Sveti Jakob (806 m)

A church on top of a small hill. A cyclist on the hillside.

The most photogenic hill in the Ljubljana area

Sveti Jakob, an attractive little hill topped by the little church that gives it its name, is one of the most attractive photo opportunities in the Ljubljana area and one of the most popular hiking destinations on the edge of the capital – especially in spring and summer, when the meadows below it are carpeted with colourful flowers.

Its summit offers a magnificent view over the Ljubljana Basin, the Kamnik–Savinja Alps, the Karavanke/Karawanken range, the Julian Alps with Mount Triglav, the rest of the Polhov Gradec Dolomites, the hills of the Posavje and Notranjska region and the Sora Plain. There’s also good news for those who prefer to avoid lengthy climbs: you can also reach the summit of Sveti Jakob via a relatively short trail (beginning above the car park at the Na Vihri gostilna in Topol) that nevertheless offers fine views and plenty of variety. This is a short and undemanding excursion that charms visitors over and over again.