The most beautiful natural sites to discover Northwest

To access this superb natural site, you need to book your tickets online. We also recommend that you wear suitable footwear and, if necessary, warm clothing, as it's rare for the sun to penetrate deep into the gorge. It's best to visit at off-peak times, early in the morning in summer, and avoid dark days. At first glance, there's nothing exceptional about this busy spot. One might even tire of the sheer number of tourists, a rarity in Slovenia. But ignore all that! Take to the trail and discover the incredible beauty of the Vintgar Gorge. The noisy river drowns out all noise. The trail runs alongside the river, stunning in its transparency and purity, and impressive in its white-foamed waterfalls. Small wooden footbridges allow you to meander along the river. The walk lasts around 1h30. Despite the turbulence, you'll appreciate the calm spots where the riverbed is at its best: many trout swim upstream! Anglers will regret the restrictions imposed. You'll arrive near a stunning waterfall (beware of vertigo), overlooked by a small wooden bridge that you can cross to admire the power of the waterfalls. This timeless landscape will make you realize that you were right to go beyond your first impressions and continue on your way.

Legend has it that the lake was created following a dispute between fairies and local shepherds. In retaliation for the latter's mockery, the fairies had their fertile valley flooded. If you are more down to earth, you will learn that the island was formed following the melting of the Bohinj glacier during the last ice age. With a maximum depth of 30 m, its length reaches 2.12 km, its width 1.38 km. Today it hosts many sporting events.

In the summer, people flock to its banks for swimming, canoeing, sunbathing and views of the peaks. In winter, the landscape is an invitation to contemplate the view of Slovenia's highest peaks. This glacial lake, fed by the Savica River, is the largest of natural origin. It covers an area of 3.5 km² and its depth reaches 45 m. There are many aquatic species, including the famous trout. Fishing is allowed but regulated.

Take the small path and you will quickly discover the beauties of this site. The water is breathtakingly transparent and pure! Many paths allow you to discover the diversity of the places, do not hesitate to venture there! At the beginning, we go into the tunnels in the rock where the Tolminka Gorge becomes narrower, looking up, we discover the Devil's Bridge above our heads. Then we climb along steep paths and we start to see "the bear's head"..

Just 3 km west of Kranjska Gora, wedged between the ski slopes and the road to Italy, lies the small Zelenci nature reserve. Pretty paths, some with wooden footbridges, allow you to discover the region's exceptional flora. After a 10-minute walk, you come to a small lake. The crystal-clear waters leave you pensive. A wooden observatory allows you to watch, in silence, the various colonies of birds on the lake.

The ascent of Triglav is a pilgrimage, an initiation test for Slovenes. Some people no longer count the number of ascents they have made. Reaching the summit is not the prerogative of only high mountain specialists. However, a minimum of conditions is required. A good physical condition of course, a good equipment, and not to attempt the adventure alone. 3Glav in Bled has mountain guides. Contact them, as Triglav is not accessible most of the year. The arrival at the summit is a rare moment of apotheosis in a lifetime!

It is the only real island of the country, constituting its most beautiful postcard. Disembarkation is by pletna, the local gondola. Departures take place near the Park Hotel as well as in Mlino, the regatta center (opposite the Park Hotel). The first inhabitants of the island are thought to have lived here around 1100 BC. On the site of the present church, there was a cult of the goddess Ïiva, who was worshipped by the Slavs in the Middle Ages and was sung by the poet France Prešeren.

The waterfall is simply the most powerful waterfall in the country when the snow melts in the spring. The flow rate can be up to 100 ^m3 per second! Fed by a karstic spring, the Boka stream also has the unusual feature of being one of the smallest rivers in the world, with a course of just over 600 m. In addition to being particularly noisy, the show is beautiful and is very well photographed. To get there, you have to go to the village of Žaga, west of Bovec, in the direction of Italy.

At the end of the valley, the refuge awaits you. You'll never tire of gazing at the sloping summit of Jalovec (2,645 m). Nearby is the Nadiže waterfall, the first source of the Save River. The waters disappear and reappear at Zelenci, the official birthplace of the Save, which joins the Danube at Belgrade in Serbia.

A number of hiking trails lead to the Vršič pass (1,611 m) or the Jalovec summit (2,645 m). Please note that these routes are for experienced hikers only. Several passages are exposed.

These gorges extend over 2 kilometres and are up to 40 metres deep. They're not as famous as Vintgar's. The suspended footbridge (watch out for the slides!) allows you to cross a gallery that leads to a small corner of greenery. A stroll that takes you little by little into the wilderness. Less accessible, these gorges are wilder and are for people looking for more authenticity. There are relatively few hikers to be found here.

This lovely little river located west of Kobarid, just before the Italian border, is perfect for bathing. Beautiful water holes and currents allow you to refresh. The place is very popular by the local population, the Italians included.

The trail around the lake is often closed because it is located under limestone cliffs from which many rocks are detached. It is formed from a visible geological crack. Its underground source is 83 m deep. When you bend down to observe, a feeling of vertigo surprises you, the sheer drop is impressive. The Proteus anguinus, close cousin of the salamander, lives here. The river Jezernica which rises from the lake is the smallest in Slovenia (55 m).

It's the name of the river that runs through Kamnik. It is 33 km long and has its source 13 km from the town, at the place named after it, a few steps from the Dom v Kamniški Bistric hut and the chapel. For Slovenians, Kamniška Bistrica evokes alpine atmosphere, mountain hiking and family walks. At the hut, a solid mountain building with character, walkers and hikers linger, quenching their thirst, in the sun. We check the itinerary and admire the peaks that surround this dead-end stage: Grintovec, Skuta, and Planjava.

The place is experiencing a reasoned tourist surge. We discover the Hudičev Most, "le pont du Diable", the gorges and their large boulders polished by the runoff of water creating a succession of small waterfalls. A trip full of freshness and lightness. The path continues to a mountain refuge. The conquerors will attempt the adventure of the Triglav. The site is worth the trip and it is also possible to explore it as part of a canyoning activity.

A few kilometres from Bohinjska Bistrica there is a picturesque waterfall on a farm. After a short and pleasant walk along the meadows, it will appear to you, fabulous and full of water after heavy rains. This is one of the two most popular places for canyoning (the other being Jerečica) with daily sessions in high season. We'll appreciate the fact that we can get up close and personal with it, so volunteers for an invigorating ice bath are advised!

Crossing the Vršič Pass leads to the Primorska region (upper Soča Valley from Kranjska Gora and then Bovec). Count 50 hairpin bends and 25 km before you reach Trenta and the valley of the same name. In winter, with the closure of the Vršič Pass, the inhabitants of the valley must reach Tarvisio in Italy by crossing the border at Predel and then cross the border a second time at Rateče before they can reach Kranjska Gora. The turns (numbered) are counted from Kranjska Gora.

Turn 8. At 6.5 km. A Russian Orthodox chapel of touching simplicity, built in memory of Russian soldiers who died in an avalanche in 1916. They are the ones who built the road you are walking on.

Turn 24. Vršič Pass. 1 611 m. Before you reach it on the left, there is the Erjavčeva Koča na Vršsiču inn. Beautiful view of Rogljica and its 2,547 m. Discover the look of the sad-eyed girl called "Ajdovska deklica" in the big cliff opposite.

Turn 48. Julius Kugy Memorial. He was an enlightened mountaineer and amateur botanist who climbed most of the peaks of the Julian Alps and wrote six books. At the end of the 19th century, this attracted many Austrians and the locals became guides.

Turn 49. On the right, the road leads to the source of the Soča (Izvir Soča), a 15-minute walk from the hostel with good shoes. This is where the journey from the Soča to the Adriatic begins.

A beautiful escapade in perspective through the green valley of the Soča. From the village of Plužna, follow the signs to Virje. Little effort to make, in only a few minutes you are in front of this impressive karstic waterfall! The water is a delightful emerald green and the décor is conducive to relaxation and smiles. However, refrain from swimming in these waters that seem so enchanting: first of all it is forbidden, and secondly the water is absolutely icy, even in summer, struggling to reach 7°C.

You're limited on the day's program and you're looking for a beautiful viewpoint for a postcard photo rendering, accessible even with children: direction Peč! A short but intense hike, well known to locals for a cardio workout or simply to revel in a breathtaking view of the lake and valley, allow around 20 minutes from Stara Fuzina. Up there, at an altitude of 720 m, there's a bench where you can take a break and contemplate the spectacular panorama over Bohinj. The perfect spot for a sandwich break!

The Bistrica stream, which gushes across the plain like a magnificent spring composed of two waterfalls, is the most powerful tributary of the Sava Bohinjka. The waterfalls dry up during the dry season, but when they're active, you'll be amazed. After passing the municipal waste disposal site on your right and following the signposts, you'll find the superb, wide Izvir Bistrice waterfall, just over an hour's easy walk away and without too many gradients.

Thanks to a marked path, you will find this natural heritage site. Indeed, the Peričnik waterfall, due to the power of its water, has often been the subject of discussions about using it to generate electricity, so any plans to exploit it were scuttled. Ideally, it is best to observe it after heavy rains, at the height of its splendour. You can take the small pebble path behind the waterfall to disappear behind it.