Slovenia - 2-7 July

Our train from Vienna to Slovenia left right on time, the Europeans manage to get this right.  No first class this time, but a very comfortable, six berth cabin for the six hour trip to Ljubljana.  The staff at our Vienna hotel had kindly arranged a picnic hamper for us, fruit, drinks, Viennese  pastries and rolls, enough  to feed us for a couple of days. Our compartment was never full, as passengers got off and on throughout the journey.  On the outskirts of Vienna the train climbed the breathtaking Austrian Alps.  It was never boring, as we passed through lush pastures, pristine forests, skirted magnificent mountain gorges and stopped at picture postcard villages.  The scenery didn’t change once we crossed the Slovenia border.  At 2.10 pm we arrived at Ljubljana station and it was about a ten minute walk to our hostel on the edge of the old town.  The hostel was not the Ritz, but clean and comfortable, having all that one needed including a comfortable bed and a self-catering kitchen.

Phil outside the YHA. We were on L2 middle window

What a hidden gem Ljubljana is; a compact, quiet city of around 272,000.  The locals are polite and friendly and very proud of their many cultural activities.  Outdoor classical music concerts are very popular, as is jazz.  It appears to be jazz lovers heaven. 

The food is excellent also the beer and wine; very cheap, 1Euro for a good size glass of wine and 2.50 Euro for half litre beer; tastes better the more you have.  Our first afternoon was spent orientating ourselves to the city, particularly the old town and purchasing supplies at the local supermarket. 

The old town is a beautiful historic area, bisected by the Ljubljanica River and linked by three bridges, which are masterpieces of a leading Slovenian architect, can't remember his name.  The buildings are a mix of modern architecture intermingled with Renaissance, Baroque and a touch of the art nouveau. The cobbled streets and laneways are full of shops plus great little cafes and restaurants.

Parliament Building

Along the river

The three bridges

On day two we explored the old town, browsed the food market and there was also a flea market along the river bank.  Lots of things I would have loved to buy but unfortunately, no room left in the suitcase.  We walked the steep hill to visit the Ljubjlana castle, which overlooks the city. 

The steep walk up to the Castle

Ljubjlana Castle

After climbing the winding stairs to the top of the tower we were afforded spectacular views of the city and surrounding Alps. 

Steps up the tower

The climb to the top

View over Ljubjlana

 After a light lunch, we went walking through Tivoli Gardens;  a magnificent green space on the edge of the city.  The gardens were full of cyclists, walkers, children playing; very European of course.  It was a lovely way to spend a couple of hours wandering.

Tivoli Gardens/Park

The following day we caught the bus to Bled and the magnificent lake.  It was a perfect day and the one and a half hour journey took us through beautiful villages and the most breathtaking alpine  scenery.  Although Bled is a tourist town, it remains unspoilt.  Magnificent mountain peaks form the backdrop to the lake, which is surrounded by huge forests and Bled Castle.

Bled Castle

Our view from the restaurant eating our Bled cake

When we arrived we had to try the famous Bled cream cake (Kremsnita) along with a coffee.  The cake has a puff pastry base, a thick custard type filling, topped with a thick layer of cream and more puff pastry.  Not good for the diet but very yummy. 

Coffee and Bled cream cake (Kremsnita) with Bled Castle in background

For our sins, we walked the seven km track around the lake, which has beautiful swimming and picnic spots scattered along its shores. 

The walk around the lake

We also spent an hour rowing across to Bled Island and its historic church in the middle of the lake. Also met the famous boat builder, Master Polack, who makes all the wooden (clinker style) boats in Bled and for other European traditional boaties.

Phil's rowing action to Bled Island

Our boat

Bled Island

Bled Island - Bled Church

Steps from the lake to Bled Church

Feeling a bit weary near the end of our trek, we stopped at a restaurant on the edge of the lake and treated ourselves to a magnificent BBQ lunch of grilled vegetables and local cheese (similar to Haloumi) and BBQ chicken with salad, all washed down with the obligatory wine and beer.  Bled is a centre for swimming and sailing in the summer and skiing the Alps in winter.  It’s not surprising the Slovenians look so fit, even after all the traditional cake.

The following day we set out by bus for the 2.5 hour ride to the coastal town of Piran, not far from the Italian border.  It was sunny when we left Ljubjlana, but raining when we arrived at Piran and no wet weather gear.  We got off the bus and found a shop nearby to buy an umbrella (20 Euro, which probably would have cost five dollars at home).  No sooner had we walked down the street, the rain stopped and it turned out to be a beautiful sunny day.  Being so close to Italy, Piran has a very Italian flavour, especially the restaurants. We walked around the town, had coffee and a late lunch, catching the bus back to Ljubjlana at 4pm.

"The Umbrella"

Piran

Waterfront restaurants - Piran

Rest break - Piran

On our last day, Phil decided he needed to rest.  I was up early and caught the bus to Postojna to visit the famous Postojna Caves.  The caves are the most visited in Europe and span almost 5 km.  The visit started aboard the “cave train” for a 2km ride into the caves to Great Mountain – temperature around 8 degrees. We got off the train and were met by a guide who took us 3 km through the beautiful passages.  It is an absolutely amazing display of stalagmites and stalactites, a real fairy tale world.  Unfortunately photos were not allowed.

Entrance to the Cave

Back to Ljubjlana around 2pm and met up with Phil for lunch and a relaxing afternoon soaking up the sun and a couple of drinks. Back to the hostel to pack and get ready for our 8am flight to Paris and another early start.  We will miss Slovenia, it was magnificent.