Slovenia and Croatia

MissD93

My partner and I have flights booked To go to Ljubljana early August and fly back to Ireland two weeks later from Dubrovnik, our plans at the moment is to spend three nights in Ljubljana,three nights in bled and a night in a coastal town in Slovenia. We’re currently trying to plan it out and I’m a bit confused by the size of bled and I’m unsure of where to book if anyone has any knowledge of Slovenia any advice on our trip would be much appreciated

Are you staying in Croatia for the second week? I wouldn't bother staying one night at the coast in Slovenia. 3 days in Ljubljana & 3 in bled sound perfect. I only did a day trip to bled, but I will go back & stay for longer, so can't help with accommodation or anything.
Sounds like a great holiday

Nigel Fairservice

Are they doing direct flights to Slovenia from Ireland now? Ljubljana is near Zagreb. It's worth a day. Bled is lovely but it isn't a very big place.

No direct flights at far as I know, I wish there was!

MissD93

bubblypop wrote: »

No direct flights at far as I know, I wish there was!

We’re flying to Luton and then catching a wizz flight to Ljubljana , is there must sees or anything

Nigel Fairservice

Ya, we had to go via London (Stansted with Easy Jet). I wonder why you can't get there directly from Ireland, even seasonally. It's a stunning place.

MissD93

MissD93 wrote: »

We’re flying to Luton and then catching a wizz flight to Ljubljana , is there must sees or anything

The city itself is very small, lovely place to sit along the river & eat, drink & people watch.
I would recommend postojna cave park, a day trip from Ljubljana. Underground caves, stunning & a castle. We got a bus from town, took less than an hour & walked from the bus station in town. I think there are trains also.

Padraig Mor

MissD93 wrote: »

My partner and I have flights booked To go to Ljubljana early August and fly back to Ireland two weeks later from Dubrovnik, our plans at the moment is to spend three nights in Ljubljana,three nights in bled and a night in a coastal town in Slovenia. We’re currently trying to plan it out and I’m a bit confused by the size of bled and I’m unsure of where to book if anyone has any knowledge of Slovenia any advice on our trip would be much appreciated

We did something along those lines in our honeymoon (13 yrs ago now). Three nights in Bled, four nights in Ljubljana, then got the train across to Rovinj (via Pula) in Croatia for a week. Got a boat across the Adriatic then to Venice for a night.

Bled is perhaps a bit small for three nights - one should be plenty unless you're planning on simply relaxing or doing a bit of water sports or hiking etc. Ljubljana is great. Could be worth getting the train to Pula, staying a night there, and then getting a boat to Dubrovnik?

coylemj

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Bled is perhaps a bit small for three nights - one should be plenty unless you're planning on simply relaxing or doing a bit of water sports or hiking etc.

+1 three nights would be too many in Bled, it's a bit dead in the evening with virtually no night life. But one night anywhere wouldn't be my cup of tea - you travel somewhere, check in and you only have a few hours in the evening to explore the place because next morning, the hotel wants you out so you're on the road again.

Two nights in Bled would be my recommendation. Walk (anticlockwise) around the lake to the beach, rent a boat and row out to the island where there's usually a weddding in progress. Climb the (steep) hill to the castle.

I travelled around Slovenia by bus, all of the popular guides said to avoid the local train service - slow and unreliable.

MissD93

bubblypop wrote: »

The city itself is very small, lovely place to sit along the river & eat, drink & people watch.
I would recommend postojna cave park, a day trip from Ljubljana. Underground caves, stunning & a castle. We got a bus from town, took less than an hour & walked from the bus station in town. I think there are trains also.

.

Thank you, I just googled it there and we’ve put it on our to do list ☺️☺️

MissD93

Padraig Mor wrote: »

We did something along those lines in our honeymoon (13 yrs ago now). Three nights in Bled, four nights in Ljubljana, then got the train across to Rovinj (via Pula) in Croatia for a week. Got a boat across the Adriatic then to Venice for a night.

Bled is perhaps a bit small for three nights - one should be plenty unless you're planning on simply relaxing or doing a bit of water sports or hiking etc. Ljubljana is great. Could be worth getting the train to Pula, staying a night there, and then getting a boat to Dubrovnik?

Thanks actually brilliant thank you ☺️

otnomart

Piran on the Slovenian coast is a little gem !
I stayed in Portoroz which is next to it, just a very short bus ride away.

davepatr07

I’m doing a Munich-Salzburg-Ljubljana-Venice trip in August. Transport in between is Train, Flixbus, AirBnB and Hostel.

Was looking at returning from Zagreb but flights are around €100 more expensive from Zagreb back to Dublin on Skyscanner. Staying longer in Slovenia as heard so much about it.

There used to be a seasonal summer flight from Dublin to Ljubljana with Adria Airways so strange they dropped it. Only matter of time before the route reopens as Slovenia is becoming popular especially for outdoor folk, mountains, scenery photography etc.

josip

+ 1 for Bubblypop's Postojna cave, mindblowing.
Somewhat more unusual if you have a car is the tallest chimney in Europe (Trbovlje) and a bit further along the road is Melani Trump's home town where they've just erected a blue smurf in her honour.
The Croatian coast is great. You will struggle to find sandy beaches, the islands are the best. Dubrovnik will be fairly expensive.
This a good swimming spot within walking distance in Dubrovnik (swam there this morning) 42.640872, 18.101043 and if you have a car and want to see some leftovers from the war that's not part of the tourist trail, go to Plaza Kupari, 20 mins south. There's a lovely beach there frequented mainly by locals and the 3 shot out hotels provide a more unusual backdrop to a swim.

4Ad

In Kranjska Gora as I write, which isnt too far on a bus from Ljubliana, its stunning.
A great a spot if you like the outdoors, you can go cycling or hiking or just take a bus somewhere. Polite people, great bus service and not expensive !
Highly recommend Slovenia.

niteowles

Keep in mind if you travel south to Dubrovnik you will be on the coast side of the road and can enjoy the views. We traveled Dubrovnik to Milan, while it was beautiful, if I had to do it again I would go Milan to Dubrovnik.

MissD93

otnomart wrote: »

Piran on the Slovenian coast is a little gem !
I stayed in Portoroz which is next to it, just a very short bus ride away.

We went to piran it was beautiful thank you ☺️☺️

Fan of Netflix

2 beautiful countries, would love to go for a week or 2 over there on my next holiday.

pigtail33

I have flights booked into Pula for a week's time, but the transport options between Pula and Ljubljana don't seem great. A seasonal train, that stops the end of August, and bus transfers that can take up to 7 hours is all I have managed to find. Is there another option, that I am missing?

We were planning on two nights in Pula, three in Ljubljana, three in Bled and three in Kranjska Gora, but I'm not sure how doable that is with no hire car?

miamee

If you have a look at Rome2Rio.com they seem to suggest a couple of bus options: https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Pula/Ljubljana

pigtail33

Thank you. I had been looking at that website and all the buses seem to take between 5 and 7 hours, which I didn't realise when booking the flights as it's less than a three hour drive. Perhaps a shared transfer is the best option.
Thanks again!

naughtysmurf

Also considering Croatia & sorounding countries for family holiday, 10 nights sometime between end June & end August next year, know zero about Croatia or sorounding countries, Mrs naughtysmurfs requirements are , good food, things to do, walks, sightseeing etc, beach, relaxing, safe & no lager louts,

I'm usually a bit of a planner but considering using croatia.ie this time as they arrange transfers etc, anyone used them ?

Or if anybody has any thoughts & tips from a DIY perspective that would meet our requirements, I'd appreciate it, assume we may have to have a two centre holiday?

Thanks

Depends I suppose what kind of holiday you want.
You can fly to Dubrovnik. Hire a car for the week. Stay few days south, in kotor, which is lovely, stay a few more nights near or in Dubrovnik, take a day or two travel to Sarajevo or/ and mostar.
It's a beautiful coastline & tbf anywhere along there is lovely.
Dubrovnik itself is very expensive, but everywhere else is very cheap /affordable

I can't help with northern Croatia I'm afraid

naughtysmurf

Thanks, no interest in driving though so that may limit us possibly

Poochie05

Zadar in Croatia is a nice city, not too crowded and you can stay somewhere along the coast out of the city. There’s a regular bus service. Ryanair fly there.