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We invite you to embark on this journey of discovery through the Slovenian capital and its outskirts in the historical spirit of the famous Camino!

A church on a small hill in the middle of the forest. A hiker on the trail.

© Jaka Ivančič

Did you know that Slovenia includes part of the famous Way of St. James, which continues beyond its borders to one of the most famous pilgrimage centres in the world - Santiago de Compostela in Spain? The trunk of the tree-formed trail is spread over a large part of the country and connects the churches of St. James in Slovenia (there are 67 in total), with Ljubljana as its centre, or as the meeting point of the three main routes: The Šentjakobska pot (Dolenje and Primorje branches), the Svetovišarska pot (Gorenje branches), and the Prekmurje-Štajerska branches; in addition, new small branches are always being added, leading to the remaining churches of St. James in Slovenia.

Part of the Way of St. James also goes through the region of Central Slovenia, through Ljubljana and its hinterland.

We divided the Way of St. James - which connects towns and villages and winds through the countryside of the Central Slovenian region - into individual routes that are suitable for one-day hikes. You can decide to walk just one route or combine them into a multi-day experience, and if you plan to walk one of the Slovenian branches of the Way of St. James in its entirety, the descriptions of the routes in the Ljubljana area and its surroundings may prove helpful.

When you walk the Way of St. James in Ljubljana and the rest of the Central Slovenia region, you will encounter some of the most important sights of the Slovenian capital and its hinterland; you will learn about the Slovenian Christian tradition and its rich sacral heritage; you will experience the Slovenian countryside with its large homesteads, hayracks, fields, orchards, pastures, apiaries...; you will see why Slovenia is called a land of vast forests; you will meet friendly locals. If you walk alone, you will often receive a gift quite rare in modern everyday life - solitude and serenity. Additionally, it may surprise you that the spirit of the Camino is often the strongest precisely when there is a lack of the external stimuli that most engage our senses: beautiful views, the wonderful smell of the forest, an interesting cultural heritage...

When you are left without external "assistance" to busy your mind. Therefore, do not fret if they are not constantly available to you. You will walk on forest, meadow, and field paths and along carriageways, wide macadam paths, and roads, as well as asphalt roads, which are mostly traffic-free. The Way of St. James is comprised of mostly gentle ascents and descents, with steep ascents and descents being quite rare and the trail often taking you over long stretches of plains as well.

For hikers, the Way of St. James is an extremely authentic experience of the natural and cultural landscape, outside the established tourist routes, without crowds, enjoying the luxury of peace and quiet.