Secret Slovenia

Itineraries

• Day 1 UK – Ljubljana
• You’ll fly to Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana today. On arrival, we’ll transfer you to your hotel in the pretty village of Kranjska Gora, located high up in the Julian Alps. This is our base for the next seven nights as we uncover Slovenia’s secret treasures.
• Day 2 Kranjska Gora
• We’re going to get to know our surroundings this morning as we get together for a stroll around lovely Kranjska Gora. This Alpine resort on the doorstep of Triglav National Park and close to both the Italian and Austrian borders, boasts magnificent scenery. We’ll pass by the village’s onion-domed church and pretty houses as we walk to Lake Jasna, whose entrance is guarded by the legendary Goldhorn statue. We’ll spend time taking in the breathtaking views of the aquamarine waters of this small artificial lake with the Julian Alps towering in the background.On our way back to the hotel, we’ll stop by the Liznjek homestead, a museum where we’ll learn about traditional ways of life in the Upper Sava Valley.
• Day 3 Julian Alps
• Today we’ll spend the day in the great outdoors, enjoying the spectacular scenery of the Julian Alps and taking in the fresh mountain air. We’ll drive through the Upper Sava Valley and over the Vrsic Mountain Pass, one of the highest roads in Slovenia, built by Russian First World War prisoners. We’ll stretch our legs at the summit, where staggering views will take your breath away.
  Next we’ll descend into the horseshoe-shaped Trenta Valley and drive along the shores of the emerald-green Soa River. We’ll enjoy lunch in the picturesque town of Bovec before heading towards the Predil Mountain Pass. Our route takes us by a number of fortifications and historical monuments including a bronze statue of a dying lion dedicated to fallen Austrian soldiers. Sit back and enjoy the views on the journey back to Kranjska Gora, which takes us through the north-east corner of Italy.
• Day 4 Ljubljana
• Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana is our destination today, and its compact size makes it easy to explore on foot. With a Local Guide we’ll discover the city that was crowned the Green Capital of Europe in 2016, starting in the Old Town. Narrow cobbled streets, a castle-topped hill and the Ljubljana River running through its heart make this a lovely place for a stroll. We’ll also see the elegant Town Hall with its Venetian architectural influences, St Nikolai Cathedral and the bustling public market, which runs along the river.We’ve got a great experience lined up for lunch, we’re going to head to three different venues to try a trio of Slovenian snacks, accompanied by local wines.
• Day 5 The Alpine Story
• Today we’re going to learn all about the culture and traditions of the people who live among the Julian Alps. We’ll journey through scenic hills and valleys to Stara Sava in Jesenice, a former iron foundry settlement, and visit the Slovenian Alpine Museum in the village of Mojstrana.Finally, we’ll stop at a family-run inn nestled beneath Slovenia’s highest peak, Mount Triglav. Here we’ll find out how the materials used to make the area’s mountain huts were transported up the mountainside. A great end-of-day treat is the chance to sample Slovenian donuts accompanied by a glass of schnapps.
• Day 6 Lake Bled & Lake Bohinj
• Two beautiful lakes are in our sights today, and we’ll head first to Slovenia’s largest, Lake Bohinj, for stunning views. We’ll also see the Savica waterfall and travel into the Bohinj Valley to take a cable car up Mount Vogel. From the summit we’ll be able to see not only the lake but the imposing peaks of the Julian Alps.
  Next we head to Lake Bled, an expanse of blue-green water in which sits Slovenia’s only island. We’ll head to the island on a traditional wooden Pletna boat, and we’ll visit the 12^th century Bled Castle, which towers over the lake, offering further amazing views. There’s free time in Bled for you to take a stroll around the lake. If you take a break for a coffee, highly recommended is a slab of Bled’s famous kremsnita, an indulgent cream and custard cake.
• Day 7 Venzone & Lake Fusini
• Our explorations today take us over the border to Italy and the medieval walled town of Venzone. Destroyed by an earthquake in 1976, it was rebuilt in its original style using the rubble left behind. On our stroll we’ll see St Michael’s Chapel, which houses the mummies of Venzone, remains placed in the cathedral crypt and preserved by a natural fungus.As we head back to the hotel we’ll stop to take in the splendour of the glacial Fusine Lakes, backed by the Mount Mangart Mountain Range.
  This evening we’ll gather and head to a restaurant for a farewell dinner with traditional folklore dancing.
• Day 8 Ljubljana – UK
• After breakfast we’ll transfer you to the airport for your flight back to the UK.