The Way of St. James: Smlednik–Ljubljana

The Way of St. James begins in Smlednik at a crossroads where you can find a tourist map of the town, wooden sculptures commemorating peasant revolts, and a drinking fountain. From there you can also see the remains of Smlednik Castle, which has been preserved as the purest development of the design and form of a medium-sized medieval castle in Central Slovenia, as well as the Calvary, which is considered one of the most beautiful baroque creations of its kind in Slovenia.

From here, the route leads to the neo-Romanesque Church of St. Ulrich, where you will be left impressed by a well-kept community garden, which has been flourishing for years and serves as a source of pride for the villagers tending it. Past the cemetery next to the church, you then make your way into the forest, following a comfortable, moderately ascending carriageway. After a pleasant walk through the forest, you descend to the village of Zgornje Pirniče at the foot of Šmarna gora, the most popular hiking destination among Ljubljana's residents and, in recent years, also among foreign visitors. The path takes you to the churches of St. Thomas and Mary's Ascension, as well as past one of the best inns in the hinterland of Ljubljana – Gostilna Mihovec.

You will then pass through a village in the direction of the Sava river on a narrow road crossing a green plain. You will be watched over by Šmarna gora at your side, with the foothills of the Polhov Gradec Dolomites Landscape Park in front of you on the other side of the river. Here you will also come across the best opportunity to quench your thirst: the Straža thermal spring, the only such spring in the Ljubljana basin. The tap here provides clean spring drinking water. It then flows into a large, well-kept pool, which is also suitable for swimming in the summer. There are also benches next to it where you can get some rest.

This is already close to the embankment of the Sava river. The Way of St. James used to take travellers across the river on a bridge, but the bridge was unfortunately completely destroyed by severe floods in the summer of 2023. Therefore, the journey must be continued towards the nearby settlement of Tacen, which lies beneath Šmarna gora and where a well-beaten path along the Sava river will lead you back to the marked Way of St. James. This will extend your journey by about 3 km.

At the spot in Vikrče where you will see the last marking for the Way of St. James, which would normally take you across the Sava river, instead continue straight and you will soon arrive at the main road beneath Šmarna gora. We recommend that you improve your way to Tacen with a detour past the Police Academy, through a beautiful avenue of trees and, above all, along quieter roads. In Tacen, cross the bridge and turn right at the traffic light junction, past the supermarket. You can make a short stop at the slalom course in Tacen, where kayaking competitions are often held, or else you can continue your journey to the narrower path by the river. When this path ends (the writing on the sign saying: private property – "privatna lastnina"), turn left towards the road, where you once again join the marked Way of St. James, which comes from the right and leads to the Church of St. James in Stanežiče. From here you continue towards the Church of St. Vitus and further through some urban settlements towards Tivoli Park and the centre of Ljubljana – all the way to the Church of St. James on the edge of the old town beneath Ljubljana Castle.

This church is the first Jesuit church, as well as the first example of a baroque hall with chapels, in Slovenia. Its interior was decorated by well-known painters and sculptors, including Francesco Robba (altars in the chapels and the tabernacle's high altar with two adoring angels), whose work also includes the picturesque fountain in front of the Ljubljana Town Hall, Janez Šubic (ceiling paintings), Luka Mislej (seven stone altars in the smaller chapels), and others.