Impressions

Let's be honest. Slovenia isn't usually on top of most people's bucket list. I personally never planned on visiting Slovenia until (ta-duh) I saw lake Bled photographed on Instagram. So, naturally, my desire to see this little island with my own eyes was a large reason for making the trip there. We only had two days to explore and it was a constant rush. Although Slovenia is small, pleeeease allow yourself more than two days if you don't want to be running on four hours of sleep. I'm going to share my highlights, as I typically do, but I just want to express how much I enjoyed the warmth and coziness of Slovenia. I did not meet one person I didn't like. The country has character and its one that I really enjoyed. There are some special moments that I'm definitely leaving out but I hope its enough to convince you to visit!

5 Things You Must Do In Slovenia

1. Hot Air Balloon Across Lake Bled

This was a dream of mine for SO long and the experience topped my expectations (I freaking love when that happens). It wasn't just because it was incredibly scenic and conditions were more than ideal BUT because our pilot (and his awesome wife) were one of the coolest and most professional couples who totally killed it at their job.

To elaborate, we got picked up at the Rikli Balance Hotel at 5:15 AM and drove to our departure spot. It took around 20 minutes to prepare the balloon and we were probably off in the air around 5:45 AM. As I mentioned, the conditions were SO good and we flew effortlessly passing over the lake as well as Bled Castle. After a very smooth landing, we had a traditional ceremony. We got declared 'honorable barons' and I won't spoil the rest for you. The beautiful morning ended with some champagne and cream cake (Blejska kremna rezina) which was delicious!

You can book your own balloon ride here!

2. Lunch at Bled Castle

This was a lovely break from all the adventures we were having and the restaurant was delicious. The view is everything! For you oenophiles - I really enjoyed the Slovenian wine as well.

If you're interested in dining here, make sure to reserve a spot in advance. Thank you to the Slovenian tourism board for hosting us. Make sure to check out their site to get the full experience of what Slovenia offers. For example, fly fishing!

3. Canoe Ride on Lake Bled + Lake Bohnij

Canoe rides on Lake Bled are a must. The closer you can get to the actual island, the better.  From there, you can park your canoe and walk the 100 steps to the top! — **Canoe rides on Lake Bled are a must. The closer you can get to the actual island, the better. From there, you can park your canoe and walk the 100 steps to the top!**

Lake Bohnij is the largest lake in Slovenia and it is stunning. It seems like the locals might love it even more than Lake Bled. Of course - another canoe ride was a must! (I heard there is an amazing zip lining experience close by and I regret not doing it - next time).

4. Hike to this viewpoint (Ojstrica)

This hike was pretty steep but it was only 20 min long. We did it to burn off the amazing lunch we had at Lake Bled castle and the view was SO worth it. You park your car at a camping ground near by and following a marked path into the forest. Canoe rides mentioned above are super close by.

5. Sunset at Kranjska Gora (Zelenci)

Special thanks to an IG friend who told us about this spot because it is not easy to find! It's a small but very special place that's perfect for a sunset (or sunrise) shoot. Besides being photogenic, it's tranquil as well. Ahh!

If you're wondering, we spent four hours in the capital of Slovenia - Ljubljana, and it just wasn't enough! We had a lovely lunch at Monstera Bistro that I would highly recommend. The owner is a culinary mastermind!