Circular bike tour Juliana Bike

Soča Valley Tourist Board
Rupa 17, Bovec
T: +386 (0)5 30 29 643
E: explore@julian-alps.com

Juliana Bike is designed on the north-western section of the STKP route, which is artfully woven into a ring that can be cycled in a circular and fully contiguous manner. The section from the Vrh Ravni crossroads above Zakojca, over the Otavnik mountain and along the steep forest trail below Porezen to the descent to Podbrdo links the STKP into one of the most beautiful rings of long-distance mountain bike routes. Here it is also possible to ascend on foot to the hut on Porezen and descend along the northern branch of the STKP straight to Petrovo Brdo. The attraction of the Juliana Bike also lies in the access stages and its long-distance biking network of the Julian Alps Association: the Juliana Bike Network. This project is the remarkable result of long term cooperation at all levels.

Juliana Bike starts in Bohinj: along the Sava Bohinjka to Lake Bohinj, then uphill to Pokljuka

The slow start of the stage is perfect for an idyllic morning warm-up on the bike through the Bohinj valleys, but you'll have a few challenges ahead of you as you climb to Pokljuka.

From Bohinjska Bistrica, follow the cycle path along the left bank of the Sava Bohinjka to Lake Bohinj and see the monument to the first climbers of Triglav in Ribčev Láz - don't miss the iconic view of the lake from the bridge by St. John's Church and, if you can, look out for the white devil in the famous church - maybe there's more than one!? In Stara Fužina, visit the Alpine Museum, then climb to the high mountain plateau of Pokljuka, dotted with picturesque mountains and high moors.

From the embrace of the mighty spruce forests of Pokljuka, you descend into the Radovna and Krma valleys.

We stop and listen to stories about the old days in Pocar's homestead and then in the Slovenian Mountain Museum in Mojstrana, which takes us on a rich exploration of mountain worlds.

On the road along Pišnica to Vršič, we come across the famous Russian chapel, a tribute to the dead Russian prisoners, and then we head through Vršič to the Trenta valley, where we can turn off to the source of the Soča River. In Trenta, you should visit the centre of the Triglav National Park and the botanical garden, and then drive along the emerald Soča River through Čezsočo to Bovec.

The stages lead us further into the Krnsko mountains to the Kuhinja mountain and the Church of the Holy Spirit in Javorca.

First, the trail goes along the Soča River, then up through the villages below Krno to the sunny Kuhinja mountain, then up the difficult climb to the Pretovč saddle, where we then descend through the Zatolminské mountains and then along the Tolminka River to Tolmin.

The next interesting stage takes us first steeply uphill to the Prehod Pass, then on foot to Porezen, and then downhill to Podbrdo.

From Zakojca, we head to the Vrh Ravni saddle and cycle past the sunny Otavnik mountain to the Prehod Pass. Then climb on foot to the scenic Porezen. After that, it's a long, initially steep, descent to Podbrda in the Baška Grapa.The ascent and descent from Baška Grapa via Sorica and over Soriška planina into the Bohinj basin - from Primorska to Gorenjska.

From the tight Baška Grapa, we leave the Primorska world and head up the vast slopes of Sorica, up to Soriška Planina and through the vast forests and down through the mountains to the Bohinj Basin.

Access stages to the Juliana Bike Loop

When designing the route, we have also thought about the possibility of accessing the route by bicycle from places that are a little more remote, but still well-known as tourist destinations, in three access stages: Radovljica - Bled - Gorje - Radovna, Žirovnica - Jesenice - Mojstrana and Goriška Brda - Tolmin.

The entire route (except for the access stages) is well marked: blue arrows directing you to the next characteristic point with written information (distance to the point, altitude of the board and the logos of the Julian Alps Association and the STKP (Slovenian Touring Bike Route) and sometimes also the Trans Karavanke), blue signposts and blue & white mountain biking markings marking the route.

For detailed information, click individual stages (or overall loop description). There you can also download the GPX track, print out a stage map, see a 3D flight (PRO feature) and possible updates or detours when applicable.  

Although the Juliana Bike route was only opened in June 2021, the experienced cyclists who have already cycled the entire route, rated it as potentially one of the most prestigious touring bike routes in Europe, if not the world. It has everything a touring cyclist would want in an adventure: outstanding scenery, remoteness, relatively strenuous course, but still close to friendly and hospitable people and with adequate tourist infrastructure, just right to keep the traveller on the safe side. 

• Number of routes: 32
• Total length: 655 km
• Total elevation gain: 17.72O km