Slovenia 2023

From Zurich to Ljubliana

How to get there?
The Croatian Railways night train departs from Zurich Central Station at 20:40 and arrives in the Slovenian capital at 08:19. The station is less than a 10-minute walk from the centre. 

 

What to do?
Ljubliana captivates with its beautiful old town. The town castle sits high up on the local hill. You can get up there either on foot or by funicular. The castle courtyard, lined with restaurants and a café, can be visited free of charge. The exhibits inside require a ticket. Among other things, the doll museum is very entertaining for children.
 
Where to eat?
There are many good options in Ljubliana. We had lunch at the exquisite Julija in the old town. 
Where to sleep?
We had a superb appartment at neu-residences hotel. The stylish hotel also offers a rooftop swimming-pool and serves delicious breakfast and great coffee.
 
Song for the trip: Overruled (MissMay)
 
Note: Almost everyone we met (bus drivers, service staff, train attendants) speaks English. Also, almost every restaurant menu is translated. Travelling in Slovenia is therefore possible without any problems, even for those who are not familiar with Slavic languages.

Day trip to Bled

How to get there?
From the train station take a train heading to Jesenice. Change there to the next train going to Bled jezero. The trains are clean, modern and equipped with WLan. Tickets may be bought via Slovenske Zeleznice App. The ticket prices are very affordable. Travel time takes around 1.5h. 

What to do?
From the train station Bled jezero head down to the lake. There is a nice paved path along the lake. Before entering Bled we took the opportunity to climb up to the castle of Bled in order to enjoythe view. 
Bled is not only famous for its lake, the island and the castle but also for its thermal bathes. We headed for the family friendly Wellness Ziva with whirlpool and water slide. You can rent a towel at the bath.

Where to eat?
We had a lovely Thai lunch at Arroi.

Song for the trip: Duran Duran - come undone

Day trip to Postojna Caves

How to get there?
From the bus station, which is just opposite the train station, take the bus that brings you directly to the cave. We took the 08:15 bus (tickets are bought from the driver, children up to 4 years are free; timetable can be found here) to arrive at the caves somewhat after 9.00. The tour (tickets can be bought online) started at 10:00 (incl. audioguide): First you take a small train through the caves, then you walk for 45 minutes to explore the cave (always in the presence of a guide). The tour is not recommended for children who are not yet good walkers. The highlight for us was watching the cave dragon, a fascinating animal. Back at the exit we walked for 25min to the post bus station in Postojna. A pleasant bus ride brought us back to Ljubliana.

Where to eat?
We ate in Ljubliana at hoodburgers, a good, local burger restaurant with vegan options.

Song for the trip: Taylor Swift - Anti-hero

From Ljubliana to Maribor, to Graz and back to Zurich

How to get to Maribor?
There are direct several trains going to Maribor (2h).

What to do in Maribor?
Stroll through the pleasant old town and visit the main square.

Where to eat in Maribor?
Fudo at the main square is an excellent choice for delicious dishes.

How to get to Graz?
There is a train to the boarder (Schelling-Straße). From there change to the connecting train heading to Graz.

Song for the trip: Falko - der Kommissar