ST36 AAT: Lipica - Bagnoli della Rosandra

Lipica is a great starting point to learn Karst, a limestone terrain that lies between the Adriatic Sea and the valley of Vipava.  The karst landscape is admired as a well-preserved natural and cultural heritage, characterized by mild Mediterranean climate and its stone architecture. Then there are the Lipizzaner horses, one of the oldest horse breeds in the world, observable in their natural environment in the karst forest . In a karst area , where the water runs deep in land, is a river that has made its way anything but "normal". There are open views of the Karst, from the Alps to the Adriatic Sea. That's  why the Val Rosandra is an unique natural reserve.

From Lipica at 398 m, following the main road through the stud farm of the Lipizzaner horses, we arrive on the Basovizza-Lokev road and after a hundred meters we reach Lokev. We turn right on the marked trail going uphill to the Mountain Lodge Kokoš at 760 m, located a short distance from the summit of M. Cocusso (meaning hen). From the summit on the border with Italy, you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view. Then we descend to the ruins of the Church of Saint Thomas and the nearby cemetery. Pass a paved road on the left we continue straight down until reaching a paved road that leads to Vrpolje, following it on the right until the intersection with the road of Valico di Pese at 455 m. At the crossroads we continue straight up to the houses of Michael and after a short descent we take the cycle path that runs along the former Trieste-Erpelle railway, which then leads to Italy on the right. The cycle path makes a wide tour, passes near the village of Draga Sant'Elia and then ends at the Val Rosanda. After passing two tunnels, we leave the cycle path and descend along the steep CAI 1 trail to the Botazzo houses at 190 m. Always following the CAI 1 trail we cross the Valley Rosandra following the wide path on the left side of the valley, observing the torrent of the river (at the crossroads, following the CAI 13 trail, you can reach the church of S. Maria in Siaris). The wide CAI 1 path continues slightly downhill to the upper Bagnoli houses where the Premuda cottage is located. From there following the paved road we reach Bagnoli della Rosandra at 60 m, which is the end of the tour and the seat of the Visitor Center of the Regional Natural Reserve of Val Rosandra.