Slovenia? What?
To be totally honest I had no idea either when my friend first asked me to join her on a girls weekend away. Neither did the girls we were travelling with as one of them referred to it as Slovakia for most of the lead up (no I’m not even kidding glad she booked for the right airport, sorry to those that live in Slovenia).
The place was chosen as it was one of the cheapest places that particular weekend that no-one from the group had ever been and it had no restrictions in place for visiting at the time of travel. We had no real expectations going into this trip and I feel that is what made this place so much more breathtaking. From what we read before it seemed to be somewhere we could spend some time away in nature.
What I was expecting Slovenia to be and how it turned out was absolutely different!
It absolutely blew me away!
Contents:
Top 10 things to do in Slovenia:
- Lake Bled
- Ljubljana
- Lake Bohinj
- Predjama Castle
- Soca Valley
- Ljubljana Castle
- Ojstrica
- Tolmin Gorges
- Postojna Cave
- Triglav National Park
How to get around?
We arrived in Ljubljana on a late flight and picked up a car from the airport. I would highly recommend getting a car in Slovenia even though you can drive from one side of Slovenia to the other in 3 hours. The public transport isn’t as reliable and will take you up to 3 times longer to be able to get places. However if you are looking to take public transport through Slovenia you can check out all the bus timetables here.
How to spend a day in Lake Bled?
The whole of our first day in Slovenia we spent around Lake Bled.
We started the morning hiking up to Ojstrica which I would absolutely recommend. It is sign posted the whole way up (we parked at Camping Bled to begin our hike) but just make sure you are actually paying attention to the signs not like we did and miss the turn up the hill. The view on the below lake is one of the best that you can get and as much as we saw it from every angle this was by far our favourite. We then wandered around the main very small part of town which was lovely and quiet but due to the season not a lot was going on.
As this was a birthday trip for a friend we were making sure to treat ourselves at every opportunity. We had a morning treat at the Park cafe which is a must do activity when visiting bled. Park cafe makes the original Bled cream cake which is a crust dessert filled with cream and custard, they claim to have made over 15 million of them to date. It went down perfectly with a local wine as well.
Due to it being off season many of the cafes and restaurants in the area are currently not open. However one of the nights we ate at Old Cellar Bled. They do a four course tasting menu with optional wine pairing. Our particular meal was a starter of Pate, soup then a choice of either the trout or beef cheeks before finishing off with a cream cake (unfortunately it was not as good as the one from the Park Cafe). I would recommend booking this meal in advance specially during busier times.
As we were travelling in winter there was a lot of outdoor paths and trails that are closed. Thought we were recommended by locals some of the following which look amazing and are open once the trails are less icy.
Top walks/outdoor attractions:
- Tomlin Gorges
- Soca
- Mostnica Gorge
- Soteska Vintgar
- Ojstrica (best view point for Lake Bled)
Where to stay near Lake Bled?
For the weekend we based ourselves for the whole weekend in Lake Bled. Which due to it being off season was peaceful and quiet. Our villa was walking distance from the lake with a beautiful view from the balcony of both Austrian and Italian alps. If you’re in Slovenia for the weekend and looking for more of an outdoor escape I would definitely recommend basing yourself around Lake Bled.
Villa Bled
Garden Village Bled
Rikli Balance Hotel
What to do in Ljubljana?
On Sunday the we spent the day in Ljubljana*.
We started the morning with a free walking tour, which is an absolute must when visiting a new city. Our guide Nastja took us to the capitols main sights including the triple bridge, dragon bridge, Preseren square and Plecnik’s Market. She was also very helpful in pointing out recommendations of places for lunch as well as helping up plan our activities for the following day.
One of the places that was suggested was My dumplings of Slovenia which was some of the most hearty but also cheap food we had while in Slovenia. We ate the traditional homemade cottage cheese dumplings and barley soup. As most places were unfortunately closed we were able to get a great feel for Ljubljana however it was great to spend the day there.
*Side note things in Slovenia aren’t open on Sundays. We found out the hard way that supermarkets and even chemists are not open, however most petrol stations carry enough essentials incase.
Where to stay in Ljubljana?
If you’re looking for a city break for your weekend and aren’t looking to hire a car then Ljubljana would be a great place to base yourself for the weekend. There are plenty of places to explore around and you will have good connections for tours or buses to other parts of Slovenia.
Intercontinental Ljubajana
Hotel Nox
Celica Hostel
What to do near Lake Bohinj?
The last day of our trip we wanted to be able to see as much nature as we could before returning to city life. We had spoken to our tour guide from the day before and she recommended heading to Lake Bohinj which was the less touristy lake next to Lake Bled. This is where it was great to travel there in the off season as we got the lake to ourselves. Lake Bohinj is an absolute must when travelling to Slovenia I am glad that we didn’t miss it!
The tour guide also saved a place for us to have lunch which was one of our favourite meals of the entire trip. The restaurant is called Gostilna pri Hrvatu and it is a meat eaters paradise! They also served up amazing local craft beers which went down great sat next to the cozy log fire which the lovely staff kept topped up regularly.
The drive back from Lake Bohinj to the airport was beautifully scenic and we were able to see people skiing down the mountains. Slovenia exceeded my expectations and I would love to head back to see a different side of it in the summer!
Where to stay near Lake Bohinj?
Bohinj Eco Hotel
Hisa Krizaj
Hotel Majerca
Where to eat in Slovenia:
Gostilna pri Hrvatu – Temporarily closed
Bohinj ££
Located in a small village a short drive from Lake Bohinj this beautiful restaurant does very good traditional food. All food is made with so much love you can really taste it. They also serve a variety of different local alcohols.
Park Restaurant and Cafe
Bled £££
The home of the original Bled Cream Cake, this is a must visit and a treat yourself experience when in Lake Bled. You can choose to order the cake on its own of have it served with a glass of dessert wine which goes down great while looking over at the scenic view below.
My Dumplings of Slovenia
Ljubljana ££
For a cheap but still delicious option while in Slovenia make sure to check out My Dumplings of Slovenia. They serve traditional Slovenian Style Dumplings (Struklji) and hearty soups which are great for those cold days.
Old Cellar Bled
Bled ££
For special occasions and a treat yourself dinner make sure to check out Old Cellar Bled. They offer a Slovenian Journey, a 3 course meal with local wine pairings. For all courses there is a choice of two options, make sure to let them know of allergies or food requirements in advance.
Lajbah – craft beer
Ljubljana ££
There is never a shortage here of beer. This craft brewery rotates through its 23 different taps various types of beer depending on the season and or month. Their food menu also rotates seasonally.
Looking for other weekend getaways? Check out Our Best Romantic Getaways from London. Maybe you’d refer to head to Europe? Have a look at Our guide to visiting Lisbon: The Ultimate Weekend Guide
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