Bordered by heavily touristed countries like Italy, Croatia, Hungary and Austria, Slovenia often gets overlooked. We were surprised to discover that it is just as beautiful as its neighbors (if not more so!), and we were pleased to find that unlike its neighbors it is not yet saturated with selfie sticks and tour groups.
Perhaps I would have felt differently if I had visited the coastal town of Piran, which looks much more Balkan and more my style.
But even though it wasn’t what I thought it would be, I had a wonderful road trip in Slovenia, I absolutely recommend it, and I’d love to return next summer.
Though many people use the term “Balkans” to describe the former Yugoslavia and Albania (myself included), the Balkan peninsula technically includes Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece as well. But Balkans purists use the term to describe the region beneath the Balkan mountain range. And only a tiny portion of Slovenia is within this range. When you add that geography to the fact that Slovenia has also been part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it makes sense that it looks so different.
Day Four Essential Info: Since we were flying out early the next day, we stayed at Dvor Jezeršek, a hotel home to a culinary school in Brnik, right by Ljubljana’s airport. The hotel was nice and the food was terrific.
I had a great time — but Slovenia was not what I expected it to be. That’s not entirely a bad thing; I just went in with the wrong expectations.
As a Balkans-phile, I expected Slovenia to be more like its former Yugoslavian neighbors like Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro and Macedonia. Truthfully, Slovenia did not feel remotely Balkan to me. It felt like Austria. I mean, look at it!
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A short drive from Bled is Lake Bohinj, known for being a quiet alternative to Lake Bled. It lived up to the hype — it had all the beauty of Lake Bled (sans the lakeside castle and perfect church-dotted island) without the crowds. There were several campgrounds on the lake’s edge, and most of the people here seemed to be looking for a low-key getaway with few frills.
A 10-minute drive from Bled is the town of Radovljica, so we drove up to check it out. While most of the museums and attractions had closed by the time we arrived, it was certainly a pretty town with some nice cafes and cute shops.
After leaving Radovljica, we drove back to Bled and visited Bled Castle for the view over the lake.
It certainly did not disappoint.
Peter rowed there. I rowed back. It took about ten minutes each way.
Of course, the distance is short enough that you can swim if you want to. These teenagers did!
In fact, Peter loved the idea so much that he swam back!
Coming down to the shore, this was my first view of Bled Castle across the water.
Next came the ultimate view of Lake Bled: the church-topped island with the castle in the background.
Other museums tell more about the history of Ptuj, which was settled in the 5th millennium BC. During Roman times, the city was bigger than London.
Ann Abel (to be continued)
It was all terrific fun, and I’m grateful to Ursula Kordiš of Wanderlux Journeys for taking me there as a post-script to days of exploring the Slovenian Alps in winter.
Ann Abel (to be continued)
The cowbells certainly make quite a clanging, even though when I visited on an unseasonably warm February weekend, winter was nowhere in sight.
Ann Abel (to be continued)
Ptuj, the oldest town in Slovenia, has become famous for its carnival. (What? You thought the sheepskins and cowbells were an everyday thing? ) The dancing, sheepskinned men are called Kurenti, and the celebration is called Kurentovanje.
Ann Abel (to be continued)
It was beautiful, natural, and the accommodation was a mixture of treehouses and luxury tents. It had a “swimming pond” that was built into the landscape and its own stream in the back. They grew so much of their food, including several varieties of mint for mojitos.
And look at their dining tables! That is GRASS!
These caves are gargantuan, spooky, and an absolute must-visit if you’re traveling through Slovenia. I’ve never seen a few caves before (and even swam through one in the dark), but none of them have been as impressive as the Skocjan Caves.
There’s also an excellent viewpoint on a trail behind the caves’ visitor center. Don’t miss it.
Adventurous Kate (to be continued
It’s too bad, because the hotel was nice otherwise. Just know that they close early.
Day One Essential Info: Visiting the mercury mine (Anthony’s Shaft) costs 9 EUR ($12 USD) for adults. It includes a tour of the mine and a short movie.
Admission to the Mestni Museum is 3.50 EUR ($5 USD) for adults.
The tasting menu at Hotel Kendov Dvorec costs 70 EUR ($94 USD) for six courses with wine pairings.
Rates at Hotel Jožef start at 98 EUR ($131 USD). You Adventurous Kate (to be continued)
Next up was dinner at the Hotel Kendov Dvorec, a pretty oasis up in the mountains just outside Idrija.
I loved this place. It was fancy enough to host a small wedding, yet small and friendly with a wonderful staff. And the food? Superb. The best food that I had in all of Slovenia.
Best of all: a main dish of venison and chanterelles that absolutely rocked my world. And yep, those are more žlikrofi underneath!
Adventurous Kate (to be continued)
