We advise arriving in Ljubljana the day before the tour start date to ensure that you’re ready to get going on day 1 and make the most of your ‘Espresso Adventure’ in Slovenia.
You’ll find tips on things to see and do in the city in our guide to spending 24 hours in Ljubljana.
We recommend staying at B&B Slamič, which is where your guide will meet you tomorrow morning.
Your local guide will meet you at the designated hotel in Ljubljana around 10am, and after we’ve made our introductions and loaded up the van we’ll have a 45-minute transfer west, to one of the best kept secrets of Slovenia, the Vipava Valley.
Rolling hills, beautifully preserved medieval villages, and vineyards as far as the eye can see. This all interspersed with a spider’s web of old trading routes dating back to Roman times, with wooded singletracks leading to breathtaking view points.
We arrive at the foot of the mighty Nanos plateau, where we’ll set up bikes and start our warm-up ride with a chilled descent on singletrack through the forest. We snake our way through the labyrinth of dense pine forest before reaching the Vipava river. We’ll stop here for lunch before continuing to our final destination at a charming glamping village.
We’ll spend the next two nights tucked away in this centennial pine forest surrounded by vineyards overlooking the Vipava Valley.
In the late afternoon we will explore one of the local, family run wine cellars and learn how the centuries-old tradition of winemaking reflects in the modern production. We will sample their best vintages before embarking on an epicurean adventure of local flavours, which includes organic and orange wines, all accompanied by spectacular views over the Vipava valley.
Our dinner tonight will be in one of the best agritourismos in Slovenia. Hidden among orchards and vineyards, their historic property dates back to 1700. They grow their own herbs, vegetables and fruits and make beautiful local and seasonal dishes.
Today we explore the trails and ancient roads above Ajdovščina town, which is a hotspot for local mountain bikers. The whole area boasts outstanding scenery and the old hunters’ trails offer gorgeous flowing descents peppered with some technical features to spice it up.
We have a 30-minute transfer this morning to Notranjska Nature Park and Lake Cerknica, which is one of the largest intermittent lakes in Europe. It’s hydrology and karst features (sinkholes, caves) were first documented in the 15th century.
Our goal for today is to reach Mount Slivnica that rises above this pristine, protected landscape. When Lake Cerknica was first discovered people could not explain why it disappeared and reappeared, so they assumed it must be witchcraft. This is why the karst cave at Mount Slivnica is called the “Witches’ Cave”.
We have a double track climb to warm up our legs, which will take us to the top of Mount Slivnica. We’ll check if the witches are home – normally they hang around the fireplace in a small mountain hut, where a lovely host will have some warm beverages, hearty stews or sausage for us.
After a quick break and stunning view we’ll drop into a fantastic descent on beautiful wooded singletrack all the way down to the lake.
We head back to Ljubljana for our last night’s accommodation and final celebratory dinner in our favourite restaurant.
Sadly, it’s time to say farewell. It’s been a short, but very sweet adventure, packed full of incredible trails, landscapes, laughs and fabulous food to give you a taste of what’s on offer in Slovenia.
We’ll return you to the airport in the morning, in time for your onward journey.
Until next time!