Škofja Loka

Škofja Loka: a medieval town below Lubnik

Škofja Loka lies where the Poljanska and the Selška Sora meet and where the Škofja Loka Hills descend into the plain before Kranj. The town has a compact medieval core with a castle above it, so you can walk across it in an hour, though a proper visit deserves more. If you are looking for a place between the alpine world and a larger city, Loka is a calm middle ground.

Why stop in Loka

Many people drive through Loka on the way to Bled or to Cerkno, which is understandable but also a pity, as the core is among the better preserved in Slovenia. The town square is closed and uniform, the houses are low, and the walls and town gates still define the shape of the settlement. It is precisely for this reason that Loka feels less like an exhibited sight and more like a town that is still lived in. For a first visit it is therefore enough to walk through the core and climb up to the castle.

What to see in the town centre

Above the square stands Loka Castle, which today houses the museum of the town and its surroundings. Below it the Capuchin Bridge, a stone bridge from the fourteenth century, descends to the Sora and is one of the most recognisable motifs of Loka. On the other side of the river is Puštal, an older quarter with preserved farmhouses, which you reach on foot in a few minutes. Take the morning for the castle and the core, and you can devote the afternoon to the surroundings.

What is the Škofja Loka Passion Play

Loka is known for the Škofja Loka Passion Play, a staging of the Passion procession that runs through the town streets and into which the town's families are drawn. It is a performance grown together with the town, not a tourist event, so in the years between stagings it remains above all part of the town's history. If the subject interests you, you can learn about it in the museum in the castle, where it is presented together with the history of Loka.

Where to hike and cycle

Above the town rises Lubnik, a distinctive dome-shaped hill, to which several marked paths lead from the valley and which is the most popular Loka climb. For longer days there are the cycling routes around Škofja Loka, which run along the valleys of the two Sora rivers and on towards Poljane and Železniki. As every route from the town begins with a climb, choose by the elevation gain rather than the length. In winter the paths are often still passable, but expect ice in the shady parts.

What and where to eat in Škofja Loka

The Loka cuisine is Gorenjska and abundant, so expect meat dishes, žganci and pastries from leavened dough. In the core and in the surroundings you will find inns in Škofja Loka, and along the path to Lubnik and in the hills above the town there are also mountain lodges with a simpler offer. Anyone wanting a quicker meal should stay in the old core, where everything is a short distance apart.

Where to go on a trip from Loka

Loka is a good starting point, as it lies between Upper Carniola and the Primorska region, so from a single town you can reach very different landscapes. To the north lies Kranj with an old centre above the Sava, and onward Bled and Radovljica. To the southwest the Poljane Sora valley climbs up to Idrija, where there is mining heritage. Whoever seeks the mountains should look at the whole destination Julian Alps.

Where to stay

Loka is small, so the offer is not extensive, but it is varied in type. Available are farm stays, private rooms and apartments. A tourist farm makes sense if you are travelling by car and looking for peace, while a private room does if you want to be near the old core. For visiting Bled or Ljubljana, Loka can be a quieter base than either.

When to come

The town core is rewarding all year, because it is compact and can be walked even in bad weather. Spring and autumn are the best for Lubnik and for cycling days, and summer for swimming in the Sora and for long afternoons outdoors. In winter the town is still, and that is precisely its advantage. Everything arranged as an experience you will find among experiences in Škofja Loka.