Around Slovenia without a car

Our colleague Zhenya recently visited Slovenia — a country that boasts stunning nature, ancient architecture, and an indescribable atmosphere. Read Zhenya’s report and go for it!) While crowds of tourists wear out their shoes in other parts of Europe, head to Slovenia — peace, tranquility, and comfort still exist here.

“Sometimes you look at pictures of beautiful places on the internet and think: “Oh, if only I could go there! Stand on my head, do a somersault, or hold that cute little island in my palm.” But as soon as you see where this beauty is located, you immediately close the browser in frustration. Like, it’s far away and difficult to get to. We are used to everything being close, spending less time traveling, and more time relaxing. And if you can’t get to that cherished place by car, it doesn’t mean you should forget about it. A teleport, of course, would solve all travel problems, but public transport hasn’t been canceled either. Today we’ll tell you what to see in Slovenia. Not all corners of this country are yet packed with tourists, like in Italy or France. But it has its own charms: a dragon, a wishing bell, Zlatorog, the temple of the Goddess of love, and God’s Lake.

Venice, but not in Italy The Slovenian capital is known not only for pljeskavica, ćevapčići, štruklji, and other “how-many-letters-are-there” delicacies. Ljubljana resembles a small Venice. The emerald-colored Sava River around the old town, numerous bridges, boats, mysterious castles… Imagine that, and now add flocks of hungry pigeons and tourists — and you get a real Italian town. But it is their absence that makes the Slovenian capital friendly and safe. Food and accommodation prices in Ljubljana are lower than in Finland, for example. We are used to food being expensive in tourist places with special views from the window. But Ljubljana doesn’t have such a price disparity. Feel free to go to the old town and choose any cafe you like. Whether by the river or in the city center — a meat dish with a drink will cost 10–15 euros per person (a set lunch or dinner will be the same price). Be careful — portions are very large. If you order, for example, goulash soup, you will be served a huge deep bowl of rich soup with fist-sized pieces of meat. And take lasagna or pasta for two — one person cannot finish it.

Triglav, strawberries, and a ski resort. Since Ljubljana is a small city, you can explore it in 1, maximum 2 days. And 45 kilometers away is Triglav National Park, the size of 6 Liechtensteins (a tiny country)! In this park, there is Lake Bled, where during a storm, the ringing of a sunken bell can be heard. And here, looking at the map, many would ask, how can you see everything without a car? It’s very simple. The transport system in Slovenia is excellently developed. Buses run on schedule, will take you anywhere and pick you up from there. From Ljubljana’s main bus station to Lake Bled, the fare is 6.10 euros per person (one way), and the journey takes an hour and a half. If you want to get away from the city bustle and relax a bit in peace, rent a hotel right on the lake, not in the capital. Around Bled, there are guesthouses, hostels, and luxury hotels right on the shore. Prices are low by Central European standards, and if you’re traveling with a large group, an apartment (mini-flat) for 4 costs from 40 euros per night! A kitchen with everything you need, a bathroom, and a well-finished interior. And on the quiet streets, you’ll find pastry shops with overly sweet cakes, various cafes, and a large supermarket. There’s even a Chinese restaurant where everything is in Chinese, but for some reason, there are no Chinese people there. So you won’t go hungry even on a minimal budget. Note: in March, the season for Spanish strawberries begins at 1.50 euros for 500g. It’s simply a celebration!

Lake Bled is not a place you can visit for just one day to “look around and leave.” Although, that depends on how fast you walk. Snow-capped mountain peaks are visible right from the shore! Walk around Bled, get to the Vintgar waterfalls — a gorge with currents of varying speeds. But here you’ll have to walk a couple of kilometers. Along the way, don’t forget to greet the village cats, dogs, and residents. The local small villages are the kind of place where you want to spend your old age. A house, mountains, fresh air, horses — does that sound like happiness for a city workaholic? I really didn’t want to leave.

Bled Castle hangs over the lake, offering a panorama of the surroundings. You look at all this and can’t believe how many kilometers you’ve covered! Legends say that it used to be a temple of the goddess of love. Well, 99 steps surely hold some romance:) Entrance to the castle costs 10 euros. There are also other unofficial free observation decks. But to get to them, you’ll have to climb up forest paths for about half an hour. You’ll certainly get out of breath, as if you were running from a dragon, but for such a view, it’s worth the effort.

Need more mountains? Conquer Triglav. Experienced hikers say you can manage the ascent and descent in 1 day. Well, that’s why they’re experienced. I couldn’t do it.

Lake Bohinj — God’s Lake — is 30 kilometers from Bled. You can get there by bus for 4.10 euros. To walk around the lake, get off at the “Lake Bohinj” stop. And if you get off at the next stop, “Zlatorog,” you’ll reach the Vogel ski resort. Feel free to jump into the funicular and ascend to the top (a round trip costs 14 euros per person). There you can appreciate the scale of the expanses and the beauty! Everything below seems so tiny, like a toy. You involuntarily feel like a giant. The most surprising thing is that there’s almost no wind at an altitude of 16 English Big Bens, but you’re within arm’s reach of the sun. You’ll get a tan as if you’ve been to Turkey! Down below, you can also meet a goat with golden horns and learn the secret of heavenly treasures from it. But don’t forget to stand on your head…

Don’t be afraid of long distances! And generally, public transport is everything! In European countries developed for tourism, there are no problems with it. Discovering new places is easy, because adventures begin with the phrase: “Oh, it’s so close, let’s go!”