Road trip on the Vršič Pass

After spending the morning discovering the Peričnik waterfall, we hit the road again, heading for the famous Vršič Pass. To be honest, our initial idea was to avoid it and take the car train from Bohinj to Tolmin, because we had read that the pass was quite perilous by car. But on reflection, we didn’t want to miss this legendary Slovenian road which promised spectacular landscapes!

What to see on the Vršič Pass?

Lake Jasna (Jezero Jasna)

If you’re coming from Lake Bled or, like us, from the Peričnik waterfall, the first stop is in the municipality of Kranjska Gora, about twenty kilometres from the waterfall. It’s Lake Jasna, an artificial lake known for its clear, turquoise waters. The lake lies next to the Pivnica river which adds a lot of charm to the place. You can walk around the lake and settle on the white sandbanks that line it. This is where we decided to have lunch before starting up the pass road (our favourite spot at the bottom of this article)!

Russian chapel (Ruska kapelica)

Our next stop was about five kilometres from Lake Jasna. Built of wood, the Russian chapel pays tribute to the prisoners of war caught in an avalanche in 1916. The chapel sits in a green setting, in the mountains, which makes the break in the hairpins very pleasant.

Viewpoints

Then begins the climb to the pass, the highest point of the road, which you have to earn after 25 hairpins on the way up! But the road is easy to drive, stopping a few times to admire magnificent viewpoints over the mountains. The road is, as everywhere in Slovenia, very well maintained and nicely surfaced.

After the Russian chapel, we stopped at the seventeenth hairpin (here) because something curious caught our attention at the side of the road. In that spot, stones are stacked up, at various heights, which creates little sculptures in the middle of the mountains. We later learned that originally these stacks (cairns) were used by high mountain guides to find their way, but that here it was more of a passing fashion…

Once we reached the pass, it is here that we met the most people. Everyone parks their car on the roadside to enjoy the wide open spaces and the superb views over the peaks. A few sheep wander around freely and aren’t shy at all! We really enjoyed this place, despite the fact that there were more people, hikers for the most part.

From the pass, we started the 25 hairpins to go back down into the valley and reach Trenta and the source of the Soča. On the road, we found another viewpoint, reached by a small path that led us to a wooden platform from which you can enjoy a very lovely view.

This is where the magnificent road of the Vršič Pass ends: the day continued with the discovery of the Soča valley, which also captivated us.
Read our article about this valley if you want to know more about this stage of our road trip!

Our favourite spot at Lake Jasna

• Milka Restaurant: a good fine dining restaurant with a lovely terrace with a stunning view over the lake. 52€ for two with starter, main, dessert and water. Good to know if you’re looking for accommodation in the region: Milka is also a hotel.

What we thought of the Vršič Pass

For us the Vršič pass remains an essential stage on a road trip in Slovenia. Taking this legendary road lets you discover a new landscape, that of the high Alpine mountains, and enjoy magnificent viewpoints around the bend of the 50 hairpins. We wouldn’t have wanted to miss this part of our trip and so we have no regrets about having done it! The road isn’t that dangerous if you stay alert in the hairpin bends and the switchbacks (the co-driver is essential). The pass isn’t reserved for seasoned drivers only.
So we recommend 100% taking this historic road to reach the Soca valley. Allow a few hours to enjoy the many stops and viewpoints the pass offers, or even a day or two to go hiking.