Kranj

June and September are the best months, warm enough for walks in the Kokra canyon and on the hills but not too hot. July and August are warm, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Winters are cold and grey, with snow on the surrounding hills.

The biggest local day is the Prešeren Fair on 8 February, the Slovenian cultural holiday and the anniversary of the poet's death. The old town hosts a fair and cultural events. In summer, the courtyard of Khislstein Castle hosts open-air concerts and theatre.

Church of St Cantianus on the main square is one of the finest late Gothic churches in Slovenia. Inside, slender pillars hold a star-shaped vault with carved keystones and 15th-century frescoes of angels playing music. Its bell tower is open to visitors and has views of the Alps in every direction.

Khislstein Castle stands on the western edge of the old rock, above the Sava. It was built in the 13th century on an older keep and renovated by the architect Jože Plečnik in 1952. It now holds exhibitions of the Gorenjska Museum, and its courtyard is the town's summer stage.

Prešeren House, on Prešernova ulica, is where the poet lived from 1846 until his death in 1849. It is now a small memorial museum, with his bedroom and law office furnished with original pieces.

Prešeren Grove is a shady park on the site of the old town cemetery. It holds the tombstone of France Prešeren and the grave of the poet Simon Jenko.

The Kranj Tunnels are a network of about 1,300 m of tunnels dug under the old town during the Second World War as air-raid shelters. You can visit them only on a tour, which you book at the tourist office on the main square, Glavni trg. Bring a warm layer, because it is cool inside all year.

The Kokra canyon runs right below the old town, about 30 m deep. Paths lead down to the river, past conglomerate cliffs, an old orchard and the remains of mills.

Plečnik Staircase, Fountain and Arcades stand beside the Rosary Church, at the southern end of the old town. From here it is a short walk to Pungert, the tip of the rock with an old defence tower and views over the canyon.

Brdo Castle, about 10 minutes north of town by car, is a Renaissance mansion in a huge park with ponds, woods and Lipizzaner horses. It is used by the Slovenian state for official events and summits. The park is open to visitors daily, except during state events.

Kranj's best experiences are underground, in its gorge and on the hills that rise straight from the town.

• Go under the old town: Join a tour of the Kranj Tunnels, the wartime air-raid shelters cut into the rock. In late November, the tunnels host the Wine Route, when winemakers from all over Slovenia pour their wines in the passages.
• Walk the Kokra canyon: Take the paths down from the old town to the river. In early spring the banks are full of wild garlic, and on hot summer days locals swim in the river.
• Climb to Sveti Jošt: An easy marked trail of about 45 minutes leads to this hill with a pilgrimage church, a mountain hut and wide views of the Alps.
• Watch the sunset from Šmarjetna gora: This hill just west of town is a 30–40-minute walk from the Stražišče district. A church and a hotel with a terrace stand at the top.
• Spend a summer evening at the castle: In summer, concerts and theatre performances take place in the courtyard of Khislstein Castle.

Kranj is in the middle of Upper Carniola, so the Alpine lakes, the capital and several old towns are all close.

• Škofja Loka — about 15–20 minutes by car or bus. A well-preserved medieval town with a castle above two rivers.
• Radovljica — about 20 minutes by car or train. A small old town on a terrace above the Sava, known for beekeeping and chocolate.
• Bled — about 20–25 minutes by car, or a short bus ride. The famous Alpine lake with an island church and a castle on a cliff.
• Ljubljana — about 30 minutes by car, train or bus. Slovenia's capital, with a castle above a riverside old town.
• Kamnik — about 30 minutes by car. A small historic town at the foot of the Kamnik–Savinja Alps, and the base for the high pastures of Velika planina.
• Bohinj — about 1 hour by car. A large, quiet lake inside Triglav National Park, with hiking and swimming in summer.

Kranj is the largest town in Upper Carniola, the Alpine region of north-west Slovenia.

• Historic towns nearby: Škofja Loka, Radovljica and Kamnik have compact old centres and are easy to combine with Kranj.
• Lakes and mountains: Bled, Bohinj, Kranjska Gora and Triglav National Park are the places for Alpine scenery and hiking.

• By air: Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport at Brnik is only about 7 km from Kranj. A taxi takes about 15 minutes.
• By train: Kranj station is on the main line from Ljubljana to Jesenice and Austria. Trains from Ljubljana take about 30 minutes. The station is below the old town, about a 15-minute walk uphill. Slovenian Railways
• By bus: Frequent buses link Kranj with Ljubljana, Bled and other towns in Upper Carniola. The main bus station is about a 10-minute walk from the old town. Arriva Slovenia
• By car: The A2 motorway from Ljubljana to Austria passes the town, with the exits Kranj East and Kranj West. Slovenian motorways need an e-vignette.

• On foot: The old town is small, and all its sights are within a 10-minute walk. Paths down into the Kokra canyon are short but steep.
• City buses: Arriva runs the town bus lines, including to Brdo. Tap a contactless bank card on the reader each time you board. You pay only one cheap day ticket per day, and drivers do not accept cash. Arriva Slovenia
• Cycling: The flat land around the town is good for cycling, but the climbs up to the old town and into the hills are steep.

• Is a car worth it?: Not for the town itself, which is compact and well connected by train and bus. A car is useful for Brdo, the trailheads in the hills and day trips around Upper Carniola.
• Parking: Parking in the old town is very limited. Use the public car parks at its edge and walk in.

Food in Kranj is hearty Upper Carniolan cooking: Carniolan sausage (kranjska klobasa), buckwheat dishes, štruklji dumplings and trout. In the villages around the town, traditional inns (gostilna) and tourist farms serve home-made meals.

For eating in town, go to the old town, especially the main square, Glavni trg, and the streets around it, where cafés and restaurants fill the old houses. In May, the Fine Cuisine in and around Kranj festival brings special menus to local restaurants.

Kranj is a very safe town, and crime against visitors is rare. Normal care with belongings is enough.

The main risks are outdoors. The paths into the Kokra canyon are steep and can be slippery after rain. If you swim in the rivers, watch for cold water and currents. Summer afternoons often bring thunderstorms, so start hikes early. Tap water is safe to drink.

People have lived on the rock above the Sava and the Kokra since prehistoric times. The Romans had a settlement here called Carnium. In the 6th century a large Germanic and later Lombard settlement stood on the site, and Slavs settled the area afterwards.

In the Middle Ages, Kranj was an important seat in Carniola, and it was first called a town in 1256. In the same year the Counts of Ortenburg built Khislstein Castle to guard the river crossing. In the 15th century the town built Church of St Cantianus and strong walls, and parts of the walls still stand at Pungert.

The poet France Prešeren moved to Kranj in 1846 to work as a lawyer and died here in 1849. He is buried in Prešeren Grove. In the 20th century, Kranj became a major textile town. During the Second World War, under German occupation, the tunnels under the old town were dug as shelters, and today you can visit them.

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