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Goriška · Slovenia
A mining town in a valley between hills, with five centuries of mercury mining recognized by UNESCO, the bobbin-lace tradition, and the spring of the lake Divje jezero.
In the photo: Idrija in the valley between the hills
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Idrija lies in a narrow valley in western Slovenia, among the forested hills of the Idrija Plateau, about 60 km from Ljubljana. The town’s history begins with a discovery: at the end of the 15th century, traditionally in 1490, a bucket maker found mercury in a spring. The mine opened there became the second largest in the world and operated for about 500 years, with more than 700 km of galleries.
Since 2012, the mine and the buildings associated with it have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List, together with Almadén in Spain, as the Mercury Heritage. The visit starts at Antonijev rov, the mine entrance opened in 1500, continues to Gewerkenegg Castle, the mine’s former administrative headquarters and today the town museum, and passes by the kamšt, a water pump with a 13.6-meter-diameter wooden wheel.
Idrija is also the town of bobbin lace. Idrija lace has protected geographical indication, and the lace-making art in Slovenia is on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage. At the table, the typical dish is idrijski žlikrofi, small dumplings filled with potato.
Around the town, the Idrijca River valley offers nature trails. The rake trail, an old mine water channel, runs from the kamšt to Divje jezero, a green lake formed by a deep karst spring, from which the shortest river in Slovenia flows.
This destination brings together 1 city: Idrija.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Boundaries: Geodetska uprava Republike Slovenije (GURS), Register prostorskih enot, 28/02/2024, licença CC BY 4.0. Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Letališče Jožeta Pučnika Ljubljana (LJU), in Brnik · 80 km to Idrija
The destination town is Idrija, about 60 km from Ljubljana via the A1 motorway to Logatec and then a mountain road. Ljubljana Airport (LJU) is about 80 km away. There is no train: the nearest station is Logatec, about 27 km away. Buses run from Ljubljana.
The local experience
The entrance to the Idrija mercury mine opened in 1500, one of the oldest preserved in Europe. The guided visit goes through about 1.2 km of galleries, with cinnabar ore and an underground chapel.
Renaissance castle built between 1522 and 1533 as the administrative headquarters and warehouse for the Idrija mine. It houses the town museum, with exhibits on the mine’s five centuries and bobbin lace.
Mine water pump built in 1790, powered by a 13.6-meter wooden wheel, considered the largest preserved wooden wheel of this type in Europe. It operated until 1948.
Small green lake at the foot of a cliff, south of Idrija, formed by a karst spring with more than 160 meters of explored depth. From it flows the Jezernica, Slovenia’s shortest river, at 55 meters.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From May to October, for walking in the Idrijca valley and to Divje jezero. The mine and the museums are open year-round, which makes Idrija a good option on cold or rainy days. In June, the town usually hosts the lace festival.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
One day covers the essentials: Antonijev rov, Gewerkenegg Castle, the kamšt and Divje jezero. Two days allow relaxed hiking through the Idrijca valley and visiting other places related to the mine.
Idrija’s center, around the main square and the castle, concentrates the town’s few accommodations, within walking distance of the mine and the museums. The surroundings, in the Idrijca valley and the hills, have rural guesthouses, quieter for those coming to hike.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
One day is enough for the mine, the castle, the kamšt and Divje jezero. With two days, you can do the trails in the Idrijca valley at a relaxed pace.
Yes. It’s about 60 km, a little more than an hour by car, and in one day you can visit the mine, the castle and Divje jezero.
For getting there, it helps, because there is no train and buses are infrequent. Within the town everything is walkable, and Divje jezero is reached by a trail from the kamšt.
Because of the mercury mine, which operated for about 500 years and became the second largest in the world, and the buildings associated with it. The 2012 inscription is shared with the Almadén mine in Spain.
