Trip report - including hikes, restaurants, hotels

HOTELS

Here's where we stayed:

• Hotel Heritage, Ljubljana (3 nights) – A bit of a splurge but very comfortable and well-located.
• Old Parish House, Bled (2) – Very near lake and castle, pretty good.
• Vila Park B&B, Lake Bohinj (2) – Nice room and friendly proprietor, but the place smells of cigarette smoke.
• Apartma TOBI, Bovec (3) – Functional though sterile, washing machine, central, friendly owner, booked on booking.com.
• Aldila Art Rooms, Smartno (2) – Central, nice room, mediocre breakfast.
• Hotel Jama, Postojna (1) – Near caves, nice room, didn’t choose this place but were moved there by the hotel we had booked.
• MuziKafe, Ptuj (2) – Quirky in a good way, very friendly, superb courtyard café. If the room type you want isn’t available online, try bigger rooms; the price seems the same for all.
• Dvor Jezersek Brnik, Ljubljana near airport (1) – Good if you have an early flight as you can return the car the night before and walk 30mins to hotel, nice room, outstanding restaurant.

Thanks for the restaurant recommendations. We are headed to Ljubljana next Wednesday.

Thanks for the trip report. Excellent! I'm sorry to hear Vila Park B&B smelled of stale smoke. I did not notice that when I was there (though the proprietor was often smoking outside).

Did you try Carniolan sausage? I loved that stuff.

Thanks Bruce, helpful information for sure!
We are four 68 y.o. Seniors and want to hike to viewpoints and waterfalls.
We won’t attempt any more than about 3 to 4 miles, 1000 gain.
Do you know the mile post for the trailhead to Slemenova-Špica hike?
Google maps from AllTrails shows at the south end of Vrsic Pass,
yet you and others mention that it starts near the peak.
We will have proper shoes and at least 1 hiking stick/person.
Did you consider Mostvica Gorge near Bohinj? Start at Fuzina Stara?
We are 4 nights near Lake Bohinj, but with Vintgar, Lake Bled,
and Savica, I don’t if we have time for Mostnica Gorge?

I see you had meals at Bled Castle and Ljubljana Castle,
did that include admission fees? Views for sure.

I want to carry tripod & camera to most sites, are the Lake Bled
Viewpoints best at sunset, or whenever we can work it in?

Again, thanks for your informative report!

BobNes: I don't know the milepost for the Slemeova Spica trailhead, but it's right at the top of the pass and is quite obvious with signs and a parking area. You can also use AllTrails to navigate to the trailhead with Google Maps. The hike is 3.4 miles roundtrip and 1,400 feet gain. The steepest part is the first 0.5 miles, gaining 600 feet to a nice viewpoint where some people turn around. The rest is less steep but there are a few slightly tricky steps around rocks. If you can get to the end, you won't regret it -- it was as spectacular as the 3 much harder hikes we did on our trip.

We didn't do Mostnica Gorge because we didn't have time (we spent 2 nights at Lake Bohinj but did a long drive to the much more difficult Golica hike on the day in between, because it had rained a few days earlier when we'd wanted to do it).

I think castle admission was included with the Bled Castle dinner but not the Ljubljana Castle dinner -- or maybe vice versa.

The best viewpoints for Lake Bled are on the Velika Ojstrica hike, which is also short and steep (and slippery when we went because it was raining). There are some views from the castle although I don't recall the sun situation because it was still raining.

Thanks Bruce, that’s helpful with setting our priorities!

BobNes--

I will also endorse doing the loop hike for Vintgar Gorge linked above instead of just doing an out-and-back walk. Following the ascent to St Catherine, there are really nice views of Bled Castle in the distance and of the surrounding villages down below. Avoid the crowds by arriving close to opening time -- you will have the gorge almost to yourself.

I thought the Mostnica Gorge hike was great and was quite a bit easier than the Slemenova Spica hike. There is a nice food hut at the end near the waterfalls. I recommend the Turkish coffee and the blueberry strudel.

Bruce, where is the best place to park for the Lake Bled viewpoints for photo?
Velika Ojstrica – A series of viewpoints overlooking Lake Bled. 3.0mi, 1,000’,
Is late afternoon in September a good time for photos from there?
Thanks again for your trip report and advice! Dave, too!

There is a parking lot at the trailhead which you can see at https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/lake-bled-ojstrica-velika-osojnica-mala-osojnica-5ef0b4e . I believe there's a charge for parking (I forget if we paid by coin, credit card, or app). Not sure about the best time for photos but I'd guess it'll be great.

Thanks, I’m probably over planning…