Lake Bled might be the synonym for Slovenia and probably rightly so. There is no way of denying, it's one of the prettiest, famous and top visited locations in the country. And it's very well aware of this fact, because it's always crowded and overpriced, especially the cream pies. But I wouldn't blame you for buying them, because we do too, every time we are there.
While it is definitely worth a visit, especially if this is your first time in Slovenia, it really shouldn't be the only place you explore once you are in this region, known for its amazing hiking opportunities, pure and untamed white waters and picturesque villages along the way.
1. Lake Bohinj and the Voje Valley
I love this amazingly beautiful, peaceful, glacial lake. Just about 20 kilometers away from Bled and you can see emerald green waters guarded by high mountain peaks that will tempt everyone to try to reach them. Hiking demands the right equipment and you have to be physically up to it. While you can get to the Vogel mountain by a cable car you should still be dressed properly and know what you are doing if you want to venture on. We were set on exploring the Voje valley and climbing up to the cottage, but we soon decided that because our daughter wasn't in the mood for walking and we weren't in the mood to carry her around, we'd just stay and enjoyed the coolness of the Mostnica Gorge at the entrance to the Voje valley. It is a great trip you can take with your kids and it's nice in the Summer since it's pretty much in the shade.
Photo credit: Nikica Batur
2. Pokljuka and the surrounding mountains
Pokljuka is a forested plateau, part of the Triglav National Park, at around 1000 to 1400 meters. I always get a special feeling of calm when we get there and I stare at the tall trees. It's a starting point for many great ascends to the nearby mountains, you can even reach Triglav from here. I wouldn't know much about it, since I never gave it a shot, but I've seen discouraging signs mentioning hours of walk up hill. I have however managed to climb to Visevnik a few years ago, which I will not repeat, because I have made it my mission to from now on, climb only if there is a lodge and promise of food at the top. My kids love to go over to Uskovnica from the parking place at Rudno polje. It is a really nice leisurely half an hour of walk up to the lodge with a playground and a nice tasty blueberry pie. When we visited it a few days ago, we also had a chance to pick wild strawberries along the way and it was almost too good to be true. Well, it would've been if I manged to get some for myself and if I didn't have to carry the youngest all the way.
Photo credit:Nikica Batur
3. Vintgar Gorge
What can you expect from Julian Alps but picture perfect locations. And this one is just another one in the row. Combine wild river and high mountains and you get a recipe for a natural wonder. A dream come true for photographers who want to catch the waters just right and for all the visitors who appreciate the power of nature. Perfect for a hot Summer day.
Photo credit: Nikica Batur
The post was previously published on coolkidzcooltrips.com where this summer we are trying our best to capture the beauty of Slovenia.