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My way of following the milky ways

Visit the Slovenian mountains and places where you can learn first-hand about the rich alpine farming tradition.

Where the time stops…

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and take refuge in the mountains, where you can make a genuine connection with nature and tradition. Visit the herdsmen’s huts, listen to cowbells and try out the dairy delicacies that taste entirely different here than they would in the valley. Fresh mountain air will fill you with peace and make you relax, connecting you with the herdsmen that look after the cattle in the mountains in the months of summer.

Feel the pastoral symphony on Velika planina

A true „princess“ of the mountains can be found in the embrace of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. Velika planina is enchanting in all seasons – in spring, it will impress you with its purple carpet of blooming saffrons, in summer, with the jingling of cowbells, in autumn, with its wide range of colours, and in winter, with its snowy delights spilt like milk over the landscape. Among the numerous herdsmen’s huts, you can find your corner of paradise, in the peace and quiet of the mountains, where the friendly herdsmen will offer your delicious dairy dishes in the warmer months of the year.

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My way of experiencing the magic of Velika planina

Go among the herdsmen of Velika planina and let all of your senses feel the magnetism of mountain, pulling the people from the valley into the embrace of Alpine tranquillity.

Get familiar with the homeliness of the herdsmen's huts

Velika planina is the largest herdsmen's settlement in Europe with about 140 herdsmen's huts. The pretty huts with roofs covered in spruce shingles act as an antidote to the stressful life in the city. Get a taste of authentic sour milk and mush (žganci) that the herdsmen offer to their visitors. If the beauty and tranquillity of Velika Planina will make it difficult for you to leave, you can spend the night in one of the herdsmen’s huts.

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Following the herdmen’s trails in Triglav National Park

Bohinj also has a rich history of herdsmen’s tradition. The nearby mountains and their natural alpine pastures offer a real treat to the cattle in the summer months, which is well reflected in the characteristic flavours of the Bohinj cheeses. The mountaineering tradition above the lake of Bohinj has been placed on UNESCO's tentative list of world heritage. The authentic alpine nature at the heart of the Triglav National Park brings the magic into these mountains. The mountains of Bohinj are popular hiking spots.

In Bohinj, everything revolves around cheese

The story of herdsmen and cheese will follow you on every step in Bohinj. Discover the secrets of Bohinj cheese and join the festive activities that celebrate the herdsmen’s traditions.

Production of Bohinj Cheese

Bohinj is a land of excellent cheese. Learn about the characteristic Bohinj cheeses – the Mohant cheese, a unique cheese with distinctive smell and taste and a European Protected Designation of Origin, and the Bohinj cheese.  On the Bohinj Cheese Trail you will learn about the history of cheese and the methods of cheese production. You can also try making cheese from the delicious milk from the Bohinj mountains in line with the Bohinj tradition.

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A hike with "sheep salting" above Češka koča

The first-class Alpine climber and mountain rescuer Drejc of the famous Karničar family will take you to the pastures under the north face of Grintovec, where the sheep from Šenk Homestead graze in summer. On the rubbly slopes of Spodnje Ravni and Zgornje Ravni above Češka koča mountain hut, you will search out the flock of Jezersko-Solčava sheep and offer them salt to lick from your hand.

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Visit the alpine dairy farms in the heart of the Karavanke

Visit other small alpine dairy farms to try out sour milk and mush (žganci) or other homemade dairy dishes. In the Košuta area, drop by the Kofce alpine dairy farm, where you can listen to the sound of cowbells while feasting on a delicious local snack and resting your eyes on the surrounding peaks. The alpine dairy farm Dolga njiva is also a popular shelter for hikers, cyclists and day-trippers. You can spend the night there on a hayloft, and children can enjoy the company of domestic animals.

Stories from Slovenia

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