Slovenia is one of the smallest countries in Europe. But what it lacks in size, it more than makes up in its diversity. Its various landscapes offer endless cycling and biking possibilities, enabling each visitor to find a Slovenia bike tour for themselves.
On a little more than 20,000 square kilometers of land, Slovenia packs as much diversity as much bigger countries on earth. The country is located in the south of central Europe, on the crossroads of different geographical regions, climates, and cultures. You can start the day off in the colder climate of the Julian Alps and end the day swimming in the Adriatic sea. Each separate landscape is also diverse in itself, a place with countless natural and cultural wonders just waiting to be discovered.
The country can be divided into four major geographical regions: The high mountain Alps in the north and northwest, the karstic Dinarides in the south and southeast, the Pannonian lowlands in the east and northeast, and the Mediterranean coast in its southwest.
The diversity makes cycling tours in Slovenia an excellent choice to spend your holidays. Its small size allows your cycling holidays in Slovenia to be based in one location, but cycle in completely different scenery each day, with only a short drive.. It takes you less than 4 hours to drive across the whole diagonal length of Slovenia, while most drives from central Slovenia take around an hour.
The diversity and small size also mean that Slovenia is an excellent destination for long-distance cycling holidays. Each day of cycling takes us through landscapes that are changing right before our eyes, with every evening finishing in a new place. Your cycling holidays can start in the Alpine valleys surrounded by high mountains and end in the Mediterranean, at the coast of the Adriatic Sea.
Since Slovenia is also at the junction of different cultures, some say the richness of our culture surpasses the natural beauty in which it was cultivated. Where Eastern, Western and Southern Europe meet is where Slovenia lies. Our history is full of cultural heritage, coming from different empires, kingdoms, and states that ruled it until 1991, when it became an independent country. Nestled in this beautiful natural environment are the numerous castles, churches, museums, and galleries you should visit to immerse yourself in Slovenian culture.
From romantic roads to exciting trails
All this diversity wouldn’t help much if Slovenia didn’t also have roads, trails, and cycling paths all around the country. Because of its hilly terrain and scattered settlements, it has a dense network of well-maintained local roads. They experience little traffic since most of it stays on highways and regional roads, with the local roads reserved for a few individual cars and of course — cyclists. And don’t forget that the best cyclists in the world have trained on these roads and still do. Tadej Pogačar and Primož Roglič, winners of the Tour de France and Vuelta a España respectively, call those roads their home training ground. Come on a road cycling tour in Slovenia and try out the roads of the best.
Two thirds of Slovenia’s mountainous and hilly world is covered by forest, the third most in Europe. Because we are also a nation of hikers, all of that is interspersed by countless trails, many of which are also great mountain biking grounds. Unfortunately (or maybe even fortunately), mountain biking on these hiking trails is in the grey zone of legality because they are meant for those who walk. The locals mostly know where you can and where you shouldn’t go with a bike. Just be careful and respect the hikers, as they always have priority. Slovenia is very quickly developing itself as a premier mountain-biking destination. Bike parks, MTB centers, and other individual biker-only trails are being built each day. Sometimes on a big scale, sometimes under the hands of passionate locals.
Besides splendid roads and numerous trails, Slovenia also has a lot of in-between. Especially in the more remote areas, there are a lot of gravel tracks. In some places, there are also paved cycling paths built for you to enjoy the scenery around more, without worrying about any traffic.
When to visit?
Because of its geographical diversity, Slovenia has multiple climates, making it an all-year-round destination. You can find cooler temperatures in the Alps during summer or stay close to the seaside for milder temperatures during the winter. The time to visit Slovenia can always be now though you should consider a few things before coming here for a cycling holiday.
The optimal time for road cycling is from spring to autumn, so from March to November. Winter months from December to February may be too cold, except in the Mediterranean regions. Some of the more popular road cycling stages in Slovenia also take place in the mountains, going over mountain passes. During periods of snowfall, some of those passes might not have clear roads or even close, making the road cycling holiday that much less interesting.
On the other hand, mountain biking is awesome the whole year, winter included. There are many excellent trails available in the Mediterranean and Karst regions, where one can have fun even when the mountainous regions of the north are snowed over. But if the winters are dry and there isn’t much snowfall, trying out the crusty frozen ground of mountain trails is also a wonderful experience.
Accommodations in Slovenia
After a strenuous day of cycling and biking, what is the best feeling is laying down on a soft bed in a comfortable apartment (especially if your backside hurts from the bike seat). It is what makes your cycling holidays complete, as you can focus on resting for the next day and not worry about how well you sleep the night.
There are plenty of various accommodations in Slovenia that will keep you comfortable and rested during your biking holiday. Because it’s a small country, you can be based in a bigger city, like the capital of Ljubljana, where there is a myriad of options to choose from. Those range from premium hotels to cozy apartments, all located just a short drive away from your favorite biking destinations. When we are on the road, cycling from place to place, our team always swears on authentic BnBs or boutique hotels, all located conveniently on our way. The same option are also perfect, if you plan to do some self-guided cycling in Slovenia.
Food in Slovenia
To enjoy a full week of cycling, one must not only be well-rested but also eat plenty of food to keep his energy high. And what could be better when the food is not only nutritious and filling, but also tasty.
The cuisine in Slovenia is diverse, heavily influenced by its history and landscape, with some similarities to our neighbors from Italy, Austria, and the Balkans. It is divided into 24 gastronomic regions, each with its own traditional dishes, characterized by local ingredients. Stews like Jota, with its many variations, can be found almost everywhere. But the Idrija dumplings are specific to the pre-Alpine world around Idrija. In the Karst region, they are very proud of their karst prosciutto, while the Bled cream make is a must-try when stopping at Lake Bled.
Something for everyone
Hardcore road cyclists, excited MTB enthusiasts, families on vacation, romance-seeking couples — Everyone who likes cycling can find something on a Slovenia bike tour. Even if you’re not that enthusiastic about the sports element of cycling, Slovenia is such a diverse place that exploring it on a bike is one of the best ways to experience as much of it as possible.
You don’t have to be extra physically fit to come on a cycling holiday. In Slovenia, everybody can enjoy the scenery and be active however much they want with the new electrically-assisted bikes. They allow our group to stay together, even if the fitness level of members varies. This is because an E-bike gives you as much extra power as you want, to make the biking easier, but still challenging. That essentially means that anyone can go
Take a look at our carefully selected cycling holidays in Slovenia!
