Slovenia is not a big country; it roughly measures the size of the state of New Jersey. Shaped like a chicken facing east, the nation is wedged into the space between Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. Although it doesn’t have a large landmass, it certainly has diverse landscapes: towering mountains, crystal-clear lakes, vibrant and historic cities, a dramatic coastline, massive caves, wide open farmland and hundreds of vineyards.… Read the rest
Ninety-six. That is the number of castles listed on Slovenia’s official tourist website. While seeing all 96 is not a goal of ours, we had seen four of the most popular – Bled Castle, Ljubljana Castle, Skofja Loka Castle and Predjama Castle – and decided to visit one more, Celje Castle, which happens to be the largest medieval castle in Slovenia.… Read the rest
Kranj, Slovenia sits in the shadow of Ljubljana, just 18 miles away, but is often overlooked as a destination. In fact, on our first trip to Slovenia, the only time we saw Kranj was when we passed through on our way from Ljubljana to Lake Bled – but the town did catch our attention.… Read the rest
When we planned a day trip to visit Vintgar Gorge near Lake Bled, Slovenia, we anticipated a relaxing day spent by the water. How could walking along a wooden planked boardwalk through a naturally carved gorge filled with rushing translucent water not be peaceful?… Read the rest
Dating back to the year 973, Skofja Loka, Slovenia was built on the confluence of two rivers – Poljanska Sora and Selska Sora. The city center consists of the upper town square, Plac, and the lower town square, Lontrg, both of which are situated under the hill-topping castle, The Castle of Skofja Loka.… Read the rest
For most people, the purpose of taking a train is to get from Point A to Point B. However, when there is a train that navigates through stunning landscapes, the sole reason for riding the rails can simply be for the scenery that passes by the window.… Read the rest
As the bus pulled away from the Lake Bled station in the direction of Lake Bohinj, Slovenia, there were more empty seats than those occupied. Of our fellow passengers, a few carried backpacks and tents, some were donning only swimsuits, others were geared to hike.… Read the rest
We’ve made no secret of our love for Croatia. From top to bottom, from the interior to the coast, there hasn’t been a place we have visited that we didn’t fall in love with. With so many incredible Croatia destinations, creating an easy-flowing, all-encompassing route through the country can be a challenge…but it is possible!… Read the rest
Christmas in Europe is pure magic! Twinkling lights along quaint cobblestone lanes. A Christmas fair of traditional holiday huts in the city’s main square. Mulled wine, sizzling sausages and gingerbread cookies galore. We absolutely love spending the winter holidays in Europe and, in our extensive travels, we have discovered the best European Christmas destinations.… Read the rest
Our two-day detour to Zurich, Switzerland was more about meeting up with longtime friends than it was about visiting the city itself. However, that didn’t keep us from discovering the best sights of the Zurich Old Town! We devised a Zurich self-guided walking tour that would take us through the pristine city, down the shopping lanes, to a few churches and viewpoints – while still allowing enough time for lunch, chocolates and a couple beers.… Read the rest