Vršič Pass Road
Slovenia's highest mountain pass road (1,611 m), crossing Triglav National Park via 50 numbered hairpin bends, running from Kranjska Gora to the Soča Valley.
The Vršič Pass Road was built by Russian prisoners of war during the First World War, which is why it is also known as the 'Russian Road'. It runs south from Kranjska Gora over the Vršič Pass (1,611 m) in the Julian Alps, then descends to the Trenta Valley and the Soča Valley. The route is about 50 km long and has 50 numbered hairpin bends, 24 on the north slope and 26 on the south slope. Some bends on the north slope still have cobblestone surfaces. The north slope passes Lake Jasna and the Russian Chapel, built in memory of the prisoners who died. At the pass there are restaurants and viewpoints, from which you can see the 'Pagan Girl' rock formation on the cliff face. The south slope passes the Julijana Alpine Botanical Garden, the source of the Soča River, and the emerald-green Great Soča Gorge. The end point, Bovec, is a centre for rafting and outdoor sports. The one-way trip takes about 1.5 hours. It can be combined with the Mangart Road and the Predil Pass into a loop. The road is narrow and steep, and in summer weekends there are many cyclists and motorcycles. Vehicles longer than 8 m and trailers are not suitable. The road is closed during snow periods in winter.