I feel Slovenia

I’m aware that the best way to visit the country is by flying to Ljubljana International Airport, or, since Slovenia is so close to Italy it could be easier to use cities like Trieste or Venice and get cheap tickets to Ljubljana. There are many options if you use public transport from those cities. In my case, I took a flight to Munich, Germany (Eurowings), and then I took a bus straight to Slovenia. It is a very affordable trip, so this could be a very cheap option if you are coming from a Caribbean country like Cuba, which is where I come from. Or, if you have any relatives in Slovenia, they can pick you up in Germany by car and thus, you can see a bit of Austria before getting to your destination.

Once there, without any doubt, Ljubljana could very well be the best place to stay because it’s the capital and a very active city. You should visit its incredible places. For example, you can’t miss the opportunity to walk through the Town Hall Square, visit the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the Dragon Bridge, and the Triple Bridge. There you will be amazed by the terraces by the river, and the crowds around you that mostly consist of students. The centre is very lively, full of people on bicycles and with many cafés with tables close to the bridge. With a perfect atmosphere, it’s a location to stay during the day or in the night.

There are definitely many other things to explore in Ljubljana, but even with Slovenia being a small country you need to move forward because there is much more to discover. There are wonderful places like Lake Bled, an astonishing area with a beautiful castle, church, and landscape that you mustn’t miss and should take a chance to go around in a boat and enjoy its attractive zones. Another spectacular lake which I loved a lot was Lake Bohinj with water of such a beautiful colour that definitely calls to you to swim in it. Unfortunately it was winter when I visited it, but it was still worth it just to walk around, admire the landscape and the bridge, and contemplate how those little ducks swim in harmony.

I can say that I’m a little surprised because I think Slovenia is not a massive destination yet even when it’s well ready for tourism. Most of the people I saw there were from those countries that are really close, like Croatia, Italy, Germany, Switzerland etc. According to my experience it’s very charming there – every place, both tourist and non-tourist. Postojna Caves (you really need to explore this spot because it’s awesome), Rakov Škocjan and Škocjan caves were huge caves and amazing, and I was surprised that there was so much history, and that this beautiful area was connected by deep caves.

Ptuj is a really old town full of history, beauty and with great wine culture, and one of the cities that made me feel more at peace. Izola made me feel warm even during winter time; it was fantastic just being around. Then, next to it there is a town called Koper. Oh, Koper really made me feel like I was in paradise with The Cathedral of the Assumption and with those incredible views of the bay. And Portorož is a beautiful location that reminded me a lot of Cuba. If you have ever been to Varadero then you have an idea of a very modern city with pretty beaches. It felt very good walking through its avenues. After this, there is Seča, one of my favourites, with recreational boats and sailboats on the St. Jernej canal allowing you to explore nature and be close to the sea; a very relaxing and quite warm place, which you shouldn’t miss.

I’ve also been to cities like Maribor and Celje, among others, and I loved their architecture and their people, and I’ve also been to other places far from cities that are also worth seeing because of their nature and culture, but the place that definitely got to me the most was Velika Planina, a mountainous area. I was speechless. Exploring this area has been one of the most beautiful and joyful things I have done in my life. You can hike there, explore the area, feel the nature, and admire the mountains. You can feel free there, you can exercise, and the view is really extraordinary.

Without any doubt, coming to Slovenia is a fantastic option, and to think I hardly knew anything about it before. I immediately fell in love with this small country that I think is very underrated by many, but you should definitely take the opportunity to come and feel Slovenia.