Holiday apartment in Medvode at the confluence of the Sava and Sora

Medvode lies at the confluence of the Sava and Sora rivers. This location is ideal for a short break or an evening stroll, combining a distinctive river landscape with traces of many centuries of history.

Water and trails

At Lake Zbilje, visitors can rent rowing boats and electrically powered boats for trips on the lake. A rafting trip on the Sava runs from Medvode to the Skok Sports Centre. Sora Beach is located at the weir on the Sora in Goričane. The Medvode–Pirniče–Vikrče cycling route crosses the Sava over a bridge and continues into the centre of Medvode. In summer, a paved and illuminated cycle path runs across the grassy plateau of the Nordic Centre Bonovec.

Nature

The Medvode municipality is home to Polhograjski Dolomiti Landscape Park, an area of hilly ecological diversity. From the Medvode side, hiking routes lead to Polhograjski Dolomiti via Golo Brdo or Žlebe. The Žlebe educational trail is 4,800 metres long, rises 290 metres and features 22 information boards. The trail guide covers the ethnological characteristics, everyday culture, architecture and farming activities typical of the village of Žlebe.

The Hraše wetlands consist of two ponds and cover five hectares. They provide habitat, wintering grounds or resting places for many bird species. Also in Hraše, the Janhar farm offers dressage demonstrations and riding lessons.

Culture and history

The historical evidence of Medvode dates back to prehistoric times. Medvode was first mentioned in border documents in the 10th century. Towards the end of the 15th century, the settlement developed further after Emperor Frederick III approved the construction of a bridge at the confluence. In the 19th century, Medvode had a railway station. A special summer bathing train between Ljubljana and Kranj also stopped in Medvode.

A Stations of the Cross in the Baroque style was built below Smlednik Castle in 1772. It has fourteen chapels and three crosses at the top. The ruins of Smlednik Old Castle are among the most significant castle ruins in Slovenia. Smlednik Old Castle offers panoramic views; from there, the view extends to Mount Šmarna gora, the peaks of Lubnik and Ratitovec, the Julian Alps with Triglav, the Karawanks, the Kamnik–Savinja Alps and the Polhograjski Dolomiti.

Goričane Manor was converted into a museum from 1962 onwards. An external unit of the Slovene Ethnographic Museum was housed in the manor from 1964 to 2001. Goričane Manor is currently closed to the public. Frescoes by the German painter Eustachius Gabriel can be seen in the Knights’ Hall and chapel of Lazzarini Manor.

The Pri Dolinčku farmhouse is one of the few well-preserved examples of a 17th-century farm building in the wider Ljubljana area. It is built partly of stone and partly of wood.

Further destinations

More destinations to discover: Ig, Preserje, Mački, Smlednik, Gabrje, Rakitna, Rob, Horjul.

To the main travel overview: Ljubljana.