Thanks to Covid 19, exploring our own backyards has become the best & safest option for travel. I’ve explored many parts of Slovenia: Soca Valley, Kranjska Gora, Kranj, Kamnik, Maribor, Ptuj, & more, but never explored eastern Slovenia, by bike.
I was heading to the NE corner of Slovenia using the train. I wanted to bike a part of Slovenia that I’ve never been too. While riding the train to Maribor, I got a message from my accountasnt/advocate that she got me an appointment for my residency this Friday. I contemplated just getting back on the train and heading back to Ljubljana. I still had 3 days to do something?
Thanks to the pandemic, travelling outside Slovenia takes more risk & more work than I’m willing to give. I’ve opted for the staycation, vacationing close to home. So this summer, by using my bike, the bus, train or prevoz (ride sharing), I’m searching out Slovenian’s hidden treasures. If you adopt a combination of these travel methods, then the real adventures begin. Plus your helping protect the planet for current & future generations.
The camping season in Slovenia is getting off to a slow start, so now is a good time to go, before the crowds. I’ve been going to NATURAVANTURA CAMPGROUND for 5 years. From Ljubljana it’s about 60 km bike ride, with a climb over the Kamnik Alps.
The recent record temperatures of Climate Change requires we think about how we travel. Slovenian’s love of bees, nature and abundant water are all at stake. Slovenia’s great public transportation is a great option to help you reduce your carbon footprint.
I biked through Slovenia in 2013, while biking from Lisbon to Istanbul. Living in America it’s hard to be Car Free. But Slovenia’s mix of train’s, buses, Prevoz rideshare & a bicycle have enabled me to live here car free.
I was watching for some clear weather at the coast and found 3 sunny days the first week of June. The train now goes to Koper and with a bike it’s only 11 euro, cost less than 3 days of just parking your car in Izola.
I biked the 5 km to Izola and stayed at the Hostel Alieti for about 20 euro, depending on the season. When I travel in the off season, I usually have the room to myself. The hostel has a small kitchen you can use, I’ll make some breakfast, but like going out too.
Now your at the beach, the sun is out and you got your bike (you can rent bikes & e-bikes too). The Parenzana trail is a great route to ride to Portoroz and Piran.
In Piran, I usually eat at Ribič Baja, always good and affordable. This time I tried some new places, Fritolin Pri Cantini, comes highly recommended. For Beer? Cakola Caffe Piran has Slovenia’s best, Vega by Maister brewery. There a several quality arts & craft stores, this time I visited Nika’s Tiny House. Besides her tiny houses, she has some unique & original post cards, that she designed.
I biked to Koper to catch the next train, then I spotted the Ljubljana express bus. I was able to put my bike underneath the bus. Mixing travel modes is exciting and adventurous. Environmental travel is possible, once you learn how to navigate all the options, a car free vacation is something everyone can afford to do.
I’ve been home almost 3 weeks, it was a fiasco trying to escape Italy after it was officially “closed.” I had planned a 2 month tour of the Balkans and Italy, but Covid 19 squashed those plans. I was able to bike tour 3 cities in Italy, still killed it and lived to tell.
I typed in “what to see in Italy?”, Alberobello stood out as a must visit.
I’ve been to Shkodra, 4 times in the past 7 years. I’ve been working on a Postcard project in Slovenia and thought the painting of my photo would make a nice postcard too. So I printed & sent 100 to a friend in Shkodra, Albania, the unreliable post of Albania? the cards never arrived. So I printed 200 and decided to deliver them and maybe make a little money?
Travelling has taught me how to find good location & accommodations. I booked at Revellers Hostel, only to learn that they had an age limit. I think they were talking to me? It’s the off-season, so she relents. It’s a 20 something hang out, in the end, we all had a good time. Sunset at the Fortress, then a Craft Beer Night at Samo Pivo (All Beer) Pub. They did give me a 4 room dorm, to myself, PERFECT. I was the only person on my floor, they wanted me to move upstairs. What? I begged to stay they asked that I turn the heat off-that’s easy for a private room especially.
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Novi Sad is the 2nd biggest city in Serbia and about the same size as Ljubljana.
I got the 13 euro private room, you get what you pay for, but also leaves money to have some fun. It’s raining my first day and hardly anyone is out and about. My hostel has no kitchen (13 euro), so I go to an English pub for an “English Breakfast”. I’m the only one in the restaurant, after 40 minutes & no breakfast yet, I ask for my coffee check. I walk around the corner, for 2,40 I get omelet, toast and tomato in 5 minutes. I get my bike rental sorted out and the next day, off I go.
I prefer to travel with my bike, but it’s winter and I want to cover a lot of ground. I plan to rent, borrow or beg a bike where ever I am. Starting in Budapest, touring the Balkans, ferry from Albania to Italy, then the Amalfi coast to Venice with stops in between. I’ll be posting when I have something to share. Enjoy
5 DAYS IN BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
