Many regions in Slovenia and Montenegro are still not too crowded and touristy. But the countries are perfect for either a road trip or to spend a few days there as part of a small round trip. 6 bloggers give you their best travel tips for places in Slovenia and Montenegro.
Destinations in Slovenia
The country Slovenia borders directly on Austria, Italy, Croatia and Hungary and has about 2 million inhabitants. As the country is part of the EU, entry is quite straightforward and the currency used is the Euro. Known Slovenia is mainly for its mountains, lakes and also for skiing. The capital of Slovenia is Ljubljana.
The small village of Bled | Crappy Radio Stations
Bled was the first stop on my Slovenia round trip a few years ago – and set pretty high standards for the rest of my vacation! The small town has only about 6.000 inhabitants, but a really good infrastructure for tourists. This is because the place is one of the tourist hotspots of the country. And rightly so. Bled is not only (supposedly) the home of the sweet and mighty Cremeschnitte, a cake with custard filling, but also trumps with the picturesque Lake Bled. The special thing about the lake: in the middle of it there is a small island with a beautiful church.
A walk around the lake is therefore a must in Bled. The water in the lake is incredibly clear and wherever small niches open up on the shore, tourists and locals lie down to swim in the lake in summer. If you like it more active, you can rent rowing boats or SUPs. For the great postcard motif of the lake, which probably everyone knows from Bled, you should turn on your walk just behind the campsite (or before it, depending on which direction you are coming from) onto the small path to the viewpoint Ojstrica. From both vantage points you have a beautiful view over the lake – you shouldn't miss it!!
Because Bled is just so pretty and relaxed, it is also a popular summer destination for the Slovenians themselves. So on Saturday and Sunday it can get crowded. But it didn't seem overcrowded to me nevertheless. For me Bled was a real highlight in Slovenia and I can only recommend a visit to you.
About Crappy Radio Stations: Traveling despite a full-time job? Sometimes it is not so easy. That's why Imke's heart beats for fantastic short trips and excursions to relax her soul. On "Crappy Radio Stations" Imke offers all part-time globetrotters inspiration for small and big adventures far away from the daily office routine.
Triglav National Park in Slovenia for mountain enthusiasts and water rats | Anita on her travels
The Julian Alps rise majestically in northern Slovenia. A large part of the more than 150 peaks with an altitude of over 2000 meters is located in the middle of the Triglav National Park. A huge national park, which makes both real mountain enthusiasts and leisurely water rats go wild. And the word has already spread.
Especially in July and August, certain areas of the national park are literally stormed by visitors. For example the river SoCa. If you want to enjoy the natural beauty in peace and quiet, you better come outside the high season. In spring and autumn we are often alone in the gorges and can undisturbed set up the tripod for the camera at the waterfalls. If there is no other way, then at least in July and August switch to public transport. For this is very well developed in the national park.
However, one should not mind the curves in the mountains. The road up the mountain pass VrsiC is notorious for its serpentines – and the great views of the gray peaks. Away from the visitor hotspots there are many natural beauties to discover. The industrial town of Jesenice doesn't look very inviting, but its alpine pastures are all the more charming for it. In Tolmin Gorge, the water sparkles turquoise and water rats follow Agatha Christie. She said about Bohinj that this place is just too beautiful for murder. That's why she never captured it in literature. But she recovered here. It is quite possible that the crime writers also hiked to one of the surrounding high alpine pastures or swam in the lake. Refreshes and satisfies murder cravings.
More on the blog "Anita on the road": Anita lives in the middle of the border triangle of Carinthia/Austria, Slovenia and Italy. She has been exploring the diverse region since childhood and has been blogging about it for several years now. She has also written books about Slovenia.
Ljubljana: Charming mini-metropolis | world attractions
For a long time, the Slovenian capital Ljubljana had not been on my radar at all. Not only does it have a charming little old town with a castle hill and all the trimmings, but it is also young, versatile and incredibly livable, thanks to a student population of 20%. In Ljubljana you can e.g. Stay in a former prison, take a street art tour, or spend the day feasting your way through the hip cafes along the Ljubljanica (that's the river that runs through Ljubljana). On the cultural area Metelkova Mesto (a former barracks area) and the occupied ROG area (a former bicycle factory) you can get to know the alternative Ljubljana, visit concerts and go in search of street art yourself.
But the charming mini-metropolis also has a lot to offer for classic city travelers. Designed since 1925 by practically a single architect: Jozef Plecnik. There are great art nouveau buildings, a traffic-calmed old town with a very special bridge, the people's park Tivoli and a castle towering over everything.
About Weltreize: Claudia and Dominik have been writing on their blog Weltreize since their year-long trip around the world.com about their small and big adventures. Their slogan: The world begins before the own front door. On their active, adventure and city trips they love to try new things and leave the comfort zone with a little fear in their neck.
Destinations in Montenegro
The small Balkan state with only about 630.000 inhabitants is so far still an insider's tip for traveling. Besides wonderful coastal cities there is also a lot of nature and mountains to discover. So far Montenegro is a candidate for EU membership, but the Euro is the national currency and you can easily travel around the country thanks to a good infrastructure.
Kotor | Imprintmytravel
Montenegro, Europe's youngest state, still ekes out a shadowy existence next to the trendy destinations of Slovenia and Croatia, but that could soon change. The small Adriatic state convinces with a lot of untouched nature, idyllic beaches and picturesque coastal towns. Once you've been there, you'll understand why charming Montenegro is also nicknamed the "Pearl of the Adriatic".
The most famous place in Montenegro is Kotor. A beautiful medieval town nestled above the Bay of Kotor on the steep cliffs of the karst mountains. The bay is often referred to as the southernmost fjord in Europe because of the long gorge that runs deep into the mainland. It is not a fjord at all, but a river delta that made its way through the mountains over millions of years.
Over the years, Kotor's strategic location has made it a rich trading town, which is also reflected in the city center, characterized by churches and palaces. The absolute highlight of the city are the historic city walls and the ruins of the fortress of San Giovanni, once built by the Venetians.
The remains of the fortress tower high above the town and can be reached via a breakneck path for a negotiable fee. If you dare the strenuous and a bit daring climb, you will be rewarded with fantastic views of Kotor and the picturesque bay.
About Imprintmytravel: Lisa writes on her blog Imprintmytravel.com since 2014 about her two passions travel and photography and shares her knowledge on exciting photo trips to her personal heart places.
Durmitor National Park | Reiseblitz
Durmitor National Park was for us the top highlight of our Montenegro road trip. The wild, rough nature and the original mountain landscapes have inspired us very much. Enjoy a walk with a view around the deep green lake Crno Jezero or a long hike through the hilly steppes.
You should not miss a ride on the Durmitor ring road. This 80 kilometer panoramic route winds all around the national park and the rugged peaks. With the Tara gorge, Durmitor National Park also offers the deepest gorge in Europe. It invites you for hiking, rafting or canyoning.
A good starting point for exploring the region is the small town of zabljak in the east of the National Park. What you can do from there, we show you in our Durmitor blog article.
About Reiseblitz: In order to make the best use of the usually short time at the destination, good organization is the top priority for Wolfgang and Jessica. On reiseblitz.com, the two report on their well-planned road trips, short trips and round trips around the world.
Hiking in Montenegro | Come around!
Montenegro offers a stunning and less touristic getaway away from the busy coastline with majestic mountains, clear lakes and impressive fjords – so perfect for hiking. And it's right on the Mediterranean Sea, so it's perfect to combine with a few days on the beach to give your tired legs a break after the exertion in the mountains.
Our recommendation: make a hiking road trip. So rent a car and tour the small country on your own by car. You can stick to small, family-run B&Bs, according to Land, Leute& Get to know the cuisine in the best way and "dust off" the best hiking tips.
Our top tip are the national parks Durmitor and Biogradska, where Durmitor not only has the second deepest canyon in the world (far deeper than 1.000m), but with mountains up to 2.300m also super beautiful alpine mountain hikes holds ready. The signposting is exemplary everywhere (always follow the small white-red dot), so in combination with GPS you can hardly get lost – so there are no excuses :). Our highlights were Mount Prutas in Durmitor and Bendovac in Biogradska. Both are no problem for reasonably experienced and trained hikers in one day and reward with insane views. But even for less ambitious hikers, there's plenty to explore, such as the hour-long climb up Mount Curavec, which offers probably the best view of the Tara Canyon.
The best: even in summer you will hardly meet other tourists and have the breathtaking nature mostly to yourself!
About Come Around!: Come around! shows you the world from four eyes and twenty fingers – Nina and Malte give you insights into their favorite travel destinations. Often a road trip, always accompanied by good food and appropriate recommendations. If you like to get around a lot, this is the right place for you!