Adventure to the Mountains of Slovenia & the Dolomites

May 25 - June 11, 2025

Hosted by Kerri Miller & Kim Glidden

This adventure introduces us to the wildflower-filled meadows, soaring alpine peaks, pristine lakes and preserved historic architecture of Slovenia. 

Then it sweeps us off to Italy where we’ll ascend to simple mountaintop rifugios and celebrate our last days together at a renowned wine festival.

Day One, May 25
Touch down in Slovenia’s shining and historic capital city of Ljubljana, eager to begin our adventure. We’ll check into our hotel and stretch our legs with a walk around the lanes and gardens of this beautiful city.  

We’ll board a wooden boat for a tranquil ride down the river and an opportunity to visit Ljubljana Castle.

Our outfitters will make recommendations for dinner and you are free to find a cafe for a cocktail and light meal.

Lodging & Meals: Hotel in Ljubljana

Day Two, May 26
Arise refreshed and ready to start the day with a nourishing breakfast. Our day will begin with a two hour guided walking tour of the city, as we wind through the medieval alleys in Old Town and pause to admire Triple Bridge and the stunning Nicolas Cathedral.

When the tour is complete, we’ll peruse Ljubljana’s vibrant Central Market for handmade goods and crafts. The Market is also a terrific place to sample dishes native to Slovenia.

In the afternoon, we’ll indulge in the luscious wines of the region as we taste wine and appetizers.

Dinner is yours to choose.

Lodging & Meals: Breakfast, Wine Tasting, Hotel in Ljubljana

Day Three, May 27
Indulge well at the breakfast table because we are headed into the mountainous, lake-filled interior of Slovenia.

We will make our way to Bovec and the gorgeous Soca Valley. Nestled at the edge of Triglav National Park, Bovec and the Soca Valley are renowned for adventure, drawing rafters, hikers and climbers from around the world.

We’ll hike along the Soca River to a lovely waterfall and admire the rushing emerald water.

When we’ve worked up an appetite, we’ll taste the cheese that is made exclusively in the villages of the valley of Loska Koritnica.

Then, it is on to Kobarid for some World War I history at the Kobarid Museum.

Our day concludes in Bovec, where there are many cafes and restaurants. Dinner is yours to choose.

Lodging & Meals: Breakfast. Book Conversation over pre-dinner glass of wine. Hotel in Bovec.

Day Four, May 28
This day takes us into one of Slovenia’s most glorious places of natural beauty, as we explore the Tolmin Gorge. We’ll walk into the gorge to see where two rivers collide and hike up to viewpoints where we can marvel at the rock formations and crystalline water.

Let’s spend some time lingering near the glittering Tolminka River before we press on to sample the wineries and lavender fields of the region.

We’ll end our day in Nova Gorica where there are plenty of restaurants & cafes for dinner.

Lodging & Meals: Breakfast. Hotel in Nova Gorica.

Day Five, May 29
It’s on to experience the sparkling coastline of Slovenia and Piran but before we get there, we’re going to hunt for truffles with a professional truffle-hunter and his trusty truffle-hunting dog!

We’ll plunge into the forest and follow our canine friend as he tracks down these precious mushrooms. Once we’ve gathered them, we’ll sample what we’ve found.

Then, it’s on to Piran, a beautiful town on the the Istrian coast. You’ll see the influence of Italy’s Venice in the architecture and the food.

We’ll visit the Maritime Museum and ascend to the top of one of the city’s tallest hills to take in the panoramic view. 

Our day will conclude in Potoroz, where you can walk along the sea and sample the freshest of seafood for dinner.

Lodging & Meals: Breakfast. Hotel in Potoroz.

Day Six, May 30
Today we are headed for castles and caves as we depart for the Kras region of Slovenia. On the way, we’ll stroll through a 17th century village that was fortified to fend off Ottoman raiders. 

The architecture reflects the village’s medieval heritage and we;ll admire the castle and the Ferrari Gardens, designed by a doctor for his patients.

Then, it’s on to the village of Goce, which sits at the crossroads of the valleys of Kras and Vipava. Surrounded by vineyards, this magical place is believed to date back to the earliest European settlements.

In the afternoon, it is on to Postjona Cave, one of the largest caves in the world,  and Predjama Castle, a remarkable fortress enveloped by Karst limestone.

When we have wondered at these one-of-a-kind marvels, it is on to the lakeside town of Bled.

Lodging & Meals: Breakfast. Hotel in Bled.

Day Seven, May 31
Today is all about the beauty of Bled.  Surrounded by the Julian Alps, this alpine lake is crystal clear and boasts a picturesque island with a historic church. 

We’ll take a guided tour of Bled and hear about its intriguing history, after which we’ll sample Bled’s celebrated cream cake. 

Then we’ll board a pletna, or wooden boat, to sail to the island where we can ring the church’s wish bell.

In the afternoon, we’ll learn more about Slovenia’s thriving bee culture with a visit to the Museum of Apiculture. After, it’s a guided tour of a beekeeping farm at Kralov Med, where we can view the buzzing honeycombs and sample the sensational honey.

Lodging & Meals: Breakfast. Book Conversation. Hotel in Bled.

Day Eight, June 1
Push the breakfast carbs this morning because we are headed out to hike in Triglav National Park.

We’ll take a cable car up Mount Vogel, where we’ll get a stunning view of Lake Bohinj and the Julian Alps. Feel free to hike the trails or just sit and take in the beautiful scenery.  

In the afternoon, we’ll return to Lake Bled for a free afternoon.

Let’s meet for a glass of wine and a book conversation on this last evening in Slovenia before dinner.

Lodging & Meals: Breakfast. Book Conversation. Hotel in Bled.

Day Nine, June 2
The second chapter of the adventure begins as we board a train for Venice and the Dolomites! (For anyone not going on to the Dolomites, you’ll arrange your return flight from Venice.)

Our guide will meet us at the train station and we’ll head off to Cortina D’Ampezzo, where we’ll breathe deeply of fresh mountain air and take in the soaring, stunning views.  

Let’s get settled in our hotel and then take a stroll around the town, where we’ll look for a cafe for dinner. 

Lodging & Meals: Breakfast. Hotel in Cortina.

Day Ten, June 3
Free day in Cortina.

Day Eleven, June 4 
Don those hiking boots and partake of a nourishing breakfast because we are headed out for our hike in the Dolomites! Our guide will take us to Tre Cime, the Three Peaks, where we’ll hike to overlooks for beautiful views.

The elevation is: 7415 to 7725 ft and the hike is two miles round trip.  

We’ll return to Cortina in the late afternoon with time to relax and to find an aperitif before dinner.

Days Twelve & Thirteen, June 5 & 6 
If those hamstrings are “barking” after our mountain hike, today, we have a little help with the mountain peaks. We are riding e-bikes into a beautiful alpine valley that connects Cortina with Val Pusteria.

Celebrated as one of the most beautiful and wildest places in the Dolomites, the valley features colorful wildflower-dotted meadows and sun-drenched soaring plateaus.  

We’ll take in the gorgeous scenery as we ride to a crater lake.

In the afternoon, it’s back to Cortina and an evening of strolls, wine and a good dinner before we turn in for the night.

Days Fourteen & Fifteen, June 6 & 7 
We are headed for the first of two mountaintop rifugios–remote, simple accommodations that specialize in the history of the region and hospitality of the local people.

Our days will be filled with hiking and time for reading and good conversation with friends.

Follow the link to Rifugio Fodara Vedla  (https://www.fodara.it/en).

Let’s do a mountaintop book conversation, shall we?

Day Sixteen, June 8  
On this day, we are headed even higher into the mountains! Our guides will take us to a cable car so that we can head for Rifugio Lagazuoi. Please follow the link.  https://rifugiolagazuoi.com/index_en.php

**Please note that the rifugios are simple, shared accommodations with shared bathrooms. 

Day Seventeen, June 9 & 10
We are descending from our mountaintop aeries into the hubbub and conviviality of the South Tyrol Wine Road. We’ll be collected after breakfast and driven to Bolzano where we’ll check into a manor house for two nights that sits amid orchards and vineyards.

Here, we can hike, swim, laze in the sun and sip the delicious wines of the region. 

Day Eighteen, June 11
It’s arrivederci to the Dolomites as we are driven to the Venice airport for our flights back to the US.