If you are thinking of a place to go hiking, Slovenia is your ideal choice. It is precisely this beautiful place that is quickly becoming the newest hiking destination in Europe. The karst country offers the most fascinating mix of landscape, culture, and history. This country offers everything you can ask for, from Slovenian wine and delicious homemade food, to vast cave systems and the opportunity to see the famous Lipizzaner horses.
Located in a notch on the northeastern border of Italy, and relatively little known, Slovenia is a revitalizing step in a bygone era. There are many possible routes to walk through the karst plateau, but the best itinerary you can choose is a week’s walk that will take you from the castle of Predjama, which is a 5-hour drive from Hudicevec, to the amazing cave system of Skocjan.
At Predjama Castle you will have the first opportunity to try the Teran, a spicy Slovenian red wine.
After enjoying this delicious drink the road will continue between hills until you reach the Lovka Valley, where you will find a castle located in a cave at the base of a cliff 123 meters tall. From its top floor, you can enter the large cave behind, while another system of caves under the castle extends for more than 13 km to the valley of Vipava.
The walk will take you through the rural villages of Smihel and Strange, places where life seems to have stopped for centuries, and where a horse is still a popular means of transport. Arriving at Hudicevec, the route will direct you to the northwest, along quiet rural roads snaking through Lozice and Podnanos, both places being vineyards that cover almost all the slopes. Here you can also taste the Slovenian wine that is not very well known, but it is exceptionally good, and it is very probable that local people invite you to join them to try their last harvest.
The next stop you will see is Gaberge, this place will take you along a low ridge with sweeping views across distant hills, before ascending to a night stop in the charming village of Stanjel, set on a prominent hill. This place is a medieval village, ideal to explore cobbled streets, old stone houses, and the remains of an old castle Here, you can also visit the fabulous Ferrari Garden, which offers the most inspiring views of the whole walk, through the valley of Vipava to Mount Nanos.
After leaving Stanjel, you will have to head south through the typical karst terrain of forests dotted with limestone rocks. Here the farm of Skerlj awaits you in the town of Tomaj, characterized by its culinary delight. Its owners offer delicious dishes that include dry ham outdoors, known as prosciutto in neighboring Italy, wine from their own vineyard, freshly baked bread and tasty vegetables plucked directly from your garden.
Once you leave the town of Tomaj, you should take a five-hour walk from Tomaj to Lipica, through the big city of Sezana, a charming place where the botanical garden offers spectacular views, and where you can see the horses of the Lipizzaner race.
The last trip is a shorter walk, only three and a half hours along the city of Lokev, which will be the highlight of the hike and will allow you to see the fantastic Skocjan caves.
The Skocjan caves, with almost 6 km in length, have what is considered to be the world’s largest known underground canyon. This natural wonder of 100 meters deep and 3.5 kilometers long, sculpted by the waters of the Reka River, is only slightly illuminated, and while you hike the rock path up the wall, you will also get to experience the most impressive moment of the walk: crossing the Cerkve Bridge, which extends through the canyon and is 45 meters above the river.
With an epic ending for a memorable walk, the Karst Country of Slovenia is one of Europe’s least-known treasures, full of natural wonders you must get to know; a perfect destination to enjoy.
If you loved this article or found it useful, don’t forget to share it with your adventurous and travel-hacking friends! If you want more post like this, follow us on Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter!