In the heart of Europe lies a town like no other…..
Slovenia is truly a hidden gem in Europe. My first time here was the summer of 2010, then I liked it so much I went back the following year in 2011. Will I go back…most definitely!!!! It is not a well known country to many people that travel, but I like it that way….
I would not say that Ljubljana is the most exciting city around. Actually in my opinion is only good for an afternoon stop to get something to eat (like Mexican food) and just lounge around. As a matter of fact I have only spent a few hours at a time in the capital city as once you have seen it once, that is all you need. However it does have a nice quiet feel to it…..
The real gem of Slovenia in my opinion is Bled, which I simply fell in love with as will anyone that goes there. First of all, I have stayed pretty much in the best budget accommodation of all time here. The place is called Jazz Hostel and Apartments. It is one of the cleanest places I have ever been too, and the owner (seen in the picture below) named Jani is one of the best people I have met and really takes care of his guest.
The info for booking this place is here: Jazz Apartments and Hostel. There is a really nice quiet bar around the corner called George Best Bar and it is a nice out of the way place for people that want a quiet drink or ten….
There is probably one of my favorite restaurants there that I have eaten at probably more than any other restaurant in my travels, and the name of that is Gostilna Murka. I sent one of my students dads who was working there to eat and he loved it. The website for this little place (near the Jazz Hostel) is Gostilna Murka . Their Beef and Barley Soup is to die for as well as any of their dishes. I promise you will not be disappointed.
There is a national park(Triglav) in the area of Bled that is a great day out to go and explore. If you like hiking and canoeing, then this place is for you. The water will be cold year round, but the water is so fresh, that you can stick your head in the stream and drink from it (trust me I did it plenty of times). There is also a bridge that you can jump off of if that is what you like into the water which is a lot of fun. At the end of the day if you book with the right group, then they load your car on the train and you get a free train ride in the car back to Bled….
What I simply like about Bled is the peace and tranquility. If you want a nice night out, you can do that. If you want to find a club, I am sure you can do that. If you want to sit on a café and relax you can do that. We even jumped the fence to the Olympic Training Center for the National Track and Field Team, and of course I WON. There is nothing that you cannot find here, and the whole town is very easy to walk around. The whole town is situated around a lake with an island in the middle and you can rent your own boat and go to the island or take a little taxi boat for a nominal price. Once you get on the island where they have a lot of weddings, you can walk around and visit the church or just relax. The steps going up to the castle are very steep as legend has it that everyone that gets married there must carry their wife up. I tried a few steps with a friend and gave up…..but I will never give up on going back to Bled….
