Slemenova špica, Julian Alps, Slovenia

Photo’s are here, or you can just click on the photo above.

First things first! If you’re going to visit Slovenia – you will love it! It’s one of the most pristine, well-maintained, spotless and beautiful countries we’ve ever been to!

More importantly, if you’re going to rent a car (which you will need to do) then don’t do what we did and forget to delve into the finer points of driving on Slovenian roads. So … before you leave the airport or before you arrive from a neighboring country (as we did) you will need to go online and buy yourself an e-Vignette to travel on the toll roads and major highways by registering your rental car license plate and paying for a weekly pass for €16 or a monthly pass for €32. If you don’t, then you’re at real risk of receiving a very hefty €300 fine for EACH time the mobile vans spot you (which could be half a dozen times in one journey on one highway!). It can add up quickly …

We didn’t buy one ahead of arriving from Croatia into Slovenia (because we’d not done our research properly) and received 2 fines for the same stretch of motorway! Thankfully, sweet-talking Geoff managed to negotiate a deal with a lady at the relevant authority whereby she let us buy a pass retrospectively. I don’t know how he managed it (apparently it’s unheard of!) so you can almost guarantee you won’t be quite as lucky! 😉

1. Ljubljana:

Ljubljana photos are here.

What a great little city! We hadn’t intended to spend the night there but we shifted plans slightly and booked into the swish Intercontinental Hotel on the outskirts of the Old Town. It was only 10 minutes to walk from the Intercon to the main square – Prešernov trg – which is dedicated to France Prešeren (1800–1849). He is best known for his sonnets and considered to be one of Europe’s great Romantic poets. The square is surrounded by historic buildings – from bourgeois palaces to Art Nouveau facades. It is best known as the location of the Triple Bridge (Tromostovje) and the landmark 17th-century Franciscan Church of the Annunciation which takes centre stage with its pink facade and interior ceiling frescoes. Afternoons are busy (even on dull, wet, stormy days in summer) but it’s a great place for a meander along Cankarjevo Nabrezje (the pedestrian-only street that runs along the Ljubljanica River) where cafes spill out onto the pavement. Highlights of the city include dragon spotting! The 1900’s Art Nouveau Dragon Bridge (Zmajski Most) is Ljubljana’s most famous bridge, adorned with large green copper dragons set against the backdrop of the Plečnikove arcade. According to Greek mythology, after stealing the Golden Fleece, Jason and the Argonauts sailed up the Danube, Sava, and Ljubljanica rivers on their ship, the Argo. Legend has it that Jason encountered a dragon in the marshy swamps of what is now Ljubljana which he fought and killed. The dragon is now considered to be the city’s beloved protector and icon and the dragon symbol still sits on top of the castle tower on the Ljubljana City Coat of Arms. It is a lovely clean, tidy, compact city with historic pedestrian streets and attractive squares to explore – Mestni Trg, Stari Trg and Gornji Trg – home to some of the best restaurants and boutique shops. We ate dinner at MOST Restaurant which was excellent. I’m glad we made a reservation since they were turning people away all evening!

The following morning we bought freshly baked croissants, chocolate brioche (and excellent sourdough) for breakfast at renowned bakery Pekarna Osem and wandered along the river where we stopped for coffee at Slovenian House. Lunch proved problematic. It was a busy Saturday in June and I wanted to eat at Julija but they were fully booked (understandably since they’re one of the best in town!) so we scanned other options and abandoned them (the Slovenian diet is obviously quite meat heavy) and ended up back at MOST for another fabulous meal on the pretty terrace overlooking the Mesarski Most (The Butcher’s Bridge). Mesarski Most features impressive bronze modern scupltures and heaves under the weight of tourist “love” padlocks). We finished up at the fabulous Central Market which is one of the most impressive we’ve ever visited. It lies in the shadow of Saint Nicholas’ Cathedral in a huge open square where we stocked up on fresh fruit, salad and vegetables for the week. Honey is big in these parts and there was a whole section of honey vendors, which was good because I love honey just as much as Winnie-the-Pooh 😉

We didn’t have time to take the funicular up to the medieval Ljubljana Castle for views of the city … maybe next time!

2. Lake Bled & Vintgar Gorge:

Lake Bled & Vintgar Gorge photos are here.

a. Lake Bled. Wow! We loved Lake Bled – Bled town itself isn’t very inspiring (think functional-looking hotels and 1980’s concrete strip malls) but the Lake and its surroundings are absolutely stunning! We stayed in Mlini (about 15 minutes walk into Bled itself) in Mlini Alpino, a small apartment 2 minutes from the water’s edge. Mlini is tiny and much quieter but infinitely better placed than being In Bled town in our opinion. The most breathtaking view of Lake Bled’s iconic Bled Island and the “Church of the Mother of God on the Lake” is one for early risers when the church and its bell tower glow in the warm morning light which turns the emerald-green water into shades of turquoise. We started out along the waterfront promenade at 8.30am when the light was magical and walked clockwise past Vila Bled, under the shade of the Mala Osojnica mountain, on past Velika Zaca swimming area, Bled Rowing Club and the Castle. There isn’t a single disappointing view anywhere along the lake. It’s absolutely beautiful! The entire circle around the lake is about 4 miles (6 km) and it is unmissable!

En route, Bled Castle is also absolutely unmissable! By the time we were on the final leg heading towards Bled Town we were in need of coffee so we detoured to Bled Castle set high on a rocky bluff above the lake. It turned out to be a highlight of the day. The views by mid-morning from the lofty heights of the Castle over the emerald-green lake, Bled Island, the Julian Alps in the far distance and the foothills of the Triglav National Park were quite dazzling. The coffee in the Castle Cafe with views which stretch for miles was good and the famous Bled Cream Cake (also known as Blejska kremšnita) was great – but you don’t need more than one in your life 😉 It is built up in layers of puff pastry, thick vanilla custard, a layer of whipped cream, another layer of puff pastry, and a dusting of icing sugar. As luck would have it, there was also a Medieval Festival taking place in the Castle (which runs over dates in May and June) so we got to enjoy our famous Slovenian Bled Cream Cake against a world-class scenic backdrop listening to authentic Slovenian medieval and Renaissance music. Brilliant! 😁 It was an impromptu stop at the Castle (and a 10 minute steep, uphill slog from lake level) but one of our favorite places on the lake.

The waterfront cafes were crazy busy in Bled so we carried on completing the circle back to Mlini where lunch options are slim but we had a better meal than expected at Restaurant Starkl.

Also unmissable for a fully-rounded visit to Lake Bled is to take a boat ride for €10 per person on a traditional Pletna boat (which is powered by oar and human muscle) to Bled Island. You can find them moored up, waiting for business, in either Bled or Mlini. The boat ride is a serenely peaceful gentle glide across the mirror-like waters which we really enjoyed. Included in the price is a short stop of 40 minutes on the island where you can drink coffee and eat more Bled Cream Cake (or sample a Slovenian ice-cream) or, alternatively, pay a fee to visit the Church and marvel at the gold interior with intricate carvings or ring the Wishing Bell.

And, after all of that walking, if you’re in the market for an exceptionally good Thai massage – I highly recommend WanThai Massage in Bled!

Returning to the advantages of staying in Mlini over Bled:

We were also considerably closer to the start of the strenuous hike to Lake Bled’s most iconic, aerial view of the lake from the top of Mala Osojnica. Mala Osojnica and Ojstrica are two forested hills rising above Lake Bled’s far western shore with picture-perfect views. It’s a quick hike (it took us about 30 minutes), but it is on the strenuous side. There are sections of wooden steps, a lot of clambering over tree roots and a short scramble over a rock face using steel chains for stability but the ultimate challenge (mercifully close to the top) is a very steep, very high, and very long, metal staircase. Don’t stop when you get to the top of the staircase at the wooden bench (unless you need to catch your breath!) … keep going for another 5 minutes and you will reach the main viewpoint at Mala Osojnica. That’s your reward for busting your balls to get up there! 😉

We were also only a few minutes walk from a coffee shop with THE best view of Bled Island. Café Belvedere is part of famous Vila Bled. I’m not going to lie to you and tell you this is the best coffee you’ll ever drink – it’s not (and if you decide to sample Bled Cream Cake here then you’ll be paying double the price compared to anywhere else) but for a mid-morning coffee with a magnificent and unique view, it is undoubtedly the best destination on the lake. Get there well before opening if you want even the remotest chance of bagging one of the terrace tables … and honestly … if you’re not going to sip your coffee with an uninterrupted view over the island then there’s little point in going at all.

b. Vintgar Gorge. This turned out to be a more strenuous morning than I was expecting! Obviously, I need to up my game on research since I had totally failed to grasp how long the hike would be 😉 We booked our timed tickets a couple of days ahead for the 8.20am-8.40am slot. We had to arrive at the main parking lot (10 minutes outside of Bled) at 7.57am to ensure we could catch one of the park’s shuttles in order to be at the electronic entry point to the gorge at 8.27am (our earliest swipe-in time). It’s all rather over-controlled, if I’m honest. Anyhow … the shuttle bus takes you through a couple of pretty, pristine villages and eventually drops you at the entry point where you can enter at your exact printed time. You are provided with a mandatory orange helmet (goodness knows why – presumably an idiot at some point in the past hit his/her head on an overhanging rock whilst scrolling through Instagram instead of watching where they were going). If you arrive early, as we did, you avoid the crowds which will swamp the gorge later – this is good because you can get lots of photos along the wooden boardwalks without other people in their distractingly ugly orange helmets ruining your shots. It is also good because you may be lucky enough to catch the early morning mist rising from the river which is very atmospheric. The gorge is beautiful … the wooden boardwalks are sufficiently rustic to add to the charm and the river and the waterfalls are (like everywhere we’ve been so far in the Balkans) stunningly clean and emerald. It’s also easier to photograph the gorge in the morning before the sun causes havoc with your camera’s exposure settings. Eventually you will pop out into the sun and the water will be so iridescently, luminously green and turquoise as to look fake, but it’s not. It really is as glowingly emerald as it looks in the photos! The final viewpoint (after returning your silly helmet to a guy in a wooden hut) is at the Šum Waterfall which you can see from the boardwalk above it – but – better – from ground level opposite it. Thereafter you’re kinda on your own to work out how the heck you’re supposed to get back to the main entrance where the shuttle bus will collect you and return you to your car. There are no signs anywhere giving you any hope that you’re heading in the right direction. We followed a footpath up into the forest trying to interpret the precious few signs pointing to various hiking trails which didn’t mean anything to us at all! Geoff followed his nose (I thought we’d probably die out there lost in the woods forever 😉) and eventually we popped out next to a cafe in the middle of a clearing in the trees which was odd in itself – entirely alone in the forest. The view opposite the cafe opened up across the Ljubljana Basin and we could see a tiny Bled Castle in the distance. Finally, we spotted a small sign with a very strange picture of a bus which we hoped meant the Vintgar Gorge shuttle bus! I don’t know how far we walked along the open ridge with no real conviction as to whether we would reach our intended destination, but it seemed like a very long way. Anyway, it turns out that we’d walked a chunk of the King of Triglav Trail and across the slope of Hom Hill more by default than design (obviously!). The entire circular route, including the Gorge trail, measures 3.5 miles (5.7 km) before it eventually brings you back to the Shuttle Terminal. Well worth the visit – the Vintgar Gorge is stunning and the hike across the hill was beautiful, albeit unexpected! 

c. Škofja Loka is a very attractive town worth the 35 minute drive from Bled. It lies equidistant from either Bled or Ljubljana. One of the most iconic views of the Old Town is along the river towards the historic 14th century stone Capuchin Bridge over the Selska Sora River. There are narrow, cobbled streets and a wide boulevard in the centre of the Old Town at the location of the main square of Mestni Trg. The buildings are well-preserved in pastel shades with frescoes and window boxes filled with pink and red geraniums. We stopped for coffee and croissants under the shady trees on the terrace of Kavarna Homan which is located inside Homan House, a Renaissance manor restored after the earthquake in 1511. It is unique in its beautiful, somewhat elaborate painted patterns and frescoes on the exterior of the building. Loka Castle on a hill overlooks the Old Town – built in 1202 and almost completely destroyed by the 1511 earthquake – it was restored and now houses the town Museum. 

d. Radovljica is a very pretty, small medieval town 4 miles (6 km) from Lake Bled which is absolutely worth a brief visit – not just to escape the hustle and bustle of Bled – but also to experience an enchanting Slovenian tourist town with a lot of charm. Linhart Square (Linhartov trg) is at the heart of the town with its beautifully preserved 16th, 17th and 18th century bourgeois houses (many with original frescoes) and traditional architecture. Whilst it is often called the “Capital of Chocolate” (since the town is renowned for its chocolate shops and pastries and it is also home to the Radovljica Chocolate Festival in April), there was no chocolate for me as we visited on a Sunday morning when all of the shops are closed! Radovljica also has a 14th century castle, a moat and expansive views of the Karavanke Alps and the Julian Alps from a terrace high above the Sava River. The town also has a tradition of beekeeping and the production of honey (my next favorite sweet treat after chocolate) but the honey shops were closed too – so don’t do as we did – better to avoid Sundays 😉

3. Lake Bohinj & Triglav National Park:

Lake Bohinj & Triglav National Park photos are here.

We stayed in a very nice, new, modern apartment in Hiša Križaj Apartments in the peaceful town of Bohinjska Bistrica which is at the edge of Triglav National Park and the Julian Alps. If you’re in the area for dinner, try out the 4 course menu at Sunrose 7 – the only restaurant for miles which qualifies as fine dining!

a. Lake Bohinj in Triglav National Park is absolutely lovely but entirely different from Lake Bled, its more polished sister 30 minutes away. Lake Bohinj is pretty much undeveloped apart from the small village of Ribčev Laz (the gateway to the lake). There is a circular walk around the lake which follows a rocky, rustic trail through forest and over tree roots – far more wild than Lake Bled’s pristine panoramic walkway. We parked in the public parking lot behind Hotel Jezero which is a 2 minute walk to the iconic stone bridge in the village with the beautiful 700 year old medieval St John the Baptist Church in the background. We started our 8 mile (12.8 km) circular hike around the lake just over the bridge and followed the trail along the northern shore in an anti-clockwise direction which was an excellent decision. At 8am there no other tourists and you’ll catch the light right to photograph the entire length of the lake in soft morning light. It was quite stunning without a puff of wind nor any human activity in the early morning to disturb the reflections on the mirror-like lake. We passed 3 or 4 other hikers the entire length of the trail until we reached Ukanc just past the far end of the valley on the south-western shore where there is a large campsite. A couple of kayakers were gliding over the surface of the water. If we’d timed it better we might have caught one of the 2 elegant wooden electric panoramic boats (Zlatorog and the Triglavska roža) back to Ribčev Laz but we had just missed the 10:10am boat and would have to wait until 11:30am. With hindsight it might have been a better idea to hang out by the water’s edge until the 11:30am departure because the return hike along the southern shore is pretty uninspiring. Much of it is a dirt track which runs along the side of the main road rather than down by the lakeshore. Still, we beat the boat, and had completed the full 8 mile circle and were sitting on a rock eating a picnic by the stone bridge overlooking the famous St John Church when the 11:30am boat pulled into the dock. But, unless you’re desperate to get the extra exercise doing the full circular hike I probably wouldn’t bother and I’d wait for the next boat instead! Back at Ribčev Laz, don’t miss the famous bronze statue Zlatorog (or “Goldenhorn” in English) perched high on a rock next to Lake Bohinj. Legend has it that the mythical white chamois buck’s golden horns hold the key to treasure hidden in the mountains. Goldenhorn is also known as the gate keeper to Lake Bohinj. 

In addition to walking around the clear, pristine waters of the lake you can also paddle across it on a SUP, on a kayak or in a canoe … we chose the latter which was utterly peaceful. We rented from PAC Sports at Camp Bohinj (Camp Zlatorog Ukanc) on the western shore of Lake Bohinj which is the quieter end of the lake despite its location in the middle of a campsite. It’s been a while since we canoed (as opposed to kayaked) and we’d forgotten how much harder canoes are to steer … which is why we spent most of our hour on the lake paddling around in circles 😉

b. Savica Slap (Waterfall) at the Ukanc end of Lake Bohinj was well worth the visit in mid-June as the water was flowing fast and strong through the A-shaped double waterfall. The 550 steps and uphill climb wasn’t hard at all despite some online moaning I had read during my research. Neither was there an entrance fee which surprised me although there was a €7 parking fee to park at Koča pri Savici (Savica Hut) parking area even though we were in and out in an hour. But it was worth it. After all where else in the world will you see a waterfall where the water flow splits into two streams within the mountain and reaches the waterfall through a horizontal cave tunnel?! The waterfall itself is 256 feet high (78 meters) at an altitude of 2,743 feet (836 meters). It is fed by water flowing from the Triglav Lakes Valley through the Pršivec mountain which stands at 5,778 feet high (1,761 meters) and is located above the northern shore of Lake Bohinj within Triglav National Park. We visited mid-morning between 10:15am-11:15am and the sun was high enough in the sky to illuminate the bright green pool under the waterfall – any earlier and the effect would probably have been lost in the shade!

c. The Mostnica Gorge and Waterfall is located in the Julian Alps near Lake Bohinj. There is a hike which begins in the official paid car park just outside the village of Stara Fužina. In true Slovenian country style, en route to the trailhead, we got stuck behind a small herd of cows on the road as they munched their way slowly eating the local villagers’ garden hedges 😉 The hike is a 7 mile (11.5 km) in and out trail which passes through Mostnica Gorge via a rugged forest trail through beech trees and over slippery rocks, streams, wooden bridges and gnarled tree roots which all conspired to twist an ankle! It’s not a hard hike despite the 1,072 feet (326 meter) elevation gain.The Gorge (Korita Mostnice in Slovenia) is 49-65 feet deep (15 to 20 meters) and it stretches about 1.3 miles (2 km). It is deep and exceptionally narrow – in some places measuring only about a shoulder’s width across. The deepest drop occurs right under the historic Devil’s Bridge (Hudičev most). The trail heads into Triglav National Park along the crystal-clear Mostnica River which has, over millennia, carved a deep gorge into the limestone bedrock. There are bright green pools and cascading waterfalls and even a rock resembling an elephant known as Slonček. Once you emerge from the deep, shaded gorge, the trail continues into the pretty Voje Valley, a U-shaped glacial valley characterized by wide-open meadows (where we also spotted 2 chamois goats on a rocky outcrop). In mid-June the meadows were beautiful with a carpet of alpine flowers, including tiny orchids, yellow and white daisies and orange lilies. The buttercup meadows were filled with shades of yellow, orange, blues and purples. Geoff also found tiny wild strawberries hidden in the undergrowth. The colorful meadows with their traditional wood and stone shepherd’s huts were one of the highlights of the hike. The trail ends in the forest at the 69 foot drop (21 meters) of Mostnica Slap (Waterfall) where you turn around and retrace your steps. It was one of our favorite hikes because of the varied terrain, the teal waters of the gorge and the abundance of flowers in mid-June. Very pretty!

d. Zajamniki is a traditional alpine pasture settlement and ridge viewpoint on the Pokljuka Plateau in the Triglav National Park. We didn’t see much of a view over the Bohinj valley or the peaks of the Julian Alps given that thick fog and clouds were blowing in and out across the pasture but we did enjoy the unique pastoral views amongst the linear row of dark wooden shepherd’s huts stretched across the open grassy ridge. It was quite atmospheric although we had no idea what we were missing until we returned a day or so later on a sunny afternoon. The view across the valley down to Lake Bohinj and over the jagged rocky grey peaks of the Julian Alps was impressively expansive. We parked on the forest road in a gravel pullout on the Pokljuka Plateau (near Goreljek) just above the pasture. There were banks of wildflowers and cows chewing the cud and all was remarkably peaceful. Not much of a hike given you could walk the entire village and back in a mile but it was worth the drive up there for a different perspective on rural life in the mountains!

4. Kranjska Gora, Vrsic Pass & Triglav National Park:

Kranjska Gora, Vrsic Pass & Triglav National Park photos are here.

This area is all about hiking, skiing and outdoor sports!

Unmissable things to do from the pretty alpine town of Kranjska Gora, where we were based:

a. Drive the famous Vršič Pass which winds steeply from Kranjska Gora through the Julian Alps. It is the highest mountain pass in Slovenia rising to 5,285 feet (1,611 meters). The 15 mile (24 km) pass connects Kranjska Gora in the Upper Sava Valley to Trenta in the Soča Valley via 50 relatively hairy-hairpin bends; 24 switchbacks on the Kranjska Gora side, and 26 on the Trenta side. Many utterly spectacular hikes in the Julian Alps commence at the summit of the Vršič Pass … which is why we drove up there at 6.30am – not just to drive the pass – but also for the following hike …

b. Slemenova Špica is a hard hike in Triglav National Park starting from the top of the Vršič Pass. It climbs 1,587 feet (484 meters) on a track which winds around the imposing walls of Mala Mojstrovka (a magnificent, three-peaked mountain in the Julian Alps which towers above the Vršič Pass) before opening onto a plateau with panoramic views over sweeping valleys and the Eastern Julian Alps, including the peaks of Jalovec and Prisank. On a clear day you can see both Austria and Italy. We had planned carefully – it was a sunny, warm and bright blue sky day and there wasn’t a single view during our morning hike which didn’t take our breath away! There were epic views over Mala Mojstrovka as we completed the first steep ascent up the rocky pathway. At 8am the sun lit up the 3 faces of the majestic peaks – it was absolutely stunning! The trail ascends and descends, and ascends and descends as it passes through meadows with tiny white edelweiss flowers and colorful alpine flowers and around the rocky mountainside. In several sections you have to scramble over rocks and clamber through deep tree roots. Every view is worth the physical effort especially when you make the final ascent to the summit of Slemenova Špica with its 365° views. In mid-June we sat on rocks in the perfect mid-morning light amongst banks of bright blue forget-me-not flowers and agreed that it was one of the most gorgeous hikes we’ve ever done. Not long – it’s only 3.7 miles (6 km) – but absolutely unforgettable! 

c. When you descend slowly back down to the car park at Vršič Pass there is a lodge called Tičarjev dom na Vršiču which sells food and drink. We stopped for a beer before walking the quick circular Vršič Pass Trail – not very challenging since it’s only 1.6 miles (2.6 km) with a minor elevation gain of 330 feet (100 meters) but with its own different epic views over the Alps. With a little bit of imagination, you might spot a woman’s face on the side of Prisank Mountain – it is called Ajdovska Deklica (the Face in the Stone). If you aren’t up for a major hike like Slemenova Špica, the very least you should do is this one! 😉 

d. The Vrata Gorge near Kranjska Gora is only 20 minutes from town and whilst you can drive to the head of the Gorge it is forbidden to park at one of the major highlights of the Gorge – Peričnik Waterfall. So our morning visit was somewhat convoluted! We parked up in the designated car park at Mojstrana to catch the free shuttle at 9:15am which dropped us at the shuttle stop for the Peričnik Waterfall at 9:45am. There is a short but steep hike through beech forest, over gnarled roots and rocks before you pop out at the roaring waterfall. Thankfully, we were pretty much alone since we had fortuitously arrived ‘between’ tour buses! To add to the experience, you can follow a narrow pebble track which runs just behind the torrent of water. Yup – you’ll get pretty wet! The underside of the overhang of the waterfall literally rains down on you! Peričnik didn’t disappoint … it’s unusual to be able to walk behind a waterfall let alone one so beautiful 😁 Our journey into the Vrata Gorge continued with catching the 10:35am shuttle bus out of the Gorge and back to the village of Mojstrana, 30 minutes away in order to collect our car. Then we returned to the entrance of the Gorge in order to drive to the far end of it! It might not have been such a palaver over summer (as opposed to in June) because the shuttle service only runs at sporadic and infrequent hours outside of July and August, so we needed the car to get any further up the Gorge past the waterfall. Confused yet?! Anyway, the drive to the far end, almost to Aljažev Dom (a hut/restaurant/bar) at the start of various trailheads, only took 20 minutes from the car park and it was a scenic drive through the pristine beech forest as it wound alongside the sparkling teal waters of the Triglavska Bistrica River. At the far end of the glacial valley the views are dramatic so we wandered briefly along a dry river bed towards the imposing north face of Mount Triglav (Triglavska Severna Stena). Towering over 3,200 feet (1,000 meters) high and 1.8 miles (3 km) wide, Severna Stena (The Wall) is one of the largest and most famous mountain walls in the Alps. After meandering for an hour or so, we returned to Aljažev Dom for a bowl of famous Slovenian mushroom soup and a pretty good apple strudel with custard!

e. The Planika to Planinski dom Tamar Valley trail is very easy – roughly 5-6 miles (8-10 km) round-trip depending on detours. The dirt track passes through forest before emerging into a sunny meadow dotted with wild flowers facing the Planinski dom Tamar mountain hut. Not very tiring and a good walk to do on a “down day” if you just want to stretch your legs without a challenge! There is an 800 foot (244 meters) elevation gain but it was barely noticeable!

f. Zelenci Nature Preserve is a very quick 10-15 minute stop on the main road from Kranjska Gora. It features verdant mountain wetlands circling a bright turquoise spring-fed lake (known locally as a “toomph”) with a short boardwalk, a viewing platform and wading birds. During the mid-morning the view of the crystal-clear spring water is enhanced by the sunlit backdrop of the Ponce Mountains (a jagged subrange of the Julian Alps). 

5. Laghi di Fusine (Italy):

Laghi di Fusine photos are here.

If you feel like popping next door to Italy, it’s only a 20 minute drive from Kranjska Gora (via an unmanned border control post) to the beautiful glacial Laghi di Fusine (Fusine Lakes). Given the elevated temperatures during our (unexpected) few days of Balkans heatwave, we set off early and arrived at the lakes before 7:45am (which also, with hindsight saved us the entry fee of €5 since the toll gate isn’t manned until 8am!). We parked at Lago di Fusine Superiore (the higher lake) passing by Lago di Fusine Inferiore (the lower lake) before starting our “figure of 8” 3 mile (4.8 km) circular route which we hiked in a counter-clockwise direction. The water here is stunningly emerald – and if you visit early, as we did, the reflections of the majestic Mangart Massif are picture-perfect! It’s a hard place to photograph because the emerald glow is almost unnaturally bright. The lower lake is more commercial with a restaurant and boat rentals and whilst the views are also pretty special I didn’t like it as much as the upper lake which felt more rustically natural. As we circumnavigated the upper lake we were serenaded by the typically-alpine tinkle of cow bells from a couple of cows wading in the shallow marshes. It was a quick, easy loop (if you watch your step over the tree roots!) which took an hour or so. We were happy we made this short trip into Italy! 

6. Bovec & Soča Valley:

Bovec & Soča Valley photos are here.

a. As you descend from the Kranjska Gora side of the Vršič Pass towards Trenta you emerge into the verdant Soča River Valley. If you stop at pretty much any wooden, rickety swing bridge (they’re pretty much all rickety and unstable!) the pale emerald river against the mountain backdrop will impress! The river is so clean and transparent that the water glows in the sunshine. You can see straight to the bottom of the riverbed. This region is all about the water! It’s famous for kayaking and white-water rafting and that was why we were here! 😁 If you are continuing through the valley past Bovec en route to Tolmin Gorge it’s worth stopping at almost any bridge over the river for the beautiful views. The best light is usually late morning to mid-afternoon when the sun is high enough to penetrate the gorges. Don’t bother with Napoleon’s Bridge until early afternoon at least – then you will have full sunshine on the bright teal water against the backdrop of the mountains – it’s beautiful!

b. Tolmin Gorge (about 45 minutes south of Bovec) is not worth visiting either until very late morning/midday and into the early afternoon – any earlier and the sun just isn’t high enough in the sky to shine into the deep gorge over the surrounding mountains. It’s a nightmare to photograph in any event because of the extreme contrast between light and shadow. We arrived early, at 10am, and the mist was still thick and soupy over the river water. By midday it was starting to burn off and the colors gradually improved. It’s another beautiful atmospheric, narrow Slovenian gorge!

c. White-water rafting! So good we did it twice! We booked with Soča Adventure Rafting on the Soča River for the half day (from Srpenica I – Trnovo I) which is mainly class III rapids – so not the hardest rafting we’ve ever done by a long stretch! Still, it was exciting enough to have a great time through fast-moving currents and navigating through narrow channels and spinning around huge rocks. We swam in the river which is as clear as glass with a tint of pale emerald. It was absolutely stunning! There were stops en route to mess about in the water – using the bottom of the raft as a giant slide and jumping off rocks. Geoff risked life and limb jumping off the top of the 23 foot (7 meter) Manhattan Rock! The water temperature was chilly enough to suck the air straight out of your lungs so it was a great surprise to me that Geoff jumped in without having a coronary! According to our rafting guide the water was “quite warm” at a balmy 50ºF (10ºC) but given we were in the middle of a 100ºF (38ºC) heat dome heatwave, it was pretty appealing regardless 😉 Our second trip was just as spectacular but with the added frisson of excitement that our raft was rapidly sinking as 2 of the air chambers had sustained punctures. It could have been a long swim back to the meet-point but we made it just before it collapsed into a flaccid sack of rubber 😉 Fabulous mountain and forest scenery on one of the most beautiful rivers in the world … loved it! 😁

And so our fun-packed, non-stop 3 week adventure in spectacular Slovenia came to an end with us returning to Croatia – to the Istrian Peninsula. Slovenia is one of the most pristine countries we’ve ever visited. The landscapes and environment are clearly cherished as a national treasure – which is a rarity in itself. There’s no trash on the sidewalks, no empty food cartons discarded in the countryside, no fly-tipping, most homes are well-maintained and decorated with summer flowers in window-boxes. Many of the fields in the valleys and agricultural areas are left wild and are knee-deep with wildflowers – perfect for the bees, butterflies and birds. We lost count of the hundreds of beehives we saw driving through the countryside – there is obviously a thriving private and commercial honey business. Trout is also popular and they are fished from the local river and served up in the restaurants for dinner.

On the downside, the supermarkets are as average (to poor) as they always are in Europe and the UK compared to back home in Florida and accommodation options aren’t quite what we’re used to in the States – and it’s definitely a decade behind the posh villas in Croatia! 

We loved everything about Slovenia (OK, maybe except for the 1990’s-era supermarkets 😉) and we’d recommend it to anyone who loves the great outdoors for hiking, cycling, kayaking, rafting and enjoying spectacular mountain views.

It is a country of outstanding natural beauty and alpine charm 😁