The road to Mangart Saddle is the highest in Slovenia, reaching a peak altitude of 2,072 meters. It was built in 1938 by the Italian army under Mussolini, as this part of Slovenia belonged to Italy at the time. The ascent is narrow, with many hairpin bends, and the road is quite exposed, making it unsuitable for the faint-hearted. However, once you reach the top, you are rewarded with fantastic natural scenery and breathtaking panoramic views.
Our Visit
We decided to visit Mangart Saddle during our stay in Slovenia in the fall of 2025. It was a beautiful Saturday at the end of September, and many people were out on the roads, taking advantage of the last days of summer weather.
Despite this, it was certainly quieter than during the summer high season. Because of the many tourists, the number of cars allowed on the road at the same time is limited. When it’s full, it’s one car down, one car up. For our part, we didn’t have to wait long—there were only three cars ahead of us in the queue. We can imagine, however, that the line is much longer during the peak season. Once at the top, there were many cars and some congestion, so we had to park wherever we could find a space. Definitely not for the faint-hearted.
The final stretch of the road to the top was closed due to a rockfall. However, this provided a good opportunity to get some exercise by walking the last section.
The Road to Mangart Saddle
The road up to Mangart Saddle is both beautiful and scenic. At the same time, it is narrow and steep, with many hairpin bends and narrow tunnels. Despite these challenges, the great views make the journey well worth it.
Being the highest road in Slovenia, Mangart Saddle attracts many sports cyclists who challenge themselves to ride to the top. As a driver, this means you’ll share the road not only with other cars but also with cyclists making their way up.
Once at the top, you are rewarded with spectacular views to the south and west, overlooking Sella Nevea in Italy and the Soča Valley in Slovenia. If you continue all the way to the summit, you also get a breathtaking view north toward the Fusine Lakes in Italy.
About a third of the way up the road, there is a toll station, and the fee to drive up is €10. At the time of writing, payment is accepted by cash only.
Getting to Mangart Saddle
There are two ways to reach Mangart from Ljubljana.
- Via Tarvisio in Italy - Drive to Kranjska Gora and then cross the border into Italy, continuing to Tarvisio. From Tarvisio, head toward Sella Nevea and then re-enter Slovenia via the Predel Pass. The journey takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes by car. Don’t forget your passport!
- Via Vršič Pass - Drive to Kranjska Gora, then cross the Vršič Pass and descend into the Trenta Valley. In Bovec, turn toward the Predel Pass. This route takes about 3 hours by car.
If you’re reading this blog post in our app, you can tap Show on map in the menu at the top right to get directions from your current location.
More to See and Do
In addition to Mangart Saddle, the area offers many other sights and experiences to enjoy.
- Fort Predel - A fort that played an important role in the wars against Napoleon, located near the Predel Pass between Slovenia and Italy. It was built in 1808 by the Austro-Hungarian monarchy in preparation for the conflict with Napoleon. You can read more here
- Fort Kluže - Another fort built by the Austro-Hungarian monarchy.
- Mangart Waterfall - A waterfall located near the start of the Mangart Saddle road.
- Strmec na Predelu - A picturesque village on the route down toward the Soča Valley and the town of Bovec.
- Log pod Mangartom - Another picturesque village along the same route.
- Loška Koritnica - “Koritnica” means “sink.” This is a beautiful valley between the Mangart Massif and the mountains near the Trenta Valley.
To see the locations of these places, tap Show on map in the app’s menu at the top right.
Fun & Adventure
- Hiking - From Mangart Saddle, you can hike all the way to the top of Mangart. We may cover this in a separate post. In this blog post, we focus on the hike up to the top of the saddle. To view the hiking directions, select Hiking directions in the app’s top-right menu.
- Paragliding - Several companies offer tandem paragliding from Mangart Saddle. We recommend that those interested search for Mangart paragliding online to find suitable organizers. Please note that we have no personal experience with these companies.
- Bicycling - Cycling up to Mangart Saddle is a big challenge. We recommend bringing your own bike, but if you don’t have one, there are several rental shops in the town of Bovec.
Places to Stay
- Dobra Vila - A small, high-end boutique hotel in the town of Bovec.
- Soča Splash Home - Apartments ideal for anyone looking for an active vacation, located just outside the town of Bovec.
- Villas and apartments - You can also find several villas and apartments for rent near Mangart.
Where to Eat
- Restaurant Mangrt - A quality restaurant in a beautiful alpine village not far from Mangart Saddle. You can book a table here
- Bovec Kitch’n - A small street food restaurant located on the main square in Bovec, serving local dishes.
