SEPTEMBER 2023
If you would like to spend a beautiful day in nature near the clearest water I would recommend to visit Zelenci Nature Reserve & Jasna Lake in Slovenia. They are located closely to each other, so you can easily enjoy both in one day and see two of Slovenia’s highlights. In this blogpost I will give you all the background details that you need to make the most out of your day.
Practical information
You will find Zelenci Nature Reserve and the Jasna lake very close to each other, about a 15 minutes drive. They are situated near the border with Austria, so it is also possible to do a day trip from there. Zelenci & Jasna are both free to visit, please note that the parking is limited in both locations. We visited Zelenci Nature Reserve at 8.30AM and it wasn’t too crowded yet and there was sufficient parking space. By the time we left at 10AM the first parking lot was full and some tourist buses had just arrived. At Jasna parking near the lake is limited too, however there are some options available farther away. We got lucky at 10.30AM and were able to park for free right next to the lake. Lots of people come to Jasna for swimming so it gets busy at noon.
Zelenci Nature Reserve
Pictures of Zelenci Nature Reserve convinced me to visit Slovenia. I didn’t know that Zelenci actually is really small and consists of the little lake that you see in every picture and a path through the forests. It is possible to take a walkway enjoying yourself for an hour, but it is also possible to walk straight down to the lake in 10 minutes. Next to the lake you will find a little watchtower, from which you can take drone style pictures. I would recommend to go early in the morning as we already had to be pretty patient when taking that “picture perfect photo”.
Near the entrance you will find a restaurant serving easy dishes and a nice little playground for kids.
Jasna lake
I would recommend to make Jasna your second stop of the day, as it is easier to spend a longer time in here. You can go swimming, jumping from a pontoon, rent a kajak or just do sunbathing. Please note that the water is really cold. There are some restaurants overlooking the lake, but it still really felt like a nature location, which I liked. It didn’t get over the top crowded, but there was a good vibe. I loved how the mountains of Triglav National Park looked in the background. Parking close to the lake is limited though.
