Road tripping is fun especially if you have good company and great views. This route is definitely taking you to gorgeous mountain views. Are you ready for winding routes up the mountains and down to the valley full of outdoor thrills?
This road trip starts in the south of Austria near Villach, takes you into Slovenia and back to Austria through Italy.
Ready for the first mountain pass towards Slovenia
You can spend your first night at Lake Faak, a beautiful turquoise blue lake surrounded by forest. Or you can start right away by driving south towards Slovenia. The first pass that is between the two countries is the Wurzenpass. The road takes you over the Karawanks mountain range into Slovenia. You don’t need to pay a road toll. With a steepness of 18 % it is not recommended to drive it with a caravan.
The highest point of the alpine road is 1.073 masl. At the top of the Wurzenpass you might find something unusual, right next to the street is a tank parked. It is a reminder of the iron curtain times. Here was the border. It wasn’t easy for people from Slovenia nowadays to cross into Austria or vice versa.
If you are more interested in the history, tanks and bunkers you make a stop at the Bunker Museum.
After the border point you can find a few shops lining the street before the descent begins. The first town in the valley is Podkoren. Here you turn East towards Kranjska Gora. A popular skiing resort town.
From Faak at the Lake to Kranjska Gora it is around 28 kilometers – about a 40 minute drive.
Vrsic Pass – Slovenians most beautiful alpine route
Now with your camera ready from Kranjska Gora you make your way up the beautiful alpine road of the Vrsic Pass. Right at the beginning of the mountain road close to the town is a pond for swimming and a small kiosk.
Along the road you can also find car parks and hiking trails or small trails leading to nearby mountain huts that offer food and drinks.
This part of the road trip is a bit challenging. Over 50 hairpin bends take you around the most beautiful alpine views. Note that this route is pretty packed during weekends in summer, you can find motorcycles, cars, bicycles and buses. The road up the hairpin bends is cobblestone, while the road down seems newly paved. There are various points along the way where you can stop and take in the view.
Make sure you stop at the top of the Vrsic Pass. There is also a restaurant at a side road, a small kiosk with ice cream and souvenirs.
The Vrsic Pass lies in the Julian Alps, part of the Southern Limestone Alps mountain range. The highest point of the pass is 1,611 meters and the highest peak of the Julian Alps is the Triglav with 2.863 metres.
Going down into the Soca Valley the views change and won’t get less beautiful. In the valley you can find various accommodation options. If you are traveling in the summer months or during weekends make sure you book a place to sleep beforehand. This area is also a great city gateway for Slovenians.
Before heading back to Austria via Italy I recommend to stay at least two nights somewhere along the Soca. The Soca Valley is packed with activities, from outdoor thrills to easy walks or historical exploration.
Kranjska Gora to Bovec is around 47 kilometers and takes around 2 hours to drive.
Into Italy through the Predil Pass
The starting point for going back up north is Bovec. Bovec is a lovely town at the border of the Triglav national park. It is coming from Vrsic Pass, the closest biggest town. With lots of restaurants, tourist accommodation, post office, petrol station and souvenir shops.
From Bovec you take the direction to Log pod Mangartom. Different to the Vrsic Pass this route has less hairpin bends or at least is not hairpin turn after hairpin turn. The road is also broader and better maintained.
Log pod Mangartom is a small village with beautiful views of the Alps. Before reaching the village you come across Fort Kluže above the Koritnica gorge. You can park there and visit the fort (entrance fee) which now holds exhibitions and is a museum. It was an important defense structure during the first world war. At the opposite side of Fort Kluze you can find a cave. It is actually the start of a 30 minute walk up Fort Hermann, which lays on the hill above. The forts are the perfect place to stop for a short break on your road trip.
Shortly before entering Italy you find another fort, the Fort Predel, an important defence point at the wars against Napoleon. Nowadays only the walls are visible. It is different from Fort Kluze, a ruin.
If you have not enough by just passing over the Predil Pass you can make a detour to the Mangrot saddle, the highest lying road in Slovenia. There you need to pay a toll and the street is very narrow but the views are magnificent.
The highest point of the Predil Pass is 1.156 meters. From there it is a small climb down the hairpin turns to a big lake. The Lago del Predil invites on hot summer days for a refreshing dip. The parking lot can get pretty busy on those days. Right at the lake shore is a restaurant. Along the lake are historical sites from World War I.
From Bovec to Lago del Predil it is around 20 kilometres and 45 minutes to drive.
The last bit of the road trip – Lago del Predil to Villach
In case you are a slow traveler and want to take your time exploring the countries in depth you can spend a few nights in Italy. Tarvisio is the next bigger town with more accommodation offers than around the Lago del Predil. There are plenty of activities around the area such as a visit to the Laghi Di Fusine or Mt Lussari.
If you aren’t tired of alpine passes you can take the road from Italy back to Slovenia and make it over the Wurzenpass again to Villach. It is around 40 kilometers and takes almost an hour. But there is a shorter way via the motorway which is around 40 kilometers and minutes but involves tolls.
Another fun detour is the road trip to the Border Tripoint. Leave the main road at the first Slovenian town, Rateče and turn towards the mountains. A gravel route takes you 7 kilometers up the mountain. Where you reach the point where Italy, Slovenia and Austria meet.
Best time of the year for the road trip
The best time to do this road trip through the alps covering three countries is between May and October. This road trip is highly dependent on the weather. Since the mountain pass might close if there is snowfall. Which can still happen in May or September. And with the climate changing you never know. The high season for Europe is July and August. Outside of this time is a bit calmer. This road trip is also perfect for motorcyclists or cyclists who don’t mind much elevation.
Please note that depending on the weather condition or time of the year the roads might be closed.
The author of the blog
Lisi is an adventurous, mostly solo traveler from Austria. She likes to travel slowly, discover underrated countries/regions, and of course, learn about cultures. She has been traveling the world and creating travel content since 2016. With a degree in tourism management and a passion for travel and cultures, she wants to tell stories that inspire her readers and help them travel more consciously.
