Sveta Gora

We start in the center of Nova Gorica, one of the youngest towns in Slovenia, built after World War II. From the center, we follow the main road Nova Gorica–Ajdovščina until a sign directs us left towards Kromberk. Immediately after the intersection, we turn right and ride along a quiet road to the junction for Ravnica. There, we begin to slowly climb. After a few turns, we reach the Renaissance castle Kromberk, home to the Goriška Museum. From there, the road steeply ascends to the village of Ravnica. Over a distance of 2.7 km, we will overcome 303 m of elevation difference. In the village, we turn left and follow signs to Lokve. Soon we reach the next junction, where we turn left towards Nova Gorica. The road starts descending until the turnoff for Sveta Gora, just after the Čepovan junction. Here begins a 2.6 km long steep climb with an average incline of 13.7%. Sveta Gora is a well-known pilgrimage site, home also to a Franciscan monastery. From the top, we get a beautiful view of Nova Gorica and Italian Gorizia, Goriška Brda, and the Bay of Trieste. From Sveta Gora, we descend to Solkan, where we are greeted by the old Solkan railway bridge over the Soča River, featuring the largest stone arch in the world. From Solkan, we ride the main road back to Nova Gorica, where our cycling trip ends.