five days in the slovenian alps
Slovenia is hands down one of the best places I’ve ever travelled alone. I’m not sure exactly why, I just felt this sense of inner peace set on me immediately as I landed in Ljubljana, following me as I picked up my rental car and drove straight to Lake Bled as the sun set over the highway. The usual anxiety I get from driving on the wrong side of the road in a brand new country with unfamiliar traffic rules simply didn’t exist. And from there, this tiny little country continued to impress me, every day I was surprised by the vistas that presented themselves, the beautiful Slovenian people I came across, the hidden gems I stumbled on, making my life seem a little bit like a fairytale. I didn’t feel lonely for a single moment there, despite being alone for 5 days. Neither did I ever feel unsafe.
Here’s an outline of the 5 days I spent in the Slovenian alps, which I proudly declare to anyone who will listen were some of the best days of my life. Endless days driving through tiny towns, hiking through incredible gorges, reading a book in between cold dips in the crystal clear Soča river, eating the famous Bled cream cake alone on the glittering shore of Lake Bled itself. It was a short and sweet trip and I could’ve absolutely stayed for longer, but the sheer tininess of this country and proximity of attractions was a real blessing; my next destination was never a long drive away, and it didn’t feel too rushed.
My high level itinerary
Day 1: Lake Bled
Day 2: Lake Bohinj
Day 3: Kranskja Gora/Vrsic Pass
Day 4: Vrsic Pass to Kobarid
Day 5: Kobarid to Ljubljana
Car rental in Ljubljana
I’d arrived in Ljubljana the evening before I started my roadtrip, and picked up my prepaid rental car from ATET rent a car. I highly recommend this company — pickup and dropoff were seamless, the staff were lovely and the car was almost brand new and extremely reasonably priced (I only paid $340 AUD for this through EnjoyTravel.com!).
