🏞️ Exploring Kranj and Skofja Loka
Day 349–351: Castles, Tunnels, and Unexpected Encounters in Slovenia’s Heartland
🏘️ A Base in Kranj
Kranj makes an excellent base for exploring Slovenia’s Alpine heartland without the crowds or higher costs of Ljubljana or Lake Bled. Most attractions are compact and walkable, with cafes ☕ and rest stops scattered throughout the old town.
☀️ A Perfect Morning and a Missed Forecast
Today, looking out of my window, there wasn’t a breath of wind—just clear blue skies stretching endlessly. I stopped at a local bakery for a meat burek, a long sausage wrapped in flaky pastry, then paused on the bridge to admire the Julian Alps, freshly dusted with snow after recent rain.
⛈️Yesterday’s forecast warned of thunderstorms, so I stayed behind at the hostel—but the storms never came. By afternoon, the weather had cleared, and I wandered around Kranj’s Old Town. At the information centre, I bought a ticket for the underground tunnels. The first ticket didn’t work, the second did, but when I reached the entrance, the main door was locked. Back I went to the centre; the staff insisted on checking it themselves—only to find, as I’d said, that it was indeed locked.
When I asked why the town was so quiet, I learned it was a bank holiday, so nearly everything was closed, including the ossuary. I told them I’d be back on Wednesday.
🏰 Day 349: The Three-Castle Walk
Weather: Sunny – High 17°C ☀️
Elevation: 352 metres (1,154 ft)
I started the day again at the bakery before walking 1.2 km to the bus stop for Skofja Loka and its Three-Castle Walk, described as a medium-grade hike, so some climbing is expected. The bus ride itself was scenic, passing through charming villages framed by rolling hills.
⛪The first stop was St. Jakob’s Church, a beautiful structure dating back to the 13th century. With no one else inside, I took the rare chance to sing and pray aloud—something I’ve never understood why we must do silently when scripture encourages us to praise with all our hearts.
From there, I climbed slowly up toward Loka Castle, first mentioned in 1202. Once a residence for the Bishops of Freising (the name “Skofja Loka” literally means bishop’s meadow, the castle has seen centuries of history, including a dark chapter during World War II when it was used as a prison. After the war, several mass graves were found on and around the castle grounds, containing the remains of Home Guard prisoners and civilians who were murdered during WW2.
🏛️Today, the castle is a museum showcasing local history and artefacts. Personally, I prefer castles that retain their original character, and with so much renovation here, the authenticity feels lost. So, instead of touring the exhibits, I chose to follow the Three Castle Walk into the hills.
🚶♂️ Lost Trails and Serendipity
The path, unfortunately, wasn’t well signposted. I missed the first lookout tower entirely—ruins, really—but enjoyed the walk nonetheless. I followed a couple for a while, then a cyclist, then no one. At each fork in the forest trail, I relied on painted red marks or the little black boy symbol on trees, but even then, it was easy to get turned around.
Eventually, I emerged back into town rather than at the next castle. Not a wasted day though—the scenery was spectacular, the kind of Alpine tranquillity you can’t capture on a map.
🍺 Back in the main square, I stopped outside St. Jakob’s Church again for a cold beer before catching the bus back to Kranj.
That evening, I enjoyed a budget lasagne at the hostel (€3 / NZD 6.04), which was large enough for two meals, and then finished blogging for the night.
💫 A Familiar Face
Over the last few days, I kept bumping into a young woman from Prague 🇨🇿—a total of six separate times! First at the information centre, then at the Pungert Tower café, later at the Layer House, again on the bus from Škofja Loka, once more at the town hall, and finally at the ossuary 💀. She kept to herself, and though I tried small talk, she preferred silence. By the sixth encounter, I joked to myself that if I saw her next in Trieste 🇮🇹, it might be fate—or a sign to change hostels!
😴 Day 351: Tunnels, Bones, and a Haircut ✂️
Weather: Overcast – High 12°C
Sleep was elusive last night. A prolific snorer in the dorm made it impossible, three nights in a row, of what sounded like a chainsaw running nonstop. I genuinely believe heavy snorers should opt for private rooms.
The plan for today was simple: bakery stop, walk along the river, visit the Underground Tunnels, the Ossuary, and finally, get a haircut.
Breakfast was a layered bun filled with chocolate, eaten on the go. I booked a haircut for later in the day and grabbed a chicken roll that turned out disappointingly dry. Then I headed underground.
🌌 The Underground Tunnels of Kranj
The tunnels stretch for 1,300 metres beneath Kranj’s old town, carved through conglomerate rock during World War II for shelter. The climate inside resembles a natural cave, complete with dripstones and rare cave-dwelling creatures like crickets 🦗 and orb-weavers 🕷️.
The dim lighting and occasional video projections made navigation tricky; you step forward, unsure if your foot will find firm ground. Along the way, you go through a video light show and posters display chilling examples of Nazi propaganda and the grim realities of occupation.
Opened to the public in 2008, the tunnels have even received Slovenia’s Silver Sejalec Award for creative and innovative achievements in tourism.
💀 The Ossuary of St. Cantianus
Accessed through the Town Hall, the ossuary costs just €1.50 (NZD 3.02). Though small, it’s moving. Rows of skulls and bones ☠️ line the display—remnants of centuries past, eerily reminiscent of my visit to Cambodia’s Killing Fields 🇰🇭.
Located beside the Gothic Church of St. Cantianus, the ossuary overlays an earlier Roman baptistery and 13th-century foundations, revealing layers of local history both spiritual ✝️ and tragic.
🌤️ Looking Ahead
With the weather unpredictable, I decided to rest this afternoon after my haircut ✂️ and, if Thursday clears, take a train to Lake Bled. I last visited in the early 1970s when it was already quite commercial, so it will be fascinating to see what’s changed in fifty years.
Hope you enjoyed my last few days of travelling.
Andrew from inspireseniorstravel.com