Our
trip will take us from Bled in the north to visit the Julian alps
for 4-nights then the center of Slovenia to visit the capital
of Ljubljana for 3-nights and then finally to the coast to Portoroz
for 3-nights giving us a nice, fairly complete tour of this amazing
country.
We'll
start off with Lake Bled, home of the Julian
Alps. This is my photo taken with my drone and that's our group
in the balloon! Bled is located on a beautiful lake. Make sure
you bring your best camera on this trip as the scenery here is
breathtaking. The area of the Julian Alps is enclosed by two beautiful
lakes. The resort town of
Bled, with its legendary island in the middle of
the lake and its clifftop castle, its hot springs and its pleasant
climate, has been attracting cosmopolitan visitors for centuries.
Bathing establishments, hotels with swimming pools, footpaths,
tennis courts, golf courses, a casino, the sports airfield in
Lesce and nearby sights of natural and cultural interest provide
plenty more reasons for a visit. Not far from the lake is Blejski
Vintgar, the remarkable natural gorge of the river Radovna.
Bohinj, with its unspoilt Alpine lake, is popular
with visitors not only for its beautiful natural setting and the
ski centres of Vogel, Kobla
and Soriška Planina, but also for its rich local
cultural traditions and numerous cultural and religious monuments.
Nearby Pokljuka is a paradise for hikers and
mushroom pickers and a venue for important international biathlon
competitions. We'll plan on offering a boat tour, a cycling tour,
which was a highlight of our last trip, and some hiking. You can
also go horseback riding, kayaking and much more.
More info on Bled activities.
From
Bled we head south to the town of Bovec for the day in route to
Ljubijana. Known especially
as the emerald route and gateway to the Soca river we will have
an optional river rafting tour. The wonders of the Goriška region
include the beautiful Alpine peaks and valleys of the
Triglav National Park, the enchanting wine winegrowing
areas of Goriška Brda and the Vipava
Valley, and the hills around Cerkno and Idrija. One of
the most distinctive and recognizable sights of the region is
the emerald river Soča. Here, numerous
water sports are available, from kayaking and canoeing
to rafting and canyoning. The Class 3-4 Soča River allows
you to experience challenging rapids and some of Europe’s most
breathtaking scenery. This river rafting was another highlight
- the scenery is spectacular! Slightly 
further
to the south of the river Soca Archaeologists have discovered
Iron Age graves, making it one of the more important prehistoric
sites in Europe.
Next stop is the capital city of
Ljubljana.
It's located along a river on which the mythological Argonauts
carried the Golden Fleece. This is a city with the rich heritage
of Roman Emona, a city that was once the capital of the Province
of Carniola and the capital of Napoleon’s Illyrian Provinces.
Its Renaissance, Baroque, and especially Art Nouveau facade boasts
the greatest exhibition of the architecture of the master Jože
Plečnik—all this is Ljubljana.
We have set up optional day trips to some of the attractions in
the area around Ljubljana that include Iški Vintgar,
a gorge with picturesque pools that is reached by passing through
the unique landscape of the Ljubljansko Barje
wetland, a protected regional park. You can also visit the climatic
health resort of Rakitna, a plateau with a lake and a
marked circular walking trail, Borovnica and Pekel Gorge,
with its waterfalls and rapids. Close by is Vrhnika,
from where Napoleon's Avenue, lined by ancient lindens, leads
to Logatec. We have hired Diana, the same tour
guide that we've had on our last 2 trips. You
will love her!
Finally, we make our way south to the coast
and to the town of Portoroz. This scenic town is just a
few kilometers away from the Italian town of Trieste and also
right next door to Croatia. There are more than eight thousand
karst caves and sinkholes in Slovenia, and twenty
of these treasuries of limestone masterpieces created by disappearing
karst rivers have been adapted and opened for tourists. Here the
towns of Piran,
Izola, and Koper draw
visitors with their medieval cores, while
Portorož, though mentioned as early as 1251, offers
numerous modern hotels with congress halls, a fully equipped marina,
a sport airport, thermal 
baths,
a casino, and a varied offer of summer cultural, entertainment,
and sport events. Not far from the coast, the beauties of Slovene
Istria with its picturesque villages await for you. Behind the
Slovene coast is the
Karst region. In the cellars of the stone houses
excellent wines are poured and sold. This gourmet paradise is
also a heaven for lovers of the beauties of the karst underworld.
The Skocjan
Caves, which are on UNESCO's list of natural and
cultural world heritage sites, boast the 1400-meter long and
150-meter deep underground canyon of the Reka River. So we'll
definitely be setting up optional tour to visit the caves but
you will also enjoy some free time in this area too to visit either
Italy or Croatia or just stroll along the Mediterranean coastline.
All
of our hotels on this trip have been chosen with care and will
be certain to meet your expectations from Singles in Paradise.
. Plus this trip is a true bargain with a cost hundreds of dollars
less than other Europe trips. As always, early signups will
qualify for any potential room upgrades
Have
I sold you yet? I hope you decide to join us on our next
big Europe adventure.
Check
out photos from our last Slovenia trip!
Click
to see the optional tours from 2018 which we plan to repeat
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT (your
own room otherwise we pair you up with a roommate): $975
DEPOSIT
TO SIGN UP - $200
Sign
up for this Trip!
Cost
Includes
- Air
from LAX
- 10-nights
lodging double occupancy
- Daily
breakfast
- All
ground transfers
Cost
does not Include
- Optional
tours
- Gratuities
OUR GROUP
AIR: Deduct
$1,100 with your own air
LH 0457 October
2nd
3:00 pm LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL APT (LAX)
10:40 am FRANKFURT INTERNATIONAL APT (FRA)
Layover in FRANKFURT 1 h 30 min
LH 1462
12:10 pm FRANKFURT INTERNATIONAL APT (FRA)
1:20 pm LJUBLJANA JOZE PUCNIK (LJU) (arrives on the 3rd)
LH 1459 October 13th
LX2273 / 13OCT LJU ZRH 1040A 1155A
LX 040 / 13OCT ZRH LAX 105P 415P
OUR HOTELS:
Bled
Bled
Rose ****
Website
Tripadvisor reviews
Let
the Bled Rose Hotel become your oasis of comfort for an unforgettable
romantic, business or active vacation in Bled. In 2019, the former
Hotel Jelovica was thoroughly renovated and turned into a 4-star
hotel that offers experiences worth a few more stars. Enjoy one
of our rooms or suites, which are given their special character
by a combination of modern elegance and a charming retro touch.
Thoughtfully furnished environments and luxurious materials will
ensure your comfort, and the professional staff will make you
feel welcome in every corner of the hotel. Experience the relaxed
atmosphere and comfort of a 4-star hotel on the unique location
by the shore of Lake Bled, just behind a park. Bled Rose is a
boutique designer hotel that impresses with its aesthetically
perfect ambience, quality materials and playful range of colours
that you simply must visit. With a unique location, aesthetically
perfect ambience with unique interior, modern conference rooms,
capacities and a varied culinary offerat the same time, it is
an ideal venue for various events and the perfect hotel for a
relaxing getaway.Just like the environment, the hotel's interior
is luxurious and soothing, sprinkled with the good energy of nature
surrounding it. Visit us and create new memories.
Ljubljana
Grand
Hotel Union ****
First 20 people to sign up will get upgraded superior rooms!
Website
#12 on Tripadvisor!
Built in 1905, Grand Hotel Union Eurostars is an iconic establishment
that’s part of the living history of both Ljubljana and Slovenia.
This beautiful, striking building is a prime example of the Vienna
Secession style, part of the Art Nouveau movement, and has hosted
many personalities from the world of politics, film, music and
even royalty over the years, including Queen Elizabeth II.
The hotel’s elegant facilities are decorated with care and attention
to detail while its spacious bedrooms ensure a comfortable, relaxing
stay. There are also plenty of dining options at the Grand Union
Café, Atelje Restaurant and Union Restaurant, where guests
can enjoy the best Slovenian dishes together with delicious local
wines.
A wellness centre, gym, swimming pool with views of Ljubljana
Castle, shopping arcade, and the city’s largest conference centre
complete the hotel's facilities.
- luxury self service breakfast
- free high speed internet access in the
hotel room
- free use of sauna, fitness centre and swimming
pool
- free use of the business centre
The rooms provide guests with a pleasant atmosphere,
comfortable beds, large working surfaces and wide LCD screens
Portoroz
Hotel
Marko ****
Website
#5 on Tripadvisor
The
new, family-run Hotel Marko is situated in the centre of Portorož.
It is surrounded by pines and palm trees and is just meters from
the sea. Portorož received its first guests in 19th century. Hotel
Marko carries-on the tradition of hospitality that has developed
over the years and offers its guests the most comfortable surrounding
for rest or work.
The
hotel is fully air-conditioned and has 48 double (and triple)
bedrooms with balconies. The hotel has three floors accessible
by elevator or stairs. Guest-rooms are furnished with stylish
furniture and have a satellite television and an external telephone
line. All rooms have minibar and in-room safe.
A view from hotel rooms extends over the magnificent Bay of Portorož,
or rests on the pines and palm trees and flowers in the park.
Sitting on the balcony, one can enjoy the evening breeze after
a hot summer day or just relax under the sun during the winter
period.
