Eastern European Adventure - Slovenian Gorgeousness

Another leg of our journey that we thoroughly loved was our trip to northwestern Slovenia. Although it is a small country, Slovenia has a vast and diverse landscape. After our train arrived in Ljubljana, the capital city, we rented a car and drove through small cities and villages as we explored Slovenia by our own means of transportation. We stopped overnight in a small lakeside village, Bled. Bled includes famous Lake Bled, a stunning glacial lake by the Julian Alps in northwestern Slovenia.

Nearby Bled, a short five minute drive north, was Vintgar Gorge - where the Radovna river cuts its way through the  surrounding rocks, flows over cascades and rapids, and peacefully settles in quiet areas before meeting more rapids. The gorge ends at the stunning Šum waterfall, the highest waterfall in Slovenia. We walked on a footpath through the mile and a half of winding, misty early evening air. The sounds, the air, the mossy, fresh scents. Simply gorgeous. 

Twenty minutes south of Lake Bled, we stopped at Lake Bohinj. This lake is larger then Bled, and is at the foot of Mt. Triglav. It was so quiet and serene there. And the water was brilliantly clean and clear. 

We had previously scouted out a high winding road that weaved its way through the Julian Alps. We pulled out the maps and loaded the GPS as we, for the next few hours, twisted and turned our car through bend after bend of the breathtaking Slovenian Vršič Pass. More often than not, we were the only car within miles, so we roamed and explored as we saw fit. The road was long, and steep, but we enjoyed every turn as we peered over the edge of the mountains. 

Vintgar Gorge in Bled, Slovenia.

The stunningly clear Radovna River.

So stunning. We were practically the only group taking this path.

Each river we saw was a unique, different shade of blue.

No fires! No dogs! No bikes! No fun.
You may walk and look - that's it!

Lake Bled.

The picturesque cathedral on the island in the middle of Lake Bled.

Lake Bohinj by Mt. Triglav.

Not a real goat.
....or is it?!?

A view from the Vršič Pass, the highest pass in Slovenia, as well as the highest in the Eastern Julian Alps.

We are so tiny compared to the vast mountain ranges.

Our jagged GPS route.

One of the switchbacks.

Each bend was identified. Bend 30, bend 31, etc. 

An explorer who first traversed a path through the mountains.

The emerald green water of the Soča River.

The view as we descended the Julian Alps.