LOGARSKA DOLINA AND THE NORTHERN VALLEYS - Croatia and Slovenia - page 993

The Matkov Kot road is more rugged, with cliff-hanging gravel portions that can feel
like little more than tractor ruts. But the valley scenery is breathtaking (sometimes liter-
ally)—and arguably rivals the Panoramic Road. Adventurous drivers who enjoy mountain
vistaswillfinditworththegrindinggears.It'seasytomissthispoorlymarkedvalley—look
for signs to the tourist farms (the recommended Tourist Farm Perk is on this road) and for
Matkov Škaf.
Other Sights
If you have ample time here, you can consider some other offbeat attractions that are more
charming than thrilling.
The Firšt Gostiš č e —which has a restaurant and rents rooms on the road between
Sol č ava and Logarska Dolina—has a cave on their property called Fidova Zijalka, where a
19th-centuryhermitnamedFidalivedandservedasthemedicine manforthelocalcommu-
nity. But Fida wasn't the first to live in this cave, and its discovery and scientific explora-
tionhelpedadvanceourmodernunderstandingoflifeduringthelastIceAge.Honoringthis
heritage, the Firšt family operates their own modest, dry, two-room museum of prehistoric
cave findings and folk medicine (€2, same hours as restaurant—see here ) . They also have
an “ethnographic park”: Pay €4 and pick up the essential English guidebooklet at the main
building, then hike steeply up into the hills behind for a one-hour loop that takes you to the
cave, with commentary en route about local flora, fauna, and farming lifestyles.
If you're traveling with kids, consider paying a visit to the Fairytale Forest, next to
and run by the recommended Na Razpotju Guesthouse in the middle of Logarska Dolina.
Speckled through a gentle wood are 35 wood carvings illustrating local fairy tales, all
explained in English (€2.50/child, €3.50/adult, April-Nov daily 10:00-18:00; listed under
“Sleeping in Logarska Dolina,” next).
Sleep Code
(€1 = about $1.30, country code: 386, area code: 03)
S = Single, D = Double/Twin, T = Triple, Q = Quad, b = bathroom. These accom-
modations include breakfast. The hotel accepts credit cards, but the tourist farms are
cash only and charge 20-30 percent extra for stays of fewer than three nights. These
prices don't include the modest tourist tax (about €1 per person, per night). Unless
otherwise noted, everyone listed here speaks English (or has a neighbor or relative
who can help translate).