„I feel sLOVEnia“: I have been visiting the country for many years now and I must say that this is one of the few marketing slogans which are really true. Why? No other country offers such a diverse landscape on such a narrow/tiny space. Combined with the hospitality of the population, it offers perfect conditions for a wonderful cycling holiday. By travelling with/on a bike you can experience a new type of landscape every day. You can start your tour in the very heart of the (Julian) Alps and end it by the Adriatic Sea. On your way you can enjoy local specialities in one of the many inns.

The region presented in this Emerald Bike Trails map is one of the most beautiful in Slovenia. The northern and eastern part include the Alpine region with steep mountains, deep valleys and beautiful emerald rivers, whilst the western part includes mountains and mountain ridges like Matajur and Kolovrat with fantastic panoramic views and western hill-sides which slowly descend into the Natisone Valley lowland. The southern part offers tours to different plateaus with splendid views of the Alps and even of the Adriatic Sea or just leisure cycling through the lovely vineyards of the Goriška Brda region.

As a logical consequence of open boarders, tours also lead to the Italian territory and offer you a chance to compare the quality of the Slovenian and Italian coffee in a single day and a chance to visit beautiful historical towns like Cividale and enjoy the “genuine“ Italian ice cream on your tour.

Because of its diversity and climate (the mixture of the Alpine and the Mediterranean climate helps to prolong the biking season), the region offers possibilities for all kind/sorts of biking – with a mountain bike you can follow the roads and trails of the World War I which lead you to the most remote places, with a road bike you can enjoy your day on one of the many small paved roads with almost no traffic, and with a trekking bike you can follow gravel roads to the mountains or stay in one of the beautiful valleys.

Especially the mountain biking conditions make this region one of the European „hotspots“ – the combination of unique landscapes, untouched nature in some areas, mild climate, and countless roads and trails made us write this guidebook with 30 tours in the Soča Valley and to establish an agency for guided mountain bike tours in Slovenia. Why? Because we already made this »mistake« of visiting the Soča Valley/region and experiencing that certain kind of feeling which overcomes you once you are there. So watch out - once you visit, you will have to come back. I warn you! (I promise)

 

Peter Immich