On Saturday, May 9th, two cross-border hikes and a cycling trip set off from Europe Square. Their aim was to present the results of implemented European projects to the general public and thus celebrate Europe Day. The guided tours were attended by people from the wider cross-border area, who became acquainted with the places, stories, and infrastructure created with the support of European Union programs.

The idea of the organizer, the European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC GO), was to bring European projects closer to the people through direct experience, by discovering the cross-border area on foot and by bicycle. Through organized guided tours, they learned about the fruits of three projects implemented with the help of the Small Projects Fund (SPF) GO! 2025.

“These are projects that are small in name only. Given the commitment and drive of the people who led them, they are actually fantastic projects that have truly left a lasting mark on our region,” said Tomaž Konrad, Assistant Director of EGTC GO.

One of the hikes took participants along the final stage of the 82-kilometer-long Goriška Camino, which was created as part of the Walk2spirit project. This new footpath connects Aquileia and Sveta Gora and offers everything found in much longer 'caminos,' making it an ideal entry point into the world of increasingly popular long-distance trails.

The hikers walked from Europe Square to the Solkan Kayak Center. There, they crossed the Soča River via the footbridge and continued along the slopes of Mt. Sabotin. They crossed the Soča again over the road bridge and entered Solkan, where they began the final ascent to the 682-meter-high Sveta Gora. Upon reaching the destination and touring the Sveta Gora Basilica, they also visited the 'Mir in dobro' (Peace and Good) Center, which was renovated under the Walk2spirit project and offers overnight accommodations for hikers and other visitors.