Fairytale on Velika Planina is everything I love about mountain resorts: it’s remote and isolated, yet still nicely connected to the valley by a cable car or a road that ends only 45 minutes away. It has personality and all the little benefits of any other nice resort in the valley, plus you stay in pristine nature with spectacular views of sunlit mountaintops of the Alps. That’s why I was beyond psyched when the kind folks at Fairytale on Velika Planina invited me up for a few days of snowy trails and jaw-dropping sunrises and sunsets.

And did I mention dogs are allowed? Lisa and her furry buddy Hari were welcome too!

Sunset on Velika Planina, Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
A true spectacle of nature… Most of the photos are by: Lorenzo Acciai

Hiking with dogs on Velika Planina, Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
Two minutes from our little mountain cottage we found a perfect spot to absorb the beauty of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps beaming in the sun and a sea of fog covering the valleys beneath us.

Since it was during the weekdays, my kids couldn’t come due to school, so my friend and me showed up at the Fairytale on Velika Planina around 6.30 pm. It was already night and the cable car was closed, so we needed to take the alternative road around the mountain up to the highest parking lot called Mačkin Kot. From there, it was just a nice 45-minute walk up a gravel road, which made tugging up a three-day-worth of things much easier. The cottage was spacious and warm, it had a wood burning fireplace, floor heating, and a sauna, which helped us defrost faster after hiking in temperatures way below freezing.

Fancy dinner on Velika Planina, Koča, koca.si, visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
Nothing beats a home cooked dinner and a glass of wine, right?
Playing cards in koca.si on Velika Planina, Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
…or a game of cards ?
Koca.si resort on Velika Planina, Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
Yep, we woke up to a morning like that!
Koca.si resort on Velika Planina, Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
Located on an open and sunlit hill just two minutes from Gradišče, the very peak of Velika Planina, the cute Fairytale on Velika Planina Resort offers incredible views almost 360 degrees

Velika Planina
Located on the southern rim of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps just some thirty kilometers north of Slovenia’s boutique capital Ljubljana, the Alpine plateau Velika Planina is the place to unplug and recharge one’s batteries. The place is known not only for its enchanting shepherds’ settlement, the oldest in Europe that remains active to date and produces organic milk goodies every summer, but also for long hiking and biking trails, and skiing and sledding in winter.

Velika Planina old shephderds' settlement for sunrise, Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
Read more about Velika Planina: Unique Alpine pasture near Ljubljana, Velika Planina and its endless fields of crocuses, Winter fun and sledding at Velika Planina, Velika Planina Instameet
Hiking on Velika Planina in the snow, Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
… yet it never ceases to amaze me
The old shepherds' settlement on Velika Planina in the winter, Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
The old shepherds’ settlement under a white blanket of snow

Velika Planina for sunrise and sunset
While sunrises and sunsets in the mountains hold a special place in my heart, it’s practically impossible to experience them without skipping half of my night sleep. Plus, whether I admit it or not, coordination at night is not my strongest virtue. That’s why for someone who likes their sleep as much as me, spending the night right on the spot where you always wanted to experience that magical sunrise or sunset is the option to go! Five minutes after waking up, I was already on my private little terrace, sipping hot tea and getting lost in beautiful vibrant colors and spectacular scenery just a stone’s throw away.

Koca.si resort on Velika Planina, Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
My morning cup of hot tea…
Velika Planina for sunrise in the winter, snow, Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
…with views of hilly Alpine landscape and a few neighboring cottages
Koca.si Velika Planina Resort for sunrise in the winter, Slovenia, Ljubljana
…and simply fantastic views of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps
Velika Planina old shephderds' settlement for sunrise, Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
The old shepherds’ settlement just waking up into a beautiful morning

Hiking from the Fairytale on Velika Planina Resort
But you know what was even cooler? I could literally walk out of my cottage and hike in mesmerizing backcountry, exploring deep caves (Veternica and Dovja Griča Cave) and old shepherds’ huts, which have mostly been turned into mountain resorts, skating on small frozen ponds, and relaxing outside in the snow.

Velika Planina old shephderds' settlement for sunrise, Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
My day on Velika Planina started with a 1-2-hour walk before breakfast
A beautiful day on Velika Planina in winter, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Because who would ever want to sleep in if you can hike in the snow and sun?!
Dogs playing freely on Velika Planina, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Lisa and Hari could play freely outside
Koca.si resort on Velika Planina, Visit Ljubljana, Slovenia
One’s got to hike but one’s got to relax, too, right?!?

Truly, it was beautiful and I couldn’t believe that such an awesome terrain was so easily accessible! I mean, we literally hiked from our cottage into the surreal world! Let’s face it; we did have the best possible conditions with full sunshine upon us and the valley obscured by a thick blanket of fog. And the snow. Nevertheless, I imagine spending a few days in the Fairtale on Velika Planina Resort is always a treat, since in less favorable weather I could always just relax in the sauna!

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Looking for a gorgeous tour in the mountains? Exploring Slovenia offers guided hiking and climbing tours!

Read also:
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Slovenia in spring: from flowers to snow in six hiking trips
Climbing Mt. Stol, the iconic postcard mountain behind Bled

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