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Resort Guide

Suitability	Resort height: 569m
Families:		[No]
Glacier:		[No]
Beginners:		[4]
Intermediates:		[4]
Advanced:		[3]
Snowboarding:		[3]

Bohinj is not so much a ski resort as a stunning Alpine lake with a scattering of villages and large hotels around it. It is in these latter, well equipped establishments, that most tour operators offer their accommodation, rather than in the larger village of Bohinjska Bistrica.

The lake is surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of the Julian Alps, and is a comparatively short transfer from Ljubljana international airport. It is also located about 30 minutes drive from the large town of Bled, and it shares two ski areas with the resort - Kobla and Vogel. These offer about 25km (16 miles) of piste each, so are much smaller than many ski areas in the Alps.

So, all in all, Bohinj is a choice for skiers who are not looking for a huge challenge on the slopes, nor doorstep ski slope convenience, or a busy nightlife. But is therefore perfect for anyone happy to bed down in a pleasant, affordable hotel each evening, paying half the price for equivalent food and drink back home, and making an even greater saving on prices in the Western Alps, admire the scenery, and enjoy relaxed days on the slopes.

Beginners

Most skiers will learn to ski on a snowsure plateau at Vogel, reached by cable car from the lakeside. In most cases this cable car station is reached by ski bus or shuttle from your accommodation, so it is a bit of a trek to reach the slopes and return each day.

Beginner lessons are organised on the plateau with a highly regarded ski school teaching for four hours daily. We can offer good value packages including lessons, lift tickets and equipment rental at a discount on purchasing these separately, so it is usually worth pre-booking this package rather than trying to organise each part separately in resort.

Intermediates

Intermediates should find enough to stay entertained for a week amongst the slopes of Vogel and Kobla. Eighty percent of the runs are graded easy to intermediate. Many cut through picturesque pine forests with views out over Lake Bohinj, so there's a lot to enjoy.

Kobla is a modern ski centre located above, offering largely tree-lined pistes that are grassy in the summer months, so need little snow coverage before opening, and have snowmaking cover in any case. The piste running from the top of the double chair lift Kobla III is one of the longest in the area at six kilometres (nearly four miles).

Advanced

There are two black runs at Kobla and four at Vogel, but free riders will probably get the most enjoyment from heading off-piste in to the trees with a guide. Vogel does have an excellent 8.5km (just over five miles) long red run going over the back of the mountain and descending to the lakeside
below, snow cover permitting.

This starts with a choice of two black runs before turning red for the final two thirds. A larger area ticket which includes two more ski areas, Krvavec and Kranjska Gora, is available, although you will need to use the regular bus service or rent a car to get to them.

Snowboarding

The centre most geared-up for boarders of the three is Vogel, which has recently opened a small terrain park. Both it and Kobla offer excellent freeriding terrain when snow conditions are good, with runs down through the pine woods and natural hits in between.

The area is also an affordable place to learn, with beginner boarding packages which include equipment rental, lift ticket, ski bus and six full days of tuition around half the cost of an equivalent package in the western Alps.

Other Activities and Facilities

Activities in the area include sleigh rides, paragliding is possible from the slopes in Vogel, and cross-country skiing on more than 50km of prepared trails. Sometimes the lake is sufficiently frozen to allow ice skating, and ice climbing is also popular in the area.

Excursions are organised to Slovenia's capital Ljubljana and to the famous Postojna caves. Kobla is the only ski area in Slovenia that's linked to the rail network, so excursions by train are possible. Facilities in nearby Bled include an ice-skating rink, a cinema, bowling, concert hall, a casino and a good range of shops. There are swimming pools, wellness areas and saunas in several of the larger hotels.

Après Ski and Dining Out

Expect generally quiet and limited nightlife if you're staying in one of the hotels around Bohinj. As most buildings are well spaced around the Lake, you will normally need transportation between each one.

Après ski bars at Vogel include the on-mountain Ski Hotel's terrace bar which offers great views. The bar at the Hotel Zlatorog, about eight minutes walk from the base of the lifts is also popular.

If you head in to Bled you'll find an above average range of bars and restaurants that range from the basic to haute cuisine. The liveliest nightlife is centred on the shopping district. Popular bars include the Devil's Bar and the inevitable Irish Pub. There's also a nightclub for late night dancing.

For dining out around Lake Bohinj most of the hotel restaurants are open to non-residents and offer a good standard of cuisine at reasonable prices. For a particularly surreal experience book in for an Agatha Christie themed dinner at the Bellevue Hotel on Saturday night (she stayed there on holiday in the 1960s).

The range of dining choices is extensive in Bled from cake shops to gourmet establishments frequented by former Yugolslav presidents. The century old Restaurant Okarina, the Villa Bled and The Penzion Mayer all have high reputations.

Families

There's no general non-ski nursery provision for children, but the ski schools in Kobla and Vogel both offer ski kindergarten from age three and full ski school programmes from age five. Learn to ski packages for children offer excellent value with four hours of lessons daily, equipment rental and lift pass for one low inclusive price.

Piste Map for Bohinj

Accommodation in Bohinj

• Hotel Jezero - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Vila Park - 4 star, half board
• Hotel Zlatorog - 4 star, half board
• Jezero - 4 star, half board
• Kristal - 4 star, half board
• Villa Zlatorog - 4 star, half board
• Zlatorog - 3 star, half board

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