Planina nad Vrhniko (733 m)

An incredible view and a chance to experience mountain cuisine

Above Vrhnika, the birthplace of Ivan Cankar, Slovenia’s greatest writer, is a conical hill that is as popular with local residents as Šmarna Gora is with the residents of Ljubljana. It is a pleasant hiking destination crowned at the summit by a wonderful view from a wooden observation tower and traditional Slovene mountain cuisine – there’s no need to visit the high mountains to sample it!

A fine view over the valley and surrounding hills can already be enjoyed from the mountain hut itself, but for an even wider view simply climb the 22-metre observation tower next to the hut. The circular summit indicator on the top platform tells you what you can see: all three of Slovenia’s mountain ranges (the Julian Alps, the Karavanke/Karawanken range and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps), plus rounded hills covered with forest, settlements and little churches. There is also a fine view of the great expanse of the Ljubljana Marshes.

Route details

There are several routes up Planina from various starting points. We recommend the two most popular and attractive trails: “Pot čez Špico” and “Pot mimo Bukve”. A good option is to go up via the former, which is slightly steeper and shorter, and come down again via the latter, which is gentler and slightly longer. Both trails have the same starting point and endpoint. The former includes frequent sections of the rocky path, with roots growing across it, while the latter is “smoother” underfoot.

Once at the summit, it is well worth stopping at the mountain hut to try dishes normally associated with Slovenia’s mountain areas: jota, ričet, goulash, žganci, sausages, and so on, and also štruklji (boiled strudel) filled with dried plums, a Vrhnika speciality, and a cup of “Cankar’s coffee”, freshly roasted in the Vrhnika roastery and served in a cup bearing the signature of Slovenia’s best-known writer, himself a native of Vrhnika, accompanied by a biscuit in the shape of his famous moustache.