Things to see and do Škofja Loka

The museum is the only part of the castle that can be visited. Mentioned as early as 1215, it was severely damaged by the earthquake of 1511. It was bought back and renovated by the Ursulines at the end of the ^19th century. The museum showcases local handicrafts and several rooms recounting the history of the site. Works by the great Slovenian painter Ivan Grohar are on display, along with reproductions of medieval frescoes and period furniture.

Following ratification of the Treaty of Rapallo, a large part of western Slovenia was ceded to Italy. As a result, the border is located in the vicinity of Škofja Loka, between the Soriska Planina plateau and the small town of Žiri. In 1937, under the command of Yugoslav General Rupnik, a defensive line of bunkers, tunnels and other fortifications was erected. You can also visit them. You can lose yourself in the tunnels, play sentry in the bunkers and imagine an invisible enemy.

Established in the south of the town, in the hamlet of Pustal, this period house, bordered by the local river, dating from the 16th century, now houses a small local and ethnographic museum which gives a number of interesting insights into the objects and gestures of daily life in the days when Slovenia was still a Habsburg country. Restored in 1755, it was deliberately baroque. It is one of the few surviving examples of the last centuries in this region. A very appreciated visit by the locals!

A very beautiful place with a superb flora and a beautiful panorama of all the mountain ranges of the country. You can eat in the refuge Koča na Ratitovcu at 1,642 m. The summit is located west of Železniki. To get as close as possible by car, take the small road that leads to Prtovc (1,011 m), a hamlet of about 20 inhabitants that was completely burnt down in 1943. From there, you join the marked path. It is the northeastern-most peak of the Julian Alps. Snowshoe hikes are possible in winter.

This library is absolutely beautiful and worth a visit! It contains a large number of old Slovenian-language books that are part of the national literary heritage. The manuscript of The Passion of Škofja Loka, published in 1721, is particularly interesting. It is the oldest play written in the Slovenian language. Don't miss the staging of this famous text in the streets of the medieval city!

Škofja Loka, together with the Selška and Poljanska Valley, is a picturesque medieval place where the Passion performance is held, which is included in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. Two valleys, three mountain ranges: the place offers endless stories and reveals a very varied creative heritage of artistic practices, crafts and gastronomy. Among the nuggets to be discovered in the region, castles and manor houses are at the top of the list and the oldest date back to the 13th century.