Lower Vipava Valley

The route starts in the very center of the town of Nova Gorica. We follow the main road Nova Gorica–Ajdovščina towards the east. At first, we ride on a slightly busier road until Ozeljan, where most traffic turns onto the highway. From the highway intersection, we continue straight towards Ajdovščina. We pass through the villages of Ozeljan, Šempas, and Črniče, where you can find several excellent winemakers and tourist farms that will gladly serve you homemade food and excellent Vipava wine. From Črniče, we descend to the village of Selo, where we turn right towards Dornberk. Here begins a less busy road that winds through hilly terrain all the way to Dornberk. There we follow signs for Nova Gorica. A little past the gas station, we turn left towards Gradišče, guided also by a sign for the wine route. There begins a short ascent to the village of Gradišče above Prvačina, from where we then descend to Oševljek and further to Renče. At the square in Renče, we turn left and stay on the main street until a sign directs us right towards Miren. Soon we reach the next intersection, where a sign guides us left towards Miren. We follow the asphalt path through the villages of Merljaki and Vrtoče all the way to Miren, where at the fountain we turn right towards Nova Gorica. In Miren, we ride on the main road to the roundabout, where we turn right. At the next roundabout, we take the first exit and then in Bilje follow signs for Nova Gorica. On our right, we will see the largest consolidated vineyard in Slovenia, Bilje Hills, covering 250 ha. From there, we continue on a flat road through the village of Vrtojba and the town of Šempeter pri Gorici, where we head towards Rožna Dolina. In Rožna Dolina, we follow signs for Pristava. After a short ascent, we reach Kostanjevica near Nova Gorica, where the Franciscan monastery is located. Members of the French Bourbon family are buried in the monastery, including the last king of that dynasty, Charles X. The monastery has a rich library, with 10,000 books, including 30 incunabula. From Kostanjevica, we descend to Nova Gorica, where we conclude today’s cycling trip.