Dolje – Njivice - Puntijarka mountain hut (Bikčević trail)

If you're using public transport, take tram line 15 to its final stop at Dolje. You’ll arrive at the lower station of the new Sljeme cable car. Walk around the building on the left side and head toward the tunnel. You’ll come out onto a path leading to the lower station of the old cable car. The actual trail starts after the tunnel, turning right onto a narrow paved path across the road, then continues north along the sidewalk. After a bend, it becomes a dirt path leading to the Bliznec parking lot, the official starting point of Bikčević trail. The entire way, you’ll be walking along Bliznec stream.

To the right of the parking lot are benches where you can rest or prepare for the climb. At the trailhead, you’ll cross a small bridge over Bliznec stream and begin ascending a wide uphill path. The trail climbs fairly steeply to a spring near Strmopeć hill, then becomes gentler as it leads toward Bačunsko Sedlo and the first resting point at Njivice. There is a wooden canopy and several benches at Njivice. Njivice is the junction of trails no. 18 and no. 19, which run together for about 100 metres before splitting again. From here, Bikčević trail becomes more level, scenic and peaceful compared to trail no. 19, which is wider, busier and steeper. Many hikers don’t realize that trail no. 18 branches off into this beautiful section – choose that one. You’ll reach the top about 15 minutes later than if you'd taken trail no. 19, but the climb is easier and the setting is far more tranquil.

At a junction, Bikčević trail narrows and enters a beautiful forest. Soon you’ll reach the Gornji Mrzljak rest area, home to the spring of the same name. Nestled in the woods and shaded from the sun, it’s an ideal summer rest stop. Continue straight north from Gornji Mrzljak. Shortly after, a steep old branch of the trail forks off to the left – ignore this and stay on the main path, which climbs gradually via wide, gentle switchbacks through a mostly coniferous forest. After several switchbacks, trail no. 18 reaches a junction with trail no. 64. This is where Bikčević trail officially ends. Turn right onto trail no. 64, and after a climb, you’ll reach trail no. 21. Turn left onto trail no. 21, which will take you to the Puntijarka mountain hut in about 15 minutes.

Bikčević trail is named after Tomislav Bikčević, a forestry engineer who built this route in 1955, the same year the Puntijarka hut opened. At the time, he was Zagreb’s head forester, known for his work on revitalizing the city’s forests and green spaces.