A Three-Day Trip Across Slovenia

We decided, while having lunch at the car park, to drive to Brežice and look for a place there to set up our tent. If we didn’t feel like camping, our plan B was to spend the night at one of the two youth hostels that were located in Krško and Brežice, respectively.

When, just before sunset, we found a perfect spot at the edge of the forest and next to a field, we set up our bivouac and went to sleep. Of course, camping outside the designated areas isn’t allowed, but we didn’t stick to the rule and got punished for it later on. Not an hour went by when we heard the sounds of a car on the nearby dirt road. We were scared that someone would notice and report us, since it was too late when we realised, we were close to the border and things could get complicated, so we held our breaths. When the noise subsided and a sense of relief washed over us, a much bigger surprise followed.

Apparently, we didn’t hear the car driving onto our grassy clearing and turning on the lights, which were previously turned off, so they were beamed directly at us. If we had been scared before, we were now terrified. Panicked, we decided to step out of the tent to apologise and pack out things. But before we managed to do anything, the car drew away. Everything was just as before outside and there was not a living soul in sight. Still, we put on our everyday clothes, packed the tent and prepared our car to move out. Due to the unpleasant experience, the whole process didn’t take more than a minute. Before we realised what had happened, and before the adrenaline wore off, we were already driving past Kostanjevica na Krki.

Being exhausted, we decided to sleep at any kind of accommodation. After a long ride and failed attemps to find a place to stay, ready to drop and all sleepy, we finally managed to find accommodation that welcomed us at three in the morning.

After a rough night...

We would spend the next day exploring Dolenjska and its surroundings. Our first stop was at a nearby garage, since we had trouble with our car. Luckily, it wasn’t anything serious that could threaten our trip. So, we headed onwards and stopped by Slovenia’s hidden gem, Hudičev turn or Devil’s Tower. This special piece of architecture is located in the small village of Soteska and still remains little known and hidden from tourists, yet it’s an amazing cultural attraction worth visiting.

We were in the centre of Suha krajina, Žužemberk, in the blink of an eye. The place is famous for its mighty castle. While sightseeing the fortress, which was more of the open kind, the heat got to us, so we decided to jump into the cold Krka that winds over tufa barriers under the castle. It was a shock for our bodies, since the water was extremely cold. We didn’t swim the river, but waded through the water to the picturesque waterfalls and took some selfies.

But this wasn’t our main destination of the day. Our plan all along was to visit Kočevje with its old town and the nearby Lake Kočevje. After our second water experience in the same day, we headed to Snežnik Castle, making a stopover in a place that’s home to craftsmanship and wooden products. After visiting the rich and colourful Ribnica and the castle under Snežnik, the path led us further down a forest road and through the Snežnik forests all the way to Ilirska Bistrica. The ride was really something special. We drove slowly because it was a dirt road and admired the sunset through the majestic trees of the primeval forests of Mount Snežnik.

A promising start and a bitter end

After our first successful night which we spent under the starry sky, we made our way to the Slovenian coast early in the morning the next day. The first on the list was the picturesque Church of the Holy Trinity in Hrastovlje with its well-preserved church wall, which houses the famous Slovenian fresco, Danse Macabre or Dance of Death.

After arriving in Portorož, we freshened up in the sea and were greeted by jellyfish. After our encounter with this interesting species and a lunch in Koper, we went back to the outskirts of Slovneian Littoral. We realised along the way that the Littoral has many cheap youth hostels in all the coastal towns. We spent the afternoon visiting the magnificent Lipizzaner horses in the oldest stud farm that’s still operating. It’s located in the Slovenian Karst, which we travelled across the same day.

When we arrived in Goriška brda and pulled up by the road to catch the sun-drenched vineyards on camera, another incident befell us and greatly curtailed our adventure. Our car almost broke down. With the help of the locals, we managed to drive to an accommodation. The incredibly kind and helpful owners aided us and called their acquaintance the next day who found out what the trouble was and told us what we feared the most. Our trip was over. Not a half an hour went by when we were standing in front of a tow truck with our car at the back. Our unforgettable journey suddenly dissipated and left us feeling apathetic. We were already at home for late lunch. But we both knew this wouldn’t stop us or take our enthusiasm away, so we would continue our trip across Slovenia in the near future.