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Contents
1. Introduction
We visited Slovenia for 1 week at the end of April 2023 while driving from the UK to the Greek islands. We were on a 3 month road trip visiting interesting places on route to and from Greece. The aim wasn't to cover everything in the countries that we visited. See my blog Venice to Serbia - Week 2 for the daily trip report of our week in Slovenia.
It would have been preferable to visit Slovenia towards the end of our trip in late June. The weather would then have then been warm enough to swim in the sea and in the lakes. By then the snow would have melted on the Julian Alps and we could have hiked in the higher alpine areas that I enjoy.
Slovenia is too busy and expensive at that time of year. So we decided to visit Slovenia at the start of our trip and to enjoy the coasts of Albania, Montenegro and Croatia on the way back.
We were lucky with the weather as it was warm and sunny when we were on the coast. It was cloudy, but dry, in Ljubljana. The weather forecast for our 3 nights at Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj was abysmal, but it was dry until the day we left. Then it poured!
We were very impressed with Slovenia. It was a very easy country to travel in. The roads weren't busy and driving was very straightforward, even for someone used to driving on the wrong side of the road! Most people seemed to speak English and were very courteous and friendly.
Accommodation wasn't particularly cheap and we found cheaper accommodation in all the countries we visited south of Slovenia. Petrol though was about 20% cheaper than in the UK, France, Switzerland Italy and even Greece.
2. Piran
2.1. Accommodation in Piran
Piran is similar to the many historic towns further south in Croatia. The accommodation is more expensive than Croatia, even in the off peak season. This might be because Slovenia has a very small coastline for Slovenians to visit. Piran is absolutely packed in July and August.
We rented a compact apartment in the small village of Pobegi for 1 night at a cost of Euro 75 through Booking.com. Pobegi is 4 kilometres from Koper and a 25 minute drive to Piran.
The apartment was very well equipped and in pristine condition. I have reviewed the accommodation on my blog "UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1" (number 6).
2.2. Parking in Piran
Parking in Piran is very expensive and it cost Euro 2.60 per hour. We parked in the Fornace parking lot and there is a free shuttle for the short distance into Piran.
2.3. What to See in Piran
Half a day in Piran is ample for wandering around the old town. It is an unspoiled historical town with Venetian architecture.
The main square in Piran is Tartinijev Trg and it is surrounded by attractive historic buildings. It is very near the sea front as it was originally the inner harbour of Piran. In 1894 the harbour was filled in to create the main square. The tourist office is in this square.
We climbed up the road to the Cathedral of St George and its Bell Tower. We continued up the hill to the old Walls of Piran. It costs Euro 3 to enter a small section of the walls and 3 of the walls' towers. There are very good views of Piran from the towers. It was open until 20.00.
We wandered around the streets in the lower town and there were hardly any other visitors. Most of the restaurants and cafes are along the seafront. It was warm enough in late April for us to sit outside on the waterfront for our evening meal of calamari and sardines.
From the parking lot below the entrance to the walls there are steps that descend steeply back to the Piran's old town centre. It makes a good circular walk around Piran.
3. Koper
It is only an hour's drive to Ljubljana from Piran. We visited Koper and Izola on the way and we had most of the day to explore them.
3.1. Parking in Koper
We stopped off at Koper first and there were plenty of parking spaces, unlike at Piran. It would usually cost Eur 1 per hour but a kind local told us that it was free as it was a holiday.
We had all our luggage in our car. It seems that Slovenia has less theft than many other European countries.
3.2. What to See in Koper
We walked into the centre of Koper along the seafront promenade and then to the main square called Titov Trg. It is an attractive square surrounded by historic buildings. The tourist office is also located there. Surprisingly there were very few other tourists, just like at Piran.
We paid Euro 4 each to climb up the 36 metre high City Tower and there were good views from the top. Every town seems to have a tower to climb and we decided not to go up towers in future as the cost soon mounts up.
Koper's historic centre is very interesting, but not that extensive, so it took less than 2 hours to see.
3.3. Restaurants in Koper
It was lunch time when we finished sightseeing and we went to a cheap seafood eatery outside the market called Fritolin. Fritolin is recommended in the Lonely Planet guide and it was busy with locals.
We ordered 2 portions of grilled calamari and french fries for a total cost of Euro 21 and ate it at an outside table. It was very tasty and the portions were good!
There are many other cheap eating spots and cafes in the market area.
4. Izola
Koper's helpful tourist office had told us that it was a 6 km walk to Izola along the seafront promenade and that we could then take a bus back to Koper. We decided to do this as we needed the exercise and didn't fancy trying to find parking in Izola.
The walk to Izola took 1 hour and 15 minutes. It was a very pleasant walk and was popular with the locals who were cycling, roller blading and walking. There were several free toilets along the way.
We had a quick walk around Izola and then took the short bus ride back to Koper. Izola is a pleasant town but there aren't many historic sights to see.
The bus runs regularly between Piran and Koper. Even on a holiday it ran every half an hour most of the day. The tourist office at Koper provided us with a sheet detailing the departure times and told us where the bus stops were. Our bus ride from Izola to Koper cost Euro 1.30 per person.
5. Ljubljana
5.1. Introduction
Slovenia is such a compact country that it only takes an hour drive from Ljubljana to the coast, 40 minutes to Lake Bled and 30 minutes to Skofja Loka. The roads in Ljubljana weren't congested at all. Ljubljana would be a convenient base to visit places like Lake Bled and Skofja Loka.
I wondered if there would be enough to do in Ljubljana as I had read that there wasn't much to see apart from the Castle. Ljubljana is a picturesque city and we enjoyed wandering around for a couple of hours. Half a day is adequate unless you want to visit the museums.
5.2. Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle is the main site. It is a steep 15 minute walk from the city centre. A funicular railway from the city centre costs Eur 3.30 one way or Eur 6 return.
Entrance to the central courtyard of the castle, and a small section of the wall, is free. To see a bit more of the castle is expensive and, in my opinion, not worth it. Much of the interior has been renovated and so doesn't look ancient.
The entrance ticket of Eur 12 enables you to go up the viewing tower and enter the Puppetry and Slovenian History museums. To appreciate the History Museum you need to pay an additional Eur 4 for an audio guide as there aren't sufficient signs in English.
It is worthwhile seeing the Ljubljana Castle from the outside and the free interior sections. I wouldn't buy a ticket unless you want to take a photo from the tower or are interested in puppetry. Details of the current ticket prices are on the Ljubljana Castle website.
5.3. The Bridges in Ljubljana
The Ljubljanica river bisects the city centre and there are 3 well known bridges crossing it. They are not very old, nor particularly beautiful, but most travel books refer to them. You would probably have to cross them while looking around the city.
The Dragon Bridge was built in 1888 and has a dragon on each corner. It is northeast of the old town. There are public toilets on the southwest side of the bridge.
The Triple Bridge is south of Presernov Trg. The central section was built in 1842 and in the 1930's two pedestrian side bridges were added.
The Cobbler's Bridge was rebuilt in 1931 and is south of the other 2 bridges. It is a pedestrian bridge and in medieval times shoemakers lived and worked on the bridge.
5.4. A Circular Sightseeing Walk in Ljubljana
A good way of seeing Ljubljana is to do a circular walk. You could start anywhere.
We began at St James Bridge in the south and walked northwards to Dragon Bridge along the west bank of the river. We then crossed Dragon Bridge and walked back to St James Bridge on the east bank of the river.
Some of the main areas we saw were:
Novi Trg, an old area of Ljubljana.
Kongresni Trg, which has an excellent view of Ljubljana Castle. There are some attractive buildings in the square like the University of Ljubljana and the Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity.
Presernov Trg, Ljubljana's main square and is surrounded by some beautiful buildings like Hauptman House and the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation.
The Triple Bridge
Miklosiceva Cesta, which runs from the railway station to the river. This street has some of the finest art nouveau buildings in Ljubljana.
Trubarjeva Cesta, a bustling street lined with shops, restaurants and cafes.
Dragon Bridge.
Ljubljana Castle.
The Central Market in Vodnikov Trg, which has a large open air food market.
Pogacarjev Trg, which has a covered market and a fish market. On Fridays there is a weekly food fair known as the Open Kitchen.
The Old Town, which runs along the east side of the river from Triple Bridge in the north to Hercules Fountain (near St James Bridge) in the south.
6. Skofja Loka
6.1. Getting to Skofja Loka
It was surprisingly easy to drive out of Ljubljana. Once we had got off the motorway we drove on pretty, rural roads with the snow covered Julian Alps in the background. We reached the historic town of Skofja Loka after about 30 minutes. Parking was easy and free.
6.2. What to see at Skofja Loka
Skofja Loka has quite a large historic core and we spent about 2 hours wandering around. If you visit the castle museum you will need longer.
The main site is 13th century Loka Castle and it is a steep 10 minute walk up to it. There are good views from the castle and it is pleasant wandering around the grounds. Otherwise there isn't much to do unless you visit the museum and the entrance fee is Eur 5.
The other main place of interest is Mestni Trg. It is surrounded by colourful 16th century houses. The most famous of these is Homan House which was built in 1511.
Other things to see in Skofja Loka are:
Jakoba Church dating back to the 13th century. It is free to enter.
Capuchin Bridge da back to the 14th century.
Spodnji Trg with a 16th century granary.
7. Radovljica
The Lonely Planet guide book says that "The town of Radovljica is filled with impossibly cute, historic buildings". That is very misleading as the historic part of Radovljica is limited to Linhartov Trg.
Trg means Square but in reality Linhartov is a street. The street is lined with 16th and 17th buildings. It doesn't take long to see them. We spent half an hour wandering around. There is nothing else of interest to see in Radovljica.
8. Lake Bled
8.1. Getting to Lake Bled
It is only a 45 minute drive from Ljubljana to Lake Bled as Slovenia is a compact country. Lake Bled was very congested as it was a warm and sunny holiday weekend in late April. I dread to think what it would be like in summer!
We turned off at the first parking sign we saw and the charge was Euro 15 for 4 hours or Euro 25 for the whole day! That's as expensive as Venice. We decided to pay Eur 15 for 4 hours rather than drive around the congested streets to find somewhere cheaper.
8.2. Walking around Lake Bled
There is a 6 km paved path going all the way around Lake Bled. It was congested around the town of Bled but not bad otherwise.
Apart from the number of people it is a very beautiful and easy walk with great views all the way around Lake Bled. It should only take about 90 minutes but we took 3 hours with a lot of stops for photos.
Lake Bled is very photogenic with the island, the castle perched above the lake and the snow covered Julian alps in the distance. Some people were swimming and the water didn't feel too cold, even though it was the end of April.
8.3. Bled Island
You can take a boat over to Bled Island. Only row boats and electric boats are allowed to prevent noise pollution. We didn't bother as it is expensive and the island appears to be a tourist trap.
A Pletna boat, which looks like a large gondola row boat, costs Eur 15 per person. An electric boat from Bled town costs Eur 14 per person. You can also rent your own rowing boat but it doesn't work out much cheaper.
Once you are there you have to fork out another Eur 12 to enter the church and bell tower. So for the 2 of us it would have cost Eur 54 for a 1 hour to 1.5 hour experience at a tourist trap!
8.4. Bled Castle
It is a steep 15 to 20 minute walk up to the castle, but that is not as steep as the Eur 15 entrance fee! You can also drive up and there is paid parking at the top.
The main reasons to visit Bled Castle are for the views and the museum.
9. Lake Bohinj
9.1. Towns and Accommodation at Lake Bohinj
There isn't a town called Bohinj. The only settlement on the lake is Ribcev Laz on the south eastern corner. It is the main hub for Lake Bohinj.
We stayed in nearby Stara Fuzina, an unspoiled village a 10 minute walk from the lake. Ukanc, the only other settlement near the lake shore, is a very small village on the western shore.
We booked a 1 bedroom apartment through Airbnb for Eur 98 per night. I have reviewed it in my blog "UK to Greek Islands Accommodation - Part 1" (number 8).
9.2. A Hike around Lake Bohinj
The Lonely Planet guide says that Lake Bohinj is more beautiful than Lake Bled. I don't agree with that but Lake Bohinj is certainly less crowded and touristy.
We hiked from our apartment in Stara Fuzina clockwise around the Lake Bohinj. The hike is 12 kilometres long and it took us 3 hours.
Unfortunately the trail on the south bank of Lake Bohinj follows the road and the views are often blocked by trees. At the western end of Lake Bohinj it was more open and there were good views of the lake and mountains.
The north side of Lake Bohinj is more popular for walking. There isn't a road nearby but unfortunately trees often obscure the views. This is the more popular side of the lake for walking and I can understand why.
In my opinion it is better to hike there and back on the north side instead of walking around Lake Bohinj. The disadvantage is that it is busier but you could probably get around that by starting early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
10. Vrsic Pass
10.1. About the Vrsic Pass
The Vrsic Pass is in north western Slovenia near the border with Italy. It was built during the first world war and there are 50 hair pin bends up and down the 1,611 metre high pass.
Vrsic Pass is closed in winter which means it is closed from November to April, depending on the snow. You can check whether it is open on the AMZS website.
The road to Vrsic pass goes from Kranjska Gora on the eastern side to Bovec on the western side. The drive to Kranjska Gora takes 45 minutes from Bled and 1 hour 15 minutes from Lake Bohinj.
10.2. The Road up the Eastern Side of the Vrsic Pass
The road up Vrsic Pass was a bit narrow going around some of the hair pin bends, but otherwise it wasn't a difficult drive. There are several parking spots on the road from where you can enjoy spectacular views of the Julian Alps.
When you reach the top of Vrsic pass you could turn around and drive back down. The longer alternative is to drive down the western side of Vrsic pass and complete a circular route back to Lake Bohinj or Bled. It would make the drive even longer if you started at Bled.
10.3. The Road down the Western Side of the Vrsic Pass
We did the circular drive and continued over Vrsic pass down 24 hair pin bends to Bovec. The hair pin bends weren't as tight, and the scenery wasn't as dramatic, as on the way up.
We looked out for the Russian Chapel built as a memorial in 1916 by the Russian prisoners of war who constructed the road. Unfortunately we missed it and decided not to drive back up to find it.
From Bovec we drove south on road numbers 203 and 102. We then turned east on the narrow and mountainous road number 403 to return to Lake Bohinj.
It took us 3 hours 45 minutes to drive back from the top of Vrsic pass to Lake Bohinj. In comparison it only took us 2 hours to drive up to the top of Vrsic pass.
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