The new 270 km trail through the Julian Alps is also officially open

The trail that does not just conquer mountain tops, but leads you along the edge of the Julian Alps and Triglav National Park, through the places you have not visited before. It takes you to the places, where you can feel the real pulse of life in the Julian Alps and learn about the rich natural and cultural heritage of the area.

Back to the simplicity of life

To find, walk, learn and explore the unknown diversity, to offer and use what is unknown to others; this is the Juliana Trail. A trail of a personal pilgrimage to oneself, to pristine nature and its magical beauty, into the diversity of the landscape and biodiversity, to hidden and unknown places with magical power (rivers, lakes, waterfalls, forests, exceptional trees, colourful flowers, rocks of unusual shapes), and last but not least: to culinary, cultural and historical treasures.

In this sense, the Julian Alps provide a rich cache of unexploited opportunities. Beauty that takes your breath away. A place where you can enjoy the views in your own way! A place that proves that the glory of nature has not gone forgotten and that we aim to preserve it.

The Juliana Trail seeks different heroes – those that aspire advancement in their spirit as well as altitude.

This new trail will not challenge your ability to conquer mountain peaks, but it will challenge you to find your role in relation to nature and responsible tourism. It is a fairly non-demanding, educational, circular trail that from today on invites you to discover, learn and experience those small natural wonders that can bring a feeling of pure joy and happiness.

Technical information:

Total length: 270 km

Total difference in altitude: 7.163 m ascent and 7.163 m descent

Total number of stages: 16

Average stage length: 17.5 km (4–5 hrs)

Highlights on the Juliana Trail

Triglav National Park

Lakes Bled and Bohinj

Soča River Valley

Radovljica old town

Kranjska Gora

Pokljuka plateau

Short trail description:

The Julian Alps Hiking Trail will initially run in a clockwise direction and will be divided into various stages. Daily stages will be planned so that it will be possible to spend the night at the place where the stage starts or ends, and there will also be possibilities for refreshments or hikers will be able to buy food and drinks. Every stage, if possible, starts at a railway station or bus stop, enabling hikers a sustainable and mobile access.

The trail starts at the state border between Slovenia and Italy in Rateče, which is also the finish place of the final stage from Bovec or Log pod Mangartom. The trail continues through Rateče, past the spring of the Sava Dolinka in Zelenci and beneath the hills of Vitranc to Kranjska Gora, which is the official starting point of the first trail stage.

From Kranjska Gora, the trail continues along the left bank of the Sava Dolinka River and rises to the picturesque viewing point Srednji vrh. The trail continues to the valley and from Belca forward along the right bank of the Sava Dolinka to Mojstrana where the stage ends. From Mojstrana, the trail advances across the sunny Karavanke, Dovške Ravne along forest roads to Plavški rovti and to Jesenice. Through the Stara Sava part of Mežakla and beneath the Mežakla hill the trail leads to Lipce and across the Dobravsko polje field to Moste and other villages beneath Stol mountain.

From Žirovnica to Rodine the villages beneath Stol are linked by a rich cultural heritage, featured along the Julian Alps Hiking Trail. From Rodine we ascend to Sveti Peter above Begunje, a hill that offers one of the most beautiful views of the Julian Alps from the east and opens the view almost to Ljubljana. The trail continues through Begunje, Dvorska vas, Gorica nad Vrbnje to Radovljica. In the cultural town of Radovljica, the trail descends to the Sava River and along its left bank past the confluence of both Sava rivers – Bohinjka and Dolinka – and runs to Šobec and Bled.

The trail continues along the northern shore of the lake below Bled Castle to the Bled Jezero railway station and from there it continues to Gorje. There we start a demanding ascent to the Pokljuka, and the trail enters the Triglav National park and continues through the natural monument of the Pokljuka Gorge, across the Kranjska dolina and Zajavornik pastures to Goreljek on the Pokljuka.

Then the trail descends through the picturesque villages of Gorjuše and Koprivnik to Bohinj. The circle around Bohinj starts in the Upper Valley in Jereka and continues through all the villages – Češnjica, Srednja vas and Studor to Stara Fužina on the eastern edge of Lake Bohinj. Along the eastern shore the trail continues to Ribčev Laz and beneath the lower Bohinj mountains across the picturesque Dobrava meadows to Bohinjska Bistrica.

In Bohinjska Bistrica, the trail around the Julian Alps slowly says goodbye to the Gorenjska region. It continues to Nemški Rovt and along forest roads to the Vrh Bače ridge.

Then it descends to the village of Bača and continues past the Kacempoh farm to Kalarsko brdo, where it crosses the hiking trail that runs to Črna prst. A more comfortable and quicker way to reach this point is by train through the Bohinj tunnel to Podbrdo and along the hiking trail.

The trail follows the familiar four municipalities marathon trail past the villages of Kal, Stržišče, Znojile and Obloke. From Obloke, the trail continues along the old road, which slowly descends to the main road through Baška grapa. After one kilometre we leave Koritnica village and descend to the Bača River. This stage ends in Grahovo ob Bači.

From there the trail again ascends – we follow the traditional panoramic trails to Ravence farm and continue to Temljive village, then we descend to Kneža and go along the side road towards Tolmin across Hum to Ljubinj village. Slightly before the village we find the forest path on the left side that takes us to the top of Senica, an excellent panoramic point of the Soča River, the surrounding mountains and the valley. The last descent on the Primorska region side ends in Most na Soči.

From Most na Soči to Bovec, our trip around the Julian Alps continues along the Soča River. We continue along the hiking trail along the lake to Tolmin, then across the path trails and along the side road "on the sunny side" as locals say, to Kobarid where we get to the path at the junction for the famous Kozjak Waterfall (which is only a few minutes’ walk away) which leads us past Trnovo, Srpenica and Žaga villages, all on the opposite bank, and to Log Čezsoški. Here we come to an asphalt side road that takes us past the Boka Waterfall to Čezsoča and Bovec.

In Bovec, we search for the historic trail that leads us past the Kluže fortress and further along the Koritnica River to Log pod Mangartom in the setting below the mighty alpine walls of Mangart, Jalovec and Loška stena. After Pokljuka and Bačarsko sedlo, we start our third major ascent across the Predel pass. Behind the bridge at the end of the village, there is a road that takes us to the picturesque waterfalls in the Predilnica gorge and we walk along it to the pass.

We continue to the Italian side on the road and leave it at the third turn and continue along the old road to the mining Rajbelj town. On a hot summer day it is worth reaching the lake below the pass and taking a swim. From Rajbelj we continue across the dams of the mining tailings and a few kilometres along the road. Just before the valley opens up, we find the bridge across the river and continue along the field paths to the cycling and hiking trail that connects Tarvisio and Kranjska Gora. In Rateče, we return to Slovenia.

Further information: 

The description of the whole trail, available in 3 languages is available here. 

The Julian Alps webpage will be updated with further information in November.