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If you only have three days in Slovenia, here are some great ways to spend your time.
Day 1 – Ljubljana
My friend Renee and I arrived in Ljubljana on a buss. It was a hot summer day and we were coming from clean, beautiful Salzburg, Austria. I had the whole summer to travel, but Renee only had two weeks. Our trip–in regard to time and money–was budgeted carefully and we only had three days to spend in Slovenia. Renee wanted to spend the entire time in Bled, but I convinced her that we must visit the capital. I’d also heard there were some cool caves down south. She reluctantly agreed.
As we pulled in to the graffiti-covered depot, I stared through the bus window at the ripped billboards, the large ugly apartment complexes, and started to get nervous. Renee gave me a WTF look and said, “Let’s just buy a ticket to somewhere else and get out of here.”
I admit Ljubljana (pronounced luub-lee-AH-nə) didn’t look promising. Everything seems old, run-down, dirty. Not exactly Tijuana, but close. I’d heard it was great place. Plus, if we left now we’d never recoup the cost of our hostel. We should at least check it out
Despite the grim beginning, we both ended up loving our time in Slovenia. The people were warm and friendly. The city beyond the bus depot was lovely. It was inexpensive and fun. On both sides of Ljubljanica River which runs through the city center are shops, restaurants, street musicians, open markets, and lovely old homes. It was lively and interesting. We ate lunch at Kodila, one of the many restaurants offering outdoor dining. It was a memorable meal, and an even more memorable day. I was sorry to leave.
What to do:
- Explore the City Center – lots of cafes, bars, shops, and music. Many, many English speakers.
- Tour the Ljubljana Castle
- Congress Square
- Tivoli Park in the center of town
- Metelkova Art Center
- Stari Trg – a street lined with wooden houses
- FREE walking tour
Where to Stay
We stayed in a hostel that no longer exists. But here are a few suggestions:
- Kva Hostel – Costs about $25 per night for a dorm room. I’ve stayed in many and I’m well over fifty years old. It’s rather nice to share a room especially when traveling solo. If you are with a friend and want privacy, their rooms are about $75-100 per night.
- City Hotel Ljubljana – Looks nice and is highly rated. It’s in the city center. Approximately $75 per night.
Day 2 – Bled & Kranj
On day two of our three days in Slovenia, we moved on to Kranj, an adorable little town that I fell in love with. I’m not sure how or why I picked this place on the map, but if I ever moved to Slovenia, this is where I’d live. The people are wonderful, the town is beautiful, and its centrally located–
- about 20 minutes train or bus to Ljubljana
- 2 hours to Postojna Caves
- an hour to Lake Bled
We arrived in Kranjon a Friday, and spent the first part of the day walking around the town, checking out the shops, and hiking the gorgeous park. Our hostel, Cukrana Guest Accommodations, was inside the city center, and after checking in, we were off to Lake Bled.
Images of Lake Bled have used for millions of calendars because it’s absolutely gorgeous. In the middle of the lake is an island with a castle that you must visit. To get there, you can rent a rowboat or a pletna, which is a larger boat. The cost of a pletna is $12 per person.
The Castle at Lake Bled is the oldest castle in Slovenia, dating back to 1011 A.D.
Fortunately, it stayed light well past 8:00 p.m. After a lovely afternoon of walking around the island and the lake, we hoped back on a train for Kranj.
When we arrived back in Kranj, the city center was alive with people, music, dancing, and families. Everyone sitting outside, enjoying the warm summer night. We strolled the streets eating ice cream and enjoying the music. It was heaven.
Day 3
The last day of our three days in Slovenia was a trip to the caves at Postojna. This excursion took most of the day. It’s over an hour on the train, and then the walk to the caves was a little confusing. Both Renee and I are tightwads, so we must of walked over five miles before we reached the caves. There are signs all over the place, but we took a wrong turn. I was fascinated by the town and wish I would’ve taken more photos. The houses were quite elegant and I remember thinking they must’ve had fourteen-foot ceilings. What is the history of this town? The only thing, other than the caves, that I found was something about mass graves dating back to World War II.
The caves were unbelievable. Both Renee and I wondered why we’d never heard of them. They seemed to be the 9th wonder of the word. The cost is about $26 and worth every penny.
The train ride home was scenic and lovely. By now I knew the lay if the land. Even when we passed through the very spot where we’d arrived the first day, it didn’t seem so unpleasant.
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