A Land of Good Stories
Discover the flavours of Žirovnica
What to taste Webcams
Be sure to check the weather before setting off into the mountains.
The Žirovnica Institute for Tourism and Culture
Žirovnica 14
4274 Žirovnica
+386 (0)4 580 15 03 info@visitzirovnica.si www.visitzirovnica.si
There is an idyllic forest track that leads up to the Valvasorjev dom mountain hut beneath Mt. Stol and to the Potoška planina mountain pasture The ascent to the Zabreška planina mountain pasture or a more demanding tour up to the Dom pri izviru Završnice mountain hut will fill you with fresh energy. Less steep paths will lead you all the way to Radovljica, Bled and Kranjska Gora. Mountain biking enthusiasts will enjoy the challenge of Žirovnica's Predigra adrenaline bike descent which consists of a 2 kilometre descent with a 400 metre height difference.
Mountains
Discover Lake Završnica and fall in love with its beauty.
There are no high mountain peaks to be conquered along the Julijana Trail, rather you will hike in foothills on the edge of the Julian Alps and Triglav National Park. Along the way you will experience what life is like in the Julian Alps and discover the abundance of flora, fauna and cultural heritage of this stunning beautiful mountain world with immense biotic wealth.
Explore the legacy of Anton Janša and beekeeping in Slovenia.
ZAVRŠNICA VALLEY
The Završnica recreational park is located in the Završnica Valley with its green meadows and fragrant forests beneath the Karavanke mountain range. It is an ideal place to engage in outdoor recreational activities. The park is easily accessible yet distant enough to allow you to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and your daily routine. Treat yourself to a great outdoors adventure!
Outdoor recreation by the lake, easy walks and other outdoor activities are ideal for families, hikers, climbers, mountaineers and school groups. After an active day spent outside, you can take a rest at one of the picnic spots in the Završnica Recreation Park.
Circle Mt. Triglav and conquer the grandeur of Slovenia's symbol.
THE SECRET WORLD OF BEES
Anton Janša, a pioneer of modern apiculture and the first beekeeping teacher at the Emperor’s Court in Vienna, started his work as a beekeeper in the village of Breznica where you can visit a reconstruction of his original apiary. The most interesting feature is the painted beehive panels that portray historical and biblical events and motifs of daily life, which provide a glimpse into the oldest of traditions. Did you know that this tradition is a unique curiosity from the world of Slovenian folk art?
Discover the secret world of bees and wild flowering meadows. Learn more about Slovenia’s rich beekeeping tradition on a guided tour of Janša’s apiary and taste some delicious local honey products.
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await - Experience freedom and beauty on a bike.
Završnica Valley
Discover Antona Janša's birth village
The picturesque villages under Mt. Stol in the Gorenjska region radiate a special peace and homeliness. With its inviting meadows, forests and mountains, Žirovnica beckons you to experience its wealth of literary and cultural heritage.
Žirovnica, a land of good stories where the greatest Slovenian literary masters such as France Prešeren, Matija Čop, Fran Saleški Finžgar and Janez Jalen were born, and where they spent their formative years, is situated in close proximity to the well-known towns of Bled and Radovljica.
Discover the landscape that inspired these poets and writers. Žirovnica is the cradle of Slovenian culture with its centuries-old beekeeping tradition and will inspire you with its green energy. The inhabitants of Žirovnica call themselves ‘Kašarji’. The name comes from the most common meal in the old days – millet porridge.
Perhaps this porridge can be linked to the fact that so many famous Slovenian literates and poets were born in this traditionally rural environment. Welcome to our villages, we can’t wait to share some interesting stories with you!
Walk through the rich cultural heritage of
PREŠEREN'S BIRTH HOUSE
“Oh Vrba! Happy village, my own home.”
Slovenia's greatest poet spent his childhood in an old farmhouse in a small village, where today everything is preserved as it used to be. Testament to the way wealthy farming families of the area lived can be seen in the furnishings in the black smoke kitchen, the main living area and another small room. In the former granary, which served as a pantry for grain, there is a new permanent exhibition featuring, among others, Prešeren's relatives, while a special corner is dedicated to Archbishop Anton Vovk.
Discover the life and work of Dr. France Prešeren, who expressed his vision of equality and friendly coexistence among all nations in Zdravljica (A Toast), which is the Slovenian national anthem.
Immerse yourself in the rich heritage of the Slovenian language through the works of
ŽIROVNICA CULTURAL HERITAGE TRAIL
Adventures in Žirovnica are accompanied by masterfully written songs and stories. Relive them on the Žirovnica Cultural Heritage Trail. One of Slovenia's oldest theme trails connects: Prešeren's birth house in Vrba, Matija Čop's birth house in Žirovnica, Anton Janša's memorial apiary in Breznica, and the birthplace of the writers Fran Saleski Finžgar in Doslovče and Janez Jalen in Rodine. The birth houses of Matija Čop and France Prešeren also serve as tourist information points.
The circular trail is 10 kilometres-long and leads through villages and along country lanes; part of the trail also runs along pastures above the villages. The trail is well marked throughout, with signposts showing the way from one attraction to the next. The trail is marked in both directions, therefore you can choose where to start. The trail can be walked independently or in the company of a guide.
Visit the Birth House of Slovenia's greatest poet.
Žirovnica lies in a green valley at the foot of the Karavanke mountain range. The tree line reaches right to the edge of the fragrant meadows, and the higher you follow the mountain paths, the more beautiful the views. You can choose among easy walks through the Završnica Valley or decide to ascend higher; the Karavanke mountain range offers some real mountaineering challenges and gems.
The views of the alpine peaks and valleys from the 2,000m+ high summits inspire mountaineers with special enthusiasm.
The Valvasorejev dom mountain hut beneath Mt. Stol is one of the most popular mountain huts in Slovenia. The same cheerful atmosphere can also be found in the Prešernova koča mountain hut on Mt. Stol in the Dom pri izviru Završnice mountain hut and in the Planinski dom na Zelenici mountain hut. Visit the partisan camp at Tito’s village Titova vas or the Turkish Cave Turška jama), both of which offer interesting stories from the past in the shelter of the forest.
ČOP'S BIRTH HOUSE
Čop's Birth House has been converted into a museum since 1994, featuring exhibitions about Matija Čop, the Ajdna archaeological site and the Žirovnica Cultural Heritage Trail. The house has been restored to its 19thcentury appearance and serves as a museum and venue for various events.
Matija Čop (January 26, 1797 – July 6, 1835) was a linguist, librarian, literary historian and literary critic. He worked as a professor and librarian in Ljubljana and was also active abroad. He mastered nineteen languages and was an exceptional connoisseur of world poetry. He was friends with France Prešeren and served as his mentor. Under Čop's guidance, Prešeren perfected his poetic expression and elevated the Slovenian language to the level of European literary art.
Where the Karavanke, Julian Alps, and Kamnik-Savinja Alps Embrace.
THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF AJDNA
Ajdna is one of the most prominent archaeological findings of Late Antiquity in the Slovenian territory. In the 5th and 6th centuries, during attacks by northern tribes, locals took refuge on the rocky slope on the southern side of Mt. Stol, from where there are views across the Julian Alps and to Lake Bled.
The artefacts and objects found during archaeological excavations stir one’s imagination. The grave of a young woman, buried with her jewellery inside the church, is a special enigma. Was this the famous Pagan girl Ajdovska deklica)? The bronze bird, which is the main symbol of the exhibition in Čop’s house, does not reveal the answer. Instead, it invites you to ascend Mt. Ajdna and experience its mysterious atmosphere.
Discover ancient crafts in Finžgar's Birth House
Seek inspiration in Prešeren's Birth House
Hikers are rewarded for reaching Ajdna by breathtaking views
HIT THE TRAILS
Žirovnica.
Journey to Ajdna: A Hidden Archaeological Gem
Matija Čop, an influential linguist.
France Prešeren
