Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
While you could go back over the pass the way you came, there are various ways to make
your trip a loop by circling through some more varied scenery. Which way you go depends
on your final destination: Ljubljana or Bled.
To Ljubljana (or Southern Slovenia / Croatia)
From Tolmin, you have two possible driving routes to the capital. Either option brings you
back to the A-1 expressway south of Ljubljana, and will get you to the city in about two
hours (though the second route has fewer miles).
Nova Gorica Route:
The option you'll encounter first (turnoff to the right before Tol-
min) is the smoother, longer route southwest to Nova Gorica. Along this road, you'll pass a
hydroelectric dam and go under a 1906 rail viaduct that once connected this area to the port
ofTrieste(nowinItaly).InthecharmingtownofKanal,you'llcrossovertheSo
č
aonapic-
turesque bridge that's faintly reminiscent of Mostar's (as in that city, young people stage a
competitionthatinvolvesjumpingoffthisbridgeintotheragingriverbelow).Fartheralong,
the striking Solkan Bridge (another link in the Trieste rail line) is the longest single-span
stone arch bridge in the world. Soon after, you arrive in Nova Gorica. This fairly dull city
is divided in half by the Italian border (the Italian side is called “Gorizia”). Because Italians
aren't allowed to gamble in their home towns, Nova Gorica is packed with casinos catering
to Italian gamblers. In fact, it's home to Europe's biggest casino. Rocks spell out the name
“TITO” on a hillside above town—a strange relic of an earlier age. From Nova Gorica, you
can hop on the H-4 expressway, which links easily to the main A-1 expressway. Also no-
tice that the road from Nova Gorica to Ljubljana takes you through the heart of the Karst
region—if you have time and daylight to spare, you could tour a cave, castle, or Lipizzaner
stud farm on your way back up to Ljubljana (see the Karst chapter).
Idrija Route:
For a more off-the-beaten-path, ruggedly scenic approach, take this rural
option: Continue through Tolmin, then head southeast through the hills back toward
Ljubljana. Along the way, you could stop for a bite and some sightseeing at the town of
Idrija (EE-dree-yah), known to all Slovenes for three things: its tourable mercury mine, fine
delicatelace,andtasty
žlikrofi
(likeravioli).Backattheexpressway(atLogatec),headnorth
to Ljubljana.
To Bled
To reach Bled, you could follow either of the Ljubljana-bound routes outlined above, then
carry on northward for another hour to Bled (allow about 3 hours total). But the following
options are more direct.
Car Train:
The fastest option is to load your car onto a “Car Train” (Autovlak) that cuts
directly through the mountains. The train departs at 18:31 from Most na So
č
i (just south of
Tolmin, along the Idrija route described above) and arrives at Bohinjska Bistrica, near Lake
