Mercator

Stara Fužina is one of the most attractive villages in the Bohinj valley, a cluster of old wooden and stone houses on a slope above Lake Bohinj, within Triglav National Park. The name tells part of its story. A fužina was an ironworks, and the village grew up around the forges of the Bohinj iron industry, which flourished here from the Middle Ages until the nineteenth century, using local ore, charcoal from the forests and the power of mountain streams. Today the village is better known for its traditional architecture, its hay racks, called kozolci, and its role as a starting point for walks into the mountains. Mercator, the village shop, is a small piece of everyday life in this setting.

Mercator is the largest supermarket chain in Slovenia, and its shops range from large hypermarkets in the cities to small neighbourhood stores in villages. The one in Stara Fužina belongs to the second kind, a modest shop that supplies the essentials to residents and to the many visitors who stay in guesthouses, apartments and campsites around the lake. For a traveller, this matters. Bohinj is a quiet place with few large shops, and if you are self-catering you will want to buy bread, dairy products, fruit and vegetables, sandwich fillings and drinks before heading out for a day of walking, cycling or swimming. A picnic bought here, perhaps with local cheese, which is a speciality of the valley, makes a good lunch by the lake or on a mountain pasture. The shop also sells Slovenian snacks and packaged specialities that make good souvenirs. Opening hours are those of a typical small supermarket, and shops in Slovenia may close early on Saturdays and open for limited hours on Sundays, so check the times and stock up in advance if you plan to arrive late.

The village offers a good deal more than shopping. Trgovina Krpan is another local shop, the Newly designed square for summer events is the place where the village gathers in season, and the 18th-century bridge built by Baron Žiga Zois recalls the Bohinj iron industry and its owner. Gorges, Geologic formations and Hiking along well-maintained paths give the surrounding landscape its character, and the Mostnica Gorge, with its clear green water and polished rock, begins a short walk from the village. A small dairy museum tells the story of Alpine cheese-making, which is a good complement to a shop visit.

The shop is a practical stop rather than an attraction in itself, and it suits visitors who are self-catering, campers, cyclists and walkers. Buy water and food before setting off on longer trails. Inside, the shop is plain and practical, and that is exactly what a base in Bohinj needs.