Most true hikers would frown upon this suggestion for a hike. True, Rožnik hill is only 391-metre-high hill. But it’s a pleasant change from the hustle and bustle of the crowded center of Ljubljana. It also offers plenty of trails to choose from, enough shade to keep you cool even on the hottest of days and you can have refreshments on the top. Kids? They have a playground. So, what are you waiting for?
Starting point for Rožnik hill?
We’ve been visiting Rožnik hill for years and we are still discovering new trails. There’s literally hundreds of them. Some start from Ljubljana’s Tivoli park. Others from the zoo, which by the way, you should definitely visit. Perhaps combine the two and spend a day in our favourite part of Ljubljana.
Other trails lead from Mostec, a wooded area stretching next to the Večna pot road, which also happens to be the road the zoo is located on. Mostec is a very popular recreation spot and it’s where we begin our hike. Then we choose one of the narrow trails that cuts through the hill and later on joins the wider and well-trodden one. It might sound vague, but it can’t be better explained. You just have to get there and you’ll spot them. Besides once here, you’ll soon discover all paths lead to Rožnik.
Maybe the most interesting is the about 3-kilometer-long Jesenko Trail (Jesenkova pot), named after the botanist and geneticist Fran Jesenko, which takes you past 30 different local tree species marked with information plates.
At the top
If you are wondering how long will you need to reach the top? We’ve needed from half an hour to once almost two. Why such a difference? It all depends on the trail you pick and the company. When our kids were small, this was a day trip and we needed snack to get us through. Now, we can get up and down in an afternoon after school.
The top of Rožnik is called Šišenski hill (429 m), but the Cankarjev top receives far more visitors and is always our destination. Why? When we started hiking, anywhere, I decided I am not going unless there’s a hut offering refreshments at the top.
Our kids climb up for one reason and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I do the same to get flancat, a type of fried pastry, similar to donuts but with no filling, just sugar on top. Yummy.
Read more about the best time to visit and other perks of the hike…