We’re always keen for our customers to stumble across undiscovered gems here at Euroventure! So we let our guest blogger Samantha explain why Slovenia punches well above its weight on the Interrail spectrum… Don’t miss it this year on your travels.
Nestled in-between famous neighbours like Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia, the tiny country of Slovenia is often overlooked on the interrailing trail. But Slovenia is a country straight out of a fairy tale. It is 20,000 square kilometres of picturesque lakes, mountains, caves, castles and monasteries. The capital, Ljubljana, is full of quaint cobbled streets, imposing cathedrals and a cosmopolitan mix of residents. The real reasons to visit Slovenia lie outside of its capital, but the small size of the country makes Ljubljana a great base for exploring. Check out some of the awesome day trips available:
Close to the town of Bled, Slovenia, this 1.6-kilometre long gorge could be visited on the same day. Narrow passages hug the steep cliffs and bridges intersect the raging Radovna River. The gorge – and the passage – ends at Šum Waterfall, the highest in the country. Ascend the track here to the chapel of St Catherine and be awarded with arresting views of the area, including Lake Bled.
Close to the town of Bled, Slovenia, this 1.6-kilometre long gorge could be visited on the same day. Narrow passages hug the steep cliffs and bridges intersect the raging Radovna River. The gorge – and the passage – ends at Šum Waterfall, the highest in the country. Ascend the track here to the chapel of St Catherine and be awarded with arresting views of the area, including Lake Bled.
More than 20 kilometres of underground passages and chambers make up the Postojna cave network. Open for tourism for the last 188 years, it’s the most visited show cave in Europe. Today, visitors board a miniature cave train and descend into an underground world of incredible rock formations. Tours take an hour-and-a-half and intercity buses will take you straight from Ljubljana.
Make sure to stop at Predjama Castle either on the way there or back. Built into the cliff face and located only 9 kilometres away from the cave, this storybook castle is one for the bucket list!
Piran is a stunning coastal resort town on the Adriatic Sea. When you think of Slovenia you might not think of red tiles and Italian architecture – but these dominate the skyline, lending to it being referred to as the Venice of Slovenia. The city centre is a pedestrian only zone so visitors can wander around the ancient cobbled streets and snack on the freshly caught seafood that Piran is famous for.
Travel is available by train and bus from Ljubljana and will take about 2.5 hours on average. There is a direct bus but taking the train requires a connection in Koper. Train schedules can be found here: www.slo-zeleznice.si/en/passengers/slovenia
The best thing about all these locations is that they are so easy to visit. Slovenia’s managable size and well developed train and bus network mean that it’s really easy to fit any of these stunning destinations into your interrailing trip – just take a day trip out from Ljubljana or Bled which are both available as part of Euroventure routes. To get a custom quote, or for more information about travelling Europe with Euroventure, just send us a quote request form, or email info@euroventure.eu!
Follow Sam on twitter and instagram @samanthalego.
www.samanthalego.com
Words by Samantha Lego | Edits by Catherine Livesley
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