Chocolate?

Yes, chocolate. A treasure that revives in difficult times and, in Julian Alps, is at home in Radovljica, or Radol’ca, as the locals call it. The sweetest festival in the Julian Alps has also become the biggest chocolate festival in Slovenia. The red thread of the festival is, of course, chocolate in all shapes and forms. Chocolate producers from Slovenia and abroad present themselves at the festival. In recent years, in addition to the local ones, some chocolatiers from Croatia and Italy have also offered their offer in Radovljica. A small part of the festival area (the square in front of the Radovljica church) is dedicated to the offer of chocolate desserts, but this part of the festival remains limited to only a few providers, as the festival wants to promote and offer mainly chocolate products.

Janša?

Only a few kilometers separates  the capital of chocolate and another sweet capital, Žirovnica. There you will be able to join the Cultural Heritage Trail, which will take you past the apiary of Anton Janša, the first beekeeping teacher in the world. Honey is therefore the king of sweets in Žirovnica, so just treat yourself to it, as it is an excellent and healthy stimulant on your hiking or cycling exploration along the Juliana Trail or Juliana Bike

Cherries?

Would you like even more sweetness, but this time a little healthier manner? The Juliana hiking trail will also take you through Brda, which is known for the two sweet sides of life, wine and cherries. The cherry festival takes place in Brdy every year at the beginning of June, and there is really no shortage of sweets at that time. But if you would like to sweeten yourself with wine, after all, Brda is the wine-growing region of the Julian Alps, you can visit them during the wine festival in April.

Shall we end with dumplings?

If you head up on the Juliana Trail from Brda, along the Soča river, you will come to the beautiful Soča Valley and, sooner or later, to the historic town of Kobarid, over which the ossuary reigns, a sad monument to the horrors of the First World War. But Kobarid also hides a sweet secret, which every housewife there knows. It’s all about the dumplings, Kobariški štruklji as they are known. Each housewife prepares it in her own way and “signs” on it with her fingerprint. The filling usually consists of walnuts and raisins. What used to serve as a refreshment during hard farm work, today serves as an excellent dessert and refreshment before continuing the journey on Juliana, be it on foot or by bicycle.