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I'm booked!! Best of the Adriatic, Sept 10, 2017

Posted by (Portland, CT) on

I plan to leave the US on Wednesday and arrive in Ljubljana hopefully late morning on Thursday. That day I'd like to go to the markets if they are still open, visit museums, churches, shop, sit in the sun on a bench and enjoy. The next two days are where choices become my questions. I'd like to see the Vintgar Gorge. The pictures look beautiful. The only day tour that includes the Gorge I've found that runs on the days I have available also includes Lake Bled which is beautiful but it's included on the RS tour. While stunning I don't want to repeat an attraction.

Slovenia Explorer offers two tours that fit my schedule and visit 2 things on my must see list:

  1. Postojna Caves and Predjama Castle, half day on Saturday. 1:30pm to 6:30pm. Leaves me the morning to go to the market for my lunch and sightsee seeing things I missed on Thursday.

  2. Slovenia Incognita, full day on Friday 8:30am to 6:30pm, Surprise Itinerary. Sounds exciting to me. The company asks for what amounts to your wish list but the guide will ultimately plan your day. I have a whole year to decide but I'm thinking this tour will fill my Friday. Has anyone done this? Opinions? I will definitely ask to include the Gorge. (My ultimate problem)

Sunday I would love to attend church and then hike up to the castle for pictures and the castle tour. Then meet my group later that day.

It all sounds great until I think about the Gorge. Any ideas how I can fit that in? The RS guide book offered links to private guides. That's an option. I haven't found easy public transportation for Sundays, they don't seem to run on Sundays. But Monday after our tour starts the itinerary states we have the afternoon and evening free to explore. Is it feasible to go then?

Posted by
1743 posts

Since you have Monday afternoon free in Ljubljana, maybe consider heading to Vintgar Gorge on Sunday and do your hike up to the castle on Monday.

Is renting a car for the day an option for you? That might be the easiest way to do it on your schedule. And as you get closer to your tour date, you might get in touch with some of the other tour participants and see if there are a few who will be in Ljubljana a day early and might like to join you and split the cost of the car rental on Sunday.

Posted by
27107 posts

When I visited the gorge last year, I took the public bus to Lake Bled and then shared a cab to the gorge with 2 or 3 other tourists I ran into at the bus station. I can't remember whether the taxi was our only option or there was a bus but we figured it would be slower. Taxis are relatively inexpensive in Slovenia, and using a taxi (pre-arranging a time for the return trip) would definitely be less expensive than hiring a private guide even if you have no one to share the taxi.

If you can find other who wants to make the trip, I suspect that a reasonably-priced cab could be arranged from Ljubljana to the gorge, which would certainly make a visit possible on your free half day.

The tourist offices in Ljubljana are extremely helpful and will be able to supply info on bus service. And last year the fellow manning the ticket booth at the Ljubljana bus station spoke English; that's common among the younger Slovenes in general.

Posted by
470 posts

There are hourly buses running between Ljubljana and Bled, even on Sundays. The gorge can be accessed on foot from Bled, it's an easy 1hr walk through the countryside on marked paths, about 2 miles. You can also grab a taxi (either alone or shared, they're not too expensive). In any case, even with the slowest option (bus and walking), it's an easy half-day trip from Ljubljana.

Posted by
276 posts

Thank you everyone. I wrote down all your suggestions in my planning book. Sunday sounds good for going to the gorge. I was a bit nervous about trekking too far away and then arriving late on the first day of the tour. Didn't want to give a bad first impression.

Posted by
427 posts

Sounds like you've already gotten some good feedback, so enjoy your trip! I loved Slovenia and can't wait to return someday.

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