One of Slovenia’s most popular natural attractions, the Vintgar Gorge near Bled, is open to public again today! During winter the gorge is officially closed. Apparently it can be dangerous in winter when the ice between the rocks freezes.
The entrance fee is €5 for adults, €4 for students and €2,5 for children, which goes to support the maintenance of the walk. The gorge is open every day from 8.00 to 19.00. There is a free parking area available in front of the entrance to the gorge. We would suggest you set aside about two hours for the walk and would recommend getting there early in the day due to its popularity.
Despite the size of the gorge – it measures 1,6 km – it was only discovered in 1891, when a local cartographer stumbled upon the gorge and discovered the precipitous walls carved out by the Radovna River. They were lucky: The water levels were unusually low at the time, allowing the explorers to pass through the gorge. The canyon was created during the last Ice Age, when a glacier changed the direction of the stream. Now, several millennia later, water roars through the narrows, creating rapids, waterfalls, and turquoise pools. The end of the gorge is marked with a 16-meter waterfall.
Originally, the gorge was almost inaccessible, but local residents soon built a road leading towards the newly discovered attraction and installed a network of suspended footbridges over the river. Almost immediately, it began to draw visitors from around Europe and beyond.
The strikingly picturesque Vintgar Gorge. (photo: Miroslav Asanin)
The Vintgar Gorge has been made into a huge attraction by the addition of walkways alongside and across the river. (photo: Luka Esenko)
The walkway culminates at the 16-metre-high Sum waterfall, which marks the northern end of the gorge. (photo: Dejan Hudoletnjak)
More photos and information about the Vintgar Gorge: All You Need To Know To Visit The Vintgar Gorge, Slovenia