Stages

7 STAGES JULIANA BIKE

Stages run counter-clockwise and together add up to 290 km,while their difference in altitude amounts to almost 8500 metres.

Access stages from three directions are also connected to thebasic seven stages.

1. Bohinjska Bistrica–Goreljek
2. Goreljek–Kranjska Gora
3. Kranjska Gora–Bovec
4. Bovec–Tolmin
5. Tolmin–Zakojca
6. Zakojca–Podbrdo
7. Podbrdo–Bohinjska Bistrica

ACCESS STAGES:

• Radovljica–Bled–Gorje
• Žirovnica–Jesenice–Mojstrana
• Goriška Brda–Tolmin

 1. BOHINJSKA BISTRICA–GORELJEK • 32,4 km • 1049 m

This stage runs completely in Bohinj, i.e. from the Lower Bohinj Valley to the Upper Bohinj Valley and across the pastures on Pokljuka to Goreljek. The panorama and views reveal the beautiful scenery of Bohinj in its timeless beauty and the background of the mighty mountains and vast glacial valleys. You can ride across the idyllic pastures of Uskovnica and Zajamniki, between thesecluded alpine farms and cottages, dense villages and bustling forests.The Bohinj stage also invites you to the lake shore and three exceptional museums and to explore top culinary stories. Along the way you simply have to try products and services which carry the Bohinjsko/From Bohinj certificate, which proves their highest quality and origin.

2. GORELJEK–KRANJSKA GORA • 65,2 km • 1092 m

Ride from the Pokljuka pastures and forests, where you can see and explore unique peatbogs that have been a part of the valuable Pokljuka landscape since the last ice retreat, to the other side towards the picturesque alpine valley of Radovna, where it may seem that the world of the Pokljuka plateau and the valley of Radovna accidentally swapped their altitude, because the vast and open Pokljuka might seem more lowland than the image of the idyllic alpine valley. Ride past the Pocar Homestead, one of the oldest preserved homesteads in Triglav National Park which is now a museum, and continue towards Mojstrana and to the mighty Vrata Valley. Take some time to visit the Slovenian Alpine Museum that tells the story of the courage and exceptional achievements of Slovenian mountaineers. While riding to Kranjska Gora, enjoy the sights along the Upper Sava Valley and admire the groups of steep peaks of the Julian Alps on one side and the chain of sun-soaked slopes of the Karavanke mountains on the other while listening to the bustling of the Sava Dolinka River. End the stage in Kranjska Gora.

Biking in the Soča Valley, ©Uroš Švigelj

3. KRANJSKA GORA–BOVEC • 62,9 km • 1585 m

Start in the popular winter sport and tourist centre of Kranjska Gora and climb to the famous Vršič Pass past Lake Jasna. The road to the Vršič Pass tells the dramatic story of its making. You will find out more about the exceptional history and heritage of World War I at the Russian Chapel and the history of battles will also accompany you along the stages in the Primorska region. From Vršič, you descend to Trenta and the Soča Valley. Leave the Gorenjska region and descend across the Black Sea and the Adriatic divide to Primorska. Visit the Soča River Spring at the end of Trenta. The richness of alpine flora can be explored at the Juliana Alpine Botanical Garden. Visit the Triglav National Park Centre “Dom Trenta”. Continue to Bovec along the valley of the emerald Soča River.

Cycling in Drežnica, ©Tomo Jeseničnik

4. BOVEC–TOLMIN • 49,3 km • 1763 m

Bovec is the best starting point for many adrenaline-charged sports on the Soča River, in the air and the mountains, but Juliana Bike takes you further to Kobarid and Tolmin. You will soon see one of the mightiest waterfalls in Slovenia – Boka Waterfall. Ride along the left bank of the Soča River towards Kobarid andTolmin, through the Drežnica and past the extensive pastures below Krn and further on to the Tolminka Valley. Make sure you have enough water with you in summer, because the temperatures can get quite high, or even freshen up on the way from Bovec to Trnovo in the crystal clear Soča River before biking on above the emerald river. Across the Tolmin pastures you will soon reach the most astonishing monument dedicated to WWI – the secession Church of the Holy Spirit in Javorca that also carries the European Cultural Heritage mark. From Javorca to Tolmin, view the famous Tolmin Gorge and the Tolmin Museum.

Šentviška planota, ©Paolo Petrignani

5. TOLMIN–ZAKOJCA • 31,1 km • 1162 m

Tolmin is the unique capital of the Soča Region, located at the confluence of Tolminka and Soča; therefore, the trail takes you towards Most na Soči along a cycling route on the left riverbank, which expands at Modrej into a wide accumulation lake that offers many water activities. In Most na Soči, famous for the Saint-Lucian culture and archaeological site where you can find the famous stone bridge crossing the gorge and say goodbye to Soča. Climb the Šentvid plateau, where the hilly and diverse world is caught between Baška grapa and Idrijca. Take the time to enjoy the views of the beauty of the pre-alpine worldwith the Julian Alps and the Bohinj and Tolmin Mountain Ridge in the background. Visit the Church of the Visitation in Ponikve, restored by the famous architectJože Plečnik. From the exceptionally picturesque Červov vrh, descend to Bukovo and on the Bača side of Koca ride to Zakojca (birthplace of France Bevk, Slovenian writer), where you reach the edge of Cerkljansko.

Podbrdo, ©Jošt Gantar

6. ZAKOJCA–PODBRDO • 19,3 km • 904 m

As the road from Zakojca climbs and descends, you will ride on ridges and between secluded farms towards Baška grapa and Podbrdo, which is connected by the railway line and the longest railway tunnel in Slovenia with the Gorenjska region and Bohinj.

Juliana BIKE - stage 7, ©Mojca Odar

7. PODBRDO–BOHINJSKA BISTRICA • 29,5 km • 869 m

From Podbrdo and Baška grapa you will climb towards the picturesque Petrovo Brdo, which is also the divide between the Soča and Sava Rivers. The world here is divided between the end of Baška grapa and the Selška dolina Valley. The village emerged during the medieval colonisation of the Tyrolean farmers and remained a border village until Italy’s capitulation. When the people restored and widened the road, it became interesting for passers-by. Continue towards Spodnja and Zgornja Sorica past the Soriška planina Ski Centre. Soon you can descend past the Strme pasture towards Nemški Rovt village. From there, you soon descend and reach Bohinjska Bistrica.

ACCESS STAGES

RADOVLJICA–BLED–GORJE

This access stage connects one of the most beautiful medieval towns – Radovljica – with one of the most popular tourist pearls, Bled. From the cultural landscape of Radovljica and Bled ride towards Gorje, visit Vintgar Gorge and enjoy nature.

ŽIROVNICA–JESENICE–MOJSTRANA

You can start the stage in Žirovnica by visiting the birth house of Matija Čop (the first Slovenian literary historian) and then continue over the Moste Hydro Power Plant dam and Blejska Dobrava across the wonderful fields between the foothills of the Karavanke and the Julian Alps towards the industrial centre of Jesenice, known as the city of steel and flowers. From below the Karavanke mountain range, continue towards the high mountains of the Julian Alps and the home of Slovenian mountaineering heroes in Dovje and Mojstrana.

GORIŠKA BRDA–TOLMIN

The southern access trail to Juliana Bike from the Goriška Brda hills opens a new view to the connection of the Mediterranean with the alpine world. The historical connection of Slovenians across the high passes and mountains enabled the transfer of cultural, culinary and linguistic features along trade routes; therefore, the contribution of the “southern door” with the Brda region is exceptional and still has a great impact on the entire area below Mt Triglav. The trail takes you from Šmartno, one of the most beautiful villages in Slovenia, across Vrhovlje to the panoramic Korada, where you will soon leave the vineyards behind. The pre-alpine world will open up in Kambreško, Srednje, Volče ... You will thus finish the loop between the pre-alpine world and the Julian Alps by joining Juliana Bike in Tolmin.