During our four-day vacation, while searching for an alternative destination near Vienna that we could reach by car, I discovered the natural beauty of Slovenia on Google Maps. Our goal for this trip was to get away for a bit and spend a few days in a place full of natural wonders. Slovenia perfectly met that expectation.
Our itinerary was as follows:
Day 1 and 2: Portoroz/Piran
Although the drive from Vienna to Portorož should have taken around 5 hours, road construction extended our trip to 8 hours.
Portorož is a charming town located on the Adriatic Sea, making it a wonderful option for those in Europe who want to see the sea while avoiding crowded places. We stayed at a cozy spot called Forgotten Garden Apartments, which offered free parking. You can find photos below.
Click here for the link.
The first thing that caught my eye when we entered the room was the charming balcony with a stunning sea view framed by lush green trees. The room was clean and comfortable—perfect for a few nights’ stay. Additionally, the friendly and helpful attitude of the staff made us feel very welcome. When we asked for restaurant and sightseeing recommendations, they provided us with several suggestions along with a handy map.
Although Portorož and Piran are two separate places, I don’t think it’s accurate to separate them much because the bus ride between them takes only 8-10 minutes. You can travel by two types of buses: public and private. The one-way fare ranges between 2-3€. Also, note that the private bus only accepts cash, while the public bus allows payment by credit card.
Piran has old, narrow streets that don’t allow car access, but there is a parking lot at the entrance where you can park your car. Therefore, it’s more convenient to take the bus from Portorož.
Portorož offers a sandy beach with a pier and sun loungers for relaxing and sunbathing. Piran doesn’t have a sandy beach but still offers swimming areas. It feels more like a small, charming harbor town with boats docked along the shore. We had dinner at a restaurant called Neptun in Piran. Their large fish platter for two was delicious and incredibly filling.
Click here for the restaurant link.
Another interesting thing about Piran was that everyone spoke German. Experiencing German outside Austria was quite unique for us 
.
Piran:
Day 3 : Ljubljana
Now, onto Day 3…
Ljubljana was so vibrant and youthful that we instantly fell in love with it. It really made us realize how stagnant Vienna’s vibe can be. This small city, built along a river lined with lively shops and cafes on both sides, truly has a soul. When we visited, there happened to be a festival going on — food stalls and souvenir vendors were everywhere.
Right in the city center, there’s also a market. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say I tasted the largest and most delicious cherries of my life there. Moving deeper into the market, you’ll find clothing stalls. I bought some linen dresses bargaining my way through — and they’re really good quality Just a heads-up for those interested!
For a restaurant recommendation, there’s a charming little Balkan Street-themed spot where you can enjoy cevapcici; here’s the link. We ordered meatballs and grilled chicken plates. While I can’t say I loved the grilled chicken, the meatballs and their pide bread were truly tasty.
As for accommodation, maybe because it was high season, all options including Airbnb were quite expensive. So we decided to stay somewhere comfortable, enjoy our breakfasts, and maybe take a swim — we stayed three nights at the Four Points Sheraton. It’s located a bit outside the city center, surrounded by forest. You can get to the center by Uber for about €10-11. For those driving, there’s free parking available.
Day 4 : Vintgar and Bled
What truly excited me most about this trip was Vintgar. We hopped in the car from our hotel and headed straight there. To enter Vintgar, you need a ticket, which you can book online in advance by selecting your preferred time slot (click here for online tickets). Since we weren’t sure exactly what time we’d arrive, we thought we could buy tickets at the entrance. If you haven’t purchased tickets yet, you can do so at the P3 or P1 parking lots. If you arrive by car, you can park for free at P3.
With your ticket, you board special shuttle buses that take you to Vintgar — there’s no extra charge for the bus.
The shuttle ride takes about 10-15 minutes. At the Vintgar entrance, you show your ticket and are given a helmet to protect your head — wearing this helmet is mandatory while exploring the park.
The trail takes about one and a half hours at a moderate pace. When you finish, you return the helmets, but walking back to the shuttle bus stop from the exit takes a bit longer. At this point, you can choose your route — if you want, you can extend your hike by continuing through the forest path.
Since we were also planning to visit Bled, we chose the shorter route.
You can drive from Vintgar to Bled in about half an hour. In Bled, there are paid parking lots where you can park your car (around €4 per hour). When you reach the lakeside in Bled, you feel like you’re in a fairy tale. The stunning scenery, tranquility, and cleanliness are enough to soothe your soul from the very first moment.
In Bled, we tried a Slovenian dessert called Gibanica. Of course, everyone’s taste buds are different, but I enjoyed this dessert.
I want to share a small but fun experience in Bled that I noticed no one else has written about.
While sitting by the lake, we noticed an area across the water with cable cars going back and forth. We immediately went to check it out and discovered a small amusement park called Straza Bled. There’s also a paid parking lot at the entrance.
You enter the park from the bottom and take a cable car up, enjoying the breathtaking views of Bled behind you. To come back down, you can either take the cable car again or try the tobogganing — small rail carts that I highly recommend. Riding down with the view is really enjoyable.
Click here for the park’s link.
