Slovenia Just Opened a 186-Mile Hiking Trail With Stunning Views of the Alps
Forget El Camino de Santiago. This summer, serious hikers should consider Slovenia's new Julian Alps Hiking Trail.
Long-distance hikes such as the Pacific Crest and Appalachian trails have long been popular with backpackers in the US. And ambitious mountain treks, like those in the Himalayas, also attract adventure seekers and nature lovers from across the globe. But multiday hikes have recently become much more mainstream, thanks in part to the movie "The Way," where a father completes the pilgrimage that took the life of his estranged son. Called El Camino de Santiago, the historic route from France to Spain featured in the film exploded in popularity following its 2010 release.
To exploit the increased popularity in trekking, some countries have begun piecing together short trail fragments into official, long-distance treks — just as Jordan did with their 40 day, 400-mile Jordan Trail. This year, Slovenia is establishing its own.
Called the Julian Alps Hiking Trail, the network of pathways covers 186 miles in northwest Slovenia and takes 16 days to complete. It circles Slovenia's highest peaks in Triglav National Park and traverses its most beautiful terrain. Trekkers will see remote villages and untouched wilderness, but also pass through some of Slovenia's most appealing cities, including Bled, Bohinj and Bovec.
The Route
The Julian Alps trail is now officially accessible, though, "They are still in the process of finalizing some of the trail markings," a spokesperson told The Points Guy. An authorized trail map won't be available until the end of June, but I pieced together the route using Google Maps and the cities listed online. Note that this is only a rough outline, as not all the hiking trails are available in Google Maps.
The 16 sections of the circuit are each roughly 10 miles in length. Starting in the town of Rateče, on the border with Italy, the trek heads east, following rivers and snaking through valleys and villages with impressive views of the Julian Alps. It passes though the fairytale town of Bled and along its lake before ascending into Triglav National Park and by the famous Lake Bohinj.
The trail continues through villages that are as much fun to pronounce as they are to see, such as Stržišče and Znojili (good luck!). It then continues along the Soči River past a pair of beautiful waterfalls to the adventure sports town of Bovec. The final leg takes you past a fortress, over a pass and through an old Italian mining town before returning to Rateče.
Hiking 186 miles over the course of 16 days may sound daunting, but the trail has been strategically divided into sections so pieces of it can be completed independently, making it more accessible to families or travelers with less time.
Some sections are even close to public transportation so that, at their completion, you can ride back to the starting point. Others have circular paths that loop back to the start without any backtracking. These options make it possible to hike portions of the Julian Alps trail as an easy day trip.
Food and lodging is available between each stage, too. Therefore, it's not necessary to pack camping equipment or two weeks' worth of meals.
Slovenia is already one of my favorite countries in the region and a TPG featured destination for 2019. Now, there's yet another reason to put the central European nation at the top of your travel to-do list.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
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- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.