Slovenia is a beautiful little country, home to about 2 million people. Everywhere you look, you find old castles and castle ruins, numerous lakes, and forests. Bled was my first stop. Tomaž, whom I met through Couchsurfing, told me a lot about the area and gave me great tips. He hosted me for the night and proudly showed me his homemade sauna! Of course, I couldn't refuse the offer, and soon I was sweating it out in the 70-degree heat. The cold shower and the beer afterward got my circulation going again.
Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, is definitely worth a visit. I happened to have a rainy day – I was out for lunch with Anja at „"Loving Hut", Eat at a very tasty vegan fast-food restaurant. They offer a wide selection at the buffet and à la carte at incredibly reasonable prices. Yummy! The Museum of Illusions in the city center is also a must-see. And if you're looking for the best ice cream in Ljubljana, you'll find it at... „"Cafe Cacao"“ Found it! Tip: definitely try the muffin ice cream!
I was surprised how small Slovenia actually is and how quickly you can get from the Alps to the sea. At the Škocjan Caves, I met Lennard, who was traveling in his Land Cruiser. I was immediately captivated by his tour – via Turkey by ship to Africa! What a trip! The caves were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. The Reka River flows through the caves, carving its way through the interior and emptying into the Mediterranean Sea in Italy 35 km later. Anyone who has never seen the inside of a stalactite cave should definitely do so; there's something magical about it.
Slovenia has only a small stretch of coastline, 46 kilometers to be exact. In Piran, I was hosted by Med and Ahmed, incredibly friendly and welcoming students from Egypt and Tunisia. Piran's old town is beautiful, a labyrinth of narrow streets. From the cathedral at the top, there's a magnificent view over the rooftops of Piran.
My conclusion:
I spent three days traveling through a very beautiful country that has so much to offer. What's especially great is that nothing is really far apart. From Ljubljana, you can reach the sea, the Italian border, or the Croatian border within an hour and a half. It's also about an hour's drive to Austria.
Short stopover in Italy
Italy is only 30 minutes away, so since I was already in the area, I figured I might as well visit. I had a lot of fun in Trieste; Fabiola showed me around. She studies in English, so it was nice to chat with her. Most Italians, however, speak little or no English. The day ended with a delicious glass of red wine in one of the many small bars.
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