Explore medieval towns embraced by green hills

Škofja Loka is one of our oldest towns. It’s located at the confluence of the rivers Poljanska Sora and Selška Sora. Beautifully-preserved medieval streets on river terraces reveal rich cultural heritage. Here, you can find the remains of the Rapallo border, which was the border between the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenians and the Kingdom of Italy, as determined in 1920. A themed trail now runs on the former border.

In 1987, the town was declared a cultural monument.

If you go exploring the surrounding area and turn towards the town of Žiri, continue your way to Idrija. Idrija is Slovenia’s oldest mining town, known for mercury mines, which operated here for centuries. The old town centre is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage. The town is also marked by the River Idrijca and the surrounding Hills.

Active experiences in Škofja Loka and Idrija

Hundreds of kilometres of marked and well-maintained cycling trails run through the Škofja Loka Hills and valleys. The Škofja Loka Pumptrack is popular with cyclists, skaters, rollerbladers, and scooter riders.

Both the Škofja Loka Hills and the Idrija Hills have a network of well-maintained and trail-blazed hiking trails with various levels of difficulty.

In summer months, you can find some refreshment in beautifully maintained natural bathing areas, which there are plenty of here. The rivers Poljanska Sora, Selška Sora, and Idrijca are perfect for fishing. They are rich in trout, rainbow trout, grayling, common chub, common barbel, and Arctic char. White waters, natural pools, and channels are easily accessible, and fishing is possible along the entire flow of the rivers.

You can have some winter fun at the nearby ski centres of Stari Vrh and Cerkno or at one of the smaller ski centres: Javornik SKI Centre, Rudno, Bukovica, Vojsko Cross-Country Skiing Centre, and Bor.

Idrija is known for lace-making. Visit the Idrija Lace Festival. In Škofja Loka, the Charcoal Burners’ Day is a popular event.