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The highest point in Slovenia that can be reached by main road is Vrsic, which is also Slovenia's highest mountain pass at 1,611 metres. The road through Vrsic, constructed by Russian prisoners of war during World War I, is famous for its large number of bends. The mountain pass itself is a lovely place to stop for a visit to a mountain hut and a walk in the beautiful area that surrounds the pass. Speaking of refreshments, just below the mountain pass on the western side is the Soca spring- a place well worth visiting. One thing you notice upon descending towards the spring is that the upper parts of the cold emerald river have a huge cooling effect on that part of a valley... Another well-known destination for drivers is Pokljuka. There are many roads across the plateau and the numerous pastures with their traditional Alpine lodges give it a special character. Among the many peaks surrounding Pokljuka from the west, Debela pec (2014 m) and Visevnik (2050 m) deserve special mention as they are just high enough to make their way into the "magic 2000" club. As Pokljuka can also be accessed easily from Bohinj, it is possible to make a Bled-Pokljuka-Bohinj-Bled round trip. A little secret about Pokljuka in August: It is a great place for bilberry picking. Ski Slopes in the Summer The managers of Slovenia's winter resorts of course don't want their huts and hotels to stand empty all summer. That's logical from a business point of view, but from a customer's perspective the winter resorts also have much to offer during the summer. Even without additional offerings, the fresh air and the many hiking paths that are revealed once the snow melts are good enough reasons to be there. However, there are many things that were invented to keep adrenaline freaks happy during the warm months when their snowboards are out of use. To mention just the two ski slopes closest to Ljubljana - Stari Vrh and Krvavec - during the summer they both become popular hiking and biking destinations, where the difficult part of the journey (usually the ascent) can be made with a cable car. It is obvious that most ski resorts are also great summer destinations, as they offer a variety of activities, from adrenaline parks to skydiving. Here we shall mention just a few of these resorts. Starting in the west, Kanin, the highest ski-slope in Slovenia, boasts a long cable car which takes you up to nearly 2000 metres, an altitude where there are some spots where the snow never melts. These patches offer summer hikers an unusual way to cool down. The upper "D" station of the Kanin cable car is the departure point for many appealing destinations. We will just mention the easy one - Peter Skalar's hut. The hut is open when the cable car is operating. It is not a far walk; it only takes about 40 minutes to one hour. The slopes around Bovec echo loudly with the sound of mountain bikes. The area is full of interesting tracks, no matter what your preferred level of difficulty. Whether you prefer gentle hills or breakneck slopes, it is all there. Mountain biking generally consists of a muscle-straining ascent followed by the adrenaline-rush of a swift downhill ride. If you wish to experience the second part only - no problem. Board the cable car with your bike, exit at station B, and take the tarmac road back to the valley. The 4.5 km descent, which drops by 500 metres in altitude, is "recommended for experienced bikers". Rising above Bohinj Lake is the well-known resort Vogel and its cable-car, which has an interesting sail-like structure attaching the cabin to the wire. Riding to its upper station provides a great opportunity for trekking to the nearby slopes or back down into the valley. If not for any other reason, riding to the top of Vogel (1548m) is worth it just for the magnificent panoramic view. Similar to Vogel is Velika Planina near Kamnik. It rises to 1660m in height and has beautiful alpine pastures and grassy meadows. It remains the largest pasture in Slovenia, despite decreasing shepherds and cowherds. The wooden huts or chalets with egg-shaped roofs stretching to the ground are very old and unique to the region. They are among the best preserved original herdsmen settlements in Europe. Velika planina used to suit both categories of nature-lovers: those who are very active and those who are interested in more leisurely pursuits. Now that the cable car is closed for renovation, the hill can only be accessed by on foot or by bike, but all in all, there are many different paths to choose from, some of which are easy and some more demanding. In eastern Slovenia, Golte is not to be overlooked. The clean mountain air at an altitude at 1400m is usually a refreshing 10 degrees cooler than the temperature at ground level. Being a high karst plateau, Golte displays many astonishing geological forms and offers innumerable opportunities for relaxation and leisure sports. A ride by cable car for a picnic on a picturesque plateau is an unforgettable experience, but there's much more as well. Pick up a hiking map of Golte - it suggests routes for all fitness levels from experienced mountaineers to children. One of the additional highlights at Golte is the unique botanical garden displaying Alpine flora in its natural habitat. This Alpine garden is one of the highest in Europe and one of the most easily accessible. Positioned next to the hotel and upper station of the cable car, it exhibits thousands of clearly marked indigenous plants. Last of all, the Pohorje above Maribor is one of Slovenia's best summer recreational areas. The cable car near the luxurious Habakuk Hotel can take you to the top all year round. The view from the top itself is a good enough reason for a trip to Pohorje. Not far from the hotel you'll find the start of a nature trail that leads through the forest and up towards an observation tower, waterfalls and many other places of interest. The other side of Pohorje is home to the ski resort Rogla, which is also a nice place to enjoy the summer. Adrenaline Rush For those who prefer an adrenaline rush to a relaxing walk, the area around the bottom station of the Pohorje cable car is home to an adrenaline park (high ropes course). The park offers a wide range of activities under controlled conditions. Paintball and tobogganing along a 5km steel track, where the toboggans can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h, are also very popular activities, as is mountain biking down the nearby hill course. Needless to say, the Pohorje adrenaline park is just one of many in Slovenia and another similar toboggan course can be found at the other end of the country in Kranjska Gora and at Straza near Bled. Other popular adrenaline parks with a variety of activities can be found near Lake Bohinj, Ljubelj or Tolmin. We should also mention the one in the capital itself - Biosfera at Jezica.