Stara Fužina and Ribčev Laz, the villages by the lake

The Mostnica gorge, on the village’s edge

The Mostnica is an Alpine river of rapids and waterfalls that runs down the Voje valley to Stara Fužina, and its gorge is one of Bohinj’s most popular sights. The clear water has scoured round potholes in the rock and a hollow stone they call the Little Elephant. There are paths on both banks, so you can do it as a loop, and the gorge ends with a short climb to the Voje hut, where you can eat.

From there you can carry on up the Voje valley, a U-shaped glacial valley, to the 21-metre Mostnica waterfall, about two and a half hours’ walk in all. In autumn cows graze in Voje, and Tourism Bohinj recalls here the four locals who in 1778 made the first ascent of Mount Triglav. In snow, Tourism Bohinj advises against doing the gorge on your own.

The Peč viewpoint and where to stay

The Peč viewpoint, at 720 metres, is about a 20-minute woodland walk from the Lev concrete bridge in Stara Fužina, with views of the lake, Ribčev Laz and the Komna plateau. For more, a good hour of easy walking takes you on to Rudnica, at 946 metres. The village has a tourist office at Stara Fužina 53b and a Triglav National Park centre. To choose a bed, see hotels in Bohinj.

Ribčev Laz and St John’s church

Ribčev Laz has 217 residents and almost everything you see in photos of Bohinj. Next to the stone bridge is St John’s church, older than 1300 and painted inside with Gothic frescoes. The panoramic boat to Ukanc leaves from here, and the Fužina Bay bathing area starts here and runs along the eastern shore. There’s a tourist office at Ribčev Laz 48. What to do on the water is covered on the Lake Bohinj page.

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The Devil’s Bridge and iron

Above Zois Manor, a single-arch stone bridge crosses the Mostnica high over narrow, deep channels. Žiga Zois had it built to ease the transport of iron ore and charcoal to the smelters on the river. Bohinj was the most important mining and iron-making centre in the Julian Alps, and the area was settled as early as the Iron Age, in the 8th century BC, because of its ore. Legend says the villagers let the devil build the bridge in exchange for the first soul to cross it, and that a farmer sent his dog over first.

The Alpine Dairy Museum

Stara Fužina is home to the Alpine Dairy Museum, which keeps the original cheese-making workshop with two large 1,200-litre vats and a press for shaping the cheeses. It also shows a herdsman’s hut from the Zajamniki pasture, dated 1849, complete with its furnishings. High-pasture farming in Bohinj is recorded from the 13th century and was for centuries the backbone of valley life.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Stara Fužina and pick one that fits your day.

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