Claiming to know the most underrated country in the world is quite the bold statement, however after visiting the place twice and then spending seven days with Intrepid Travel touring its mountains, gorges and coastlines, I don’t think I have ever been so ready to back up my bold claim. So, allow me to give you the evidence on why Slovenia is the most underrated destination in the world.
To those more clued up on travel Slovenia is hopefully on your radar as tourism to the country is undoubtedly growing year on year. However, to those who aren’t aware of the country, people always ask the question: ‘Well what is there to do over there?’ In this blog of our seven-day Slovenia Family Holiday with Teenagers trip with Intrepid, hopefully I can begin to unravel the little gem that Slovenia is and inspire you to explore some place slightly different that rests outside the major European hotspots. Now enough intro, let’s get onto the good bit – to really trigger those itchy feet…
Day 1: Arriving in Ljubljana, Slovenia’s Capital
Before we begin the tour let me introduce you to my family which consists of: me (Archie, 17 yrs), my younger brother (Freddie, 14 yrs), my mum (Donna, *age censored*, boss of 52DNT) and finally my dad (Matt, *age censored*, fellow boss at 52DNT ). The story begins as you would have guessed at London Heathrow airport to catch our 7:35am flight to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. After an airport breakfast and a short 1hr 50min flight we had touched down in the capital and an uber from the airport left us at our hotel right in the city centre. By the time we had dropped our cases it was approaching midday which was 4 hours before our welcome meeting with our intrepid guide so we headed out into the city centre to have some lunch. After eating my bodyweight in chicken pitas we headed back to the room to rest before our introduction to the other families and most importantly our guide. 4’o clock had approached so we headed to the breakfast room to hear all about the upcoming trip. Our guide Lucija had us complete some last minute admin before discussing our itinerary and answering any questions we all may of had. After some time hearing about the exciting details of our trip Lucija took us for a guided walk around the city before leaving us on the dragon bridge to decide what to do with our evening. We opted to head for the castle which thanks to Lucija we chose the recommended cheaper ticket option to still get the funicular railway up the hill which gives access to the amazing views and parts of the museum for a much more reasonable rate. After the castle we grabbed an easy dinner from the supermarket before drifting off excited for our busy day tomorrow.
Day 2: Lake Bled, Bled Castle and Cycling to Italy from Kranjska Gora
An early morning start once again meant we left Ljubljana at around 8am. Our private transfer ( a very spacious 20 seater minibus) took us to our first stop of Slovenia’s most known beauty, Lake Bled. Once we arrived Lucija explained in the three hours we had that two of the four activities in this list were possible if we were efficient on time. The options were as followed: Visiting Bled castle, taking a famous boat trip out to the island, tobogganing down a hillside and finally just taking a nice stroll around part of the lake. We chose to visit the castle first which rests up on a cliffside providing a different angle on the lake. The colour of the water there was an astonishing light teal and the mountains surrounding frame the lake in a truly enchanting way. The castle itself has some interesting exhibits about its history, a winery, a shop or two and a cafe which we sat down at for a slice of the famous Bled cream cake whilst we looked out over the beautiful scenery. Amazing stuff. After our castle visit and mum and dad buying a bottle of local wine (cheeky) we headed down to the lake edge for a stroll around a few market stalls and for a sit down by the lake to just take it all in. After this rest we headed back up to our included lunch at Pizzeria Rusticka. The lunch was supposed to be a picnic at our next destination however due to potential rain issues (heavy foreshadowing) it was decided we would eat here first to the delight of my belly. 
The pizza was easily some of the best I had and the food in Slovenia never seemed to disappoint due to its proximity to Italy and its own Balkan local dishes too. After devouring our pizzas we got another private transfer in the same van off to Kranjska Gora for our cycle. When we arrived we were all given e-bikes and helmets as we cycled off to see the Olympic Centre and Planica ski jumps. The e-bikes were incredible fun and cruising down the well maintained cycle roads was absolute bliss. After a short stop gazing at the enormous ski jumps and a quick whizz around the Olympic Centre and its cafe, we headed back out on the bikes to visit the border with Italy which was a group decision. As we successfully crossed the border and began to turn back around the weather we had been dodging with some success so far finally had it’s say. On our cycle back we most definitely did not remain dry however that didn’t manage to stifle any of the fun of e-biking and only really added to the sense of adventure. After finishing the bike ride we headed back to the van to dry off on our way to our final destination of the day, Bovec, a nicely sized town in the Soca Valley full of opportunities for adventure. We arrived at hotel Alp and got showered and changed for a non-included dinner that Lucija had booked us at a lovely restaurant in Bovec. Many opted for the trout based dishes as they were a specialty including myself who had a trout burger which tasted better than it may seem on paper. This was a great opportunity to speak to other families and to get to know them even better over some lovely food.
Day 3: Slap Virje Waterfall and White Water Rafting in the Soca Valley
On the morning of this day we took advantage of rafting beginning at 12:00 and my dad, my little brother and another family on our trip set off on a walk to slap Virje – a beautiful waterfall a 50min walk outside of Bovec centre. The water was an amazing colour and the scenery at the waterfall and on the walk in general was lush. When we arrived back it was time for white water rafting. After a short van ride to the headquarters we were given all of our gear and piled on an old fashioned school bus to head off to our launch point. After carrying the raft over to the river our leader suggested we took a dip in the water to cool off and fill our wetsuits with the water – he called this “soca coffee” as if you were feeling sleepy beforehand dunking yourself in the incredibly cold soca river definitely gets the blood pumping. The rafting we did built from level 1-3 rapids with the still parts of the river being used for a dip in the water or as time to teach us new instructions to help us steer the raft better. They call the experience active rafting as there are plenty of stops to swim and jump. For example, at one stop they flip a raft upside down propped up against a rock and let people use it as a slide down into water. At another point there is an option to climb and jump the tallest rock in the Soca river “Manhattan” which stands at around 10m tall. Me and dad took the opportunity to do so and the air time was unbelievable. The whole rafting experience was amazing and those who were dreading it before said how much they loved it after. You always feel in good hands as long as you pay attention and help paddling as our guide in the boat for example was a former world champion slovenian who knew the river like the back of his hand so it was no trouble for him to take us the “fun” routes through the rapids with his incredible steering skills. We didn’t have a dinner planned with the others that night so we had some smash burgers and chips from a local bar which hit the spot after a tiring but exhilarating time rafting. Another busy day with some amazing moments once again.
Day 4: Ziplining Europe’s Longest Zipline and a WW1 Open-Air Museum
Today was our free day in Bovec which we decided to use as an opportunity to do ziplining through one of the local canyons. The series of 10 ziplines take you from 200m above the water to 3m above the water at the end with the longest zipline being around 600m long. This series of zips is also Europe’s longest and the amazing scenery of the Učja Canyon below is immense. Naturally these zips also allow you to get some real speed with dad’s strava picking up his top speed of 56kmh. This experience was outstanding and you did truly feel like you were flying above the canyons, it’s terrifying but you do have the comfort of the harnesses and clips being able to hold 1.5 tonnes to soothe the nerves of anything going wrong. After our adrenaline rush me dad and freddie headed off on a walk to the open air WW1 remains. Only a 25min walk from the hotel lies old bunkers, cave systems and barbed wire from the WW1 front line that was held in the Soca Valley and as an easy to get to free experience it was worth the visit. By this point it is safe to say we were all incredibly hot as temperatures were reaching the 30s so dad found a way we could take a dip in the Kortnica river nearby. As ever the water was low and crystal clear and after dipping our feet in we were quickly reminded of its temperature too. After dunking ourselves in the pristine water and taking some stunning photos and videos we headed back to hotel Alp to get ready for another dinner out with the families. For tonight’s dinner I opted to try the local take on the classic dish that is goulash which was this time served with polenta. As ever with the food there were no complaints and it was great to hear from all the families about what they had got up to on their free day as we grew ever closer as a group. We then headed back to the hotel for our last night in Bovec before moving to the more relaxing coast of Slovenia.
Day 5: Tolmin Gorge and the Coastal Town of Portoroz
Day 5 was our final day in the Julian Alps of Slovenia as we headed to the coastline town of Portoroz. To break up the journey from Bovec we first stopped at the lowest point in Triglav National Park – Tolmin Gorge. Joined by local guide Natasha who kept us clued in on local wildlife (resident trout) and folklore, we wandered around the confluence and meandering of the rivers Tolminka and Zadlascica. The landscape the gorges had carvered out was once again breathtaking and as ever the water was that perfect crystal clear light blue. We were shown the famous bear rock which pagan religions had worshipped and crossed the devils bridge at the highest point of our gorge tour. After buying some local honey we hopped back in the vans to our picnic spot which we had been told to buy food for the day before and we sat and had lunch in the shade looking out on a much larger looking yet still turquoise river. We then hopped back in the van and drove the remaining two hours to Portoroz. Upon arriving we checked into the rather swanky hotel and then arranged to meet Lucija for a guided walk around the town to get our bearings. We went to Lucija’s favorite shop “Aura” where you can try and buy any local produce (including alcohol) and it is safe to say no one left empty handed. After being shown around the town we headed back to the hotel to take advantage of the pool and some time to rest before visiting one of the local restaurants recommended to us. For dinner, due to the proximity to Italy and the sea it was a mixture of sea food and pasta on our plates besides Freddie who devoured a steak twice the size of his head in his typical fashion. After a good chunk of travelling and walking today we collapsed into bed ready for the visit to Piran tomorrow…
Day 6: Exploring Piran and Sea Swimming on the Slovenian Coast
Due to the weather we decided as a group the most sensible way to get to Piran would be to make use of the cheap and conveniently located bus opposed to walking in the 30 degree heat. Piran is a town that very much can remind you of Italy in terms of food and architecture as it used to belong to the Venetians so naturally in normal Italian fashion it was stunning. Lucija pointed out the main areas of interest such as: the clocktower, church, main square and her favourite pasta restaurant where you can see the pasta being made fresh for the day by gazing through a window into the kitchen. We decided to take a trip up to the top of the clocktower which comes combined with a small museum and church entrance all on the same affordable ticket. At the top of the clocktower the view of the red tiled roofs and glaringly clear water was definitely a reward for waking up the steps. I can’t emphasize enough how clear the water was from up there;It definitely made us regret not bringing our swimming gear. Legend has it that on a clear day you can see Venice from the top of the tower and whilst we could make out Italy the haze from the heat despite the bright blue sky prevented us from catching a glimpse of the city. To reward our efforts of exploring the town we stopped for ice cream before heading back to catch the bus to Portoroz. Being in Portoroz with a free afternoon meant that we paid both the beach and the pool a visit. Although the beaches are rocky the pebbles were all smooth underfoot and conveniently built piers with steps were built to jump/walk straight into the water. The sea was a perfect temperature to just fall into and that afternoon was an amazing way to combat the heat. Tonight’s dinner was one organised by Lucija at La Mar. On this dinner we separated into a kids end and adults end which I think everyone regretted not doing before our final meal as conversation and laughter flowed really well across the tables. After eating some lovely pasta and seafood Sam from our group gave a speech to thank Lucija for all her help along with her tip and a gift from her favourite shop. Without her recommendations and good decision making the trip would have been clogged with faff and stress over all the transport and choices given to all of the families so naturally a massive thank you to her for keeping everything running so effortlessly. The walk back to the hotel in the night was bittersweet as we’d never been closer to the families as we were on this final evening however we had to say some goodbyes in the hotel lobby as some families were headed to Italy and not back to the capital for a flight home. Overall an amazing way to end the main part of the trip.
Day 7: Back to Ljubljana
Today was a travel day to take us back to where we started in Ljubljana. The 20 person minibus picked up those heading back to the capital as we wished each other safe travels on our group chat for whichever destination was up next for us and the other families on our trip. Upon arriving in Ljubljana we stored our cases in a side room within the famous “Pink Church” which we certainly wouldn’t have been able to book if it wasn’t for Lucija. We spent time before our evening flight by going for one final pizza and steak for Freddie and looking around the natural history museum of Slovenia which was stacked with exhibits which deserved more credit than our tired bodies could give them. The rest of the Afternoon was spent popping in and out of shops and grabbing some refreshments from the well priced supermarkets. An uber got us to the airport in good time as we spent some time relaxing in the airport before our short flight. A small delay yet still relatively seamless flight got us back to Heathrow to allow Dad to endure our drive back home.
The trip as a whole has an amazing itinerary that is incredibly easy to recommend due to its amazing variety in activities and places to keep everything feeling exciting and new whilst also allowing good chunks of time to catch up on the relaxing aspect of a holiday. As ever with Intrepid the guides don’t seem to have any faults as they handle all the logistics you could need as well as finding the best places for you to fill your bellies with food. Furthermore, the guides form a crucial part of your group by getting involved in everything which helps bring everyone together even more. A scenic, active holiday in some place a little different? There’s no surprise we all loved it as much as we did.