What's it like to cycle the Slovenia Green Gourmet Route?

Halfway across Napoleon Bridge — spanning the River Soča as it rushes through a narrow limestone gorge — I stop dead in my tracks. At the southeastern edge of Triglav National Park, home to Slovenia’s highest mountain, 2,864-metre Mount Triglav, the landscape has erupted in green, its various shades highlighted by the sun. It shines down on the water, turquoise and clear; it plays on the beech and spruce trees, lining the banks with splashes of emerald, teal and lime. Looking north, the Soča snakes out of sight where the Julian Alps rise, poking through the clouds.

A gentle breeze rustles the leaves as I hop back on the saddle. I’m on the fifth stage of the Slovenia Green Gourmet Route (SGGR), a 435-mile, cycle-and-train itinerary that spotlights the country’s culinary scene. The trail was launched in 2020, coinciding with Slovenia receiving its first Michelin stars, as well as being named the 2021 European Region of Gastronomy.

I pedal on to Kobarid, a five-minute ride further down the route that hugs the waterway. This town has long been popular among Slovenes for its riverside, Alpine location. More recently, it’s also made headlines for being home to the restaurant Hiša Franko, which in 2023 was awarded its third Michelin star.

“Being green is the way you understand and live with nature,” says Ana Roš, Hiša Franko’s head chef, who’s helped inspire a level of artful innovation in the country’s alpine cuisine. I meet her outside the restaurant, a salmon-coloured manor house set against a dense forest and towering mountains. Inside, tasting menus elevate ingredients that have been foraged, fished and fermented in the surrounding peaks, from tagliolini with rabbit, cacao and black truffle to honey brioche with beeswax, pear and chamomile.

It’s a microcosm of the cycling trail itself: innovation based on what the land provides. The SGGR is part of the Slovenia Green Routes, a cycle network launched in 2019 that now includes six themed trails. Each provides free-to-download information, from GPX tracks and accommodation options to service providers and restaurants, making for easy navigation. And, crucially, they all link destinations and businesses with Slovenia Green certification, which guarantees sustainable practices. It’s all based on a simple philosophy: if you make it easy for visitors to choose responsible travel options, they will.

Like most Slovenia Green Routes, the SGGR connects nearly every key area of the country, from the western Julian Alps to the northeastern Pannonian Region. Last year, five new stages were added, bringing the total number to 16. The route now stops in Škofja Loka, Kranj and Radovljica — gateway towns to the Alps, lying to the north of Ljubljana, that were previously not routed for cycles — as well as Postojna, famous for its network of karst caves, and Krško, which sits on the Sava River near the eastern border with Croatia.

It’s the new Alpine stages I aim to explore as I set off from Ljubljana. From the capital, the route snakes north toward two mountain ranges, the Karawanks and Kamnik-Savinja Alps, before turning west toward the Italian border and the Julian Alps. Each Slovenia Green Routes stage is best tackled in a day and averages around 30 miles — four hours on the saddle — on quiet asphalt streets, dedicated bike paths and gravel forest roads, with boutique inns to rest at en route.

I ride through villages perched on slopes, whose houses are surrounded with bee boxes, orchards and meticulously stacked firewood. But it’s a train, the historic Bohinj Railway, from Bohinjska Bistrica to the town of Most na Soči, that finally takes me to the Soča River. Here, peaks begin to give way to vineyards, corduroy fields of grape vines carpeting the Goriška Brda wine region, best known for its native variety of white, Rebula, and its rich red Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Heading east, I roll into the Vipava Valley, where I stop at Majerija, a 17th-century stone farmhouse-turned-bistro that offers zero-kilometre dishes. Sitting at a wooden table on its cobblestone terrace, surrounded by herb gardens, I refuel with veal tartare and homemade vanilla ice cream, topped with figs soaked in rum. “On a bicycle, you return to nature,” says Matej Tomažič, who cut his teeth at Hiša Franko before becoming Majerija’s owner and chef, as he stops by my table to discuss my two-wheel journey. “Time slows down, you escape your daily obligations, do something good for your health and at the same time experience the culture and traditions of the area you’re passing through.”

I continue east across the Karst region, visiting the UNESCO-listed Škocjan Caves, before pedalling back towards Ljubljana. From there, I plan to make the rest of the journey, across the eastern half of the country, by train. But before leaving, I head to the castle that sits above the capital’s cobbled streets. Here, in the Archer’s Tower next to the castle’s entrance, sits Michelin-starred Strelec restaurant. In a dining room with ancient stone walls, wooden floors and panoramic views of the city, I feast on Chef Igor Jagodic’s nine-course tasting menu, which focuses on seasonal ingredients — something that by now I’ve learned to expect. I try a delicate turbot fish fillet, wallowing in brown butter and lemon with Adriatic shrimp. Mid-bite, I spot the moonlight illuminate the Alps through the window. Like the view from Napoleon Bridge, it’s an arresting scene. I should have learned to expect these, too, but I can’t seem to look away.

Three more Alpine green routes to try

1. Slovenia Green Wellness Route
Best for: spa culture
Spanning just over 400 miles, with 16 stages averaging around 25 miles each, this route spotlights the country’s diverse wellness offering. Starting in Ljubljana, it heads north to the medieval town of Kamnik and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps before exploring the eastern half of the country, known for its therapeutic waters. It continues through the city of Maribor and into Slovenia’s northeastern corner before a stint in Croatia.

For the best experience, split each day into two. From morning to midday, cycle along ridge lines, below peaks, between vineyards and through valleys. In the afternoon, relax at one of the many thermal spas you’ll find along the way.

2. Slovenia Green Solčava Panoramic Route
Best for: multi-activity breaks
Slovenia is perfectly primed for those on two wheels; the country’s cyclists have dominated professional competitions in recent years, taking top podium spots at the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España. But at times, it pays to hop off the saddle. It’s in these moments that this route, covering over 80 miles on both bike and foot, comes into its own.

Tucked into the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, on the border with Austria, the Solčava region is Slovenia at its prettiest. Trails crisscross valleys and farms, rolling from tidy, church-anchored villages to dramatic waterfalls framed by peaks. Between rides, cyclists refuel with local cheese, freshly baked bread and homemade schnapps.

The first stages of this six-day itinerary will see you cycle on asphalt and farm roads from the village of Solčava through mountain landscapes to the Grohot hut. From here, the most active adventurers can set off to hike Raduha, a 2,062-metre peak. As the stages roll on, you’ll venture past waterfalls and caves and through forests as you travel to the Logar Valley. Stop along the way to sip mountain tea with Slovenes who’ve mastered the art of slow, in-the-moment living.

3. Slovenia Green Capitals Escape Route
Best for: soft adventure
This three-stage, 110-mile option takes in Slovenia’s urban, nature and heritage capitals rolling through foothills, with the Alps to the north and the Dinaric Alps spilling south east into the Balkans.

It begins in Ljubljana, packed with museums and shops, and bistros and cafes lining the Ljubljanica river. If here on a Friday, don’t miss the weekly Odprta Kuhna (‘Open Kitchen’), where restaurateurs set up kiosks next to the city’s main outdoor market.

Next, the route pushes out south to the town of Kočevje, the country’s green heart, set next to the densely forested Kočevsko region. Ride out to discover primeval woodland or hire a guide to try and spot brown bears, wolves and lynx. Once back in town, browse the works of local sculptor Stane Jarm, which are scattered throughout its streets.

The final stage sees you pedal into the Bela Krajina region, the country’s cultural centre, to explore ancient customs and heritage. The city sits on the banks of the Kolpa River, where groups from southeastern Europe have settled over the centuries. Visit the Škof-Šrajf Homestead to try local baked goods or pop into one of the region’s breweries or vineyards.