We must start off saying that Slovenia is the most underrated country we have visited thus far. It has the greenest hillsides you’ve ever seen with adorable french chalets style homes scattered about in small clusters. And we mustn’t forger the back drop of alpine mountain ranges.
It is a quaint and naturally beautiful country which has been groomed very well. Austria and Slovenia were two of the cleanest countries that we both drove through, and stayed in.
The City
The main city in Slovenia is Ljubljana. We first heard about it on a travel podcast where it was deemed a highly underrated city. It’s safe to say we agree on that.
The city is surrounded by a river. The buildings look like a story book, the people are nice, and the food is great. Ljubljana is a HUGE university town with 50,000+ students. So the vibe is young and vibrant, but the city is filled with history.
The city center (within the river ring) is small and easily walkable. Which is always a plus when traveling. And I have to mention; the clear sky, sunny but brisk whether didn’t hurt the overall appeal.
The Castle
The castle is fameous in Ljubljana and the city has a history with dragons. Lot’s of tall tales and stories in that realm. We mainly visited the castle for the view. We weren’t overly impressed with the inner-workings of the castle itself. Seems like a tourist trap (due to the cost to value ratio). But it’s still worth visiting for the view and a few fun rooms.
Food and Markets
Eat, eat, eat when you are in Ljubljana. You can find fresh fruit, sauerkraut, cured meats, and more at the street market. There are tons of little cafes, and a variety of great restaurants. We were pleasantly surprised with the food selection for such a dainty city. But again, that college town vibe helps.
If you happen to be a coffee lover, you need to visit Cafetino. They have a huge selection of beans to choose from and they will tell you all about each of them (if you’re interested).
As you walk about the town, you’ll see these strange statues. We don’t know their purpose, but they’re interesting to say the least.
Surrounding Areas
Lake Bled
I first saw the iconic Lake Bled on the gram. That is what sparked the string of research on Slovenia as a potential country to visit on our trip around the world. The sun was hazy as you can see. Although the lighting was not ideal, the Lake and surrounding areas are unreal. They look fake, like a story book. But oh my friend, they are very, very real.
You have to go to up to the castle and pay to enter in order to get the view of the lake. We were not impressed by the actual castle, nor what it had to offer inside. But the views didn’t disappoint. And that is what we came for.
Once you get the view from the castle, you can walk or drive around most of the lake. We ended up doing both as some areas are restricted to cars. I would plan at least two hours at the lake. But you could easily spend a full day here depending on what you wanted to do. We didn’t go out on the lake but in summer it is my understanding that you can swim and rent boats.
The Alpine Region
After Lake Bled, we drove to our next adventure for the day, the Slovenian Alpine Region. So good. Just so freaking good.
You think this is pretty? Just wait until we return in the Winter with our friend Matt.
The Slovenian Alpine Region has nothing on Switzerland (which you’ll witness in two posts from now). But it is breathtaking nonetheless. Just an hour drive from Ljubljana, they’re a must see. We could not have asked for better weather for our little day trip.
There were almost no other tourists by this time of year due to the temperature dropping and school being back in. October proved to be a win. And because of that, the Millers fell even more in love with the tiny country of Slovenia.
You NEED to experience all this country has to offer before it’s a tourist haven. Which will be very soon if I had to guess.
We planned to visit yet another national park but you had to pay $30 Euro to get in and do the hike, so we decided to call it a day. The whole attraction to this other national park area was teal rivers and scenery; which we had plenty of FOR FREE simply driving through the Alps.
Again, you just wait until you see this water in the winter. The mountains may have been hiding in the mist on our second visit, but the river was a-raging. And you won’t believe the colors.
Next up, we head to the iconic Hallstatt Austria, then Grindelwald Switzerland. Hallstatt is so iconic that they’ve even made a replica in China. You’ll see why in my next post. Stay tuned.
