We're dreaming of a trip to Slovenia and Croatia next summer. We're tentatively thinking a few days in Slovenia, maybe Lake Bohinj or Kranjska Gora, with day trips to Lake Bled and a drive through the Julian Alps. Then, off to Rovinj in Croatia for a few days, finishing up with a few days in Ljubljana. Does that sound doable? My biggest question right now is, where would be a better place to stay? Lake Bohinj or or Kranjska Gora? I'm able to find nice looking, affordable Air B&Bs both places and both places look beautiful.
Posted by
Southeast US
3834 posts
My biggest question right now is, where would be a better place to
stay? Lake Bohinj or or Kranjska Gora?
I think it's not a one-size-fits-all answer and depends on what you want.
If you want a resort town with plenty of restaurants within walking distance around a central developed core, Kranjska Gora is good.
If you want to feel like you are in the middle of nature, stay at Lake Bohinj -- the closer to Ukanc (and the father farther from Ribčev Laz), the less developed Lake Bohinj is.
I chose Ukanc because I wanted to be in the middle of nature and had a car to drive to other places.
Posted by
OP
33 posts
That answers my question. Thanks! We will have a car and we're looking for an outdoorsy vacation. So, Lake Bohinj it is!
Posted by
Noblesville, Indiana, USA
1360 posts
Looks like a nice vacation! Four years ago in July we drove as part of a larger trip from Lake Bled to Ljubljana (1 night) to Rovinj (2 nights) to Motovun and nearby hill towns to Piran (1 night). Every place we visited we enjoyed and the driving was easy (border crossing took a long hour into Croatia due to traffic). Sorry can't give you advice on the Lake Bohinj or Kranjska Gora decision. Have fun!
Posted by
OP
33 posts
Thanks, KBK. We're hoping to visit the hill country of the Istrian peninsula too. Was there anything you especially enjoyed? We're hoping to visit a winery or two. Did you do anything like that?
Posted by
Noblesville, Indiana, USA
1360 posts
Hi bookgirl:
Lake Bled is beautiful - wish we would have had more time to hike around the lake (at least part way);
Ljubljana was a great surprise - we were there on a Friday afternoon/night with a festival going on and the place was alive with people and fun;
Rovinj was our favorite stop - fabulous old city on the coast with a couple of beaches and a great vibe;
Motovun is a scenic hill town - we were there in the morning so not a lot going on although their honey is the best ever (not so much for the dirt tasting truffles);
Livade is very small - about all we saw was a truffle sculpture but it's so close to Motovun that it only took a few extra minutes to visit;
Grožnjan is another great hill town - loved the artist's colony feel and the somewhat abandoned rustic surroundings;
Buje is another hill town - we only drove through;
Piran is similar to Rovinj - didn't seem as affluent but has a great central square area.
We didn't make any wine stops as I was traveling with my then 19 year old son who wasn't interested. It's my understanding the Koper wine district includes Piran and the Kras, Vipava Valley and Goriška Brda districts are nearby but north of Trieste.
Have an exciting trip!
Posted by
1411 posts
We hiked all of the way around Lake bled AND up the hill to the castle (where we had a phenomenal lunch). There are a few little shops up there, where I bought a bottle of "yellow" wine which I then carried as we walked around the second half of the lake and uphill to our agritouristo where we drank it at sunset in the glasses from our bathrooms.... a great memory!! We also rode the little boats out to the island in the middle of Lake bled