Skiing, sledding and hiking in the winter idyll on Krvavec
It happens that the second largest ski centre in Slovenia is really close to Ljubljana. Just 25 km away either by car or a direct bus from Ljubljana. Yet, it’s not just the vicinity that places Krvavec as Ljubljana’s top choice, but also its unique position on the brink of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, 30 km of ski runs, a snow park, night sledding, and, finally, stunning hiking trails.
I knew things ran smoothly on Krvavec, but what I didn’t realise until now is just how incredibly well skiing is organised there. Let me back it up.
Getting there
If you have a car, getting to the slopes is really easy. You’ll drive a little further down the road from Cerklje na Gorenjskem, park in one of the numerous free parking lots by the road, and hop on a free bus to the cable car, which will then take you up to the ski slopes. While that’s my usual scenario, I imagine a good share of foreign visitors don’t rent a car. In that case, you can hop on a direct bus from Ljubljana to Krvavec, take a lift in a cable car and voilà, you’re there!
Hitting the slopes
Once you’re up the mountain, you’ll be greeted with breath-taking views and a true winter idyll in the high Alpine landscape. I’m talking about 30 km of perfectly maintained ski runs for recreational, professional and beginner skiers sloping down from as high as 1,971 m to 1,450 m. But first things first; right off the cable car you can rent your skis and snow wear, don't forget to get yourself ski bindings as well. Possibly drop your kids off to a multi-language ski school (Slovene, Croatian, Italian, English, German, Russian, Spanish, Hungarian, French), where they can improve their skiing skills, and finally hit the slopes.
Hiking around the slopes
If everyone except you enjoys swooshing down white slopes and you don’t want to miss out all the fun in the mountains, here is a suggestion: go hiking instead! Seriously, it’s stunningly beautiful and you can hike on the road or explore different trails on Krvavec or peaks surrounding it. For easier orientation, I suggest you follow the trails near ski runs like the Krvavec Mountain Pasture Trail or Krvavec History Trail. You could also opt for the easier and safe first parts of the beautiful trail to the peaks like Vrh Korena and Kompotela, but unless you have previous experience with hiking in snow and proper winter gear, keep safety in mind and rather turn around when the slopes get steep. Enjoy yourselves!
