Afternoon Walk in the Photogenic Town of Skofja Loka, Slovenia

Located near the heart of the country, Skofja Loka is still quite an overlooked destination. Nevertheless, it has garnered a bit of popularity in recent years, thanks to its rural charm, red-tiled colorful homes and the presence of the majestic Sora River with its turquoise hues. We decided to pay a short visit to this small, vibrant town and weren’t at all disappointed in the end. Below you can see why we fell in love with Skofja Loka instantly:

The smalltown lies 22 kilometers north-west of Ljubljana and 40 kilometers south-east of Lake Bled. We included it into our itinerary to get some snapshots of colorful, beautiful architectural details and we weren’t at all disappointed. With an exciting mixture of old edifices combined with newly-renovated buildings trying to keep the heritage lines alive, Skofja Loka is impressive to say the least. The narrow streets, the casement windows decorated with flowers and the sculpted fountains only add to its charm.

The truth is, we didn’t exactly plan to do much sightseeing. We just wanted to wander around and enjoy all the wonderful places through a leisurely walk. We still visited nearly everything, but only from the outside.

Loka Castle looks over the city center from atop a hill. Although the original castle from the 13th century was destroyed during a 1511 earthquake, the edifice has been beautifully reconstructed. It currently houses one of the most significant museums in the country, showcasing key elements from the local culture, history, art and more.

The Church of St. Jacob and the Skofja Loka Capuchin Monastery are the two main religious edifices in the city. The latter houses over 30,000 books, some of them more than 5,000 years old.

The architectural heritage of Skofja Loka is situated mostly in Town Square. Here you can find all types of treasures, from modest farm houses to over-decorated (but still beautiful) mansions. Zigon’s House (mansion of a former merchant), the bourgeois Homan’s Mansion, the Old Rectory and the Old Town Hall all stand out from the crowd thanks to their unique features.

The Sora River adds additional appeal to Skofja Loka through its crystal-clear waters, which reflect the turquoise sky. The Capuchin Bridge is one of the oldest bridges in all of Europe and has quite an impressive legend tied to its name. I am not going to spoil it though, go read and see for yourself!

The stunning view of the Triglav Mountains in the background and the overall city skyline also provide a myriad of fantastic photographic opportunities.