Aventures Bicyclétales ...

country overview, map and followed itinerary, the journal with the best pictures, the highlight, what I liked / didn't like, useful information.
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Country overview (as of April 2009)

• Capital city : Ljubljana.
• Area : 20,273 km2 (= 0.03 x France).
• Population : ~ 2 million inhabitants (= 0.03 x France).
• Density : 99 inhabitants / km2. 

• Language : Slovenian.
• Religion : Catholicism.
• Human Development Index (HDI) : 0.923, the 26th country out of 177. What is HDI ?

• Government : Republic.
• President : Danilo Türk (since December 2007).
• Prime minister : Borut Pahor (since November 2008).

• Growth rate in 2006 : 5.2%.
• Currency : Euro.
• Main imports : vehicles, machines, oil, steel and iron.
• Main exports : vehicles, machines, electric & electronic equipment, furniture, bedding and pharma products.

Slovenia map and followed itinerary (in green)


The travel journal in Slovenia with the best pictures

Saturday the 16th of May : 02.00 PM, we arrive in Slovenia. The border crossing takes no time here as Slovenia is a member of the European Union (since May 2004).

As soon as the border is behind us, it’s hard not to notice the amazing number of cyclists on the road : men, women, children, young people, old people on road bikes, city bikes or mountain bikes, everybody is on a bicycle. I must say that the weather is perfect and it’s the week-end, but still, there are really many … and the few motorists who are driving take great care of them, stay well behind, do not horn and leave a lot of room when overtaking.

Landscapes are really nice, with large forests, small grasslands and a few vineyards on the hills …



Our first night stop in Slovenia is in the small village of Jurka Vas, near Novo Mesto, where we meet with Katja, an old time friend I’ve hosted in Bangkok a few years ago …


Sunday the 17th of May : after a good night sleep by Katja’s family vineyards and a huge breakfast with homemade jam to die for, we leave with Klemen (Katja’s boyfriend) for Ljubljana ! And here we go ...



... on the way we ride through the nice small town of Zuzemberk, with its castle, its river … and also its fly fishermen !



Below : next to the forest …



… and then inside the forest. Slovenia is the third most forested European country with a coverage of 57% !!




Monday the 18th of May : we visit the capital city Ljubljana with Katja and Klemen. This medium-sized city of about 300,000 inhabitants is really pleasant, and each of its building seems to have been engineered with the same urge of making something pretty. Cars are denied access to the center, so pedestrians and cyclists can freely and safely enjoy it ... while breathing certainly one of the cleanest air of all the other European capital cities.



Above : France Prešeren monument, the most famous Slovenian poet.

Below : next to the Ljubljanica River.



Below : each of us with our bike, and from left to right this is Grégoire, Katja, myself and Klemen.



Below on the left : St Nicholas cathedral.




Tuesday the 19th of May : we leave this morning from Ljubljana and we have to say goodbye to our wonderful hosts Katja and Klemen, with whom we spent a really good time and enjoyed Katja’s mother great cooking skills !

We head west (as usual) towards the town of Skofja Loka, one of the oldest town of Slovenia (founded in 973).





The road is flat and nearly as low as sea-level … but high mountains culminating well above 2,000m are all around us. Their summits are still snow-covered at this time of the year.




Wednesday the 20th of May : this morning, just after leaving Tolmin, we cross for the first time the amazing turquoise colored Soca River … which is called the "Emerald Beauty" in Slovenia !!



We follow the Soca valley for about 40 km, and once in Zaga, we turn left. There is one pass at 850 m to climb before we call it a day and set up our tents … in Italy.






The highlight in Slovenia

Slovenia is a cyclists’ country, with people of all sorts riding bicycles of all colors and shapes indifferently in the city or in the country … and where motorists really behave respectfully towards them.




What I liked / didn't like in Slovenia

I liked	I did not like
all the bicycles	the noisy and smoking Austrian tourists' motorbikes
motorists respectful behavior towards cyclists	-
Ljubljana and Skofja Loka city center	-
excellent environment protection	-
grasslands with old wooden barns	-
Soca valley	-

Useful information about Slovenia :