Experiences in Kranj

Kranj is a city of experiences, culture, mysteries and vivid summer events. A charming old city centre with picturesque city houses links two worlds; in the city and under the city. Take a walk through the tunnels under the city of Kranj which served as shelter in WWII. Play hide and seek with Kranček, a cheerful and inquisitive dwarf from the Kranj underworld. Come back up to the bright surface and explore the canyon of the Kokra River. Find peace and silence on gravel terraces and make your summer evening a delight by visiting events in the summer open theatre.

Kranj is a cultural, economic and sports centre of Gorenjska region. It is the nearest large city in the vicinity of the Jože Pučnik International Airport Ljubljana and it is well connected with railway and bus routes to Ljubljana and the north-west of Slovenia.

In the hot summer months you can refresh yourself by taking a walk along the 1400 m long Kokra River canyon. It used to be a former bathing area and it is a pleasant walking path today. You may also refresh yourself by visiting Kranj swimming pool or the tunnels under the old city centre where the temperature is only 8 degrees. In WWII, these tunnels served as shelters while today they invite visitors to discover their stories. Visit the exhibition which represents the Kranj underworld, minerals and fossils and tunnels under old Kranj. Feel the real stalactites and experience a simulation of the shelter from WWII and an air strike. Kranček, the joyful and bright dwarf, will keep you company in the Kranj underworld. He has been living in these tunnels for more than 2000 years, minting Kranček coins used by children to buy a candy in Kranj or kept as a souvenir.

A nice memory of Kranj is created by the summer events in the Khislstein Castle when it becomes the summer theatre. The auditorium for the theatre productions and concerts is located in the centre of the medieval walls and the premises of Gorenjska Museum. At the beginning of July, you may listen to the concert of the Hidden Myth, a popular Kranj artist (3 July) and the music cast of Stefan Milenkovich & Marko Hatlak Tango Compás who find inspiration for their work from various music genres (4 July). On 10 July, Kranj will host one of the most popular pop-rock bands of the former Yugoslavia, Parni Valjak.

The summer in Kranj would not be complete without its traditional festivals. Between 24 and 25 July, the city streets become the stage for the most visited event in the Gorenjska region. The Kranfest will take place with the traditional Kranj night: a mosaic of cultural experiences composed of cultural, music and sporting events. The month of August will host the Jazz Kamp Kranj 2015 when international and Slovenian jazz and pop artists will create and exchange their knowledge while providing an unforgettable summer event in the Gorenjska region.

Numerous Slovenians have contributed a lot to the cultural development of the city. France Prešeren, the great Slovenian poet and the author of the national anthem, is the one that stands out of the group. His image may be found on the guided Prešern Tour of Kranj and Prešeren pralines or figs. These delicious chocolate pralines melt in the mouth.

Kranj has many faces. The life of the past is told by houses in the city centre which show variously decorated façades and invite visitors to explore their courtyards and marvellous passages through doorways from one street to another. Pause near the city walls with their defence tower. The city defence wall is as much as 870 m long, and it survived the Turkish invasions in the 16th century. Each house has its own story. One is a town hall, another bears a memorial plaque, the third invites the visitor to enter its lovely shop and, behind some walls, there are the remains of the technical legacy of past generations.

Escape from the city and visit the Brdo Estate. The protocol castle with a neatly arranged park is the treasury of the Kranj aristocratic past. Learn about the estate accompanied by a real baron. Take a drive with a horse-drawn carriage, go horse riding or discover the estate with a golf cart. Treat yourself to a picnic in a clearing, enjoy a round of golf or take some time for yourself to go fishing. The surroundings of Kranj provide numerous opportunities for sports fishing. Test your skills in fly-fishing, spin fishing, bottom fishing, from a boat or from the shore of the Kokra River, the Sava fishing district, in the Planšar (Pasture) and Trboje lake. But don’t forget to get your fishing permit in time.

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