Kraljičin Zdenac – Sljeme peak
From Kraljičin Zdenac, continue north along the hiking trail. At the very beginning, the trail is relatively wide and follows the Kraljevec stream.
It soon begins to gently ascend, levels out and narrows slightly. After this narrower section, the trail continues to follow the Kraljevec stream and the Sljemenska Cesta road, then slowly veers away from them and becomes a wide trail again, further from the stream. The entire trail is almost completely within the forest and protected from the sun.
In 25 minutes, you’ll have walked 1.5 kilometres and climbed about 160 metres in elevation without much effort. At this point, you are at the base of Mrcina – a steep slope below the remains of the Brestovac sanatorium. The trail now starts to climb a bit more steeply before leveling out again. In the next 700 metres, you’ll need to climb another 180 metres. It might sound tough, but the trail consists of seven or eight long switchbacks with a moderate incline, so you can get through Mrcina with a steady pace and minimal effort.
The trail is slightly wider in the first three turns, then narrows significantly and becomes especially scenic. When you exit Mrcina, you’ll be at an altitude of 820 metres. The narrow and pleasant trail continues gently uphill until it reaches the Sljemenska Cesta road. Turn left and walk a few metres along the road, then cross it and climb up to Tomislav’s hut (Tomislavov dom). This short section is the steepest part of the trail. From Tomislav’s hut, the best way to reach the peak of Sljeme is either by taking the narrow hiking trail from the parking area or following the steep road up to the summit.
