Kranjska Gora, Lake Jasna, Planica and the Fusine Lakes: Slovenia's Alpine Corner
How to spend one or two days around Kranjska Gora: Lake Jasna, the Planica ski jumps, the Zelenci springs, Gozd Martuljek and the Fusine Lakes just over the border in Italy, with a route, prices and where to stay.
Updated · 6 min read
2 facts checkedPrices, hours and booking rules, last verified Checked
| Fact | What we found | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Planica chairlift to the top of the ski jump | €4 one way, €6 returnnc-planica.si ↗ | |
| Free shuttle bus Kranjska Gora to Bovec over the Vršič Pass | 1 June to 30 September 2026kranjska-gora.si ↗ |
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Kranjska Gora sits in the far north-west corner of Slovenia, a few minutes from both Italy and Austria, with the sharpest peaks of the Julian Alps rising straight behind it. Most people only drive through on the way to the Vršič Pass. Stop instead. Lake Jasna, the giant ski jumps of Planica, the emerald Zelenci springs and the Fusine Lakes in Italy are all within 20 minutes, and the drives between them are some of the prettiest in the country.
We spent two nights here on our Slovenia road trip, in a hotel facing the mountains in Gozd Martuljek. Short drives, big views and very little to organise: it is an easy place to slow down.
How to get to Kranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora is about 40 minutes by car from Bled and about an hour from Ljubljana, up the Sava Dolinka valley. If you are driving around the country, it fits neatly between the coast and Bled, and it is the start of the road over the Vršič Pass to the Soča Valley.
From Trieste Airport the drive, through Italy via Tarvisio, takes about an hour and a half. Buses run from Ljubljana and from Bled, but to see the lakes and Planica properly you want a car.
Kranjska Gora
The village itself is small and pretty, with wooden balconies, flower boxes and the tall spire of the parish church in the middle. In winter it is one of Slovenia’s best-known ski resorts, and every year it hosts a World Cup race. In summer it becomes a base for hiking and cycling, with a long, flat cycle path running along the old railway line through the valley.
There are plenty of places to eat in the centre, most serving hearty mountain food: grilled meats, sausages, potatoes and big portions that make sense after a day outdoors.
Lake Jasna
Lake Jasna is really two small lakes at the foot of the Vršič Pass road, a couple of minutes’ drive from the village. The water is clear and green, the mountains are reflected in it on a still morning, and on the shore stands a bronze statue of the Zlatorog, the golden-horned ibex of Slovenian legend. There is a small beach, a wooden platform and a car park right beside it.
Good to know: Lake Jasna sits on the main road to Vršič, so by late morning in summer the car park is full. Come early, when the water is still and you have it almost to yourself.
Behind the lake, the valley of the Velika Pišnica river runs up towards the peaks, a wide bed of white stones and clear water. Short walks start right from the lake.
Gozd Martuljek
A few minutes east of Kranjska Gora, the hamlet of Gozd Martuljek sits right below the most dramatic wall of peaks in the Julian Alps, the Martuljek group, with Špik in the middle. The view from the main road is worth a stop on its own, and marked paths lead into the forest to the Martuljek waterfalls.
This is where we stayed. Waking up and having breakfast on our balcony with those mountains in front of us was one of my favourite things on the whole trip.
Planica
Planica, 10 minutes west of Kranjska Gora, is the home of ski flying. The valley has one of the largest ski jumping hills in the world, and every March it hosts the final of the Ski Jumping World Cup, with crowds of tens of thousands. Even in summer, with green grass on the landing slopes, the scale of the jumps is astonishing when you stand at the bottom.
Winter sports have never been my thing, and I am not a fan of the cold either, but the size of Planica impressed even me.
The Nordic Centre at the foot of the hills is open to visitors. A chairlift takes you up beside the jumps for €4 one way or €6 return, and there is also a zipline down the hill for the brave.
Zelenci Nature Reserve
On the way from Kranjska Gora to Planica, just before the village of Rateče, a short boardwalk leads to Zelenci, the springs of the Sava Dolinka river. The small lake is a startling emerald colour, fed from below by underground springs, and in still conditions you can see the sand moving where the water bubbles up. It takes 15 minutes there and back from the roadside car park and costs nothing.
The Fusine Lakes, Italy
Cross the border at Rateče and within minutes you are in Italy, at the Laghi di Fusine: two glacial lakes, the lower Lago Inferiore and the upper Lago Superiore, with the Mangart massif rising behind. A flat forest path links them, and a loop around both takes about an hour and a half.
We popped over the border between stops in the middle of the day, which is the beauty of this corner of Slovenia: a different country, 20 minutes away. There is no border control on this road, but carry your passport or ID card.
Good to know: the car parks at the lakes are paid in summer. The upper lake, with Mangart reflected in it, is the one to photograph, ideally in the morning.
Prices as of November 2026. Check before you go.
One perfect day around Kranjska Gora
- 08:00 Lake Jasna before the crowds
- 10:00 Coffee and a walk in Kranjska Gora
- 11:00 Zelenci springs on the road west
- 11:45 Planica and the chairlift
- 14:00 Lunch and the loop around the Fusine Lakes
- Evening Dinner facing the peaks in Gozd Martuljek
With a second day, cycle the valley path towards Rateče, walk to the Martuljek waterfalls, or drive the Vršič Pass, which starts right at Lake Jasna.
Where to stay
We stayed two nights at Triangel Boutique Hotel in Gozd Martuljek, just outside Kranjska Gora. It is all about the setting: rooms facing the Julian Alps, quiet, with a restaurant serving local dishes with a modern touch. It is the kind of place to slow down for a couple of days.
Where to look:
- Gozd Martuljek: the best views and the quietest nights.
- Kranjska Gora: the most hotels and restaurants within walking distance.
- Rateče: small and close to Planica and the Italian border.
When to go
- June to September: everything is open, the Vršič Pass is clear and the lakes are at their greenest. We were here in early June, with warm days and cool evenings.
- May and October: quiet and beautiful, but some high paths and the pass may still be closed by snow.
- Winter: a ski resort, with Planica’s ski flying finals in March.
Where to go next
From Lake Jasna, the road climbs over the Vršič Pass, with its 50 hairpins, and drops into the Trenta valley and the emerald Soča river. In the other direction, Lake Bled is 40 minutes away.
Is Kranjska Gora worth a stop?
Yes. It is the quietest, most alpine corner of the country, and a much better place to sleep before the Vršič Pass than Bled. My guide to driving the Vršič Pass picks up where this one ends.
Is Kranjska Gora worth visiting in summer?
Yes. Lake Jasna, Planica, the Zelenci springs and the Fusine Lakes in Italy are all within 20 minutes, and it is the starting point for the Vršič Pass.
How far is Lake Jasna from Kranjska Gora?
A couple of minutes by car. It is at the start of the Vršič Pass road.
How far are the Fusine Lakes from Kranjska Gora?
About 20 minutes by car, over the border at Rateče into Italy.
Can you visit Planica in summer?
Yes. The Nordic Centre is open, and a chairlift beside the jumps costs €4 one way or €6 return.
Do you need a passport to visit the Fusine Lakes?
Slovenia and Italy are both in the Schengen area, so there is normally no border control, but carry your passport or ID card.
Is Kranjska Gora or Bled a better base?
Bled is better for Bohinj and Ljubljana. Kranjska Gora is better for the mountains, the Vršič Pass and the Fusine Lakes. On a road trip, a night or two in each works best.
