt for choice with a total of 11 such trails. Some are relatively flat, short trails, while others involve a bit more effort; all of them, however, are unique in their own way.

The Begunje Shepherds’ Trail is a 10km circular trail and is by far my favourite of the bunch! It leads from the Draga valley up to the Preval mountain pasture, then along the ‘ćez Roza‘ path to reach the Roblekov dom mountain hut. The start of the trail involves a short section of climbing, followed by a steep section through the forest.

On emerging from the forest the path levels out somewhat, and you can start enjoying the views. You can read more in a previous blog post here.

The Brezje Path of Peace starts close to the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, Slovenia’s main pilgrimage site, in Brezje. It leads via forest paths and country roads to the Peračica waterfalls.

The Sava River Trail, as the name suggests, runs along the banks of the Sava river from the Fux footbridge to the Šobec camp. It is a linear walk that can be walked in either direction.

St. Peter’s Trail is a short trail that leads up to St. Peter’s church above Begunje na Gorenjskem. From the church there are fantastic views of the Radovljica plains, the Jelovica plateau and, on a clear day, all the way to Triglav, Slovenia’s highest mountain.

The Lipnica Castle Trail leads across the Fux footbridge over the Sava river to the ruins of Lipnica Castle above the Lipnica valley.

Photo: http://www.radolca.si

The Lamberg Trail leads to the ruins of Kamen Castle in the Draga valley. It begins at the Krpin recreation area in Begunje na Gorenjskem and leads through the forest past the ruins of Kamen Castle, passing two small archeological sites, ending in the  Draga valley at the Gostišče Draga restaurant, where you can enjoy a drink, snack or slap-up meal to gather your strength for the return journey, or you could even continue further on one of the trails that lead into the Karavanke mountains.

Photo: http://www.radolca.si

The Grabnarca Waterside Nature Trail is pleasant, shady trail over wooden footbridges. It begins at the source of the Lipnica stream, crosses the Grabnarca stream and ends at a small lake. The walk can easily be extended further by walking on country roads to return to the start.

The Otoče-Brezje Pilgrimage Trail begins at the railway station in Otoče, runs through the village of Ljubno, known for its numerous frescoes, and on to Brezje, home to the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians.

The Mošnje Archeological Trail explores the village of Mošnje, home to the Villa Rustica archaeological site and the Mošnje Ethnological Museum. 

The Rosary Bead Trail is a circular trail that leads along ancient pilgrimage routes. It gets its name due to the rosary bead-like shape of the trail. The trail is rated as easy, though it covers a total of 12.2km, across fields and meadows, through forests and along country lanes, with wonderful views of the surrounding countryside.

The Begunje Village Trail takes you on a tour of the village of Begunje na Gorenjskem, the birthplace of Slavko Avsenik, the founder of Slovenian folk music. You can also visit Katzenstein Mansion, which today houses a psychiatric hospital and, at the rear, the Museum of Hostages.

Now all you have to do is choose which one, or ones, to walk – a tough choice indeed!

© Adele in Slovenia

Test Your Skiing Skills at the Elan Alpine Skiing Museum!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Avsenik, Begunje, hiking in Slovenia, hiking trails, ifeelsLOVEnia, Karavanke, Karavanke mountains, museums in Slovenia, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Rainy day ideas in Slovenia, Restaurants, skiing, skiing in Slovenia, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Taste Radol'ca, Taste Radol'ca Tours, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca, winter sports in Slovenia by

The Radol’ca area is synonymous with Elan – the world-famous producer of skis, and now you can find out more about the company’s history and innovative products whilst enjoying some interactive fun at the new Elan Alpine Skiing Museum.

The museum is located at the company’s production unit in Begunje na Gorenjskem, just a short distance from Radovljica. It was opened in 2018 by the legendary Swedish skier Ingemar Stenmark, who competed using Elan skis throughout his entire career. The first pair of skis on which Stenmark competed in World Cup races is among the museum’s exhibits.

Elan was established in 1945 upon the initiative of the ski jumper and ski maker Rudi Finžgar (1920-1955) who in 1941, despite being young and inexperienced, became the first Slovenian ski jumper to jump over 100 metres. The company quickly became known for its innovative and trend-setting designs.

The museum showcases Elan’s 70-year history and its sources of inspiration for the future,

There are also exhibits showing some of the achievements of the company’s other divisions, including boats, aeroplanes, sports equipment and wind turbines.

The exhibits are spread over two floors in the small museum. Upstairs you can get a glimpse into a workshop…

…test your balance on skis and a snowboard – not as easy as it looks…

…and there is a chance to test your skills and get interactive on the ski simulator. Needless to say, I didn’t score top marks but it was fun having a go nonetheless and a pretty good workout too!

The museum is open Tuesdays – Saturdays from 10am-6pm and offers a great experience for all the family, even for non-skiers like me!

Adjoining the museum is the Elan Sports Shop, which is crammed with sports apparel, both Elan’s own-brand products and other brand names, which you can access from outside or alternatively once you make it past the finish line!

Whilst in the area you can also visit the many other numerous attractions and sights of interest in the village of Begunje na Gorenjskem and its surroundings, among them Kamen Castle, the Avsenik Museum, Katzenstein Mansion and the Museum of Hostages and two Taste Radol’ca restaurants – Gostišče Draga and Gostilna Pr’Tavčar. If you want to get active then you can take a walk on the St. Peter’s Trail, the Begunje Village Trail or visit the Draga Valley from where you can set off on hikes in the Karavanke mountains.

© Adele in Slovenia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Adele in Slovenia