The top 7 things I did while on my holiday to Slovenia

To the north, you can experience the fresh air and panoramic views of the Alps; to the west and south, you have the rolling hills and sun-kissed vineyards of the Mediterranean.

You can ride cable cars above the clouds or delve into crystalline caves; wander around medieval castles or Communist brutalism; eat pig’s neck and other traditional fayre in a leafy family-restaurant or grab a cocktail in bars lining the river in the capital Ljubljana.

Here is my personal countdown, in no particular order, of the best things I did while on a trip to Slovenia.

1) (Underground) dungeons and dragons in Postojna Caves

The eerily beautiful Postojna Caves (Image: Newsquest) Underground cathedrals filled with columns of glittering stalagmites and baby dragons may sound like you’ve wandered onto the set of Game of Thrones – but this magical-sounding place really does exist.

Postojna Caves are one of the longest cave networks in Europe, measuring at 24.34 km, and are home to one of Slovenia’s most unusual fauna: the olm, a milky-white salamander that can live without food for ten years and whose heart only beats twice per minute.

Take a ride on the world’s only double-track cave railway to explore the Great Mountain in the Old Cave, first discovered in 1818; the iron-enriched Red Gallery; and the Spaghetti Gallery, so named for the 4,000 delicate stalactites dangling from the ceiling.

For those of the less faint of heart, you can book a guided tour of the lower caves, off the beaten track; and you can see why concerts are held here, given the echo of a note can last five seconds.

2) Confirm Lake Bled lives up to the hype

Lake Bled is as beautiful in person as it is in pictures (Image: I Feel Slovenia) The mainstay of many a Windows screensaver, this iconic lake is Slovenia’s undisputed tourist magnet. It’s not hard to see why.

The fairytale continues here: stood atop the walls of Bled Castle with the keep towering above, you can see the steeple belonging to – deep breath - the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, poking above the trees on the island in the centre of the lake.

It is the sole spot of green in the expanse of deep teal, itself framed by waterfront hotels, verdant hills and mountains on the horizon.

Drink up the view with a coffee and the signature cake; imagine a custard slice on steroids.

Who knows, you might even see the beginning of a wedding reception as I did.

But don’t worry if your budget doesn’t stretch to fairytale nuptials. For a much more cost-friendly keepsake, visit the printing press to stamp out your own personalised memory of the trip.

While thankfully it’s no longer printed using dog skin - as they don’t sweat, there were no pores to affect the finish - it still feels authentic, with a jerkin-clad printer helping you crank the press.

Speaking of printing…

3) Cocktails and printmaking in Ljubljana

The Slovenian capital is utterly charming (Image: I Feel Slovenia) With its cobbled streets, ornate architecture, buzzing markets and al fresco riverfront eateries, Ljubljana is your new favourite European city just waiting to be discovered.

Walking around seeing sights like the triple bridge at Prešeren Square can be thirsty work, so why not stop off for refreshment at a cocktail bar.

Nestled between the stately university building and the river Ljubljanica, and a stone’s throw from UNESCO-listed Congress Square and its star-shaped park, Kolibri does all the classics, some fun fusions, and all with top notch service.

My favourite was the spicy mango margarita, taking inspiration from India rather than Mexico with its curry powder-salted rim.

Printmaster-at-large Marko Drpić shows me how it's done (Image: Newsquest) I may sound obsessed with prints at this stage (which, honestly, I am) but if you’re looking for an activity to split up the sightseeing and with a meaningful keepsake, book a printmaking workshop at tipoRenesansa.

Sporting bold black glasses and sandals, you can tell Marko Drpić is a graphic designer – but he’s combined this artistry with the old methods and hordes of equipment gifted to him by retired printmakers.

Learn about šumenje, the sticky sound the ink should make when it’s ready to roll, and the art of assembling a template, before producing a piece of art worthy of hanging pride of place at home.

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4) Tasting wine – and olive oil - in Brda

Šmartno in Brda from the skies (Image: I Feel Slovenia) The undulating hills of the Brda region conjure up images of Tuscany – somewhat unsurprising given its proximity to the Italian border.

But the wine that is produced here could give some of their vineyards a run for their money.

Nestled between the Adriatic Sea and the Julian Alps, the microclimate in Goriška Brda creates hot days and cold nights - perfect for winemaking and growing olives.

In fact, it is apparently the northernmost place they can thrive.

A selection of Patrick's wines in front of his vineyard on the Italian border (Image: Newsquest) For a relaxing day out, visit Patrick Simčič’s vineyard to try wines made from native grape varieties, such as the verdant Rebula and the almondy Tokaj, while sat by the pool looking out at the grapevines.

And with prices starting at just €9.83 a bottle, make sure to leave some room in your suitcase when you pack.

You’ll also be able to try a selection of wine vinegars and extra virgin olive oils; the freshness, golden colour and peppery aftertaste make it perfect to plunge herby slices of frtalja (frittata) into.

5) Chairlifts and pine schnapps in Slovenia’s Alps

The Velika Planina - translated as the Big Pasture Plateau (Image: I Feel Slovenia) Methods of transport fall into two categories: fun (cruise ships, hovercraft) and boring (buses).

Cable cars and chairlifts definitely fall into the former category – and you’ll give them a go as you summit Velika Planina, translated in English to the Big Pasture Plateau.

It does what it says on the tin, as names go, describing a Von Trapp-certified swathe of verdant fields dotted with wooden shepherd’s huts, one of the largest settlements of its kind in Europe.

The clouds hugging the valley on the cable car ride up to Velika Planina (Image: Newsquest) But before you get there, you’ll be treated to equally panoramic sights which would be enough to make Maria spin on the spot.

On my journey up, we ascended above the clouds in the cable car and further still on the chairlift, with the sounds of bells dangling around the necks of grazing cows below.

Once you reach your destination, try some authentic Slovenian cuisine from the alpine region, such as pine schnapps and cabbage stew with Carniolan Sausage, or find out more about how the shepherds lived in times gone by – from using individually-moulded cheeses as an engagement gift to storing the milk from each cow on a different shelf to gauge how much it was producing – and whether it was sick or being stolen from a naughty shepherd nearby.

The chairlift ride up to Velika Planina was equally stunning (Image: Newsquest)

6) Chocolatey monks and delicious dishes at Rajhenburg Castle

Rajhenburg Castle next to the River Sava River (Image: I Feel Slovenia) Slovenia has no shortage of castles – more than 150 - but as one of the oldest in the country, there’s plenty of history to absorb at Rajhenburg in the ‘castle county’ Posavje.

Built in the 12th Century on a rocky outcrop sixty metres above the River Sava by a powerful Austrian Archbishop, Rajhenburg Castle has changed hands many times over the years.

Later in the Middle Ages, a family of knights took the name of the castle and won the favour of the Holy Roman Emperor; by the 1880s, Trappist monks from France turned it into a monastery and made chocolate here; and in the 1940s, German occupiers used it to set up a camp to expel Slovenes from the country.

Bring the history to life with interactive exhibits and carefully preserved and restored features of the castle, including a chapel with 900-year-old floorboards and a 15th Century spire roof with beams like a giant, medieval game of Kerplunk.

The mind-boggling architecture of Rajhenburg Castle's spire roof (Image: Newsquest) And once you’ve had your fill of museums, fill up your stomach and your soul at the Michelin Guide-featured Restaurant A3, with dishes such as trout tartare with orange oil and pickled sea fennel, veal fillet with peanut puree and wild mushrooms with a celery sauce.

7) Sleep in a log cabin and eat food like Grandma used to make

One of the cute huts at the Slovenia Eco Resort (Image: Newsquest) With more than half of the country covered in forests – one of the highest percentages in Europe – being at one with nature is not only important in Slovenia, it’s easy.

For your own opportunity to experience the flora and fauna, try glamping – such as the Slovenia Eco Resort, complete with rows of gingham curtain-clad wooden huts below the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, its own reception venue for parties, a 24-hour mini sauna and resident deer.

For dinner, eat like a local at Gostilna Repnik, a roadside hotel and restaurant a short drive away which is well frequented by the locals.

Dine al-fresco under the trees with a glass of wine – or if you’re brave, a shot of honey-spiked Ruševec schnapps – and grandmothers’ classics such as the meltingly tender veal, cooked for hours in a sous vide and then flash fried, or the pork neck with a rich tomato sauce and cheese dumplings.