Gorišek Brothers' hill

The Gorišek Brothers' hill, in Slovene Letalnica bratov Gorišek, is the main ski-flying hill of Planica, the valley beyond Rateče in the far north-west of Slovenia. Ski flying is the most extreme form of ski jumping, performed on hills so large that jumpers fly for the length of several football fields, and Planica is regarded as its spiritual home. The hill is named after the brothers who designed it, and it was built in 1969 as a successor to an earlier giant hill from the 1930s. It has a hill size of 240 metres, among the largest in the world, and a calculation point of 200 metres.

Its history is full of milestones. The Ski Flying World Championships have been held here several times, and world records have repeatedly been set on the slope. In 1994 the Finnish jumper Toni Nieminen became the first person to officially fly beyond 200 metres at Planica, a result that was widely celebrated at the time and has become part of the valley's legend. In recent years jumpers have gone beyond 250 metres here, and each spring the Planica World Cup finals draw tens of thousands of fans to the outrun, creating one of the biggest sporting events in the country.

Outside the competition days, visitors can walk the length of the valley and see the structure close up. Standing at the foot of the in-run, you get a sense of its scale, and many people are struck by how steep and long it is. The hill sits within the Nordic Centre Planica, a modern complex that includes exhibition space, a ski-jump museum and several jumps of different sizes, such as the Large Rožman/Bloudek hill, named after Stanko Bloudek, the engineer who built the first giant hill at Planica. The Judging Stations, the Planica Zipline and the Ski Jumping Simulators give a feel for the sport, while the Heroes of Planica interactive game and the Disc golf park cater to families. The Planica wind tunnel offers a simulated flying experience.

The setting is spectacular. The valley is a glacial trough with steep rocky walls, and in summer the grass-covered slopes are quiet, while in winter the snow and the white jump create a dramatic view. Walkers and cyclists can continue along paths from the valley toward Tamar, a mountain hut at the head of the valley. To see an actual competition, check the calendar of events in advance, because tickets and accommodation fill up early.