Slovenia - Eastern Europe - page 665

Ljubljanica. At night, candles are lit and fairy-lights switched on to add even romance.
Electronic vibes set a relaxed mood at Salon (Trubarjeva 23; & 01/439-8760 ), a
fun lounge bar with a distinctly shagadelic look—padded walls, plush sofas, gold drapes,
and dazzling mirror-ball effect behind the small bar. Each summer, the garden of the
Writer's Society (behind the Opera House) hosts Jazz Club Gajo (Beethovnova 8;
& 01/425-3206 ), where you can sit under the trees, or sip your drink in a hammock.
For dancing, hit Global (Tom s i c eva ulica 2; & 01/426-9017; www.global.si,
closed Sun-Mon), a rooftop restaurant by day and a sixth-floor club by night. An ele-
vator will whisk you up to the top of the Nama department store to experience Ljubl-
jana's hippest discothèque, where music varies through the week.
4 The Julian Alps
Vr s i c Pass in the Julian Alps ranks as the most exciting drive in Slovenia, its hairpin (and
hair-raising) bends offering views of soaring peaks that define the northwestern corner
of the country. Straddling Triglav National Park, and hemmed in by the Karavanke
Mountains to the east and the Julian Alps range to the west, the lakes of Bled and
Bohinj are two of Slovenia's most treasured resorts, both an easy getaway from Ljubl-
jana and a great base for all kinds of outdoor adventures. Farther west, along the Ital-
ian border, and best reached via the aforementioned Vr s i c Pass, is the So c a River and the
beautiful valley it has carved. Here, the tiny town of Kobarid retains memories of bat-
tles that raged along the border at a most critical time in the history of Europe. Besides
sheltering some of the nation's finest restaurants and accommodations, Kobarid makes
a fine base for exploring the valley by land or water. In winter, nearby Bovec fills up
with skiers who prefer their adrenaline rush dusted with white powder.
THE LAKES
Bled is 50km (31 miles) NW of Ljubljana; Bohinj is 26km (16 miles) SW of Bled
Bled is a lake fit for a fairy tale—complete with dramatically situated cliff-top castle, an
island church, and wraparound mountain scenery; the shock of its electric turquoise
surface is emblazoned on tourism materials everywhere. Situated in a national park,
Bohinj manages to resist the limelight, and isn't as developed. A Swiss hydropath
named Arnold Rikli (1823-1906) first developed health tourism at Bled after spend-
ing years “studying” the beneficial effects of its water, clean air, and sun. Today, it's one
of the most fashionable destinations in Europe, drawing an upmarket crowd from all
over the world. It also draws hordes of day-trippers at the weekend, yet the crowds
never seem to overwhelm the sheer loveliness of the resort, which offers plenty to do.
Popular trips from Bled include the Babji Zob Caves and Vintnar Gorge. Also nearby
is the exquisite town of Radovljica.
ESSENTIALS
Bled is reached by driving from Ljubljana along the expressway that goes to Jesenice;
follow the signs from the Lesce turnoff. Trains from Ljubljana stop in the nearby town
of Lesce ( Z elezni s ka ulica 12; & 04/294-4154/7 ), where you'll need to catch one of
the regular buses to Bled. Buses arrive at Avtobusna postaja Bled at Cesta svobode 4
( & 04/578-0420 ). The Tourist Information Office is at Cesta Svobode 15 ( & 04/
574-1122; www.bled.si).
The nearest train station for Lake Bohinj is at Bohinjska Bistrica, which isn't served
by trains from the capital. Buses stop at Rib c ev Laz, at the head of the lake, right near