In fact, even after our departure this year, we still didn't really have a plan as to where the journey should go. First visit friends in Rosenheim and then step by step to the south. In the back of my mind definitely Slovenia…

Because a few years ago, we drove over the Triglav Mountains, along the Soča to Croatia. We were immediately blown away by the incredibly beautiful landscape and wanted to stay there for a few more days. Unfortunately we could not get a place on a campsite without a reservation.

And then this June we actually went to Slovenia via Salzburg and the Wurzen Pass...new round of new luck on a spontaneous family holiday in Slovenia. And as we now know, June seems to be the best travel time to spontaneously explore Slovenia.

And what we enjoyed so much in Slovenia, here is a brief summary for you:
#1 Across the country without a vignette

This time we deliberately decided against a vignette in Slovenia in order to see the country away from the motorway and expressways. This usually works wonderfully, as most of the roads have been remade and are pleasant to drive on. From Ljubljana to Nova Gorica we drove a small pass. The view was breathtaking and at times it felt as if everything around us was standing still.
A little fun fact: some of the streets are so colorful that they almost resemble a little story book.

#2 Explore Ljubljana by bike

In big cities, we usually pack the bikes off the bus and explore the cities by bike. This means we can get from A to B faster, of course, but it's also much more relaxed for us. No overcrowded buses at certain times and no moaning kids because their legs hurt ;)
And Ljubljana, as a city with a green soul, is really nice to explore by bike. The cycle paths through the numerous parks and small cafés on every corner invite you to relax. There are also enough bicycle parking spaces for temporary parking of bicycles. Oh, and there are small electric buses in the Old Town area that you can easily call for a little tour of the Old Town.

#3 campsites

Small, clean and designed for outdoor activities. I think that describes the campsites in Slovenia pretty well.
We were amazed at how much "program" the campsites offer. For the little ones there are great playgrounds, pump tracks and pools. For adults, many campsites offer canoe tours, parachute jumps or MTB tours. At some campsites there are also e-bike rentals :) 

#4 pitches directly in the vineyard

In addition to campsites, there are also beautiful pitches on wineries right in the vineyards. Some of them also offer breakfast and regional dishes in the evening with wine pairing. Perfect to start or end a nice day in Slovenia.


#5 Away and at unusual times

Again and again we find that it is simply best to make a detour to eat in small villages. Apart from the prices, the food is often still prepared with love and the people who work there are much more relaxed. Nothing beats a relaxed lunch in a park-like atmosphere.
We landed at Lake Bled in the evening and of course started a little exploration tour right away. Almost the entire shore seemed deserted and of course we could really enjoy it. Maybe we were just lucky, but maybe we should do activities at unusual times.

We can only say that we are enthusiastic about Slovenia. We love the originality, the clear rivers and of course the mountains and wildflower-strewn meadows. Not to forget the pumptracks everywhere :)