Slovenia On a Short Stay

As we continued on to the last leg of our day long journey through Slovenia, we come to our third stop. Bled Lake, perhaps collectively the most beautiful location of the three.

In order to preserve the lake, no motorized boats are allowed and only a small area for swimming is permitted selectively. The boat in the picture below was our mode of transportation to the island which sits in the middle of the lake. Thankfully, Slovenia has produced some strong young men to do this job. If it were me paddling, we might still be drifting somewhere in the middle of the lake.

Once you get to the island in the middle of the lake you can take a hearty climb up 99 steps to reach the Church of the Assumption of Mary. The views from up top are spectacular. We were there on a fairly cloudy day and it was still beautiful from anywhere you looked. Here are a few pics capturing that view. Personally, I can say, the pictures don't do it justice. In person it is much more stunning. This was definitely worth the journey and a must do if you visit Slovenia.

On our final full day in Slovenia, we did something we rarely do, particularly when visiting Europe. We rented a car. We wanted to spend some time visiting some of the small coastal towns that border near Trieste and Italy.

We briefly entertained the idea of driving from Ljubljana to Venice, which is only 2.5 hours. However, a five hour round trip would have left us very little time to enjoy Venice. We have both been before, so we nixed those plans.

The roads in Slovenia are easy to navigate, but get your Mario Andretti driving skills ready. Speed seemed to be the name of the game.

With the limited time, we could have either journeyed inland to see some of the beautiful countryside with bright blue colored rivers and lakes, or take to the coast and maybe find some of Slovenia's beach areas.

Being the sun, sand and water people we are we set out for a place to enjoy some sun and water.

Above are views of the beaches of Portoroz - Strunjan

The water, as you can see, was a beautiful array of blues, from turquoise to azure and anything in between. However, like many European beaches, sand is hard to find and the beaches are often rocky or pebbly making it a challenge to lay flat and do a little sunbathing.

Also worth a mention about Slovenian beaches, they are difficult to reach. Because of the steep terrain from mountain to beach in such a short drop, often there are no actual roads you can drive on to get there. Seems you have to hike a bit to get to the nicer beaches. We did see a private resort however, that had its own entry to the beach, but we could not take our car in unless we were guests.

Our first stop was the town of Piran. This was a quaint resort city on the Adriatic coast known for its long pier and Venetian architecture. The center of town is known as Tartini Square and is brimming with small cafes and restaurants. We grabbed a light lunch and some amazing cappuccinos here. Definitely worth the stop.

After strolling and climbing many of the narrow hilly streets of Piran we hopped back in the car in search of beach. Our next stop was Portoroz. A little further down the coast along the Adriatic, this town had some beautiful beach areas and is known for their spas and therapeutic treatments using the mud and brine from Secovlje Salina. No, we did not stop for a treatment, although I know someone who wanted to do so.

Aove is Coastal Karst in the Gulf of Trieste

Lucija, Slovenia

After a day of driving and dipping into the beautiful coastal areas of Slovenia, it was time to get back into town for our last night.

We were told of a restaurant in town that was the oldest in the country, Sestica. The restaurant is as old as the United States. They let you know right from the menu cover.

The food had that cooked by mama style to it. It was the perfect meal to finish off our short journey through a country filled with so much more than we expected.

For those that love to explore the not so popular destinations throughout Europe, you should put Slovenia on your short list. I suspect it's popularity will continue to grow much like Croatia.

The vibe of Ljubljana and its people was very comfortable and welcoming. The culture and scenery was quite diverse and varied and has something for everyone.

Until next time....... Sunshine Always!!!