Leave the Ljubljana-Koper expressway at the Unec exit and take the local road to Rakov Škocjan, a regional park in a karst valley with two impressive natural bridges. The route leads past Cerknica and the disappearing Cerknica Lake (37) and turns toward Mount Slivnica near Grahovo. According to folk legend, this mountain is the home of witches, explaining the warm smoke that issues from the cave beneath the peak in winter . . . Experience the long snowy winters of the Bloke Plateau, which inspired the local people to make some of Europe’s oldest skis. Examples are on display in the “Bloke ski room” of the Penzion Slamar inn (39) in Nova vas. Hand-chiseled wells are another sight to see in Nova vas. The route continues to Hrib-Loški potok, where two unique tree species grow, Kačja smreka (“snake spruce”) and Zlata smreka (“golden spruce”). Another ethnological specialty can be found in Retijska uvala: dry spruce trunks with shortened branches used to dry hay. A cultural treat is the Church of Sv. Florijan with its octagonal floor plan in Retje. 

individual