Julian Alps map & highlights

2 min summary Best time to go Map & highlights Walking Cycling Winter activities Photography

Julian Alps map & highlights

The Julian Alps forms a natural border between Italy and Slovenia, with Mount Triglav (2,864m) on the Slovenian side providing the most prominent limestone peak. Not only is Triglav Slovenia’s only national park, but it’s also home to its largest permanent lake, Bohinj, and the country’s highest waterfall, the Boka Falls (106m). In the winter the Julian Alps sing to the swish of skiable slopes alongside frozen falls, mist-shrouded lakes and snow-bowed pines. Summer finds alpine towns like Bovec and Kranjska Gora offering ample opportunities for outdoor adventures as Lake Bled heaves with hikers and mountain bikers, and the Soca River Valley echoes to the cries of white water rafters.

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1. Bovec
2. Kranjska Gora
3. Lake Bohinj
4. Pokljuka Plateau
5. Soca River Valley
6. Triglav National Park

Bovec

1. Bovec

The alpine town of Bovec has become one of the Julian Alps’ outdoor adventure capitals. Set in the heart of Triglav National Park, sandwiched between the Soca River Valley and the Kanin Mountains (peaking at 2,587m), Bovec’s an ideal base for hiking, mountain biking, white water rafting or skiing. This town’s got more activity options than pizza toppings, and, in these parts, that’s saying something.

Bovec

Kranjska Gora

2. Kranjska Gora

Set on the banks of the Sava Dolinka River, near the Krnica Valley, the alpine village of Krandjska Gora is a great option for visitors to the Julian Alps, especially e-bike and mountain bike riders looking to visit the neighbouring villages and explore across the Trenta and Radnova valleys. When the snow falls, you’ll find access to around 20km of skiable Slovenian slopes as well as many more options over in Italy.

Lake Bohinj

3. Lake Bohinj

Although Bled has long been Slovenia's best-loved base, Bohinj boasts just as many outdoor options and beautiful views, but with a fraction of the visitors. Hike to the summit of Veliki Bogatin (2,008m), take a cable car up to Mount Vogel (1,500m) or walk through the forest to Slap Savica waterfall (78m). Boat or canoe rides and strolls to surrounding farming villages make Bohinj like Bled, back in its quieter days.

Lake Bohinj

Pokljuka Plateau

4. Pokljuka Plateau

This well-placed alpine karst plateau sits between Bled and Bohinj in Triglav National Park. It offers not only great views, but also lesser-known walking and cycling trails past slate-roofed cottages, stilted hay barns (kozolec) and traditional shepherds’ huts. Disappear under a spiky canopy of spruce where down below, ferns and moss glow a vibrant green either side of dusty forest floors.

Soca River Valley

5. Soca River Valley

Starting from the Trenta Valley, via the Vrsic Pass, the Soca River runs through the Julian Alps like emerald green mercury creating grade II-III-plus rapids for white water rafting, as well as Slovenia's tallest waterfall, the Boka Falls (106m). Make the most of peaceful places along the Soca by basing yourself in Bovec, Nova Gorica and Kobarid with a well-thumbed copy of Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms.

Soca River Valley

Triglav National Park

6. Triglav National Park

This is one of Europe’s oldest national parks and encompasses the naturally wild and untamed nature of the Julian Alps within pine forested woodlands and fast-moving green rivers. Spreading out from Mount Triglav (2,864m), this is where you come for white water rafting on the Soca and Sava rivers as well as hiking and cycling around the lakes of Bled and Bohinj and into the Trenta and Soca valleys.

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More about Julian Alps

Best time to go to the Julian Alps

Snow tends to fall from December to April, especially in alpine areas, and then thaws to allow outdoor activities like mountain biking and hiking to take over from cross country skiing and frozen photography.

Julian Alps travel guide

Slovenia is a small, compact country. However, armed with a copy of our Julian Alps vacations guide, a whole new world of walking, cycling or skiing awaits.

Walking in the Julian Alps

As soon as the thaw kicks in, Slovenians kick on their walking shoes; ski resorts return to being alpine villages and guest house hosts get ready to welcome walkers with home cooked breakfasts and packed lunches for the trail.

Cycling in the Julian Alps

Single gravel tracks and tarmac rural roads in Triglav National Park are well-maintained and well-signposted, which adds up to a whole lot of love in Slovenia for cycling in the Julian Alps.

Winter activities in the Julian Alps

Cross country skiers, snowshoe shufflers and eager tobogganists are exploring the snow-covered slopes around ski resorts like Vogel, whilst photographers are making the most of an uncrowded Lake Bled.

Photography tours in the Julian Alps

Take your tripod, macro lens and polarising filter on a photography tour in the Julian Alps and you’ll return with more snaps of lakeside reflections and snow-capped mountain peaks than you ever thought possible.

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Written by Chris Owen

Julian Alps map & highlights