glamping @ chateau ramšak | maribor, slovenia

THE WINE REGION OF MARIBOR, SLOVENIA:
a big reason we chose to take this trip and love travel in general is the opportunity we get to meet incredible people from around the world and create friendships with them. when we were in lake bled we got to know andrej, the owner of the hostel we were staying at [gh bled]. he was there to relax in the mountains and check in on a few projects. originally we had planned to leave slovenia after ljubljana and head south to bosnia. however, after andrej told us about his new project back in his hometown of maribor, yet another beautiful hilly wine region, we were stoked to add an additional two nights to our slovenian obsession. 

THE EXPERIENCE:
this new glampsite is tucked in the charming wine region of stajerska, with beautifully designed tents, a tree house, wonderful views of the vineyard, an open-air bar, private jacuzzis attached to your deck [!!] and a natural stream running through the grounds. breakfast is included each morning and i found myself craving it after we left – europeans just get how to do breakfast: fresh and healthy fruit, yogurt, bread and museli, charcuterie, cheese... even though you are only 15 minutes from downtown maribor, this place feels like you are in a different time all together and it is by far the most glamorous site we have stayed in.  [price per night: €150-250 | depending on season]

THE WINERY:
the entire campsite sits on a 200 year old winery in a very small village. the chateau boasts its own wine cellar and houses the largest wine press in europe. they offer tours and tastings of course, and interestingly only make white wine [the grape that has traditionally grown here] which helps them stay focused as a small batch winemaker. their wine is shockingly good and the 'tasting' was heavy handed on the pours. it went down a little too easy and i'm already wishing we would have left with a few more bottles. for anyone visiting slovenia soon, this spot is truly a must!

* this stay was part of a collaboration, all opinions are my own. 

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4 reasons to love ljubljana | slovenia's capital

i honestly had zero idea what to expect when we went to ljubljana. i knew that it was slovenia's capital and largest city [which relatively speaking is quite small] but i certainly didn't know that it would end up being one of the coolest places we have visited yet. this town has more soul and style than the other spots we visited in slovenia. coffee shops, boutiques, restaurants, art museums, city parks, all intertwined with a very authentic slovenian vibe. its size is one of the big draws, even though fairly small, it's dense and easy to cover in a couple of days. according to locals the city has really evolved over the past 20 years and their investment in infrastructure and supporting the growing economy shows. here are 4 reasons why you should go check it out:

1. BIKE SHARE SYSTEM for €1 a week you join their city bike share, download the app that has a map of all bike locations and you're ready to go. when you rent the bike, all you need to do is return it within one hour to another location in the city to not be charged extra. it's brilliant and the docking stations are everywhere. we biked every single day we were here, saw so much more of the city and never spent a euro more.

2. THE FOOD there are plenty of places to try traditional slovenian dishes and have that authentic experience. we had already been in the country for a few weeks and had our fair share, so we were happily surprised by the diversity of the food scene here. especially at odprta kuhna "open kitchen" which happens every friday from april to november (weather pending). it was one of the coolest food markets we had ever seen and the food was crave-able. they have vendors from almost every restaurant, winery, brewery or coffee shop in town and great music pumping. our favorite was egyptian tauk, street pad thai, zimbabwe stew and trying small portions from some of the city's best traditional establishments. pop's place was also a hip place to grab drinks and burgers on their cozy patio. all of the food we had on this trip was delicious. if you visit in the fall, you must try the roasted chestnuts which will be sold in small stalls throughout downtown. 

3. THE ARCHITECTURE represents an enticing slice of history, from its medieval castle to the decorative joys of the austrian empire. some of our favorites: the famous triple bridge (designed by jože plečnik) that connects the main square with the main market. & the dragon bridge, of course.  hike up to the ljubljana castle for sunset. tivoli park is perfect for a walk and relax. the best way is to start form tomšičeva ulica 14, where the museum of modern art is [pop in here to browse if modern art is your thing, or even just for a drink / coffee before you continue on – the coffee shop in their basement is awesome]

4. THE PEOPLE every single human interaction we had in slovenia was wonderful. the vibes are really great here and as a tourist, you feel so welcomed to experience this beautiful city they are all so proud of.  
 

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why to visit slovenia's lake bled in autumn

when we first saw the google image of lake bled, i knew that i needed to see that cute little town in real life. and i can tell you that it is even cuter in person. after leaving klavze 28 we'd heard from a few locals that bled could be seen in a day trip. i disagree and encourage at least 2 nights here to really see, feel and enjoy it slowly. bled is simple and easy to navigate – the people are nice, the food is delicious and the nature is stunning. arriving at the peak of autumn made it feel even more special, watching the leaves turn from deep greens to dark oranges and yellows gave everything a very fairy tale feeling. a few tips below and a full slovenia travel guide coming soon!

SLEEP || garden house lake bled €48/night [where we stayed] or garden village glamping if you're looking to splurge a bit €140/night

EAT || a new restaurant, sova, opened up a month before our visit. we were mind blown by the food & wine and admittedly ate here 3 times. another spot we heard was tasty and fun [but out of our budget] is blejski grad. also, be sure to try one of their famous cream cakes somewhere ;) 

EXPLORE || plan a morning stroll/jog or bike ride around the trail. this is a good way to see the entire town and spot things you might want to explore later || hike up osojnica right off the trail path for some of the best views of the island || rent a canoe in the morning and once again in the evening, it's crazy how the color of the water changes || if you have time, pop over to vintgar gorge [a 15 minute drive or hour walk from town] to see jagged rocks, beautiful canyons, rushing waterfalls and small pools. 
 

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4 day trips in western slovenia

slovenia is small. diverse and naturally beautiful, but we're talking smaller than new jersey. a great jumping off point for western slovenia is klavze 28 in most na soči, from here you can access a ton of day trip adventures [some of which can actually be combined if you're short on time]. below are some of the things we did and some of the things we would do next time, when we make it back here... which we have sworn to do. 

DAY TRIP #1: goriška brda

a secret to many, but locally known as the 'tuscany of slovenia'. this region produces some of the best wine in slovenia. behind a huge mountain range, you drop into a winding road loaded with vineyards, charming villages and quant churches set amongst beautiful rolling hills. we ate at klinec medana [an organic, family owned producer] as we had already enjoyed their wine and their food was equally as delicious. the region is mainly known for their broad selection of white wines, but is also one of the original producers of the funky orange wine which we loved. kmetika stekar is another great option referred by valter from hiša franko. 
 

DAY TRIP #2: karst wine road 

this road hugs the mediterranean coast, with a strip of italy in between, and limestone cliffs to the east. it's a very picturesque drive through the valley with many cute towns & churches along the way. the region is famous for their red teran wine, which is spicy but smooth and served at every local restaurant. we stopped for lunch in the ancient village of dutovlje and soaked up the afternoon sun on a cozy patio. sežana and komen are other great towns to stop in for lunch / wine. 
 

DAY TRIP #3: škocjan & postojna caves

these are two of the largest underground caves in the world, both dating back millions of years. škocjan (UNESCO site) is smaller, you do the tour on foot as opposed to the train that takes you through postojna. it would take most of the day to do both, so i'd recommend picking one. we chose škocjan and were mind blown by the sheer size of this cave and the underground network those who discovered it built over 100 years ago. it's in the karst region, so i would do the morning tour and drive the wine road back.
[tip: trips #2 & #3 can be done in one packed day]
 

^^ cameras were not allowed in the caves || these images are from here and here

DAY TRIP #4: tolmin gorges

 at the south entrance into triglav national park, this impressive gorge cuts through huge limestone mountains. it is also a sanctuary for the local marble trout and the water color is out of this world. a short and easy hiking loop that takes ~2.5 hours.
 

FOR NEXT TIME:

• piran the most quaint and beautiful of slovenia's few coastal cities. their old town is filled with medieval architecture, narrow cobblestone streets and fresh seafood.
• bovec in the triglav national park, small mountain town but a destination for water sport enthusiasts (kayak, rafting, cliff jumping) as the koritnica and soča rivers run through. great hikes and mountain bike trails too.
• kranjska gora known for it's skiing in the winter and outdoor activities in the summer, it is your best access point to the Julian Alps. drive to jasna lake to hang for the day or go fly fishing.

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inspired by chef's table | hisa franko | slovenia

CHEF'S TABLE
months ago we got into the show chef's table on netflix. the director (also known for jiro dreams of sushi) was inspired by the filming style of planet earth [<3] and wanted to make the 'planet earth of food'. if you love culinary experiences and traveling to obscure places for them, then this show is an absolute must. two of our favorite episodes were the patagonia {francis mallman} and slovenia {ana ros} chefs, places we are now fortunate to say we have visited and fell in love with. when we later learned that klavze 28 was only 45 minutes away from ana's restaurant hiša franko, we knew it might be a splurge worthy moment. being that our 1 year wedding anniversary was within days of this lunch and we had been wwoofing for 2 weeks, we had no problems justifying this unforgettable experience. 

HIŠA FRANKO
this place is everything we dreamed it would be and more. we walked in and were happily greeted by the owner, valter, who is also ana's husband and in charge of their extensive and primarily local wine selection. the wines in slovenia have been one of our biggest culinary surprises of the trip - they are diverse, unique and delicious. we were then sat at the coziest little table with the sweetest server. on the house, they treated us to a local sparkling rosé as we prepared for the 9 course meal. the food was creative, unique and an absolute flavor explosion. we had things like deer heart tartare with bone marrow, twists on the local marble trout, and squids filled with lamb sweetbreads {full menu here}. the presentation did not disappoint either, as every dish seemed to match the warm vibe of their home and the staff taking care of us. we chose not to do the wine pairing and instead opted for a bottle of slovenian orange wine from the nearby goriška brda region. 

the whole experience was the opposite of pretentious and worth every euro spent. some say hiša franko would be a michelin starred restaurant if ana was classically taught or if it was located in nearby italy, as they are one of the few pioneers of slovenia's growing food scene. it's hard to rival a husband/wife combo such as this: not only is their restaurant a hit, they also operate a charming bnb on the property and live on site as well. the feeling of "home" [hisa] is so strong, and the ambiance they've created is equally as special as the food they serve. 
 

^^ Ana & Valter 

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