Slovenia has always been a great place to ride a bike. Just ask Tadej Pogačar, who grew up riding the country’s roads, honing his prodigious natural abilities on his way to global cycling superstardom.
Pogačar isn’t the only over-achieving Slovenian in the peloton either. There’s Primož Roglič, a five-time Grand Tour winner; Matej Mohorič, stage winner at all three Grand Tours, 2023 UCI Gravel World Champion and a former Milan-San Remo winner; and Urška Žigart, a multiple national road and time-trial champion.
It’s a remarkable roll of honour for a country that ranks just 38th in Europe in terms of size, with a population of just over two million. It’s hard to think of many other examples in sport of a nation punching so far above its weight. Maybe there’s something in the water, the air… the roads.
Because – as we’ve mentioned – Slovenia has always been a great place to ride a bike. The country is stable and prosperous, well connected to traditional cycling hotspots such as Italy, Switzerland and France, and easy to get to from the UK. The roads are excellent, the riding is as challenging as you want to make it and the weather through the summer months is ideal for cycling.
These are the roads where Tadej Pogačar (on the left) honed his prodigious talent.Slovenia is the first country in the world to be given official Green Destination status, mixing breathtaking Alpine scenery with a relaxed, uncrowded atmosphere you won’t find in other European cycling hotspots.
That will come as no surprise if you read Cyclist’s recent Slovenian Big Ride, where a pilgrimage to the heart of the Julian Alps was rewarded with some truly epic climbing, interwoven with a compelling taste of this central European country’s rich cultural heritage.
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Do it yourself
If you’re interested in experiencing this under-the-radar cycling gem for yourself, Polka Dot Cycling has you covered. Based in Bled in northwest Slovenia, Polka Dot offers professionally organised and guided road and gravel tours for international guests, giving everyday cyclists the chance to experience the magic of cycling in Slovenia for themselves.
The team is led by Miha and Tadeja, who combine a deep and passionate love of cycling with a commitment to professionalism and customer service.
As you’d expect, expert route planning, full logistical support and mechanical backup are all part of the Polka Dot experience. But so are the smaller details that can turn a good cycling tour into a great one – things like bike and kit supply, tour and route personalisation options and a commitment to sustainability.
Polka Dot’s tours are tailor-made premium cycling experiences with everything taken care of down to the smallest detail. The company’s road and gravel tours shape the Slovenian cycling experience to your personal tastes, while Polka Dot is also an official tour operator for the Maratona dles Dolomites and L’Étape du Tour de France sportives, with spots still available for both events in 2026. The company’s tours run from May to October, offering plenty of flexiblity to suit your needs while still guaranteeing the best riding conditions.
The distinctive cobbled hairpins of the Vršič, Slovenia’s highest road pass.The Slovenia Grand Tour
For the ultimate taste of everything Slovenia has to offer as a riding destination, look no further than the Slovenia Grand Tour, a seven-day riding adventure that links Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj with epic climbs in the Julian Alps on its way to the Adriatic coast. These include the Vršič, Slovenia’s highest road pass, which rises to 1,611m via 24 cobbled hairpins, and Mangart, its highest road summit at 2,055m with nearly 1,000m of ascent.
From a two-wheeled taste of old-town Ljubljana on the opening morning to glorious views over the Adriatic Sea as you roll into your final destination of Piran, you’ll enjoy six memorable days of riding, covering around 500km in total with 6,000m of ascent.
Taking advantage of late August’s ideal riding weather, each day is designed to be challenging but rewarding, building in plenty of time to enjoy the views, socialise and immerse yourself in the local culture. Or if gravel is more your thing, Polka Dot also offers a gravel edition of the Slovenia Grand Tour in May, covering a similar total distance and elevation.
Polka Dot operates a large fleet of high-quality road, gravel and e-road rental bikes in Bled, so guests can travel without their own bike and still ride top-level equipment. And once out on the road, logistics, route-finding and mechanical backup are all taken care of.
The atmosphere is relaxed – a Polka Dot tour is as much about the people as the pedalling – with all accommodation, feed stops and luggage and bike box transfers taken care of by the team. For a fully flavoured taste of everything this remarkable country has to offer, the Slovenia Grand Tour can’t be beaten.
Find out more about this bucket-list riding experience and Polka Dot’s other tours and events, including options for personalised tours for corporate or private groups, at www.polkadot.si.