8-Nights Alpine Adventures in Slovenia - Tailormade Journeys — CALL

Itinerary Details

Abercrombie & Kent: Tailor Made Slovenia: An Active Adventure

Day 1 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Arrive in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, where you are met and privately transferred to your hotel.

Discover the many charms of Ljubljana by bike with your private guide. Glide along the elegant streets and over the picturesque bridges, looking at the city’s beautiful Baroque churches and palaces. Take in the welcoming atmosphere of the squares and riverbanks as well as ride to the famous Tivoli Park, a green oasis in the city. Visit Ljubljana Castle, and then experience Ljubljana from another perspective as you embark on a relaxing boat ride along Ljubljanica River. Afterward, enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure.

Journey into Slovenia’s Alpine region, stopping en route at the small town of Radovljica, renowned as a center of apiculture. Continue through the region’s historical center, a touchstone with the past, to view its mixture of medieval castles and genuine Gorenjska villages with their 17th century bourgeois architecture. Also admire the art exhibitions, handmade stonemasonry and exceptional creations by some of the most well-known Slovenian architects. Later, visit a local beekeeper to learn more about the profession and its role in Slovenian tradition, and then savor a variety of local honeys. Afterward, check into your hotel.

Today, discover the pearl of the Alpine region as you explore the town of Bled and surrounding areas. Start with a hike, taking in the natural surroundings and breathing the fresh air. Finish at an overlook offering spectacular views of the mountains. Return to Bled, where after time at leisure for lunch, you ride by pletna (traditional wooden canopied boat) to visit the islet in the middle of the lake, site of the picturesque Church of Mary the Queen, while admiring the snow-capped Karavanke Mountain Range in the distance. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure.

Head to the Soca valley, home to the emerald river of the same name, viewing its course dotted with waterfalls, small falls, rapids and narrow gorges along the way. Upon arrival, take your choice of two active adventures: Join a rafting tour on the river led by an expert guide or enjoy spectacular views while ziplining over the river and its gorges. Continue to the beautiful Tolmin Gorges and follow a path around a small hidden valley carved by the rivers Tolminka and Zadlascica. Afterward, proceed to the coast where you check into your hotel in Portoroz.

Today, discover the Slovenian Coast, starting with a guided bike tour of the salt pans of Secovlje, in the country’s far southwest, near its boundary with Croatia. See salt being actively produced, learn the history of the process and about the daily lives of local workers. Proceed to Piran, with time at leisure for lunch by the sea, if you wish. Then visit this small Mediterranean town with its houses built in a mix of Venetian and medieval architecture, huddled along narrow streets. Later, travel to the interior of the Slovenian coast to meet with a local truffle hunter and participate in a demonstration of the hunt that includes a tasting of the sought-after underground delicacies. The rest of your day is at leisure.

After breakfast, drive to the famous region of Karst. Acquaint yourself with distinctive above-ground and subterranean karst phenomena, the most characteristic example of which is the Skocjan Caves system, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore this area renowned for its exceptional archaeological finds, pioneering explorations of the Karst underground and rich natural and cultural heritage. You may also wish to visit the nearby Reka River basin, with its diverse flora, fauna and terrain. Then, visit the Lipica Stud Farm, the cradle of the Lipizzaners, graceful white horses famed for their beauty and ability to perform equestrian feats with precision.

Follow the coastal road to Postojna Cave, with its delicately shaped karst pillars, formed drop by drop over the course of millions of years by the Pivka River. Board a small electric train for this journey into the underworld and watch for the famous dragon of the cave, the proteus (a blind salamander), which dwells within. Enjoy time at leisure for lunch in Postojna, and then continue to the castle of Predjama suspended in the cliff. Learn its rich history, dating to at least the 15th century, when the notorious nobleman Erazem Predjamski lived there, before returning to your hotel.

After breakfast, transfer to Ljubljana Airport for your departing flight.