DESTINATIONS
The Vipava Valley
GALLERY
ROUTES
Sveta gora
LENGTH
22 km
Ascent
740 m
Descent
740 m
paved
100 %
unpaved
0 %
TRAIL TYPE
local
DIFFICULTY
difficult
ACTIVITY
road
Description
Testing your physical condition and grit
A short mountain trail for all those who are crazy for climbs. With two steep inclines, one from Kromberk to Ravnica and then again to Sveta Gora, will test your grit and physical condition.
Start-off in downtown Nova Gorica, one of the youngest towns in Slovenia, built entirely after World War II. Take the main road Nova Gorica-Ajdovščina from the centre, staying straight until the sign directs you left towards Kromberk. Right after the intersection turn right along the quiet road till the turnoff for Ravnica, where you will begin your ascent. After a few turns you will arrive in front of the Kromberk Renaissance castle, which is home to the Gorica Regional Museum. Here the road turns sharply upward to the village of Ravnica, and you will conquer 303 metres of height difference over 2.7 km. Once in the village turn left and follow the signs for Lokve. Soon you will arrive at a fork in the road, which you will take towards Nova Gorica. The road begins to lower until the turnoff for Sveta Gora, right after the turnoff for Čepovan. Here you will begin a 13.7 % incline gradient that stretches for 2.6 km. Sveta Gora (meaning “holy mountain” in Slovenian) is a well-known pilgrimage site, and is also home to Franciscan monastery. A view of Nova Gorica and Gorizia / Gorica await you from the top, as well as Goriška brda Hills and the Gulf of Trieste / Trst. Head from Sveta Gora down to Solkan, where you will be met by the old railway bridge across the Soča River, which has the largest stone arch in the whole world. Leave Solkan on the main road and pedal back to Nova Gorica, where your day’s workout will come to an end.
Lower Vipava Valley
LENGTH
47 km
Ascent
490 m
Descent
490 m
paved
100 %
unpaved
0 %
TRAIL TYPE
local
DIFFICULTY
medium
ACTIVITY
road
family cycling
Description
Cycling along diverse Vipava Valley
The cycling adventure through the lower Vipava Valley along the diverse landscape, will have an impact on a cyclist who visits it. Cycle past the vineyards and orchards, through the valley’s villages and towns, along paved roads that are just right for the cyclists who don’t need steep inclines to enjoy themselves.
The trail begins eastward from the centre of Nova Gorica, on the main road from Nova Gorica to Ajdovščina. At first the trail has a bit of traffic on it, up until Ozeljan, where most of the traffic turns towards the highway. When you get to the intersection for the highway, go straight and continue towards Ajdovščina. Cycle through the villages of Ozeljan, Šempas, Črniče, all of which offer several excellent winemakers and tourist farms, where locals will be happy to serve your home-made snack and a glass of delicious Vipava wine.
Leave Črniče and go down to Selo, where you turn right to go to Dornberk. There is less traffic on this road, which winds along rather dynamic terrain all the way to Dornberk, where you follow the signs for Nova Gorica. A little bit past the gas station, turn left towards Gradišče, which, as the signs indicate, is also a part of the Vipava Wine Road. Climb a bit to Gradišče nad Prvačino, then descend into Oševljek and onward to Renče. Turn left at the square in Renče, following the main road up till the sign that directs you right towards Miren. Soon you will find the next intersection, where you will turn left towards Miren. Follow the paved road through the villages of Merljaki and Vrtoče to Miren, where you’ll turn right towards Nova Gorica at the well. Cycle along the main road in Miren up to the roundabout, where you turn right.
Take the first exit at the next roundabout and follow the signs for Nova Gorica when you get to Bilje. Look on your right to see Slovenia’s largest contiguous vineyard, the Bilje Hills, covering 250 hectares. The trail takes you from here through the village of Vrtojba and town of Šempeter pri Gorici, where you should head in direction of Rožna Dolina. Once there continue on to Pristava. After a short ascent you will come to Kostanjevica near Nova Gorica, where the Franciscan Monastery is located. Members of the French House of Bourbon are buried there, including the dynasty’s last king Charles X. The monastery features an extensive library, holding 10,000 books, including 30 incunabula. After Kostanjevica you will descend to Nova Gorica, where you will finish your cycling trip.
The Branica Valley
LENGTH
47 km
Ascent
490 m
Descent
490 m
paved
100 %
unpaved
0 %
TRAIL TYPE
local
DIFFICULTY
medium
ACTIVITY
road
family cycling
Description
One of the most popular cycling routes among local recreational cyclists
Mainly plain road through vineyards and orchards along the non-traffic Branica Valley also offers shorter ascents just to raise your heartbeat for a while
Start you way in the old centre of the town Vipava with the beautiful Baroque Lanthieri Manor. From there, the road leads you along the main road from Vipava to Podnanos in eastern direction. After a long plain, you come to a crossroad, where you turn right towards Štanjel. In the village Mange, a short ascent starts up to the split-off for the village Goče, where you may go on a side track and ascend in this village. Goče is one of the oldest and most picturesque Vipava villages, where 60 stony arched wine cellars can be found. From the split-off for Goče, you descend in the Branica Valley. Soon after passing the village Trebižani, the road splits off towards Branik. Follow the main non-traffic road passing orchards, vineyards and fields, until joining the main road Štanjel-Branik. From here, you continue towards Branik. On the left, you soon see the Rihemberk Castle, one of the largest and most preserved castles in this part of Slovenia, which rises above the village Branik. Continue on the main road to Dornberk, where you turn left in direction towards Ajdovščina. Before the village Zalošče, cross the Vipava River, where a short non-demanding ascent to the top of the village starts. From here, you cycle to the village Selo, where you join the main road Gorica-Ajdovščina. It is recommended that you go through the centre of the town Ajdovščina, where well-preserved remains of the Roman fortress Castra can be seen. Continue your way from Ajdovščina through the village Budanje with a large pilgrimage Church of our Lady of Consolation. A little bit further on, there is the manor Zemono on the slope above the main road, which you reach cycling on a nice paved road through the rows of trees. In the manor Zemono, a renowned restaurant Pri Lojzetu is located. You can walk around the manor, from where there is a beautiful view of the Upper Vipava Valley. Descend from the village Zemono along the side road to Vipava and thus finish your wandering on a bike.
The Predmeja Hill and Gora Plateau
LENGTH
36 km
Ascent
1020 m
Descent
1020 m
paved
100 %
unpaved
0 %
TRAIL TYPE
local
DIFFICULTY
difficult
ACTIVITY
road
Description
For the lovers of demanding ascents
The starting point of the trail is at the parking lot in the centre of Ajdovščina, next to the famous fortress Castra. Continue east along the footpath across the bridge over the Hubelj River until the first intersection and then left in direction towards the source of Hubelj. A short climb awaits for a nice warm-up, ending at the source of this icy river, so cold it prompted the Romans to name it Frigidus. The trail lowers from there into the village of Lokavec, where you will begin climbing steeply towards Predmeja. Over 8 kilometres you will climb 700 m in altitude. The path does flatten out along the way on the new part, then starts to climb at the well, where you can fill your bottles with fresh water. Just before the summit, you will arrive at Čaven’s steep, rocky slopes. The road will get much narrower and you will ride through the tunnels that were carved from the rock by hand. Predmeja is not far now, and when you get there follow signs to the right towards Col. A few twists and turns now is all that separates you from the scenic overlook at the moment of the Mother of the Gora Plateau, where you will feast your eyes on the Upper Vipava Valley and the Nanos Plateau in the distance. The road continues from here, winding from the village to village along the Gora Plateau. You can tread off the beaten path when you get to Kovk, going the extra distance to Sinji vrh, where you will be handsomely rewarded with the view of the whole Vipava Valley, the Karst and the Adriatic Sea. If you look along the trail from Kovk to the village of Gozd, you will see the limestone pavement (“škraplje” in Slovenian), a phenomenon that occurs when there is running water along a limestone surface, forming elongated grooves. The limestone pavement is a natural monument of natural importance. After enjoying the unusual land formation you will begin the descent towards Col, from where you will descend for another 8 km into Ajdovščina.
Trnovo forest
LENGTH
29 km
Ascent
750 m
Descent
750 m
paved
21 %
unpaved
79 %
TRAIL TYPE
local
DIFFICULTY
medium
ACTIVITY
gravel
Description
A cycling escape from the summer heat
The Trnovo Forest is full of well-arranged forest paths, ideal for cycling in hot summer days, where it is too hot in the valley. A stop in one of the mountain huts and visit of a big cave in Paradana will change the cycling trip in an unforgettable experience.
The path takes you from the village Predmeja, where there is a parking lot, towards Lokve, where the signs direct you. Start ascend in the shade of the Trnovo Forest. Follow the signs for Čaven, which direct you to the left from the main road connection Predmeja-Lokve. A little before reaching the mountain hut of Anton Bavčer, a beautiful view of the Upper Vipava Valley opens to you. After the hut, the path splits off, but you stay on the left. Follow this trail through the forest for about 6 km and then turn right towards Mala Lazna, a large clearing in the middle of the Trnovo Forest. There stay on the right, where a sign direct you towards Paradana – Velika ledenica. When you reach the split-off for Paradana, get off the bicycle and walk to the entrance in the cave. While walking towards the entrance, you can feel the temperature slowly decreases due to the temperature invesion. At the entrance in the cave, there is only a few degrees above the freezing point in the summer time. From the split-off for Ledenica, a short ascent follows, where you turn right. From here, a short ascent to the crossroad of paths starts, where you turn right and then you start to descend in direction of Predmeja. At the larger parking lot below the Iztok hut under Golaki, follow the signs after Predmeja, where you finish your path.
Nanos
LENGTH
45 km
Ascent
1350 m
Descent
1350 m
paved
72 %
unpaved
28 %
TRAIL TYPE
local
DIFFICULTY
difficult
ACTIVITY
mountain biking
Description
Unforgettable views across the mountain meadows
The circular cycling route with the ascent to the top of Nanos (1240 m). Unforgettable views and nicely arranged macadam roads across the mountain meadows and through the beech forests will fascinate also the most demanding cycling enthusiasts.
Start roaming by bike in front of the Lanthieri Manor in the centre of the picturesque town Vipava. From here, cycle through the tree-lined alley towards east, in direction towards Ljubljana. Soon after passing the village Podnanos there is a split-off towards Nanos. There an eight-km-long steep ascent starts up to the Nanos hunting cabin. A little bit further on, the road transforms from the paved one into macadam. Soon you start ascending towards Vojkova hut on the top of Nanos (1240 m), where you can afford a meal after a long ascent. A view of the Vipava Valley, Karst, Adriatic Sea, Ljubljana basin and Julian Alps opens to you from the top of Nanos. From here it looks like you have the whole country of Slovenia at your hand. Descend from the Vojkova hut towards west and then turn right in direction to Abram. A short ascent on a small slope follows, which takes you to the popular Abram tourist farm. From there, start descending through the beech forest towards Sanabor. Turn left in the village and then soon turn left one more time, from where you descend in the village Vrhpolje, known for the excellent wine processing. From the village Vrhpolje, there is only a short way to your starting point in Vipava.