Destination: Riding in Slovenia

Tucked away in the southeast corner of the Alps is a small country riders call the best kept secret in Europe. Slovenia isn’t exactly a hub of cyclo-tourism, but that’s how the locals like it. In a country you can drive across in three hours, there lies a mixture of landscapes and a meeting point of different cultures. Slovenia has borders with the Austrian Alps, Hungary, Croatia, the Adriatic Sea and Italy.

Both mountain and road biking are popular and well-developed here. Maribor, the country’s second-largest city, hosts a Mountain Bike World Cup each year and boasts some top-level riders. With many hills and more than 60 per cent of the country covered in forests, the fat tires would seem to be the obvious choice to discover Slovenia, but even roadies will be happy with numerous mountain passes. They may not compare with the nearby Italian Dolomites, but the riding will still hurt the legs. Small roads connecting villages are usually quiet and relatively car-free, but many are in poor condition, making for a rough ride on a road bike.

For a week-long, cycling-focused holiday, a mountain or touring bike would be the better option. Just have fun and explore the land by bike, travelling along the rivers or doing shorter loops through villages. Riders can sample gourmet local cuisine at vineyards and farms. It’s also worth visiting the southwest region with its unique karst landscape and countless caves.

The best experience awaits mountain bikers who love silky singletrack and don’t mind all-day epics. Thanks to hikers, forest workers, hunters and even soldiers from the two World Wars, there are trails on nearly every hill. Most are not super technical, but make up for that with great flow and a high fun factor.

Two things to keep in mind about mountain biking here: First, riding on many Slovenian trails is technically illegal because of a sweeping law originally meant to keep motorcycles out of the woods. Fortunately, other than on a few of the more popular hiking trails and around the country’s highest mountain, Triglav, the rules aren’t enforced.

The second thing to keep in mind is finding the best trails can be tricky without a local guide or a good GPS. Because of the growing popularity of the country as a cycling destination, there are lots of companies and local experts willing to help out.

The mountains and trails offer varying terrain. You can ride above the tree line on steep mountain walls one day and the next pedal through seemingly endless forest.

The best way to experience the Slovenian trails is to ride for a week or more and let local guides handle the plans. The trip will still cost less than cycling anywhere else in the Alps. Freeriders and downhillers will also get their fix by riding one of the country’s four bike parks or by finding some of the natural technical descents. The locals might even be willing to show off some of the hidden North Shore-style trails.

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ABOUT SLOVENIA

When to go

Locals say the country is on the sunny side of the Alps because there is less rain on average than other countries in the area. There’s an extended riding season stretching from June until well into the fall.

Getting there

The international airport is near the capital of Ljubljana with flights coming in from most major European hubs. You can also fly into one of the nearby airports in Austria (Salzburg, Vienna) or Italy (Venice), but you’ll need ground transportation to get to Slovenia.

Getting around

The easiest way is using a shuttle service provided by one of the cycling tour operators. But if you want to go it alone, you can use public transportation or rent a car. The quickest way to get around most towns is by bike or foot.

Where to stay

There are cyclist-friendly hotels and apartments all over the country, but another good option is tourist farms, where you can sleep and eat cheaper while getting a more authentic local experience. Prices start at around $ 30 a night, while nice hotels cost anywhere from $ 90 and up.

Where to eat

Traditional Slovenian restaurants serve a variety of meat and fish is a specialty closer to the sea. In the cities, try some street food like bureks (pastries with cheese or meat), kabobs, horse burgers and pizza. A good meal will cost around $ 30, but you can find plenty to eat for half that and a dish on the street will cost between $ 3 and $ 6. To wet your palette, there are plenty of gostilnas (family-run eateries) serving the famous Slovenian wine.

When not riding

Spend at least one day and night in the bigger cities of Ljubljana and Maribor. Relax in one of the thermal resorts dotting the country or visit one of the scenic hot spots like the Skocjan caves, Postojna cave and Lake Bohinj. In the summer, take advantage of the many street festivals and live music events in the big cities. If you’re in Slovenia in the right time of spring, you can ski in the morning, raft at noon and swim in the sea in the afternoon.

Further information

www.slovenia.info Main tourism information website

www.mtbpark.com Longtime Slovenian mountain bike tourism operators

www.cyclingslovenia.com Organizers of tours with trekking bikes for recreational and older riders and families

www.mtb.si Plenty of information on mountain biking in the country

Grega Stopar is a mountain biking writer based in Slovenia