Vintgar Gorge, Slovenia

5 kilometers outside of Bled is Vintgar Gorge.  This 1600 meter long gorge is pretty awesome and we were able to walk through with the girls easily.  The trails are fairly flat but narrow and there were occasional stairs but Aubrey and Lolo were champs and walked with minimal complaining.  I know I have said this before but they are fantastic little travelers and I am so happy that they actually like to be on the go and see new things. 
There were so many chances to take photos and I was finally able to try my hand at shooting flowing water.  I read how to do this last year on the Clickin Moms forums and have been wanting to try it since.  The paths were too narrow and crowded to set up the tripod so I had to hand hold the camera but I was happy with the way they turned out. 

You have to walk back the same way you came in but the views were just as amazing.  The girls were happy that we finished as it was a little warm but sharing a popsicle is a great way to make sure they are still smiling when we are at the end.

After we had lunch at a tasty Italian restaurant we went to Slovenia’s largest lake, Lake Bohinj.  About a 30 minute drive from Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj is less touristy but just as beautiful.  We sat on the rocky beach for a bit taking in the views. 

The next day we packed up our suitcases and headed south towards Croatia.  We stopped quickly at Predjama Castle.  There has been a castle at this location since the 9th century.  The draw for tourists at this rather plain castle is the system of caves located in the mountain behind it.  We didn’t tour as it was actually pretty expensive but it was worth the quick stop to see the exterior.

We had a fabulous time in Slovenia!  At first I was a little skeptical about staying in there but it was really worth it.  The scenery is beautiful, the people are friendly and most speak a little English and it easy to get around in with a vehicle.  If you ever have the chance to visit, go for it!  You will not regret it!

Lake Bled, Slovenia

In June we took a vacation to Slovenia and Croatia.  We have been planning this trip for several months and I was beyond excited to be on our way.  We knew that Lake Bled was a popular vacation spot for Slovenians and once we arrived it was apparent why they love it. 

It is a small lake, only 1.5 miles long, but it has a small island with a beautiful church and a castle that sits high up on a cliff overlooking the lake and the town of Bled.  There are plenty of benches along the lake front so you can just sit and relax while enjoying the activity around the water.  Since boats with motors are not permitted on the lake it is quiet and slow.  You can row a boat out to the island or pay to have someone do all the work for you. 

 

You can walk around the lake, over 3 miles around, or hike up to the castle.  If all those stairs seem daunting to you, there is a parking lot at the top of the hill and you can just drive up instead!  We made it and Aubrey climbed up the entire way but Lolo got some help from her daddy.  Can you see James carrying her in the photo?

After we walked back down all those stairs we rewarded ourselves with a piece of cream cake, a Lake Bled specialty.  It was creamy, light and very yummy. 

The next day we ventured outside Bled and then near the end of the day we went to Vila Bled for a cappuccino and different views of the castle and island.  While we were enjoying our coffee a nice British couple complimented us on our “well-behaved girls”.  Ha!  If they only knew how crazy our kids really are!  Anyways, we walked down to the lake front from the hotel and enjoyed the shade and views.

Once back to Bled we walked back down to the lake from our hotel and enjoyed an easy stroll as we went to dinner.  The town is really cute and Lolo loved all the ducks and swans we saw.  She was not afraid of some curious swans who were looking for bread even though the birds were as tall as she was.

Aubrey was happy to sit on the sidelines.

These are my favorite photos from around the lake.  We also visited Vintgar Gorge which was pretty amazing, Slovenia’s largest lake and a castle built into a cave.  I will share those photos next time since this post is very photo heavy.  As always, thanks for stopping by today.