Ljubljana Marshes Cycling

If you enjoy easy cycling in peaceful natural surroundings, saddle up and join us on this amazing cycling tour on the outskirts of Slovenia’s capital. Despite its immediate proximity to Ljubljana, the lovely marshy area offers an incredibly secluded environment away from the buzzing crowds. It’s a very easy ride down mainly flat macadam roads, with an additional detour along a jungle-like educational trail where you get to encounter some local wildlife and green scenery.

We begin our journey in the centre of Ljubljana and follow the Ljubljanica River out of town. Before too long, we’ll turn onto a side road that runs alongside the Iščica River and continue towards the Ljubljana Marshes – that is where our cycling around Ljubljana begins. The views of these breath-taking wetlands open up, as the countryside gravel road takes us through the endless fields to the place where pile-dwellers, Ljubljana Basin’s first inhabitants, used to live thousands of years ago. This spot is also famous for its energy points and pristine drinking water.

We will continue our tour through the village of Ig, where we can visit a pile-dweller exhibition before venturing deeper into the marshlands towards the Iški most nature reserve. The latter is a natural landmark, home to numerous species of plants and animals, characteristic of this area. We will ride up to the bird observatory where we will enjoy a short break while observing different indigenous species. The trail will then lead us through a swampy educational trail that runs through bushes and tall bog, giving the illusion of cycling through a green tunnel. If we ride here soon after the rain, we feel like we are riding through the jungle. 

After the ‘rainforest experience’, a macadam road will take us past Kozlarjeva gošča, the only forested part of the marshland – a wonderful birch grove. Before slowly heading back towards Ljubljana, we will stop near Črna vas at St. Michael’s Church, designed by Slovenia’s most renowned architect, Jože Plečnik. The final leg of the tour involves cycling through Ljubljana, where you’ll be able to marvel at some of Plečnik’s other works and more, concluding our journey at Ljubljana Castle. This last part can be adapted entirely to your wishes. Ljubljana has plenty of interesting nooks and crannies we can visit, so that’s exactly what we’ll do. 

Terrain: smooth gravel and tarmac

The tour runs across almost completely flat terrain and is most suitable for beginners, families, and children.