To Kranj, Slovenia from Banja Luka, Bosnia & Herzegovina

The wallet suck of Slovenia started the day we left Bosnia & Herzegovina. From Banja Luka, there seemed to be plenty of Bla Bla cars heading north toward Zagreb (Croatia) or Ljubljana (Slovenia) so we didn’t think we’d have any trouble getting one. Wrong! We sent in a request for five different drivers and some denied us because they were going further to Munich (although for one we offered to pay the full fare because it was still cheaper than buses), and others unfortunately just didn’t respond. Since we have had such luck with this app in France and Spain, this was quite disappointing. Had we found a Bla Bla driver, we were looking at around $15-25/person rather than a whopping $70/person bus/train combo to get 5.5 hours to Ljubljana. Eek. 😬 Anyways, here’s how the day unfurled…

The first leg, our “bus” to Zagreb, was an insane $73+$6 “Station Fee” for two tickets. This is for a 3-hour ride making it almost as expensive as a long distance bus ride in New Zealand for comparison. The silver lining is they didn’t charge us for luggage. 😅 The first leg was by bus, and the second and third legs, by train. 

After weaseling our way back into Schengen for another 89 days (minus our day trip to Szeged, Hungary from Subotica), we found ourselves in Zagreb, Croatia….where I did a quick spin around the square in front of the train station while Greg watched our bags. (He had already been here in the early 2000s, but was my first time.) Here I saw the Esplanade Hotel, the imposing 19th Century Art Pavilion…

…and the railway station itself, which was a good 25 minute walk from the bus station even though it appears super convenient on the map. Inside, we found size-able stomach-filling sandwiches for a reasonable 3.40€ ($4) Here comes the fast travel bread overload….Waiting about 1.5 hours for the train, we tried to chat with a local lady who was heading to the coast for Saint Marija day. We had no idea what she was talking about, but we’d soon learn that Saint Marija and her assumption would be the reason we’d also get to spend quadruple on food over the next day and a half. 

A picture board used for communication if you can’t speak Croatian or English. How considerate! 

Yay! Finally time to board the train to Ljubljana, which would be about 3.5 more hours. This time our tickets were about $26/each but we got our own (albeit, stuffy cabin) making the value shoot up significantly. Plus, it’s ALWAYS way better to ride on the rails!

Chugging into a new country for both of us, Greg has nearly colored in his Euro map. Left still is San Marino, Monaco and Belarus. I still need these as well as the Baltic States and Finland.

Arriving to the train station in Ljubljana where the heat continued to paste our clothes to our skin, we waited our final 1.5 hours inside the air conditioning of the train station. Our final ride was 32 minutes and under $6 for both of us. At last, cheaper transport!! 😅

Arriving to our destination for two nights, Kranj, an adorable medieval town with the most economical private accommodation we found to base ourselves.

Our room for two nights at Cukrarna Hostel was $68/night, but was blissfully quiet and had a swamp cooler…both much needed after a 13-hour travel day. All the rooms were named after sweet treats, ours being a torta which unfortunately didn’t not come with the room, much to Greg’s dismay. Instead it had a great shared kitchen downstairs where we excited to cook a nice meal after heading to the grocery store. Little did we know, Saint Marija would not be allowing that…..

After checking into our hostel in Slovenia on that Saturday evening after a 12-hour commute, it was time to hit the supermarket to buy dinner and necessities for the following day. We were quite pleased with ourselves that we’d planned accordingly for the Sunday market closures after our tribulations with this in France and Switzerland. Unfortunately, we learned quickly that Saint Marija had other ideas…more expensive ideas for us! Indeed, the nearest supermarket a few blocks away, was closed for her assumption, meaning the markets were closed not one…but two days…in a row. Also known as a budget basher in expensive Slovenia. Fortunately, Google noted that the Mercator store on the outskirts of Kranj was still open…

So….we breathed a sigh of relief, not at all phased by the 25 minute walk itself. It was an excuse to check out the charming facade of the town, which slightly helped curb our developing hunger pangs. 

However, when we got to the very empty parking lot and saw that the giant Mercator was also closed the ENTIRE day, I, and my usually calm husband, turned into two very cranky cookies. Note to self: the Assumption of Saint Marija, aka VIRGIN MARY is one of the biggest Catholic holidays in the Balkans…a holiday I’ve never once heard of despite a large number of Catholic friends throughout my life. The Catholic belief is that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken bodily into Heaven at the end of her earthly life—that is, not simply that her soul went to Heaven, but that she was assumed body and soul.

Anyhow, good thing Catholics drink because we needed one and 20 minutes later found an open pizzeria where we able to tamp down our hunger by splitting a beer, as well as a veggie pizza. One beer and one pizza came to a whopping $21, and we weren’t even in an expensive tourist town. (Still cheaper than the $26 pie WITHOUT beer in Switzerland during a similar scenario.) 

 This lack of open grocery stores did not bode well for our trip to Bled the following day, and painfully made us realize how dependent our budget is on grocery stores. 

Anyhow, a bit more satiated, we were able to enjoy the cuteness of the picturesque town, which included clouds rigged up in the square, raining water. So much more inventive than typical summer misters. The active street where we found the pizzeria mostly seemed filled with foreigners. I guess all the locals were in churches based on the persistent bell-ringing.

Other than these two….a dad and his doting daughter on the street where our hostel was located. 

Also, the next morning, on our way to the train station. Completely empty, peaceful and with us….wandering around like desperate pigeons pecking for available crumbs in the sidewalk….😅

A Day Trip to Lake Bled

Lake Bled is THE place most people know in Slovenia. It dons complimentary screen savers included with TVs and laptops, it prances across “stunning places of the world” calendars, and is slapped on every other travel “influencer”’s Instagram wall as a “must see place before you die.” It is the essence of a fairytale scene and undeniably picturesque with its church plopped atop an island in the middle of a tranquil blue-green lake. Nearby, an equally charming medieval castle teeters on a cliff overlooking perceived serenity…in actuality a complete zoo if you choose to visit in the high tourist season of August, a choice we made only because we wanted to be in the country for hut-to-hut trekking season. 

In short?! A bit tourist heavy for our tastes when there are so many other gorgeous places to visit in this country. Still, we’re glad we saw it, and it was well worth a day trip from Kranj….

Fittingly after our brush with Assumption of Mary Day the day before, we learned the church in the middle of the lake is called the “Church of the Assumption of Mary,” which meant it was probably very popular with pilgrimages and/or services the day before. On such pilgrimages, one of the most desired traditions is ringing the wishing bell inside the church. Visitors traditionally make a wish and ring the bell, symbolically entrusting their wish or prayer to the Virgin Mary.

To visit Bled, we went by day trip from the town of Kranj where we stayed in a cozy air conditioned hostel for about half the price. Rustic cabins were going for about 120€ near the lake so the decision was not too difficult. 😅 The journey was about an hour from Kranj to Bled Jezero, on the west side of the lake, by easy train ride and cost about $4 each. We were so happy to be back in a train-friendly atmosphere. 

Before it got too hot, our first priority was hiking up to some viewpoints, which included some kid-approved ladders, and staircases, as well as lush and welcoming forest.

We checked out the viewpoints at Ojstrica, and Mala Osojnica, where I regretted forgetting to wear my flowy IG dress.👗😂

Returning from the hike, we enjoyed some leftover random groceries from our pack including protein bars, bread, ajvar sauce and peanut butter, while we watched several others preparing for their day on the lake with paddle-boards, kayaks and sunscreen. 

The lake is very swimmable, despite being Alpine, thanks to thermal springs which help warm the lake, particularly on the eastern side

It also has a walking path which we used to saunter from one end of the lake to the other, only about 2k in length…

…a pleasantly postcard-y 2k in length! Naturally, tourists are able to float out to visit the island via a traditional pletna boat for 20€ per person or 16€ for an electric boat. Then, you get to pay an additional 12€ should you wish to go in the church and make the aforementioned wish. 

We chose the free and crowd escaping option of sticking our toes in the crystal clear water instead. 😂 

According to Slovenian tradition, if a couple marries at the church, the groom is supposed to carry his bride all the way up the 99 steps to ensure a happy marriage. That’s a serious wedding-day workout! 

The dramatic Bled Castle sits on the 130-meter (426-foot) cliff above the lake and is considered the oldest castle in Slovenia. The first written mention of it dates to 1011, when the German King Henry II donated the Bled estate to the Bishops of Brixen. Chat said it’s worth the 19€ to go for the view, but it seems like the free trail we took was probably equally as jaw-dropping?? 

One of Bled’s charming traditional wooden boathouses.

After our walks, we knew we had to figure out the most economical option for lunch with no open grocery stores available thanks to it being Holy/Starve Sunday. We really didn’t want pizza or more bread, as we’d had too much of it already in the last 15 hours and our diets had officially gone to shit. Also, the prospect of a $13 burger which in person looked far less beefy than the photo, was really not enticing either. Of course we always could have gone for the uber-local Philly Cheesesteak as well for 13€ ($15). Instead, we ended up in the “Market on the Lake,” which seemed to be the most reasonable option.

We were rewarded with splitting a $15 smoked salmon salad, which under a layer of healthy and appetizing-looking greens featured a base of going-bad iceberg lettuce, as well as a spinach and cheese stuffed pastry for $5.25. Score. Our wallet was officially bleeding in Bled and we were still far from satiated. After 8 years of this, we do know better than visiting a more expensive European country without free accommodation…in August. 

Shame on us. Off with our heads! 🙄

From here we wandered around the town of Bled for a bit before quickly deciding to call it a day. This was a good thing because it took over an hour for a bus to arrive to take us back to a train station to Lesce Bled. ($8.50 for bus & train, about 45 minutes). With dinner of a split gyro, we unsurprisingly wrapped the day at $113. I would not say Slovenia was off to a swell start. 😂

Kranjska Gora & Our Busted Plans

The main reason we had come to Slovenia in the summer was in hopes of the best possible weather scenario for our four day/three night hut-to-hut trek in the Julian Alps. But, with the looming week of quite questionable weather, this plan totally backfired and we had a series of challenging decisions to make in order to give 48-hour notices for the expensive mountain huts we had booked back in March to be refundable. 

Had we not had much experience hiking in drizzling weather or were 15 years younger, we may have just gone for it. But, after our 5-day adventure of hell on Peru’s Salkantay Trek in 2022, which led to my six months of being unable to walk, we have fortunately learned our lesson about weather, as well as listening to our bodies. Thus, we eventually succumbed to adapting to a new plan for our week in Slovenia, which luckily still involved one day of gorgeous hiking, and some other things we wouldn’t have done otherwise. More valuable practice in embracing the unexpected and adapting along the way!!

Our room in Kranj the night before we left quickly became a tornado of our few belongings trying to sort into the small bags we would take, and the bigger bags we leave behind at the hostel so we could move about Slovenia more easily. And Voila! Complete with trekking poles, courtesy of our friends Brian and CC, which still came in very handy. 

From Kranj, we would take a train northwest to Jesenice (8.20 euros), when we saw what we thought might be the last glimpses of the mountains over the Vrata Valley before the rain arrived. From Jesenice, another bus (7 euros) was required to get the final 30 minutes to Kranjska Gora. Fortunately, all this is mostly easy to maneuver thanks to posted schedules, as well as Google integration, though delays were common. We arrived to Kranjska Gora along with the menacing looking clouds looming over the Ramada Inn where we had planned to spend the night. 

The little tourist town of Kranjska was quaint enough. It mostly serves as a ski resort town during Slovenia’s winter season…

….but was also bustling with travelers seeking gelato stands and restaurants.

Fortunately, it also had something we were really after. Open and available supermarkets…a Mercator AND a Spar! We got all this for about $13 thanks to markdowns, which fed us lunch and dinner. 

More glimpses of the town before we were able to check in. 

And once we could…we entered our glamorous hotel room, which went for a whopping $315/night and which we got for about $30 thanks to Wyndham points we had transferred from our Wells Fargo Autograph card for 2:1. Thanks to the weather situation, we ended up staying another night for about $50 by transferring more points around. Whew!

We were completely floored that this simple room, with rips in the curtains and 3:1 hand, body and hair shampoo in one would go for this startling rate and really relieved to have other options.  Because even the cheapest rooms in Kranjska Gora, and surroundings all were double our daily budget. 

Yes, my points and miles man is doing well for us! (As we eat our discount salads on our balcony with the rain rolling in.)

And naturally, we stuffed our faces at the complimentary breakfast, which had a protein bar…

….and a honey bar. And signs that warn if you take any food out of the restaurant you will be tossed in Slovenian prison (or charged.) Funnily, I watched multiple people take out pieces of fruit in plain sight of the attendant who scrunched her nose up looking huffy, but never once said anything. We were a bit more discreet with the few items we squirreled away. 

Slemevova Špica Hike

After abandoning our original hut-to-hut trek plan, we were overwhelmed with possible choices, dependent upon rain, wind, or sun. This is the amazing thing about Slovenia…there are many choices for every weather type, every fitness type and every budget type. Lol. The last one not so much, as we still ended up spending (almost) as much as we would have at the huts. So, with little time to research, we quickly consulted Chat GPT to help us develop options and an alternate plan. This is how we found ourselves on the moderate Slemenova Špica trail, with just enough of a sunny window to really appreciate being surrounded by the Julian Alps. It definitely wasn’t the high altitude trek we were anticipating, but at least we got a taste for the main reason we had come. And we were also a whole lot less exhausted after the fact too. 🤣

The Julian Alps are a section of the regular Alps located in northwestern Slovenia and northeastern Italy. We’ve always wanted to visit them because the landscape is super dramatic, with steep pale limestone peaks, deep valleys, caves, and turquoise rivers. It’s also a popular cheaper and less crowded alternative to Italy’s Dolomites. 

Of course, cheaper does not mean cheap. Our huts we had booked (with dorm beds up to 24 people) would have gone for 110-150€ a night for both of us, which included breakfast and dinner. The Dolomites, on the contrary, could have been about 120-200€. It definitely made us miss our $10-$40/night stays in Georgia, Turkiye or Nepal, where ultimately we probably had better experiences. 😂

The trail we chose, Slemenova Špica, which means Sleman’s Peak, was only about 2.5 hours and 5.5 kilometers roundtrip. We appreciated it because it offered immediate and spectacular high mountain scenery without a lot of effort, or need to fret about the looming weather.

To arrive, we took the free tourist bus from Kranjska Gora to Vrsic Pass at 1610 meters which immediately dropped us into the magic of the Julians. The hike took us up from Vršič Pass toward the Vratca saddle and alongside dramatic slopes beneath the Mojstrovka mountains. 

But, since we didn’t get to have our hut-to-hut adventure, it’s also obviously hard to say how we would have felt…. But, the half day hike was definitely enjoyable and it felt great to get in the mountains. Also, it is true the crowds definitely weren’t overwhelming….at least once we got on the trail.

As Chat proclaimed, it “was a good bang for your euro” hike because after a harder initial climb, we got to walk through some rolling alpine landscapes with one fetching view after another. The final scramble to the top definitely required a bit more fancy legwork…

…but was well worth it for the view that would follow, although half of it was socked in the clouds and the rain which would soon arrive again.

After enjoying the view with many others, we settled down for our lunch and some curious friends immediately came to investigate. Needless to say, after being prodded, questioned and nosed for a good five minutes…

…it didn’t take long for us to relocate, dump on some sanitizer after our sheep handling, and safely whip out our 50% off tuna wraps. 

Views on the way down, as I used my hiking pole to point to the peak we’d just climbed.

More details on the free tourist bus: There are two bus stops in Kranjska Gora. One on the west side of the town called a park and ride, and the other in the middle of town. If you choose to use these buses in August, know they are very crowded, there’s no line, it’s not allowed to stand, and they only come about once an hour. Also, make sure you go to the park and ride stop because the bus goes there first and you might not get on otherwise. We fortunately got the last two seats on the 9:30 bus, which we paid for in the highly nauseating back row. Of course, the bus goes all over so the hiking options are endless. And again….it’s FREE!! But with the crowds, FREE doesn’t necessarily mean pleasant 😅

Transition Day

After our heavily discounted nights at the Ramada in Kranjska Gora thanks to Wyndham points, we had to figure out a plan to make up for two more nights when we would have been using our splurge budget for huts on the trail. So, in search of reasonably priced accommodation, we found our way to Bohinj Lake where we found a cottage near Savica Waterfall which we considered a “good deal,” which means 90 euros, or $103, during high season in Slovenia. And no, this did not include breakfast, or dinner, but did offer a considerably stuffy experience, bedding, and hot shower, though, no towel. 

It was located near where we had originally planned to end our hut-to-hut and would still allow us to do a couple of the same things we had banked on. But first, we had to spend about 4 hours, and $24, on a flurry of public transport, including a bus, a train, and another bus to get there….

Before coming to Slovenia, we had heard that the country is culturally fascinating because it sits at a crossroads of several European worlds. A little bit Balkans…a little bit Italian and a lot a bit Austrian, which was most touted in the efficiency and infrastructure of their public transportation system. That said, we had high expectations. I would not say those expectations were met though there was a strong Google integration attempt. 

The buses that take you longer distances are typically blue and called Arriva, but they rarely Arriva on time. However, they were efficient in that you could pay the driver with your phone and were certainly clean and comfortable.

As for the trains, some stations, especially Jesenice, which is a junction of two lines in the heart of Triglav National Park, were terribly disorganized. They had no signage, no platform indicators, no announcements in English, and on this day, we waited over an hour for a late train, alongside dozens of other tourists, who were also completely clueless as to what was going on. 

Two hours later, we arrived to Bohinjska Bistrica where we had to transfer to a final bus to take us past Lake Bohinj to Slap Savica. Since this move meant steering away from supermarkets for the next four meals, and we knew we couldn’t rely on restaurants, we had to plan accordingly, which involved buying a large bag of groceries. Naturally, we enjoyed the first meal the most because…you know, the pleasure of refrigeration. The grocery receipt for those four meals came in at about 36 euros, or $42.

On the way to the lake, unique storage racks for hay bales were everywhere. Passing by the 4 l-kilometer long Bohinj Lake, which is becoming a popular alternative to the mayhem at Lake Bled. Here, however, it’s a lot more about nature than tourism infrastructure. The available rooms here were going around 200€ a night.

Also, unlike the craziness around Lake Bled, barely anyone was on this bus.

Our hut for the night sat near the trailhead for Savica Waterfall and the trail we would have emerged from on our hut to hut. They were charging 15€ for parking so arriving by bus saved us there as well. Our luxurious closet for $103. Yes, this is the most we’ve ever paid on accommodation…at least it was…until the following night. This includes Norway.

The food prices at the cottage ranged from about $8-$14 for a bowl of soup to $14-$22 for main dishes. We were very relieved to have brought our own food, until we heard the unnerving sounds of mice scurrying in the roof above us all night.  

However, we did treat ourselves to a shared beer after walking to the waterfall, which was $5.30, still seemingly quite inflated for this part of Europe. It was during this beer we decided that moving forward we have a new European plan. We will stay in place, preferably with a housesit, for at least a month during the month of August. Fast traveling at this time is just insanity…unless it’s your only option. Fortunately it’s not our only option.

Slap Savica & One of Seven Lakes Hikes

From our mountain cottage near Slap Savica, the weather graciously held out just enough to be able to take two hikes…one short and quite crowded one to the falls, and another longer and more challenging one to the nearest of the Seven Lakes, which we would have seen on the tail end of our originally planned hut-to-hut adventure. The first afternoon we did Slap Savica, which only took about an hour in total. Waterfalls are called slaps in Slovenian, and this one of the most renowned…

After paying our 4 euros each to enter, we climbed the straightforward and steady stone steps through the forest. The waterfall is especially striking because of the amphitheater that the limestone borders create.

It’s famous for its unusual a-shaped split emerging from a dramatic limestone gorge, which tumbles into a turquoise pool of temptation. As you pan out of the scene, you will note after the falls drop into the inviting pool, where there is a picturesque and historic-looking dam, which was part of the Savica hyroelectric facility built in 1948. It used the considerable elevation drop to generate electricity for the area and the little opening on the right is also part of the hydroelectric tunnel infrastructure. Though it blends raw nature with a man-made engineering, it kind of makes the scene and historical significance all the more interesting. 

Thankfully for the eyes only…or it would be flooded with boneheads and selfie sticks.

As you pan further out of the scene, I now give you the reality. Many slap enthusiasts crammed onto a microscopic platform…

The 5-hour, considerably steeper hike we took the following day was unsurprisingly much more difficult and way less crowded. The next morning, we awoke bright and early after a restless night of mouse activity, like everyone else in the hut.  However, as everyone else settled down for their 13 euro breakfasts, we quickly devoured our musli and long-life milk and set off on our hike.

This was particularly pertinent this morning as rain began pouring down around 11am just as we returned to the hut.  We quickly confirmed that the trail would be far from pleasant in the rain. 

Gaining some height, in a scrambler’s Shangri-La

As we headed up 650 meters (2100 feet), it involved multiple ladders, cliff climbs, scrambles and boulders, but we were pleased to see the numerous safety features and signage the park had put in place. 

We got most of the way to the hut where we had planned to stay our final night, but turned around due to looming rainclouds. Still, we got many lovely and lofty glimpses of the mountains before this happened. 

And the lush Slovenian forest at that elevation was simply magical.  

Taking a breather at the top after some vigorous glute engagement…He was super annoyed I wanted to take this picture. 🤣

From that point, we began traversing a less heart thumping, more undulating section into the forest…

….until we arrived at the first of the seven lakes, which was called Črno Jezero, or Black Lake. Black also translates to lacking the flamboyant blue or beauty as many of the others we’d been forced to miss in the Valley of Seven Triglav Lakes, but we’re still glad we got to see at least one. 

Here we decided to have a snack when a local couple pointed out a baby viper within significantly close range. Yikes! Do you see him?

Some of our delectable Slovenian cuisine…a chicken pasta and weekend mackarel tin. What makes this worthy of a “weekend” treat is still TBD…

Heading out of the area, we sampled a new Slovenian website we’d heard about called Simo.Si for our next public transport journey. In addition to the standard trains, it pulled up an option to teleport (?) or take a camel. In conclusion, we’re not certain of the accuracy of the listings….

Škofja Loka: An Unexpected Medieval Majesty

As the outdoor activity window closed and the rain began to descend incessantly on our last two days in Slovenia, we decided to forgo any additional hiking adventures and stick to some village exploration near Kranj where we would fetch our backpack homes and spend our last night. This is how we ended up in Škofja Loka, still relatively uncrowded even for August, which showcases one of the most walkable and well-preserved medieval town centers in the country. For this reason, even despite the rain, it ended up being our favorite destination in Slovenia. 

Škofja Loka, which is only 25k from Ljubljana, has a much deeper history than its picturesque size suggests and was inhabited long before the medieval cuteness laid its groundwork. 

It began in 973 when German Emperor Otto II granted the territory to the Bishops of Freising in present-day Bavaria. The name, which mean’s Bishop’s Loka, actually comes from this. By the 12-13th Centuries, the bishops had established a settlement and gradually turned it into an important commercial and administrative center. 

Through the middle of the town is draped the Capuchin Bridge, which has nothing to do with darling little white-faced  monkeys, but the name of the monastery next door. According to the nearby plaque, the oldest mention of the bridge is associated with the story of a tragic event – the drowning of Bishop Leopold in 1381. The bishop refused to pay the toll when he arrived at the bridge and during a loud argument his horse got spooked and fell into the Selščica River with the bishop on its back from which he drowned. 

All this said, with over 1000 years of history, Škofja Loka is a wonderful place to walk and wander. 

The Loka Castle, perched above the town, is one of the reasons for its distinctive medieval appearance. Its origins date back to the Middle Ages, when the territory belonged to the Bavarian bishops, as a defensive center for their territory. They controlled Škofja Loka for roughly 800 years…seems like a long period for one institution to govern a town. 

Lots of rain equals brown and murky waters. Though the many gardens seemed happy including these towering kale palm trees.

The view from the castle wall and one of the intricate doors on the castle. Looks like snakes…

And the slugs look like twigs. In fact, we had to say “lo siento” to this cylindrical stick after nearly stepping on him. Apparently, he’s a “Spanish Slug,” so not sure what he was doing in Slovenia…. We later found them all over Sweden and Norway so perhaps they’re trying to conquer the slug world like their human ancestor counterparts?

Within the castle grounds is a Škopar House, a traditional 16th-century rural dwelling that was moved here into this open museum. The opening in the upper gable formed part of a covered wooden balcony and were quite common to homes at the time. Wow! Outdoor space. How advanced for them to think of such a leisurely concept.

Moving out of the castle complex, one can find the Devil’s Footbridge, documented from 1639. And since anything with the word Devil in it is typically interesting, we had to check it out…

So where does the word devil come from? Apparently, before the footbridge existed, people crossed the river by ferry/raft. According to the story, the Devil would overturn the boats, leaving people soaked and furious. Eventually the locals had enough and built a footbridge. But naturally the Devil wasn’t happy about being put out of business, so he began appearing on the bridge itself. The locals tried to get rid of him by putting religious shrines at both ends, so he just appeared in the middle. And finally they outsmarted him by placing a shrine in the center (pictured) to St. John Nepomulk, the patron saint of bridges, which finally drove the devil away. (Visit Skofja Loka website)

The town of Škofja Loka, from another perspective, which is where the rain began intensifying, which we waited out in a medieval pedestrian tunnel….

Not exactly an unpleasant view….

The soaking center was still undeniably atmospheric, and well worth the trip.

To get here, we took a long train ride (about 3.5 hours with wait times) from Bohinjska Bistrica, and were elated to get picked up by our warm and considerate host, Marko, from the station. 

We stayed at his property, Napoljani (.si) which was apartments, but he also offers a lovely-looking farmstay outside the city with availability for camper vans. The room was clean and cozy, but cost a pretty penny at 98 euros for the night ($114). We concluded this is the most expensive accommodation we’ve ever paid for.

The following day, we split a chicken doner and some fries for a whopping $15. We would definitely be glad to get out of Slovenia….