Kranjska Gora

Kranjska Gora: the ski resort, Zelenci and the road to Vršič

Kranjska Gora lies at the end of the Sava Dolinka valley, right below the tripoint between Slovenia, Italy and Austria. The place is known for the ski slope below Vitranc and for Planica, but it is also worth visiting in summer, when the valley becomes a starting point for cyclists and hikers.

All the main points lie along a short stretch of the valley: Lake Jasna on the southern edge of the place, Zelenci a few kilometres to the west and Planica just beyond them. This is precisely why you can plan the visit without long journeys, often even without a car.

Lake Jasna and the centre of the place

Lake Jasna is in fact two artificial lakelets at the foot of the road up to Vršič, with a gravel shore and a statue of the chamois Zlatorog by the water. In summer the water warms up more than in the surrounding mountain streams, and you can walk around the lake in half an hour.

The old core of Kranjska Gora is small, with a church and the Liznjek Homestead, a museum house from the eighteenth century. Most of the offer is gathered along the main street, so start right there and only then set off along the valley.

Zelenci and the source of the Sava Dolinka

Zelenci are a nature reserve with a strikingly green-blue pool from which the Sava Dolinka rises. The water flows up through the gravel on the bottom, so on the surface you can watch tiny swirls of sand.

A flat path with a viewing platform, a good kilometre from the car park, leads to the reserve, so it is suitable for pushchairs too. Set aside an hour for the visit, but come in the morning, when the surface is calm and reflects the Ponce.

Planica and the Nordic Centre

Valley Planica cuts in beneath the walls of the Ponce and is best known for the ski-flying hill, where the World Cup finals take place every spring. Outside the competitions you can also approach the hill as a visitor, which is the only way to get a sense of its size.

In summer and winter the valley is a starting point for cross-country skiing and walks to Tamar, the mountain lodge below Jalovec. The path to Tamar is wide and gentle, so choose it with children without worry, as it is considered one of the most popular family routes in the Julian Alps.

Vršič, Peričnik and the mountains above the valley

From the place the road climbs in fifty hairpin bends up to Vršič, which at one thousand six hundred and eleven metres is the highest road pass in Slovenia. On the northern side, stop at the Russian Chapel, built by Russian prisoners of war in memory of the victims of the construction.

To the east the valley continues into Gozd Martuljek with the Martuljek waterfalls and in Mojstrana, from where it is the Peričnik Waterfall a good half hour's walk. To the west of the place are Rateče and the tripoint, where three countries meet.

What to do in Kranjska Gora?

In winter the place lives off winter activities: the ski resort below Vitranec, where the Vitranc Cup for the World Cup takes place in January, the cross-country trails in Planica and sledging.

In summer the programme turns to cycling along the flat path by the Sava and to hiking in the Julian Alps. You can review the offer gathered among experiences in Kranjska Gora.

Kranjska Gora with children

For families the place is one of the most rewarding in the Alps, because the distances are short and the paths flat. The cycling route on the former railway line towards Mojstrana and Rateče is free of climbs, so younger children can manage it too.

In summer you can choose between swimming in Jasna, a walk to Zelenci and the path to Tamar, and in winter between the children's ski slopes and the sledging hill. In the rain the Liznjek Homestead remains, and for a longer programme you can drive to Bled.

Kranjska Gora for two

Early morning at Zelenci is the quietest part of the day, because the groups arrive later. For the evening a walk around Jasna works well, when the walls above the valley are mirrored in the water.

If you want to go further, you can drive up to Vršič and stop at the viewpoints above the hairpin bends. The road is narrow, so allow more time for it than the map suggests.

What and where to eat in Kranjska Gora?

The cuisine is Gorenjska and alpine: obara, ričet, potato dishes, štruklji and the cream cake. In inns and restaurants along the main street the offer is most concentrated, and the menus differ from one season to the next.

Because of the closeness of three countries, on the menus you can also expect Italian and Austrian influences. If you are on your way into the hills, you can treat yourself to a snack in the mountain huts above the valley.

Where to stay in Kranjska Gora?

There are mostly apartments and private rooms, which are scattered around the town and the surrounding villages. Also available are hotels along the main street and accommodation by the ski slope.

Demand is highest in winter and in the middle of summer, so arrange your accommodation in advance then. If you are looking for peace, choose the neighbouring villages, from where the ski slope is only a few minutes' drive.

Where to go on a trip from Kranjska Gora?

The nearest two trips are Planica with the Nordic Centre and the Vrata Valley with Mojstrana, where the starting point for the Peričnik Waterfall and for Triglav is. Both are within half an hour's drive.

Over the Vršič Pass you drive in an hour to the Soča Valley and Bovec, which in summer is one of the most beautiful road trips in the country. For a town day there are Bled and Bohinj an hour away, and a broader overview of the destination you will find under the Julian Alps.