Slovenia

When we crossed the border from Croatia into Slovenia, it was hard to believe that this little Alpine nation was once part of Yugoslavia.  Small, cute and Austrian-like, Slovenia is both adorable and hip at the same time.  Ljubljana, the capital, feels like more like a laid-back town than a bustling city, and seems like a place I could live.  Everyone we met spoke English with clarity and confidence.  Café life is city's pulse, with residents and travelers spending hours sitting outside enjoying cake, coffee and conversation.  People-watching is probably the best pastime in Ljubljana.  And outside the city, travelers will find mountains, lakes, and friendly people who seem at ease with their lives.  In Croatia, we had met proud nationalists, as well as citizens who were fed up with government ineptitude and applying for visas to leave the country.  In Slovenia, people seem content.  Slovenia is an easy place to travel, and it is a beautiful country.

When to Go, How to Get to and around Slovenia:

I have read that Slovenia has inexpensive skiing in the Julian Alps, so if snow sports are your passion, travel to Slovenia in winter.  Otherwise, late spring, summer or early autumn are best for good weather.  We traveled to Slovenia in late June and the weather was perfect, although a bit rainy at times.

We drove into Slovenia from Croatia, which was a snap.  Be sure to tell your rental car company you are crossing the border, and as soon as you enter Slovenia stop at one of the gas stations or places where you see a sign advertising "Vignette".  If you plan to travel on Slovenia's sleek highways, you will need a Vignette, which is a highway toll sticker, to avoid fines.  Driving around and parking in Slovenia was easy.  You can also fly to Ljubljana, or nearby Zagreb, Croatia or Klagenfurt, Austria, and take a train or rent a car to get to and around Slovenia.  Within Ljubljana, you can walk everywhere.  To really see Slovenia outside the capital, you will want a car.

Where to Stay:

In Ljubljana, we loved our stay at the Adora Hotel.  While you can stay in the small hotel, we opted for an apartment for our family of four in a building a few doors down from the hotel.  The apartment was clean and spacious, and our kids loved their pseudo-bunk beds built into a bridge!  We could walk everywhere from the central location, and the hotel arranged parking for us at a low rate of something like nine Euros.  We also liked the price - at 120 Euros per night, the apartment was a good value.

In Lake Bled, all of the places I wanted to stay had at least a three-night minimum in high season, and we had only one night.  We ended up staying at Penzion Mayer for 109 Euros.  The room was just okay, and the dinner at the hotel was not great.  We did enjoy the breakfast, and the location was just a 5-10 minute walk from the lake and town.  The Penzion has a cute-looking cabin on property for a family, but it was booked for our dates.  I'd try the neighboring Penzion Berc.

Where to Eat:

• We really enjoyed the food, service and atmosphere at Julija, on a cute pedestrian street in Ljubljana.  Try the gnocchi with truffle sauce.  Overall, we found that the food in Slovenia wasn't as tasty as Croatia, but this restaurant was good and I recommend it.

• We had a good lunch at Okarina in Bled, with fresh food and friendly owners.  Again, it wasn't outstanding, but if it was good enough for Paul McCartney I suppose it should be good enough for our family!  

• For breakfast in Ljubljana, we got pastries from the lively outdoor market in town. We enjoyed the market scene, but the pastries were not that great.

• For Slovenia's famous cakes, stop at Kavarna Bakery in Ljubjlana.  We thought the cakes were yummy and we loved sitting outside people-watching in between bites.

• In Bled, we stopped our bikes at Vila Preseren to try the recommended Kremna Rezina cake. Honestly, I didn't like it.  It was too creamy and rich and made me feel ill.  My daughter liked her chocolate cake, but I wouldn't rely on her opinion much as she enjoys every slice of chocolate cake in every establishment.  The café does have a nice terrace in a pretty lakeside spot.

What to Do:

Ljubljana:

• Take the sleek funicular up to the castle.  While we didn't enter the castle itself, we enjoyed the ride and the view.

• Visit the outdoor market, then check out the bridges crossing the river.  The Triple Bridge is the most impressive.

• Wander the capital's pedestrian streets.  Sit in a riverside café or two and enjoy the atmosphere.

Lake Bled:

• Walk or bike ride around the lake.  We walked some, but rented bikes at one of the tourist agencies in town to travel the whole way around the lake.  We stopped along the way for photos and snacks, and it was a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.

• Take one of the flat-bottomed wooden boats called "pletna" out to the island.  The boat drivers will wait until the boat fills before it leaves.  We had the fortune to be on a boat with a lively Spanish tour group, who sang songs and smiled and laughed the whole way over to the island.  You can also rent your own rowboat, but it is quite a distance to row.

• On the island, climb the 99 steps to the church.  Walk up the aisle to the hanging rope in front of the altar, and pull on the rope with all of your might.  Tradition states that if you can get the bell to ring three times with one pull, you will have good luck.  This was probably my kids' favorite activity at Lake Bled.

• Take the ski lift up to the alpine slide.  Check out the grazing sheep on the mountainside below the lift.  Enjoy the view from the top, then ride the winding track down at whatever speed you choose!

• Sit at a café to sample Slovene cakes. We enjoyed the atmosphere at Vila Preseren, but I was not a fan of the most well-known cream cake called Kremna Rezina.  If you stop here, choose another dessert unless you really love mounds of cream and custard.

• If the weather is good, go for a swim in the lake!  There is a sandy beach at the end of the lake opposite the town, and there are a couple of lakeside establishments where you can rent a chair and ride a small waterslide into the lake.  Sadly, the weather was rainy during our day at Bled so we did not swim.

Other Slovenian attractions:

If we had had more time in Slovenia, we would have:

• Driven around the Julian Alps.
• Checked out Logarska Dolina and the Panoramic Road, which Rick Steves claims is a secret Slovenian escape, and a part of the country that has remained authentic.  A farm stay in this area would be fun.
• Visited the Karst region, which we drove through, but didn't have time to stop and explore the caves, castles and Lipizzaner horse farm.