2023 International Vintage Slovenia

Arrive in Ljubljana one of Europe’s most charming Baroque cities, blessed with a meandering river, grand squares, and buildings, and capped off with a commanding castle. After checking in you meet with Bernie and your tour hosts and fellow travellers for a celebratory welcome dinner.   

Overnight: Best Western Premier Hotel Slon, Ljubljana (D)

Today we will explore Ljubljana, a fascinating little city and the capital of Slovenia. With our local guide, we will visit the castle, via the funicular, that overlooks Ljubljana and the River Ljubljanica which flows through this picturesque city of beautiful bridges and Baroque townhouses. Our tour will end at the quayside where we join our boat for a river cruise on the Ljubljanica. We will enjoy lunch on board. The rest of the day is free for your own relaxation or perhaps a visit to the railway museum, or art gallery or just relax in the many city squares, cafes, and shops.

Overnight: Best Western Premier Hotel Slon, Ljubljana (B, L)

A short walk to the main railway station where we catch our train through the mountains to Postojna. On arrival, we have a short road transfer to Predjama Castle, just 10 kilometres from the Postojna Cave. For more than 700 years it has perched proudly on its 123-metre-high cliff: powerful, defiant, and impregnable. After our visit, we will break for lunch before we visit the extraordinary Postojna Caves. The caves are a network of 20 kilometres of passages, galleries, and chambers. It is Slovenia’s largest cave in the “classic karst” and the most visited show cave in Slovenia. In 1872 railway lines were laid in the cave; electricity arrived in 1884 and so we begin our visit aboard the cave train! The electric lighting allows you to admire the size and splendour of the underground world on an amazing 4 km ride. We will also see a collection of different cave-dwelling creatures including the “Human Fish”, a kind of Salamander. Later we return by train to Ljubljana for an evening of leisure.

Overnight: Best Western Premier Hotel Slon, Ljubljana (B)

Another superbly scenic railway journey today as we head east along the Sava River valley to Dobova, which is near the border with Croatia. We alight here and take our road coach to the nearby wine cellars of Najger’s Repnice. Repnice are caves, dug in the flint stone which was washed up by the Pannonian Sea millions of years ago. They got their name after turnips because the locals stored turnips and other vegetable produce in them. At the top of the Graben valley, Jozica and Martin Najger open for us their remarkable Repnice, dug by Martin’s great-grandfather in the 19th century. We have a wine tasting and some savoury specialties in the main room of the cave and see one of the other dugout rooms where the wine is aged. After this, we go for a very special late lunch served on a nearby farm. We then return by rail to Ljubljana. Your last evening in Ljubljana is yours to enjoy the delights of this charming city.

Overnight: Best Western Premier Hotel Slon, Ljubljana (B, L)

Today we take the train to Bohinjska Bistrica, passing Lake Bled, where we return to spend the next 5 nights. At Bohinjska Bistrica we will be met by our coach for our visit to Lake Bohinj and the Vogel cable car. The cable car travels 1,535m above sea level to a winter ski resort where you will have the most spectacular views (weather permitting). As we travel in the cable car you can see Lake Bohinj and the surrounding mountains. Before we return to our coach for our transfer to Bled, there will be time for a light lunch here. Bled is over a thousand years old and is by far the country’s most popular tourist destination because of the fairy tale lake and island, dramatically sited castle, and high mountains. Lake Bled is extremely picturesque with its small island in the middle of the lake where many people travel by boat to get married.

Overnight: Hotel Lovec, Bled (B)

The whole day is yours to explore the setting and atmosphere of Bled. There’s plenty of time to walk around the lake, visit the castle, ride the ski lift, take a horse-drawn coach, enjoy some shopping, take a spa or just relax and enjoy our visit to Bled.

Overnight: Hotel Lovec, Bled (B)

This morning we have a transfer to the railway station for our rail journey by steam train complete with restored vintage carriages. During our two-hour ride along the historic Bohinj Railway, we will be accompanied by knowledgeable Bohinj Railway staff who reveal the history and stories of this unique line. We follow the river Sava Bohinjka’ through stunning scenery through the six-kilometre-long railway tunnel at Bohinjska Bistrica alighting at Kanal near the Italian border. Here we take a coach and drive alongside the river Soča to the wine-growing region known as Goriška Brda. At the village of Gonjače, you can climb to a 23-metre-high belvedere tower for marvellous views over the region. We have lunch at Dobrovo and visit the largest wine cellar in the region to taste and purchase some of the prominent wines of the Goriška Brda region before our steam train takes us back to Bled.

Overnight: Hotel Lovec, Bled (B, L)

This morning we will have a transfer to the Vintgar Gorge where we take a walk to soak up the atmosphere of another world. We see crystal clear waters, lots of different river fish, a waterfall and for some of us the most important, we will walk under the stone railway bridge that we travelled along only yesterday. Don’t forget your cameras and comfortable shoes. After our walk, we transfer to the little town of Radovljica which is upon a seventy-five-metre-high outcrop above the River Sava. Here we have time for lunch, a visit to a most unusual museum (of gingerbread), and a guided (short walk) through the streets of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. We then return to Lake Bled for a short visit, via a boat called a ‘Pletna’, to the little island in the lake dominated by its iconic ancient church, the Assumption of Maria.

Overnight: Hotel Lovec, Bled (B, L)

Today we take the local train to Most na Soci for our first visit. Located on a rocky crest above the confluence of the Soca (once again you will be amazed by the beautiful colour of the river) and Idrijca rivers. Due to the nearby Doblar Hydro Plant, the basins of the rivers were entirely inundated and below the settlement a vast lake was formed which now attracts both fishermen and visitors. We will go on a two-hour cruise on the river. Time to relax, have lunch, and enjoy the views from the boat. Mid-afternoon return by rail to Bled.

Overnight: Hotel Lovec, Bled (B, L)

Today we say farewell. Following breakfast this morning, we check out and transfer to Ljubljana airport for flights home or onward to other travels.  (B)