Kranjska gora
Gozd Martuljek is a picturesque tourist alpine village. The Hladnik brook, which springs in the Karavanke, runs through a narrow gorge and then through the village. Another brook running through the village is the Martuljek with its two waterfalls -Zgomji Martuljkov slap which is rather hard to access, and Spodnji Martuljkov slap with a clear and well-marked trail leading to it.
Within a shooting range from Martuljek lies Kranjska gora with the Pisnica valley and its two side valleys Mala Pisnica and Krnica, opening south from it. A mountain road from the Pisnica leads to the picturesque Trenta valley over the highest mountain pass in Slovenia, the Vrsic saddle ( 1611 m ).
Kranjska gora is a well-known tourist center both for winter and summer sports. In winter it is a magnet for skiers, and in summer, with the clear lake Jasna in the picturesque Pisnica valley, for bathers. The area offers numerous possibilities for spending active holidays in nature.
For several years, Kranjska Gora has been host to World Cup competitions in alpine skiing. The ethnological museum in the Liznjek house is worth visiting as well.
Podkoren is a typical alpine village with old Alpine-style houses. At Podkoren the road mounts towards the saddle Korensko sedlo ( 1073 ), an international border crossing with Austria. Right behind Podkoren lies the spring of the Sava Dolinka River -Zelenci.
Only 100 meters from the Italian border sits Ratece, the last village before the border. In front of the village, atop a small hill, is a little walled church. Under Jalovec ( 2645 m ) arguably the most beautiful mountain of the Julian Alps lies the glacial Tamar valley. Planica is world-famous for its ski jumps, among which is also the one intended for sky flying where bold ski-jumpers fly over 200 meters far.
From this Alpine village lead three mighty valleys: Vrata, Krma, and a slightly less known Kot. Through the Vrata runs a 12 km long road that leads via the Pericnik waterfalls to the mountain hut Aljazev dom in the Vrata. There is only a short walk from the hut to the foot of the mighty, over 1000 meters high, Triglav North Face.
Kranjska gora (bottom right) is a well-known skiing resort. It is also host to World Cup competitions in alpine skiing. Summer tourism is taking off as well.
Only a few kilometers away is Planica. Is there anyone who hasn’t vet heard of the valley under Ponce whose ski jumps are famous far beyond Slovene borders?
Škofja Loka
The sharp ridge of Lubnik ( 1025 m ) changes into a steep slope and continues for almost 700 m down to the SelSka Sora River, and on the other side with a bit less steep slope to the Poljanska Sora River. Towards the east, it passes into rounded hills and descends over a terrace to the confluence of the two Soras. On the gravel and the terrace lies the old town core of Škofja Loka. A big castle is perched above the town.
Škofja Loka was founded in 973 by the bishops of Freising who ruled the town for 830 years, until 1803 when the territory was nationalized by the Austrian Emperor. The town was ruined by an earthquake in 1511, rebuilt later on, and has remained practically unchanged until today. Škofja Loka has the best-preserved town center with a castle in Slovenia. The castle houses the Town Museum.
Cmgrob, situated at the foot of Kovk ( 584 ) between Škofja Loka and Kranj, is known for its church with 13th-century Romanesque parts of the building and 15th-century wall paintings.
The valley Poljanska dolina, separating the Skofja Loka Hills and the Polhov Gradec Dolomites, begins at Skofja Loka. The Škofja Loka Hills stretch west from Lubnik in a long ridge, composed of Stari vrh ( 1217 ) with a ski center, Koprivnik ( 1939 ), Blegos ( 1562 ), and Crni vrh above Cerkno. The northern part of the Skofja Loka Hills is separated from the Jelovica by the valley Selska dolina.
Cultural and entertaining events have a long tradition in Skofja Loka Over the summer numerous concert, take place in the ancient ambiance of Mestni trg, while the castle house exhibitions. There is also a fair every Wednesday in the former barracks. And weddings are quite common as well.
If you just drive through the Selska dolina valley you will never feel it. The Selska dolina ( middle right ) car only be experienced when you take hidden but well-kept roads and drive through side gorges and up the steep slopes of green hills. Ridges of the hills are scattered with small villages and solitary farms, whose inhabitants are vigorous and hospitable. First farmhouses which opened their doors to visitors were right here, on Cretna raven under Stari vrh, on the ridge separating the Selska and Poljanska dolina valleys.
High in the hills, under the rocky walls of Ratitovec, lies Sorica. It is the birthplace of the impressionist painter Ivan Crohar ( 1867-1911 ). In his house there is a small museum and visitors can participate in workshops on music and painting.
Poljanska dolina
The lower part of the Poljanska dolina valley has been settled as early as the 13th and 14th centuries. Visoko boasts a castle and the vault of the Slovene writer Ivan Tavcar. Important villages in the valley are Poljane and Gorenja vas. From Poljane leads a forest road via Javorje and Zetina almost to the top of Blegos.
If you just drive through the Selska dolina valley you will never feel it. The Selska dolina ( middle right ) car only be experienced when you take hidden but well-kept roads and drive through side gorges and up the steep slopes of green hills. Ridges of the hills are scattered with small villages and solitary farms, whose inhabitants are vigorous and hospitable. First farmhouses which opened their doors to visitors were right here, on Cretna raven under Stari vrh, on the ridge separating the Selska and Poljanska dolina valleys.
High in the hills, under the rocky walls of Ratitovec, lies Sorica ( bottom right ). It is the birthplace of the impressionist painter Ivan Crohar ( 1867-1911 ). In his house there is a small museum and visitors can participate in workshops on music and painting.
At Gorenja vas the valley extends and splits – the Poljanska dolina turns straight to the west, while the narrow Brebovscica valley cuts into the Polhov Gradec Dolomites. The road through it takes you via Lucine to Horjul.
At Hotavlje, known for its marble, the valley turns southwest. Between Stara Oselica and Koprivnik leads the road through the narrow Hobovscica ravine via Sovodenj and Kladje pass ( 787 m ) to Cerkno.
From Fužine, where they forged nails already in the 16th century, leads a road, hewed into the hill above the Sora, through a narrow ravine to the small Žiri basin. Old farming villages of Selo, Dobračevo, Stara vas, Nova vas, and Žiri joined, forming a friendly small town of Žiri. From Žiri there is one road leading via Razpotje ( 709 m ) to Idrija and another one going up the Upper Sora Valley via Rovte to Logatec.
Selska dolina
The valley Selška dolina is more of a mountain valley. It has several small valleys stretching from it to both sides. In the valley we find the settlements of Praprotno, Bukovica, Ševlje, Dolenja vas, Selca and a larger town, Železniki. Železniki was founded in the 14th century by the Friuli blacksmiths following the order of the bishops of Freising. In the 17th century, 2000 people were working in the iron industry in Železniki. The last furnace was extinguished in 1901.
The last settlement in the valley is Zali Log from which leads the road via the pass Petrovo Brdo ( 803 m ) and through the gorge Baška grapa to the Tolminsko region. To the north, a road leads through the village of Sorica ( 821 m ), settled already in the 13th century, and over the pasture Soriška Planina ( 1277 m ), which is a skiing center, to Bohinj. On the southern slopes above the valley, we find several isolated mountain farms. They make part of Davča village, superficially the largest Slovene village.