Boutique Slovenia
8 days from $3,295

Day 1: Ljubljana/Bled
Transfer to your hotel in Bled. Hotel Toplice, Bled, (B)

Day 2: Bled/Bohinj
Admire the stunning views of this pristine Alpine resort! We’ll take a “pletna” boat ride to St. Mary’s Island. And while there, we will tour the renowned church that was built into the rock impregnating this small island. Our enthusiastic guide will take you up ninety-nine steps to reach the lake’s highest point and to experience other spectacular views. Do not forget to ring the church’s “wishing bell,” which is rumored to bring everyone good luck! After a lunch break you’ll have an opportunity to visit Slovenia’s largest natural lake, to see the source of the river Sava Bohinjka, the Savica waterfall or to enjoy a bird’s eye view of Lake Bohinj from Mt. Vogel. A short journey through the Bohinj Valley will take you to part of the valley called Ukanc. From here you can either make a short climb to be rewarded with an impressive view of the 250 feet waterfall or take a cable car to Mt. Vogel where you have the impression that you can almost touch the peaks of Julian Alps. The journey back will take us through the villages of the Upper Bohinj Valley. Hotel Toplice, Bled, (B)

Day 3: Bled/Soča Valley/Bled
Join us for a full day of spectacular scenery and unspoiled natural beauty. Our excursion over the Julian Alps will show you the vast and unique alpine world. The excursion will take us through the Upper Sava Valley to Kranjska Gora and over the Vršič mountain pass (5300 feet), where our stop on the very top will give you time to enjoy the magnificent panorama of the impressive Julian Alps. Later we will descend into the Trenta valley and drive along the emerald green Soča River, the scene of fierce battles during WW 1. We will make a number of short stops. We arrive at Bovec for lunch. Next, we continue our journey towards Predil pass (3800 feet) passing a number of historical and natural monuments. The road back to Slovenia will take us through the North-East corner of Italy. Hotel Toplice, Bled, (B)

Day 4: Bled/Goriška Brda/Portorož
Goriška Brda lies near the border with Italy crowned with a generous scattering of quaint villages. These villages are, in turn, surrounded by a variety of fruit trees and vineyards. Cherries from this area have been widely sought after for centuries, and even nowadays, when in season, locals sell them by the roadside. The distinctive red soil to be found in Kras is rich in iron, giving a very rich, dark red color to the locally produced wine – Teran. Another local specialty in Kras is its dry-cured ham on the bone (pršut in Slovenian or prosciutto in Italian) which is air-dried locally and has a very distinctive flavor. Teran, accompanied by a piece of local bread and cheese provides the perfect snack to be enjoyed among the vineyards of Kras. Hotel Kempinski Palace, Portorož, (B, L)

Day 5: Portorož/Sečovlje/Lipica/Portorož
In the area, known as Sečovlje Salina Nature Park, the symbiosis between man and nature is marked with centuries-old tradition of salt-making; from the Middle Ages till today it has created a unique “salty” landscape. Owing to its specific architectural and historical features as well as to the exceptional diversity of plants and animals (such as 270 species of birds), the 1600 acres large area of once thriving salt-pans is today protected as a cultural monument and nature park. In the picturesque village of Lipica, for more than 400 years, beautiful white horses called Lipizzaner have been bred. A local guide will take visitors on a guided tour through the stables, pointing out the different stages of breeding and training these noble animals. A special feature is a performance of star Lipizzaner studs showing the excellence of what they have learned in their training. Hotel Kempinski Palace, Portorož, (B)

Day 6: Portorož/Postojna/Ljubljana
This excursion is to yet another natural wonder, the underground world of the Postojna Caves. These caves are filled with spectacular limestone stalactites and stalagmites which form pillars and take on fantastic shapes and form. On a guided walking tour accompanied by the local expert, you can almost imagine yourself in another world. The culmination of this tour is small train ride that takes you to the heart of the underground fairyland. A few kilometers away you will visit one of the most magnificent buildings in Slovenia, the Predjama Castle, dating back to the middle ages, but keeping its secrets until today. The most famous owner was Erazem Predjamski, a hero in many local legends.

Ljubljana is a home to one of the oldest Philharmonics in the world; and also to numerous theaters, museums and art galleries. Stroll through the Old Town district and again experience your private tour in the company of a local expert. Explore the baroque town building, the colorful farmer’s market, and discover the cathedral of St. Nicholas. Walk across Dragon Bridge, an Art Nouveau masterpiece adorned with dragons and symbol of Ljubljana. Then stroll beside the majestic Ljubljanica River, to the centrally located Prešernov Trg. Hotel Cubo, Ljubljana, (B)

Day 7: Ljubljana/Celje/Maribor/Ljubljana
You will admire the elegant city squares and townhouses, rich in architectural details and incorporated archeological pieces. A view from the castle above the city is simply breath-taking. Hops are grown commercially only in a few areas in the world, and hops around Celje are supposed to be of premium quality, well regarded by major brewers around the world. We’ll continue to Maribor where its old town core will enrapture you with cultural-historical sights and the warm hospitality of the Mariborians. Take time and discover the most attractive corners of our city: wonderful city squares with notable buildings, Lent with the oldest grape vine in the world, the City park with three ponds and Piramida. In little streets there are numerous inviting coffeehouses and teahouses, perfect spots you can conclude your sightseeing trip around the city and chat with locals. Hotel Cubo, Ljubljana, (B)

Day 8: Ljubljana
Transfer to Ljubljana airport.

YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES

• Experienced English speaking driver/guide throughout the trip as per itinerary
• Comfortable air-conditioned sedan at your disposal as per itinerary
• Comprehensive sightseeing  of Bled and Bohinj Soča Valley, Sečovlje salt pans, Lipica stud farm, Postojna Caves & Predjama Castle, Ljubljana, Celje & Maribor
• Wine tasting and lunch in Goriška Brda
• Experienced English speaking local guides
• VAT

HOTELS

• Bled, Hotel Toplice, 3 nights, breakfast
• Portorož, Hotel Kempinski Palace, 2 nights, breakfast
• Ljubljana, Hotel Cubo, 2 nights, breakfast

NOT INCLUDED

• Airfare
• Meals, drinks, gratuities, telephone charges and incidentals
• Anything else not mentioned in the inclusion

This is a private journey just for you and your travel companions.  You select your travel date and our travel experts seamlessly connect all the dots for you. Start now!