When standing at the entrance to Vintgar Gorge that is tucked between two hills, you will already hear Radovna River roar inside the gorge. You might feel butterflies in your stomach before going in as the atmosphere there is kind of serious and awe-inspiring at the same time.
Inside the gorge, you will also see a waterfall and an old railway bridge.
The gorge is located in Gorje, a small municipality near Bled.
Top tourist attractions
4 km (2.5 mi) from Lake Bled
Family-friendly
Not wheelchair accessible
Admission
QUICK FACTS
Top tourist attractions ⋆ 4 km (2.5 mi) from Lake Bled ⋆ Family-friendly ⋆ Not wheelchair accessible ⋆ Entrance fee
Mysterious gorge shaped by Radovna River
Vintgar Gorge, one of Slovenia’s most visited natural sights, was created by an alpine river named Radovna. You will get to know the sounds and ever-changing flow of that river very well as it will accompany you during the entire hike through the gorge.
Radovna River flows from below Triglav, the highest mount in Slovenia. That is why it is crystal clear (and very cold too!) as you will notice when walking along it.
You will see different fish swimming in cold mountain water, including a native brown trout.
Radovna River that is most powerful in spring due to snow melting in the mountains turns into a waterfall at one end of the gorge. The waterfall is called Šum which literally translates as Noise Waterfall.
As you may experience yourself, it is indeed quite noisy when standing on the wooden bridge in front of the playful waterfall!
Two locals discover the gorge
Back in time, the locals know about Šum Waterfall but did not have any idea there was also a beautiful gorge just behind it.
It was not until 1891 two local men — the then mayor of Gorje, Jakob Žumer and photographer and cartographer Benedikt Lergetporer from Bled walked through the gorge for the first time and documented their discovery.
Soon a plan to arrange walkways and wooden bridges inside the gorge to make it passable and safe was out and the locals took action.
Take a walk on Žumer's galleries and admire old railway bridge
Jakob Žumer, one of the discoverers of Vintgar Gorge played a leading role in the history of the gorge. Among others, he supervised the construction of the passageways inside it.
That is why the most beautiful part of the gorge is named after him — Žumer’s Galleries.
This narrow gorge with steep sides that are covered with beech trees ‘hides’ another historically significant attraction.
While walking along Radovna River flowing powerfully and creating pools and waterfalls, you will come across an old railway bridge. It is made of stone and spreads over the gorge.
An interesting fact: That railway track from the beginning of the 1900s has been part of the railway line between Prague in the Czech Republic and Trieste in Italy.
Today, you can cross that stone bridge over the gorge on a train heading from Jesenice to Nova Gorica or vice versa. The train also stops in the village of Podhom, Bled (the name of the train station is ‘Bled-jezero’), Bohinj and Most na Soči.
Make a circular hike around Hom Hill
The gorge of Radovna River is narrow and quite deep. — The deepest parts are around 300 metres (980 ft) while its walls are very close to each other in some places. Consequently, the amount of the sunlight that comes in is limited.
Therefore, Vintgar Gorge offers a shaded walk/hike — which is a good option during hot summer days. However; there is another trail that is almost parallel to that one in the gorge.
You can walk from one end of the gorge to another and return by following the same trail (not possible this year). Or you can exit the gorge by Šum Waterfall and walk back to the starting point by following a parallel trail that lies on a more sunny side of Hom Hill.
Like that, you will make a circular hike, which however takes slightly more time, but offers stunning views.
One part of the above mentioned hiking trail is described in this article. The trail starts at St. Catherine Viewpoint above the village of Zasip and ends in the settlement named Podhom where one of the entrances to Vintgar Gorge is located.
– PRACTICAL INFORMATION –
LOCATION: Vintgar Gorge is located in a small municipality of Gorje near Bled. The gorge is part of the Triglav National Park, Slovenia’s only national park.
Vintgar Gorge
OPENING HOURS: In spring and summer months, Vintgar Gorge is open from 7 am/8 am until 6 am /7 pm each day. In autumn, the opening hours are shorter. Check the official website of the gorge for the most accurate opening hours.
The visiting season starts in April and ends in November. In December, January, February and March, the gorge is closed.
ADMISSION: 10 EUR for adults (discounts are available for children, students, seniors, groups and the Julian Alps Card holders). You will need to pay admission for your pets accompanying you as well (3 EUR).
The gorge has two entrances (one in Podhom and another one in Blejska Dobrava). At both there are wooden cottages selling tickets.
GET IN: You can reach the gorge either by public transportation (bus), car, bicycle or on foot.
BUS: Take a bus from the main bus station in Bled (near Bled Rose Hotel) or from the bus stop Bled Union (opposite Union Hotel). Buy the bus ticket from the bus driver (make sure to have some change in your pocket). Take off at the bus stop (‘Vintgar Fortuna’ – see on the map or ‘Vintgar’) in Spodnje Gorje. Find the bus timetable in English here.
From the bus stop in Spodnje Gorje, walk around 15 minutes to the western entrance to the gorge (follow the signpost saying ‘Vintgar’).
CAR: You can leave your car at a big parking area close to the gorge entrance in Podhom.
If the parking near the gorge is full, you should park at another parking that is located in front of LIP Bled factory in Bled-Rečica. From there, take a free bus to the gorge entrance.
BIKE: You can cycle from Bled to Podhom-Spodnje Gorje and leave your bicycle at a bike parking area close to the entrance to Vintgar Gorge.
WALK: If you decide to walk from Bled to Vintgar Gorge, it will take you approx. one hour. You will be walking through various settlements within Bled and Gorje until you reach Podhom, the last settlement where you will enter the gorge.
GET AROUND: The gorge is around one kilometre and a half long (around one mile). You will need approximately 30 minutes to get from one end to the other.
There are well-maintained walkways and wooden bridges inside the gorge. In some places, the narrow paths were carved into the gorge-side.
Please be advised that is not possible to pass through the gorge on a wheelchair or with a stroller.
RECOMMENDATIONS: I would recommend you to wear comfortable walking or trekking shoes. Also, do not forget to take some warm clothes with you as it can be quite fresh in the gorge, even during summer months.
If you plan to visit Vintgar Gorge during the high season — that is from June to August/September, you can expect the gorge to be a very lively place (usually even crowded). If you prefer a bit more peaceful walk through the gorge, it is best to be there early in the morning.
GEOCACHING: A small cache awaits for you in the forest near Šum Waterfall.
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