Slovenia - Cookies, Castle, Caves and Cuisine - JBRish.com

In addition to Ljubljana, we ventured out to the surrounding towns to experience more of Slovenia’s cuisine and natural phenomena.

Main street in the small medieval town of Radovljica, Slovenia

An unusual treat was lunch at the Gostilna Lectar in Radovljica, Slovenia. The inn opened in 1766 and its historic aura can be felt immediately. There is lodging upstairs, a restaurant on the main floor and a gingerbread museum and workshop in the basement.

Although not a gingerbread fan, these confections were beautiful works of art admired by many. It was interesting to learn about the creative process and the history of the honey-based dough which yields a firmer rendition of gingerbread.

Some of the ingredients assembled for creating the gingerbread dough

The gingerbread process explained

The finished products were proudly displayed and ready for purchase

A restaurant does not survive on gingerbread alone and the provided lunch proved just as worthy. The highlight was the soup served in a large brioche-shaped bread.

We were treated to a musical farewell by owner and son as we prepared to leave Gostilna Lectar.

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One of the most popular tourist locations in Slovenia is Lake Bled and the Bled Castle. The historic nature and beautiful surroundings lend themselves to destination weddings and during our visit, the most picturesque areas were quite crowded. In spite of the crowds, the castle and lake were certainly beautiful to see!

The entrance to the Bled Castle

Exterior of the colorful Chapel at Bled Castle

Bled Castle turret and souvenir shop

The sun attempting to break through the clouds at Lake Bled

The Church of Mary the Queen in Lake Bled

Read more about Bled Castle HERE

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Visiting castles, museums, cathedrals, etc. certainly shows off the beautiful buildings and architecture around the world, but finding natural treasures along the way adds an additional punch to foreign travel.

Over its 200-year tourism history, the Postojna Caves has hosted more than 39 million visitors. As one of the most anticipated stops, it was easy to understand the popularity of the caves!

The tour takes attendees along a 5km route during which half uses of a functionally-sized electric train to transport guests.

Throughout the visit there was an abundance of Stalagmites, Stalactites and Columns on view.

Attractions included tunnels, caverns, galleries, halls, “curtains” and cave “bacon” which were on display in an array of sizes and configurations. It was indeed awe-inspiring to see these natural gems that preceded us by millions of years.

At certain venues, metal walkways or “bridges” were constructed to enable closer inspection of the natural wonders found in the caves.

A gallery with an array of pillars

Picture courtesy of Postojna Cave Park

1 Minute Video – Postonja Caves Slovenia

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On the way to our final destination in Croatia, we made a very special stop in the picturesque mountains outside Buzet located on the Istrian peninsula.

Picturesque hilltop town of Buzet

While the scenery was beautiful, what made this unique was our “tasting” stop at the Prodan Tartufi. Buzet’s locale is ideal for the growth of subterranean truffles.