Sustainability in Cerklje na Gorenjskem

Guidelines for a sustainable visit to the destination. When visitors act responsibly, we reduce the impact of tourism on nature, the environment and the quality of life of the local community. Thank you for responsibly separating and recycling your waste and helping to keep the environment clean. The water is clean and drinkable everywhere – refill your bottle and reduce your use of plastic. Thank you for cleaning up after your pets and always keeping them on a lead in public areas. Thank you for consciously protecting nature and being aware of the impact of climate change on our fragile mountain areas. Thank you for not approaching animals in pastures and for not disturbing or feeding them. Thank you for respecting the peace and avoiding unnecessary noise, for the good of people, animals and nature. Thank you for not using unnecessary lighting in nature at night, helping to preserve the starry sky and the night-time peace of animals. Thank you for parking only in designated places and respecting private property and farmland. Thank you for respecting the peace and dignity of our cultural sights and religious buildings. Thank you for choosing sustainable ways of getting around, such as walking, cycling and public transport, to explore Cerklje. Thank you for valuing the local community and its traditions and buying home-made products from local producers. Thank you for greeting others in the mountains, giving way correctly on the trail and being properly equipped. Thank you for driving and behaving respectfully and considerately on forest roads, paths and public areas. Thank you for helping, through your actions, to preserve nature, cultural heritage and the quality of life in Cerklje na Gorenjskem. We would be delighted if you shared your lovely stories with us too @visitcerklje.

Discover the Češnjevek Ponds and other fragile natural areas of Cerklje na Gorenjskem. Let’s visit them respectfully and responsibly. Watch animals from a distance – do not disturb or feed animals in their natural habitat. Admire the plants – do not pick them; leave them in nature. Keep dogs on a lead – this protects wildlife and other visitors. Stay on marked paths – this protects fragile habitats. Respect the Natura 2000 site – help preserve valuable habitats. Respect the peace of nature – do not disturb animals with noise or bright light. Protect habitats – do not enter reed beds, wetlands or other such areas. Take your litter home – leave the environment clean behind you. Every responsible visit helps preserve the nature of Cerklje na Gorenjskem. The QR code on the graphic leads to the old website (visitcerklje.si/sl/kam-v-cerkljah/naravne-znamenitosti).

Discover Strmol Castle, Adergas Monastery, Hribar Villa and many other cultural sights of Cerklje na Gorenjskem. Let’s visit them respectfully. Respect the peace and the cultural buildings – be quiet and respect religious customs and dress codes. Preserve cultural heritage – do not damage buildings, monuments or other elements of cultural heritage. Take photos responsibly – respect the rules at each site and do not use flash where it is not permitted. Keep to the marked routes – follow the instructions of managers and custodians and do not enter closed or restricted parts of buildings. Do not leave litter behind. Respect the visiting rules – observe opening hours, any restrictions and other instructions. Be respectful towards cultural heritage – do not touch fragile objects and equipment where this is not permitted. Respect the privacy of other visitors. Every respectful visit helps preserve cultural heritage for future generations. The QR code on the graphic leads to the old website (visitcerklje.si/sl/kam-v-cerkljah/kulturne-znamenitosti).

Cerklje na Gorenjskem is home to many wild animal species and to traditional farms where domestic animals live. Responsible behaviour by visitors makes an important contribution to preserving biodiversity, animal welfare and the quality of the animals’ habitat. Watch animals from a safe distance: from afar, with binoculars or a camera zoom; do not catch or chase animals, and do not approach them to take photos. If an animal changes its behaviour because of our presence, we are too close. Do not feed animals: feeding changes their natural eating habits, increases the risk of disease, makes them dependent on people and increases the likelihood of conflict. Respect the periods of nesting, breeding, rearing young, overwintering and seasonal migration – at these times, keep to marked paths and respect access restrictions. Reduce noise and light pollution: respect the silence of nature, do not use speakers or play loud music, use torches at night only when necessary, do not shine lights into forests, meadows and ponds, and do not use flash when taking photos. Keep dogs on a lead; pick up after your dog and respect designated areas and access restrictions. Responsible birdwatching: do not use sound recordings to attract birds, do not approach nests, do not disturb nesting or resting birds, stay on marked paths – the welfare of the birds comes before the photo. Respect farm animals: stroke them only with the owner’s permission, do not feed them without consent, respect their space, do not use flash, and explain to children why it matters to treat animals with respect. Support amphibian conservation: every spring, volunteer campaigns take place in Cerklje to help frogs and other amphibians migrate to their spawning grounds in Češnjevek. Visitors are welcome to join the volunteers. Together, let’s keep nature animal-friendly.

Transport is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. By choosing to walk, cycle or use public transport, we can significantly reduce our impact on the climate. By public transport: Arriva bus services and regular routes to Kranj and Ljubljana; the nearest railway station is in Kranj. Up Krvavec by cable car: leave your car in the valley and check the summer and winter timetables. Hop-on Hop-off around the Kamnik–Savinja Alps: during the summer season, booking required. Around Cerklje by bike: the Gorenjska.bike system (stations in front of the TIC and the Velesovo football centre); seasonal bike rental at the valley and upper cable car stations and at the Hotel Krvavec reception (info@rtc-krvavec.si or 04 252 59 49) and from Miha Pavlin s.p., Šenturška Gora (WhatsApp 00386 41 264 391); bike repair stations: Zdravstveni dom Cerklje (health centre), Velesovo football centre, by the pump track in Dvorje, and in Češnjevek; TIC Cerklje: basic spare parts for bikes. Cycling and hiking routes: 8 marked cycling routes, plus hiking and themed trails. Electric vehicle charging points: more than 5 locations. The QR codes for the cycling, hiking and themed trails lead to the old website (visitcerklje.si/sl/kam-v-cerkljah/…); the links above lead to the corresponding new pages.

The circular route connects Cerklje, Preddvor, Jezersko, Solčava, Luče, Gornji Grad, Kamnik and Komenda. It runs every day from 20 June to 13 September.

Choosing local, seasonal and minimally processed food shortens transport distances, supports local producers and helps reduce the impact on the climate. Choose local: visit the Cerklje market on the 11th of every month, buy from milk and egg vending machines, choose seasonal produce and buy from local farms. Local produce: Kmečki hram in Cerklje (Trg Davorina Jenka 6) and Kmetijska zadruga Cerklje (Cerklje Agricultural Cooperative), Slovenska cesta 2. Taste the local cuisine: dishes made with local ingredients, traditional dishes and recipes of the area, local inns and tourist farms. Let’s reduce food waste: buy only as much food as we need, use leftovers in the next meal or take them away with us, store food properly and keep an eye on use-by dates.

Wastewater management is an important activity with a major impact on the environment, so it is important that we handle wastewater responsibly. Wastewater is water that, after use in households and industry, is discharged into septic tanks or treatment plants, as well as rainwater run-off from roofs. How we can help: use less water; do not put hazardous waste (medicines, paints, varnishes, solvents, acids), solid waste (small plastic items, wet wipes, sanitary pads, textiles) or food scraps down drains or the toilet; do not pour away used oils or petroleum products; do not drain rainwater into a septic tank or small domestic treatment plant; do not dispose of sludge from small treatment plants and septic tanks on farmland or into the sewer; once a public sewer has been built, decommission your septic tank and connect to it. How to save water: turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, shampooing your hair and soaping your hands; use the water from washing salad or fruit to water plants; take a shower rather than a bath; choose dishwashers and washing machines with the lowest consumption; run them only when they are full; when washing up by hand, turn on the tap only for rinsing; do not thaw frozen food under running water; turn taps off tightly; check that the toilet cistern does not leak; water the garden early in the morning or in the evening.

1. Think before you buy. 2. Use reusables (bottles, cups, containers and bags). 3. Avoid unnecessary packaging and support local providers. 4. Plan your meals and reduce food waste. 5. Repair, extend the life of items or find them a new user. 6. Swap, give away, buy second-hand. 7. Print double-sided and go digital. 8. Compost organic waste at home or put it in the brown bin. 9. Sort your waste correctly. 10. Set an example for others. Did you know? As much as 40% of waste is generated in our homes. Where to put your waste: organic waste – brown bin or compost bin; packaging – yellow bin (plastic, metal, Tetra Pak cartons, polystyrene); paper – blue bin; glass – green bin (glass packaging without lids); residual waste – black bin; Zbirni center Cerklje (Cerklje waste collection centre) – hazardous and bulky waste, electronic equipment and more.

Glass: bottles, jars, glass food and drink packaging. Packaging: plastic bottles, tins and cans, Tetra Pak cartons, plastic bags, plastic film and aluminium foil, polystyrene packaging, CD and DVD cases. Paper: envelopes, office paper, newspapers and magazines, paper bags, cardboard packaging and paperboard. Organic waste: fruit and vegetable peelings, food leftovers, spoiled food (without packaging), paper tissues and napkins, coffee filters and tea bags. Residual waste: greasy packaging and packaging soiled with food, broken ceramics and porcelain, cork stoppers, face masks and gloves.

Climate change is affecting Cerklje na Gorenjskem too. Through everyday actions, each of us can help reduce our impact on the environment. We are already feeling climate change: higher temperatures (more frequent heatwaves and longer dry spells), shorter winters, less natural snow, fewer opportunities for snowmaking, more precipitation (more frequent storms and local flooding), more frequent extreme events (windstorms, hail). How we can help: sustainable mobility (walking, cycling, public or shared transport), save energy (use it efficiently and from renewable sources), save water, reduce waste, respect nature, support local providers and products. Every sustainable action counts.

Only a few key achievements in the field of sustainable development are listed. Projects and investments: the Medgeneracijski živžav na Ambrožu (Intergenerational Fun at Ambrož) development programme; distribution of more than 2,000 carnation seedlings to households in 2024; annual clean-up campaigns; an amphibian crossing project in a protected area; work under the Smart Lighting project; a new integrated transport strategy up to 2032; greening of Cerklje town centre; energy renovation of NC Velesovo; solar power plants on the Cerklje fire station and the municipal building; construction of a sewerage system in the Krvavec area; renovation of the water supply infrastructure; flood protection measures and the Velesovo retention basin; new play areas at NC Velesovo; the Fish Adventure project; an accessibility audit; publication of a culinary catalogue. Support for the local community: renovation and maintenance of religious buildings; construction and maintenance of forest skid trails; help for first-time home seekers; preserving and promoting the development of agriculture, forestry and the countryside; co-financing of the Mayor’s patronages, youth programmes, the renovation of hayracks (kozolci), cultural programmes, the annual sports programme and major sporting events, social, humanitarian and disability programmes, repairing damage suffered by amateur cultural societies in the floods of August 2023, and projects of war and veterans’ organisations. Sustainability activities and cooperation: obtaining the Silver sustainability label; presentation of the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism (ZSST) action plan to the municipal council; submission of annual ZSST reports; the products Visit to the Blacksmith’s Workshop and Cultural Journey with Borštnik; sustainable transport around the Kamnik–Savinja Alps (KSA) with a hop-on hop-off minibus; collecting supplies for the Horjul animal shelter; fundraising for the renovation of the Ignacij Borštnik Cultural Hall; more products from local providers in the TIC shop; clay-making and finger-knitting workshops; an Advent quiz with stakeholders; surveys of residents, visitors and providers; regular meetings and training sessions with providers; raising awareness of the consequences of climate change; regular Cerklje markets; a hearing loop (municipality and Cultural Hall). In 2025, compared with the previous year, the Municipality of Cerklje recorded: +12.9% overnight stays, +2.8% beds, +8.7% people employed in tourism and +16.83% carbon footprint.

Cerklje compared with Slovenia (2025): growth in overnight stays 2025/2024 – Cerklje +12.9%, Slovenia +5.9% (above average); GINI coefficient of arrival intensity – Cerklje 0.27, Slovenia 0.30 (more balanced); share of people employed in tourism – Cerklje 27.2%, Slovenia 7.6% (above average); growth in permanent beds 2025/2024 – Cerklje +2.8%, Slovenia +2.2% (above average); average length of stay (nights) – Cerklje 2.26, Slovenia 2.55 (below average).

2025: 41,110 arrivals (+12.4% on the previous year) and 92,954 overnight stays (+12.9% on the previous year); 16,667 overnight stays by domestic guests and 76,287 by foreign guests (domestic 17.9%, foreign 82.1%); 1,347 permanent beds; 416 accommodation units; 1,438 people employed in tourism in the municipality (OECD methodology); average length of stay 2.6 nights (all markets). The graphic also includes a monthly breakdown of overnight stays, the top 10 markets, an annual overview of tourist numbers for 2018–2025 and seasonality. The exact values of the individual bars cannot be reliably read from the graphic, so they are not given in the text.