Top cycling routes in Slovenia – Soča Valley
Slovenia has a diverse and geographically rugged landscape. There are many opportunities for active leisure time. Numerous mountain paths, forest roads and carriageways offer unlimited possibilities for cycling trips.
Many cycling routes are drawn and marked on maps. Some cycling routes are in tourist guides. Only a few cycling routes are marked and arranged with direction boards. That is the reason you have to go on your way with an experienced local guide.
The Soča Valley is one of the most popular cycling destinations in Slovenia. If you wander through the valley of the emerald Soča river, you will meet many cycling enthusiasts on the roads and forest paths.
The cycling routes in the Soča Valley are of different levels of difficulty. They will take you along the most beautiful corners of the Julian Alps and the Triglav National Park.
Road and mountain bike routes through the Soča valley attract many cycling and nature lovers. We offer you some of the most beautiful cycling routes in the Soča Valley.
1. Juliana Bike through the Soča Valley
Juliana Bike is the queen of bicycle tours around the Julian Alps. Juliana Bika’s marked cycling route will take you along local roads, cycle paths, forest paths or carriageways. When you’re on the road, respect nature, plants, animals and the lives of locals in sensitive natural habitats. It is a long-distance bike trail that will take you through the most beautiful parts of the Julian Alps.
The entire route consists of 7 stages. The average length of it is 40 km. You will cycle all the stages in 4-6 days. It depends on how many kilometres you will cycle per day.
Read more about this long-distance cycling route in the story “By bike around the Julian Alps – Juliana Bike”.
There are three stages along the Soča Valley, namely:
1st stage: KRANJSKA GORA–BOVEC
- Difficulty: medium to challenging
- Distance: 69.9 km
- Duration: 4-5 hours
- Ascent: 1585 m
2nd stage: BOVEC–TOLMIN
- Difficulty: medium to challenging
- Distance: 49.3 km
- Duration: 4-5 hours
- Ascent: 1763 m
3rd stage: TOLMIN–ZAKOJCA
- Difficulty: medium to challenging
- Distance: 31.1 km
- Duration: 4-5 hours
- Ascent: 1162 m
2. Circular bicycle tour through the eastern part of the Bovška basin
The route will take you from Bovec via Kolovrat to the village of Kal – Koritnica, from where you will descend to the Soča and cross it on a footbridge. Between Jablanca and Čezsoča, you will climb the forest macadam road to the viewpoint on Javoršček. From there, there is a view of the entire Bovška basin.
- Difficulty: medium difficulty
- Distance: 21.3 km
- Duration: 2:46 h
- Ascent: 529 m
- Descent: 528 m
- Highest point: 667 m
- Lowest point: 369 m
3. Cycling route from Bovec to Čezsoča and back
It is a panoramic bicycle tour of the Bovec basin. You will pass the waterfalls and admire the mountain Triglav in the background.
From Bovec, you will drive past the village of Plužna after a kilometre-long start. There you can visit the picturesque Virje waterfall and the karst source of the Glijun stream.
The path will lead you past the reservoir lake, where is a beautiful view of the Bovška basin and the Julian Alps. On the way, you will admire the most watery Slovenian waterfall – the Boka waterfall. You can also opt for a close-up view from the observation deck, which will take 15 minutes to walk one way. Access by bicycle is not possible.
You will continue your journey along the river Soča, which you will cross. From the path, you will have a nice view of the west. In the distance, you will see the highest Slovenian mountain, Triglav.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Distance: 17.1 km
- Duration: 1:49 h
- Ascent: 269 m
- Descent: 268 m
- Highest point: 554 m
- Lowest point: 344 m
4. Cycling tour in the valley of Loška Koritnica – Log pod Mangart
This bike tour is suitable for families. The route will lead you to the uninhabited parts of the Loška Koritnica valley, all the way to the pristine nature of the Triglav National Park under the mighty peaks of the Mangart and Jalovec mountains. You can extend the short tour by visiting Log pod Mangart and its many attractions.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Distance: 8.4 km
- Duration: 2:00 h
- Ascent: 247 m
- Descent: 247 m
- Highest point: 894 m
- Lowest point: 657 m
5. Cycling tour from Bovec to Zadnja Trenta
It is a slightly longer route, which is suitable for all-day experiences. This bike route is for more demanding cyclists.
This cycling tour takes place in Trenta. There is one of the most beautiful alpine valleys in the Julian Alps. On your trail, the emerald river Soča will accompany you most of the way. During the journey, you will be able to admire the highest peaks of the Julian Alps and the emerald river Soča with all its natural attractions, such as
On the way, you will see the Small and Great Soča gorge and the source of the Soča river.
The route most of the time follows the Bovec-Trenta. You will pass a regional road through the villages: Kal – Koritnica, Soča and Trenta. During the big season, the road is quite busy.
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Distance: 55.2 km
- Duration: 5:30 h
- Ascent: 765 m
- Descent: 766 m
- Highest point: 963 m
- Lowest point: 393 m