Itinerary (1)
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| Julian Alps |
The first week of our Balkans road trip started from Amsterdam. We drove through Germany and Austria to reach Slovenia where we stayed in Kranjska Gora for a week, exploring the Julian Alps around us. And I totally fell in love with Slovenia. The Alps there are stunning, with loads of activities to do. Hike up the peaks, swim in the lakes, cycle around, enjoy the fall colours, explore Lake Bled and so on. I think this was my favourite part of this whole trip.
Day 1: Drive (7 hours) from Amsterdam to Erlangen (Germany) with a lunch stop in Limburg
It was a long two day drive from Amsterdam to Slovenia, and we stopped in Germany for the first night. We had a lot of driving ahead of us next few days, so everytime we would drive from one location to another, we planned a picturesque halt on the way for lunch or a walk - the joy of a European driving holiday.
The drive through the Netherlands was flat as usual. And once we reached Germany, we saw some mountains which already felt better. There was a lot of greenery around and we saw some lovely landscapes. Though there were lots of roadworks going on everywhere which led to many delays that day. It was fun to drive on the autobahn though, I touched 200+ kmph a few times (up to 220 kmph I think), but could never touch 250. Sigh!
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| Along river Lahn |
For lunch we thought we should find a scenic riverside restaurant on Google Maps. So we drove to an Indian restaurant called Lahnterrase on the banks of river Lahn, in the town of Limburg. It was such a weird place, and the food was very bad too. I think after that we decided that we would prefer to go for good food rather than picturesque locations ๐.
The second half of the drive was quite boring, we were mostly driving through fields. The weather was also very hot and humid that day. We had picked the town of Erlangen for the night stay based only on its convenient location next to the highway. But it turned out to be a charming German town, with a cute little town centre.
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| Dinner at Kitzmann |
We were staying at the Bayerischer Hof which was a nice comfortable hotel. After checking in, we walked to the nearest restaurant for dinner, a beer garden called Kitzmann Brauschanke. It was such a cosy place, very well decorated with lights. We sat outside on the wooden benches under the umbrella and had dinner enjoying the cool breeze. It was very nice to be outdoors, the service was quite average though. But it was all quite convenient for a night halt. And interestingly while we were walking back to our hotel, we heard someone playing hindi music in one of the apartments on the way. That was a surprise.
Day 2: Drive (6.5 hours) to Kranjska Gora in the Julian Alps (Slovenia) with stops at Hallein and Sankt Johann im Pongau (Austria)
The landscape today was so lovely, we enjoyed our drive even. Most of our day, we spent driving through the Alps, and the views around us were just majestic. We first drove through the small mountains of Bavaria, bright green in summer, with cows on the hills, valleys with orange roofed houses, and tall church spires peaking out from them. Every moment felt like we were driving through a painting. And then we entered Austria which was just picture perfect. Magnificent mountain peaks dotted with castles, and lakes and villages in the valleys. Every scene felt just divine.
On the way, we stopped twice. Once in a small town called Hallein, for charging our car. It turned out to be quite a pretty little town, located right next to a small river, and surrounded by mountains on all sides. Apparently the town is popular with tourists as the Eagle’s Nest (Hitler’s retreat) was nearby.
We walked to the nearest restaurant for lunch while waiting for charging, and it turned out to be a very nice one. Gasthaus Hager was run by a local person who was wearing a lederhosen in the summer heat! He told us that it is comfortable even in the summers (I am not that sure of it though!). We had a tasty lunch, again sitting outdoors in the sun. The owner predicted that it was going to rain soon. It had seemed unlikely when we started our lunch but by the end of it, it did start pouring! So we had to run to our car without getting a chance to explore the town.
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| Walk in St Johann im Pongau |
When we left Hallein, we saw a car on the highway which had caught fire and was burning, like actually burning with flames! That was quite a sight. There was a miles-long traffic jam on that side of the highway too. Our side was clear though. We then drove through a few tunnels, coming out onto some spectacular landscapes on the other side - gorgeous hills, higher peaks, picturesque villages and castles on top of the mountains. We even saw some rainbows in the sky there.
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| Town of St Johann im Pongau |
As we hadn’t got a chance to explore Hallein, once it stopped raining, we stopped at another town on the way, St Johann im Pongau. We mostly walked around the town centre which was quite lovely. We went into the cathedral, and then walked up one of the hills to get a feel of being in the Alps. We got a panoramic view of the town in the valley, with the Pongau Cathedral spire rising up high above it all. Apparently this village is also quite popular with tourists who come here to visit the Liechtensteinklamm gorge, one of the longest and deepest accessible gorges in the Alps. One can also take a balloon ride through the gorge.
After, St Johann, we continued driving through the Alps, with the peaks getting higher and the valleys narrower. We also saw some white rocky mountain peaks on this part of the drive. It got dark by the time we reached Slovenia. Also the roads became more winding there as well as narrower. We also couldn’t see much and weren't sure what kind of a place we were going to.
We reached the town of Kranjska Gora quite late, and it took us a while to find our airbnb, the Apartment Kotnik. Google Maps took us to the middle of the national forest, which had us worried for a while. Finally when we found the apartment, we relaxed. The airbnb was in town, not in the remote jungle that Google Maps had us initially believe! The town also felt quite big (relatively). In fact, our airbnb was right across a huge casino hotel, so it definitely wasn’t as remote as we feared initially.
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| Daytime view from our airbnb |
It was a cute little apartment, close to the main road and right on the boundary of the Triglav National Park. We had a view of high peaks on one side, and the Korona casino hotel on the other. And at night, we could even see the Milky Way up in the sky. After the long drive, we welcomes this break. And settled into our apartment for our six night stay.
Day 3: Hike up Slemenova Spica trail, near Vrsic pass (30 mins away)
For the next few days, we explored the areas around. There was just so much to do and see. On our first day, we drove till Vrsic pass in the Triglav National Park, which was a 30 mins drive away. The place seemed quite popular, as there was a lot of traffic on the narrow roads. We even got stuck in traffic at one point! There were loads of cyclists everywhere, definitely a faster way to getting around than a car stuck in traffic (tougher too though!). We stopped at a few viewpoints on the way to admire the high peaks.
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| On the hike |
When we reached Vrsic pass, there was a traffic jam there too. It was quite crowded, with people and cars. And a lot of sheep walking in between the parked cars too ๐. It took us a while to find parking though we finally did find something, right next to the steep mountain edge. We started our hike from the Vrsic pass, which is at a height of 1,600 m.
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| Sheep on the hike |
The hike was around 6.5 kms long, and took us 3.5 hours to go up and back. The views on this hike are just stunning. The path took us through different landscapes - we climbed up steep rocks, crossed through passes, walked through green meadows, and so on. The mountains all around were quite imposing. We crossed through the Saddle of Vratca pass, which opened up to a completely different landscape. There were sheep grazing everywhere in the meadows. We could see a village, Ratece, far off on the opposite side mountains. It was just fun to walk through it all. The trail was well marked too with loads of people going and coming.
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| View from the peak |
And the view from the Slemenova Spica viewpoint was just spectacular. We could walk to the edge of the mountain, from where we could look down several hundred metres, getting a 360 degrees view of three different valleys down below (including Tamar valley). There were bare rocky peaks on one side, with the mountains looking like gray walls. And green valleys on the other two sides. It was a breathtaking view, as if one is standing on top of the world. It was just surreal to be there. (Interestingly a few days later we ended up in the valley below and could see the Slemenova ล pica peak from there).
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| Meadows on the hike |
When we had started our hike, the weather was hot, around 30+ °C and sunny. But while we were going back down, gray clouds started coming in and it looked like it may rain. No one could have expected that when we had started. And by the time we reached our car, it was pouring. Another reminder that weather in the hills can turn at any point, so one always needs to be ready.
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| Lake Jasna |
While driving back from the hike, we stopped at a lake 5 mins from our airbnb - Lake Jasna. And it turned out to be so mesmerising, something I hadn’t expected at all. It had an emerald green colour and the reflections of the mountains and chalets around in the water were just breathtaking. I can only imagine how much more stunning it would look in the sunlight, as the clouds at that time had muted its colours. We walked all around the lake, checking out all the activities and cafes around, which had closed by that time though.
After our first day in Julian Alps, I realised they are as picturesque as the Alps in Central Europe. And a lot cheaper ๐. Also, I had been expecting the infrastructure to be less developed here, but that was not the case at all. Slovenia is known as a cheaper Switzerland, and I agree with that description fully.
In the evening, we walked to the city centre. It was quite small, lined with typical alpine buildings. It was full of tourists walking around that day. We had dinner at Vinoalpino and the food was outstanding. And this was the start of all the good food we found in our first week on the trip.
Day 4: Exploring Lake Bohinj and around (1 hour drive)
We spent one entire day around Lake Bohinj and loved it. Lake Bohinj is also part of the Triglav National Park and was about a one hour drive from Kranjska Gora. The drive till there was quite scenic (and we ended up on that route 3 times too!). As one leaves Kranjska Gora, the initial drive is through small country roads with charming little villages surrounded by high mountains on both sides. It was so green and felt so fresh to drive through every time - we always kept our windows open when driving there.
Then there was a short drive on the highway before we would take the exit to Lake Bled. That part of the drive got a bit crowded though. The day we were going to Lake Bohinj, we drove past Lake Bled and it was tough to not stop there ๐. This place is just so spectacular, there can be no words to describe it. The turquoise blue and emerald green lake, with a church in the middle and a castle perched on top of a hill overlooking the lake. It’s just a magnificent sight. There was a lot of traffic around here though, and it took us a long time to get past the area.
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| Ribcev Laz |
The drive from Lake Bled till Lake Bohinj takes about 15 mins and we again drove through some dense forests and small villages with charming churches dotting the path. The two closest villages to the lake, Ribฤev Laz and Stara Fuลพina were quite picturesque. The peace and quiet here felt nice after the craziness of Lake Bled.
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| Lake Bohinj |
Lake Bohinj is a huge blue-green lake set amid some stunning mountain scenery, part of the Triglav National Park. The mountains here were not too high, and fall colours were already visible in the surrounding mountains. We decided to walk around the whole lake, which felt like a good idea initially but not later in the day ๐ฆ.
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| Colours of Lake Bohinj |
The whole walk around the lake was around 12 kms and took us around 4 hours to finish. There was a path all around, through different types of vegetation. And twice, we stopped and swam in the lake. The water was such a vibrant green in colour, and even felt a bit warm. The lake shore was quite pebbly though. Swimming there felt like being in a dream. In such clear blue green waters with green and orange forests on the sides, and total peace and quiet all around. There were even fishes we could see swimming with us, so many of them. Some areas also had seaweed there.
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| Around Lake Bohinj |
But then it started raining! And we had not prepared for it, in fact we had turned up mostly in summer clothes! So we had to finish most of the walk in the rain. We even stopped midway for tea at a lakeside hostel, hoping for the rain to give way but it didn’t want to. So we kept walking, through trails, on the road, past camping grounds and so on. And soon the clouds came down in the valley, making everything around look so dreamy. It was lovely though very cold and wet for us.
Anyways, we did manage to finish the walk somehow, but what a day it had turned out to be. With comfortable swims but also a long walk in the rain. Anyways, back in our car, we felt better. And then started our drive back to base. We drove through thunderstorms all the way back, which we didn't have to walk through thankfully. But the views all looked so magical. Driving in the rain through small charming villages in wide valleys, with fall colours on the sides and clouds in front. It was quite an experience, and was a cherry on the cake, after a day of swimming in turquoise blue and green waters. Wow!
Day 5: Exploring Lake Bled and Vintgar Gorge (45 mins away)
This was one of my most adventurous day on this trip. We drove to Lake Bled again through the scenic route and then rented mountain bikes from there. We cycled a bit around the lake and then towards Vintgar Gorge. We initially cycled through some built up areas, then through some unpaved paths, and then through small villages up the mountains. It was quite a strenuous climb up the mountain. We passed by such stunning views - alpine villages, green meadows, flower fields - it was fabulous. And Slovenia is absolutely gorgeous.
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| Radovna River |
At Vintgar Gorge, we parked our bikes and hiked through the gorge. There is a long wooden platform built in the gorge for tourists, where one can walk all along the Radovna river with the gorge on both sides. It was such a stunning place, the river in emerald green gushing through the narrow gorge, over big and small rocks, creating small pools and waterfalls everywhere on the way. Every turn in the gorge was like a new painting made by a nature lover. The colours of the trees on the mountains were reflected on the water. This was another very magical place for me (such stunningness had become a daily occurrence in Slovenia by then though!). It was a long walk and the only way to share that is through photographs we took on the way.
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| Along the river |
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| Along the river |
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| Vintgar Gorge |
The wooden platform is a one way path, and at the end, we started walking back towards the entrance. However, we got lost and ended up taking a very long path to come back. Through some fields, villages and mountain roads. The villages were full of fruit trees, many of them laden with peaches and apples. I plucked a few and ate them on the strenuous walk back.
While mountain biking back to Lake Bled, I had a nasty fall (I think I got too lost in the stunning views all around ๐). And that slowed me down for the rest of the trip. We cycled back to Lake Bled. And then spent some time around its shore. It was still sunny, so we had dinner at a restaurant on the banks of the lake - the Arroi. The food there was very tasty. And we tried Bled cream cake too, it was yum.
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| Lake Bled |
We then walked around the lake for an hour or so. The lake just looked so enchanting and lively. And all around, the green was dotted with orange fall colours. The reflections on the lake made it very mesmerising. The whole area was so active, everyone was doing something or the other. People were swimming, kayaking or sailing on the lake, cycling and hiking up the mountains, walking around the lake, eating at the banks and so on. But it had become a lot quieter than before. So we enjoyed it a lot. I felt there was still so much more to be done there and was happy that we would be coming back soon.
Day 6: Hike to Mountain Home Tamar, visit to Laghi di Fusine, dinner at Tarvisio-Boscoverde (Italy) (30 mins away)
We took it easy that day, first doing a short hike to Tamar House, a mountain hut in the Tamar valley, then a visit to a lake in Italy before finally having dinner in the town of Tarvisio-Boscoverde.
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| Walk to Mountain Home Tamar |
We first drove to Planica, a 30 mins drive away from where we could walk to Tamar House. There were loads of activities happening at Planica, including music stalls, food stalls plus a zipline. Apparently, they also have skiing here in winter. We however started on our walk through the woods to Tamar House. It was a 8 kms return trail and took us about 2 hours going and coming back. It was a beautiful sunny day and the walk was pretty, sometimes through forests, sometimes bare riverbeds. There were huge trees on both sides, which shaded us from the strong sun. And towards the end we walked past a few meadows which reminded me of DDLJ ๐.
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| Mountain Home Tamar |
Mountain Home Tamar is a wooden mountain lodge located in the Tamar Valley and is in such a magnificent location. With huge meadows in front, green woods behind, and behind them are majestic mountain peaks towering up above, the same ones we had seen on the Slemenova hike. It was such a lovely spot to sit and lounge in. We stocked up on sugar there and tried the local snack, “struklji”. After a short break, we headed back. And while on the walk we ran into an Italian lady who said she came to Slovenia for holidays as it was cheaper than other similar places. She also told us about a few places nearby to visit, including Lake Fusine where we went next.
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| Colours of Laghi di Fusine |
Then we crossed over to Italy, and stopped at one of the lakes, the Laghi di Fusine. We did a walk all around the upper lake first. It was about 2 kms and took us about an hour to walk around (with breaks of course!). It was just stunning, with the colour shifting between emerald green and turquoise blue depending on the light. The reflections of the trees on the banks created many picturesque scenes. I think by now we stopped noticing when the scenery was stunning ๐. It was like that everyday.
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| Reflections |
We also drove to the lower lake but by then the sun had set, so the colours were less striking. Also somehow I felt that the moment we had stepped into Italy, everything felt cosier and warmer. Maybe it's the food or the people, but I just felt it.
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| Tarvisio-Boscoverde |
After the sun set, we drove to the town of Tarvisio-Boscoverde where our friend was arriving by train. We picked her up from the station, a small place in the mountains and then drove into town. We had dinner at Hotel Pizzeria Trieste, sitting outside with a view of the mountains around. We enjoyed the food, the service was a bit lacking though. Then we walked through town admiring it, it felt like a cosy little place. And it also felt different from Slovenian towns, though it was so close to those. Italy definitely has a different vibe, always.
While driving back the 20 mins to Kranjska Gora, we saw exits to Austria. And it felt so different. This is the joy of being in Europe, moving between countries feels like one is skipping rope.
Day 7: Boating and swimming in Lake Bled
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| Lake Bled |
On our last day in the Julian Alps, we went back to Lake Bled area, and spent more time exploring the place. The lake and the church on the island in the middle. We first took a local boat, a traditional wooden row boat called the pletna to the island in the middle of the lake. On the island there was a church, the Church of the Assumption. We went to the church and then walked all around the island. There were loads of people swimming around, with many boats parked all around the island. We also saw many large fish swimming in the waters. The water was so clear, we could just see them while walking around!
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| Around the island |
The colours of the lake were stunning, a dark blue-green which was quite difficult to capture in a photograph. Apparently the angle of the sunlight changes the colour of the water, sometimes it looks teal, sometimes emerald, sometimes turquoise and sometimes something in between. Also the reflections of the scenery affect its colours. Anyways, all the colours are so stunning.
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| Lake Bled |
We then came back to shore, and walked around the lake. I also swam in the lake. It was lovely, the water felt warm, the colours brilliant, and swimming in such lovely surroundings felt ethereal. The temperature suddenly started to drop and a cold wind started blowing. So we left, and thankfully at the right time. We got in the car just when it started pouring, again. Even though it was still early September, the weather had changed earlier this year and for the rest of the trip, we experienced mixed weather - some warm and sunny days, but mostly colder and rainier than expected.
Back at Kranjska Gora, it was pouring. But somehow, we did manage to get out of our airbnb and drove around town to find a restaurant open at that time. We had dinner at the Kekec ski restaurant, a huge alpine place where people eat when skiing around here. The food was very tasty and it also had a nice cosy ambiance.
Overall, I was quite impressed with all I learnt about Slovenia Its population is only about 2 million. But it has a lot to explore for tourists, the Alps, the coast on the Adriatic Sea, vineyards, plains and karst caves. The hilltop churches are a distinct feature of the landscape in Slovenia, we could see them everywhere when driving. Apparently Slovenia also has one of the highest number of rivers, 59 in total! That’s quite huge given how small the country is.
Slovenia also felt like a place of active holidays, there were so many cycles on the roads, boats in the waters, hang gliders in the sky, hikers in the mountains and swimmers in the lakes - it felt like everyone was busy doing something.
Soon we had to say goodbye to Slovenia as we were heading to Croatia the next day. Overall, I loved this part of my trip. The people were very friendly and helpful. And quite cheerful too (well Slovenia does have ‘love’ in its name ๐). The food was top notch, and the places to see were all breathtaking. My favourite places on this part of the trip were Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj, Vintgar Gorge and the Slemenova Spica Hike. Basically everything we did ๐. And I surely became a fan of the country, from whatever we saw.
