Nr of days: 3
Year: 2012
My trip today starts in Portogruaro, an ancient medieval hamlet crossed/surrounded/touched by the local Lemene's river.... I proceed on the road direction Cormons, a village part of the famous Collio district well known in Italy and abroad for its famous wines and its beautiful and enchanting hilly landscapes. While the wind gently caresses my face, I find myself reflecting on the evidence that, despite I was born here, I always had the curiosity and will to discover new and unique landscapes and dreamy sunset far from here without really knowing the hidden beauties outside my own enclosed yard.The Collio district shall really deserve an entire section on its ows but unfortunaly I do not have enough time and resources to do it here... Therefore, while drinking my tasty coffee and admiring the view from the terrace of "La Subida, I just decided that I will organize an ad hoc ride tour of this district during the best time of the year to be around here....the grape harvest! Stay tuned for the tipps coming up next !
I take my bikes again and this time direction Kanal, throurough Brda. A cople of curves/turns and Italy is well behind our shoulders; I then continue along the motorway 103 until Tolmin followed by 102 and 403, the last becoming n.909, until we reach Bohinj. The surrounding landscapes it's quite regular; green and light blue/turquoise are the colours that you get to see plenty around this part of Slovenia, where few houses are placed irregularly here and there and farmers and woodmans are the only frequent encounters you make on your way. From the enchanting Bohinj lake, smaller and of secondary importance compared to Bled, I finally end up reaching its famous brother, precisely this very well know Slovenian lake, Bled. I decide to stop here for a bit of relax and about 10 km away I find a nice hotel in the green countryside, the Lambergh Chateau & hotel. I strongly suggest this really special lodge as it's an old castle-house surrounded by only green landscapes and overlooking at the mountains behind. For the"riding ante litteram" lovers, here you can find horses to ride to... I know it's definitely not the same thing and whoever reading my itineraries are supposedly lovers of another riding art, (the one and only riding art..), but nature has really lots on its side and lots we all can and should learn from.
The morning after, back on my bike, I took the way to Vlntgar valley north of Bled, wanting to discover this nearly hidden valley in the middle of the woods. The entrance to the valley path costs around 7 euro, it's of average lenght (3km) but really suggestive. For the retun way I took motorway n 201.202 direction Kranjska Gor, I continued on the ss54 direction Tarvisio and from there I keep going south driving through the famous Cave del Predil and Predil lake (sp76). As you can imagine, the landscape here is quite poor and empy as this is not a very known nor explored area by tourists coming to Slovenia, but I personally appreciated it even with these colors and shapes less brilliant and dreamy if compared with the previous ones; this because I love nature and I enjoy it even more when it comes to its genuine and wild beauty not spoiled for touristic reasons and needs. Here it's only you, this unique nature, the silence, the valley, the road and the motorbike.
I decide to stop on my way back in a local bar, where a man working there gently offers me a slice of homemade amazing cake and a coffee, nice wake up threat following the lunch break. Once approached Amaro, I continue riding direction home; it'already getting late afternoon and happy and satisfied I arrived safely home, turned off the engine and turned on my laptop to start putting in words the very fresh feelings and memories collected in this last beautiful escape.
POINT OF INTEREST: Vintgar gorge