There are a great many fantastic places to visit around Europe, and Slovenia is no exception. Lush countryside views as well as really friendly people, visiting it last summer was certainly an experience that will last me a lifetime.
Coerced into going by a friend, I was originally skeptical as what I could see and how much it would cost. Doing a little bit of research I found out that I was completely wrong. Planning out some sights to see I was ready to explore the country and have a wonderful break.
My friend and I took a plane to the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana, and instantly found ourselves mesmerized by all the fantastic sights to see. First on our list was the famous Ljubljana Castle. While trekking up a hill to get to the top of the ancient structure was quite a feat, we were rewarded with a great view of the entire city. Costing around £5, on a clear day you could easily see well into the Alps.
Heading back down into the old city, we were told by some locals that the Triple Bridge was a brilliant little sight to see. Located at the very center of the city, it is surrounded by many nice restaurants and tourist attractions. Buildings constructed by the famous Joze Plecnik flank the bridge itself; unique in design and beauty, we took a lot of fun pictures around it and I’m sure you will too.
Getting a little tired after a day of walking around, my friend and I decided that we needed to find a place to stay in Slovenia. Located on the outskirts of the city, and with a good budget price of around £30 a night, the Bit Center Hotel was a comfortable stay and had a very friendly staff. With a wonderful morning buffet at your disposal, the cook’s scrambled eggs are certainly not to be missed.
On the next leg of our journey we had visited the city of Bled that has as its central attraction, and perhaps the most famous in the country, a magical lake that was formed by a glacier many millennia ago. A beautiful castle overlooking the entire city, towering 100 meters above it all, flanks the lake. And to top off such a magnificent city, there is a beautiful 17th century church that appears to float in the middle of the lake, known as the Church of Assumption. Simply breathtaking, all these wonderful attracting’s were completely free!
After having explored so much in a day we decided to go to the final part of our journey in Maribor. The bus dropping us off near the beautiful Square Rotovski, which is surrounded by some of the country’s oldest buildings, we heard that it had some of the nicest places to eat in Slovenia. The Restavracija Villa Rustica, specializing in Italian pizza and pasta’s, was an excellent budget restaurant that served some amazing food. Costing between £8 and £20, I had a regular peperoni but my friend decided to have an assortment of Mediterranean toppings that looking like they were picked out of the sea in the morning.
A truly amazing trip, Slovenia will certainly live in my memory for as long as I live. I’d highly recommend it as destination for any explorer wanting to see something unique in a different part Europe. But stop reading this and go out and explore, I assure you that you won’t be disappointed.
Author Bio: Michal Kniec
Michal Kniec, after completing a History degree in Canada, decided that a little change of scenery would do him some good and moved across the world to Manchester. Now studying law, he loves to write, cook, and travel as much as possible on this pale blue dot.
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post.
Photo Credits: lakes by M. Vranic and Hamlet by A. Bobo
Hey Flip, nice post. I love Slovenia. Its the gem of semi eastern Europe I think.
thanks man… Michal did a great job in writing this article…
Now that I am in Europe I have actually thought of spending more time in Eastern Europe. I had not thought of Slovenia but now I am going to look into it because after reading this I really wanna go.
congrats man on your Euro trip…
One of my favorite countries in Europe! I’ve written a lot about Slovenia and Lake Bled and hope to do an interview with my Slovenian tour guide friend in the next month!