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Ski touring

Climb up, glide down. With ski touring, the efforts of climbing up the Slovenian Alps are rewarded with magnificent descents through a blanket of untouched snow. Ski touring is best in the spring when there is the least risk of avalanches. The Vrata valley on the north side of Triglav, the Krnica valley south of Kranjska Gora and Logarska Dolina in the Kamnik- Savinja Alps are three areas where beautiful tours can be made.

Ski touring is only for those with good skills and proper equipment and skiers are recommended to hire an experienced guide when going on a ski adventure on the roof of Slovenia. Ski touring is more than just skiing. With your skis on your back you climb up the mountain and then ski down. But that's a very simple description of the overwhelming experience ski touring offers, it brings unspoilt nature and sometimes the mountain wildlife.

Hiking

Hiking is a hit any time of the year in Slovenia. Attractive hiking routes are to be found in every part of Slovenia whether it is in Ljubljana's Tivoli Park or the Julian Alps. There are 10,000km of signposted trails which is very impressive if you consider that Slovenia measures only 20,000km2. If you plan to hike in the mountains in spring then be prepared, you can leave a warm and sunny valley and soon be in snow.

The Slovenian Mountain Trail (for the diehards)

The hike of hikes in Slovenia is The Slovenian Mountain Trail, a 500km trail taking hikers to the peaks and valleys of the Alps and the Dinaric mountains. It starts at the Pohorje mountain range in the north east and finishes at the coast in Ankaran. The highest point on the route is Slovenia's highest mountain Triglav. Red circles with a white dot and the number "1" indicate the way. 

Hike and learn (for the curious)

Any hiker will be able to find something to his or her liking in Slovenia. Slovenia has at least 56 hiking routes with a theme from history, geography or nature. Follow these trails and you will learn some things along the way. The themed routes come highly recommended for those who want to discover more about Slovenia.

The Path to The Dwarves Land (for the family)

Around the town of Slovenj Gradec you can find eight thematic hiking routes. For a good family hike, our pick is The Path to the Dwarves Land. The hike is linked with the Forest Teaching Path and runs along the settlement Gmajne. Wooden hayracks mark the 6km route.     

The Energy Trail (for the believers)

In Most na Soči, in the west of the country, you will find the Energy Trail, a hike from which you return rejuvenated. Well, maybe! Along the trail, which runs in the confluence of the rivers Idrijca and Soča, are 14 vital energy points which have been discovered with radiesthesia. There are six water springs, three of which are considered to be healing, eight village stone water sinks, a water catchment from WWI and three Karst caves.

Cycling

Cycling is one of the fastest growing activities in Slovenia and when you see the country's quiet roads winding their way through green hills and forests you know why. This year, particularly in Ljubljana, is the year of the bike. At the end of August, the World Amateur Cycling Championships will be in the capital and on 8 June Marathon Franja will start and finish at shopping paradise, BTC City. Franja is Slovenia's biggest cycling event and a qualifying race for the world championship in August. If cycling is your sport, Slovenia is the place to be. We picked three regions for a spring ride.

Slovenian Istria

Spring is an ideal time for cycling at the coast, you will find quiet roads, comfortable warmth and beautiful views. Our pick is the Parenzana route from Škofije in the north of Slovenia's coast to Sečovlje in the south. This 30km ride is a treat for the cyclist all year and is also known as the Route of Health and Friendship. It follows the now defunct old railway between Trieste in Italy and Poreč in Croatia.

Posavje

The Posavje region in the south is another of our spring cycling picks. This wine region in the south of the country is one of the lesser known parts of Slovenia. The roads in Posavje are quiet and run through forested hills and vineyards. In Posavje there are plenty of roads and paths to choose from. There are 1,500km of cycling trails and all routes are waymarked.

Vipava Valley and Kras

In winter and early spring the Vipava Valley, with its Mediterranean climate, is one of the favourite starting places for the training rides of many Slovenian cycling professionals. The area can be reached in 45 minutes from Ljubljana, routes lead to and through the Kras plateau and Italy. A 75km circuit, starting in Vipava, has everything a cyclist wants. From Vipava the roads undulate towards Nova Gorica and on the way back you can climb to the ancient, picturesque, hilltop village, Stanjel which lies on the Kras plateau. From there a descent brings you back to Vipava.

Water fun

With its many mountains and forests, the water in Slovenia is unfairly overlooked. There are 28,000km of rivers, creeks and other waterways and 1,300 lakes. The Savinja, Sava, Kolpa and Soča rivers, with their wild streaming waters, sometimes scream for some action. The emerald Soča river is not just beautiful, it is a water enthusiasts playground, try sailing, kayaking or rafting on it.

In May the water activities on the emerald river begin, the earlier in the month, the wilder the river is. In the Soča valley, a European Destination of Excellence, there are many adventure companies that offer kayaking and rafting trips, ranging from individual outings to team building trips. Adventurists of any level can enjoy the Soča, the river has many different sections each with a different level of difficulty.

Fishing

For those who want to enjoy Slovenia's rivers in a more relaxed way, try fly fishing. Fly fishing is the most popular method of angling in Slovenia and is said to do the least damage to the fish. There are 93 fish species in Slovenia and the marble trout is the pride of the country. The marble trout was on the verge of extinction but the population is now growing again. The trout lives in the Soča, Idrijca, Bača, Vipava, Reka and Rižana rivers.

Golf

There are several well groomed golf courses in the country of which Bled, with its 18 hole King's Course and nine hole Lake Course, is the oldest. The 100 hectare golf course, from 1937, is considered to be one of Europe's most beautiful courses. Snowcapped mountains tower over the green meadows of the course which opens in March.

Other golf courses can be found in Lipica, Volčji Potok Arboretum, Mokrice, Moravske Toplice, Ptuj, Slovenske Konjice, Podčetrtek, Otočec and Trnovo.

Paragliding and Hang gliding

Spring is a good time to fly. Together with autumn it's the time of year when the skies are at their clearest and you can see the Adriatic Sea and the Alps. Popular places to fly are Krvavec, Bohinj and the Vipava Valley. Flying is possible all year in Lijak in the Vipava Valley.