Slovenia - Slavic mountains
Slovenia tempts you with Alpine scenery, the azure Adriatic, towns with an Italian look and some of the largest cave systems in Europe. But can it be done as a weekend break? It turns out it can!
I start my weekend trip around Slovenia in Budapest (I have done this several times). At the moment two airlines fly between Warsaw and the Hungarian capital. LOT and Wizz Air compete to fill their planes, so fares are often extremely attractive, sometimes just over 100 złoty return. On the other hand, traffic on the route is growing, so tickets bought at the last minute can be very expensive. With Wizz Air you will get there a few minutes faster, because it flies a jet, while LOT is the more prestigious option, as you get a “Prince Polo” (the classic Polish chocolate wafer) ;-). It is worth checking the current baggage policy: both airlines have recently shaken up their fares and changed the rules.
From Budapest to Slovenia - car hire and vignettes
The Wizz Air plane lands in Budapest on Friday at around 11.30. Using the car hire comparison site http://www.rentalcars.com you can get a good deal on a car collected at the airport. Car collected, time to hit the road: the M0 ring road takes us to the M7, the exit route towards Croatia and Slovenia. Remember the “virtual” vignette required for driving in Hungary; do not expect a sticker for the windscreen. The only visible trace will be the receipt, which you should keep in case of a check. The Hungarian system works by registering the vehicle in an electronic database of cars authorised to use toll roads (a similar system operates in Slovakia). Mobile patrols with camera sets mounted on their roofs read number plates and check in the blink of an eye whether an e-vignette has been bought. These cars usually park at the exits from or entrances to motorway service areas.
Although we are still in the Hungarian capital, Slovenia is really close; by motorway we can reach its border in about 3 hours. But why not delay our journey a little and sample the excellent Hungarian fish soup somewhere in the resort of Siófok on Lake Balaton? It is only about 100 km from the edge of Budapest. As we approach the Hungarian border we need to stay alert: if we miss the turning onto the expressway towards Slovenia, we will inevitably end up in Croatia, as the road forks a few hundred metres before both borders. Because the Slovenian and Hungarian motorways were joined only after the Schengen area was created, there are no remains of customs or passport control buildings. The distinctive blue European sign with a ring of stars reading “Slovenia”, and a petrol station with signs in an understandable Slavic language, tell us we are now on the other side of the border. Another short stop to buy a vignette: this time it costs 15 euros, the local currency, for 7 days, and we are allowed to use the motorways. Eastern Slovenia does not have much to offer visitors from Poland; it is fairly flat and monotonous, with no outstanding monuments or major tourist attractions. You need to pass Maribor and keep heading west, because the attractive areas begin around Ljubljana. Just before the capital I turned off to the north-east and reached the town of Kamnik, sleepy but charming.
Kamnik and Škofja Loka
The elongated old town is divided into two parts, and a small castle sits on a rock. It is worth strolling unhurriedly and taking a good look at the colourful townhouses lining the historic streets. Even in this first town I visit, I can see that Slovenia is superbly prepared for tourists: every tourist information office I come across has brochures describing nature parks, spas, cycle routes, walking areas and campsites. The actual number of campsites far exceeds those described in the brochure, which lists 41 of them. That evening, following the brochure's recommendations, I head for the Smlednik campsite, 20 km north of Ljubljana. The campsite restaurant turns out to be full and lively; in summer it is a social hub not only for tourists but also for many people from the surrounding area. Delicious, filling Balkan ćevapčići washed down with a tankard of cold local beer put me in a blissful mood before sleep.
Saturday morning promises another sunny, scorching and active day. After just 10 kilometres I reach a town that Slovenians call a “museum” because of its wealth of monuments. This is Škofja Loka, considered one of the most beautiful towns in Slovenia.
Its picturesque setting, mighty castle and rows of historic buildings draw not only foreign tourists from afar but also people from the capital. Many of the latter bring their bikes, as the area is perfect for an active break.
Apart from the castle, the most valuable monument is the so-called Homan House, a town residence made up of three buildings. Interestingly, the existing building is a copy of the buildings that stood here before and were destroyed by an earthquake. A copy, mind you, made in… 1511. With frescoes more than 500 years old above my head, I savour an excellent coffee and muse on bygone times.
The Julian Alps - Lake Bohinj and Lake Bled
Besides being remarkable in its own right, Škofja Loka is also the gateway to the Julian Alps, the next goal of my journey. Driving along narrow roads, I climb above villages, any of which could make a short and interesting stop. The well-kept houses, consistent in architecture and colour, are decorated with Alpine flowers. To my surprise, I notice that the closer I get to Lake Bohinj, a glacial mountain lake, the more cars there are and the richer the tourist infrastructure becomes. Gone are the forest clearings and the woodcutters' and shepherds' huts abandoned beneath the pines; now the landscape is dotted with guest houses, bike and kayak hire shops and little restaurants.
Everything becomes clear when I reach the shore: beautifully enclosed by steep slopes and rocks, the lake is a weekend retreat for hundreds of holidaymakers. Their presence, however, does not spoil the beauty of the area; it merely adds to the majesty of nature.
After visiting the small church in Ribčev Laz, whose tall bell tower with its Baroque cupola can be seen from almost every corner of the lake, I head for Slovenia's next attraction, Lake Bled. The turquoise lake, surrounded by green forests, is adorned with the islet of Blejski Otok, with its Baroque church, and with Bled Castle perched on a cliff above the water.
Three attractions like these in one place make a huge impression. The Church of the Assumption on the island is without doubt the most beautifully located church in Slovenia. It can only be reached by boat. The castle on the rock looks as if it were made up of several red-capped toadstools standing proudly on top of a limestone trunk.
The lake is 2 km long and 1.3 km wide, and you can easily walk around it on a 6-kilometre path. Such a walk lets you admire the lake and its distinctive buildings from ever-changing angles. Like Lake Bohinj, Lake Bled is suitable for sunbathing and swimming; Asian tourists arriving in big coaches and taking thousands of photos mingle with sunbathing families. I continue my journey through Alpine scenery and approach the point where Slovenia, Austria and Italy meet, right next to which stand the famous ski jumps of Planica.
Planica, the Vršič Pass and the Soča valley
In summer, although deserted and neglected, they are impressive for their sheer size. Today it is empty here, but the memory of Adam Małysz, Poland's ski-jumping hero, receiving his crystal globe not so long ago, watched by thousands of fans and followed by the television cameras, gives the place a magic of its own. Planica, the northernmost point of my route, is also the halfway mark of my Alpine loop.
From Kranjska Gora the road climbs in a series of hairpin bends. Each of them has its own number and shows its height above sea level. As it turns out, to reach the pass you have to negotiate 24 of these 180-degree bends. In the highest sections we see patches of permanent snow, even though it is the first days of August and the temperature reaches 40 degrees. The road we are driving along has a remarkable history and a tragic episode. In 1915-1916 it was built by 10,000 Russian prisoners of war, guarded by the Austrian army. A deadly avalanche in March 1916 killed a hundred of them, and in memory of this tragedy a small wooden Orthodox chapel was built among the Alpine peaks.
Unable to resist the views of the magnificent peaks and valleys, I keep stopping, even though the last stop of the Alpine chapter of my trip still lies ahead. Driving down the Soča valley, I approach the little town of Tolmin, famous for its extraordinarily picturesque gorges.
Tolminska korita, as Slovenians call this reserve, is a complex of natural bridges and waterfalls. There is also a cave, a man-made bridge over the abyss and a mysterious rock wedged between two sheer cliffs, known as the Bear's Head. At the exit from the gorges, in a nearby restaurant, I eat one of the tastiest trout I have ever had; 9€ is certainly not an excessive price for freshly caught fish.
Dusk is already falling; it is high time to find somewhere to spend the night. There are 2 campsites on the outskirts of Tolmin itself, but I decide to drive further south and pitch my tent at a campsite on the Soča river in the picturesque little town of Kanal.
The murmur of the river gently wakes me and announces Sunday morning; the tent goes into the boot and I set off towards Slovenia's short coastline.
Piran and the Škocjan Caves
Compared with Croatia's, it is truly microscopic - less than 50 kilometres long, but with at least a few places worth seeing. I choose the town of Piran, fantastically located on a long, rocky promontory jutting deep into the Adriatic. Pirano, as the Italians called it, has beautiful buildings inspired by Venetian architecture, an unexpectedly large main square and an imposing church with a soaring bell tower on a hill. The narrow streets and little squares contrast with Tartini Square. How did such a large open space survive among such tightly packed buildings? It turns out the present square was once… a harbour, which was filled in for sanitary reasons in 1894.
Among the town's houses, the red 15th-century Venetian House stands out; the richness of its Gothic stonework is unrivalled anywhere in Piran. Unfortunately, Slovenia does not have many beaches; it cannot compete with neighbouring Croatia in this respect, and if you are thinking of several days on the beach, you would do better to choose another part of the Adriatic. Nevertheless, how can you ignore the warm turquoise waters of the Adriatic when they are right there in front of you! The stony shore is a little off-putting, but a moment later I am gazing at Piran from the sea, rocked by the little waves.
It is a good thing the water in the shower on the concrete platform is properly cold; it will keep me cool for the next stretch of the journey. I have been in the sea, on mountain tops and firmly on solid ground, so perhaps it is time to go beneath its surface? The Škocjan Caves are less well known than Postojna Cave, but more highly regarded. It is they that were awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. The dripstone formations may not be quite as dazzling, but nothing can match the sheer scale of the underground passages and halls here, and entering the underground canyon of the Reka river is an absolutely unforgettable experience. In the most spectacular sections the path follows a ledge cut into the rock face, and in places metal walkways. Bear in mind that it is cool in the caves, around 12 degrees, and for safety reasons photography is not allowed. Guides take visitors round on the hour, every hour, in English, Italian, German or Slovenian. Not far from the caves is Slovenia's most famous castle, Predjama.
Predjama Castle and Ljubljana
The massive medieval pile is wedged into a huge cave opening in the middle of a limestone cliff. To be honest, I no longer have the energy to tour the inside. Ahead of me lies Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. From a Polish perspective, many things in Slovenia seem smaller or closer than you expect. The drive from the mountains to the sea is short, thanks to excellent motorways, the towns are like villages and the capital, well, it is small too. The satnav shows less than 5 kilometres between the motorway ring road and the city centre. Remember that Ljubljana, with its 250,000 inhabitants, is the size of Radom or Częstochowa in Poland. The old centre is charming and… deserted. It is Sunday, after all. Apart from groups of tourists, there are no locals to be seen; they will probably return on Sunday evening after an active weekend outside the capital. The narrow Ljubljanica river cuts the old town in half. On the hill stands, how could it be otherwise, a castle. Just as Barcelona has Gaudí, Ljubljana has its own architect, Jože Plečnik, who worked in the mid-20th century. Of his architectural works, you cannot miss the “Triple Bridge”: three separate bridges thrown across the river almost touch, yet carry three separate pedestrian routes.
Among the many other bridges, the Dragon Bridge stands out: the most beautiful Art Nouveau bridge in the capital, guarded by fairy-tale dragons, the symbol of Ljubljana. Dinner at one of the riverside restaurants is a good moment to sum up the weekend trip around Slovenia.
As the sun goes down I set off towards Budapest; just under 6 hours of night driving, and there is still time for a good coffee on the Pest embankment. Then Ferihegy airport, returning the car and a flight just after 12:00.
If you would like to read about Bosnia and Herzegovina, click here. I write about Kosovo here.
