Category Archives: golf in Slovenia

Hop-On Hop-On 2018 is Here – This Year Even Bigger and Better!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, adeleinslovenia, Avsenik, Bee Our Guest, Beekeeping, Beekeeping in Slovenia, Begunje, Castles in Slovenia, France Prešeren, golf in Slovenia, Hop-on Hop-On Bus, ifeelsLOVEnia, ironworking, Kropa, Mošnje, museums in Slovenia, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Slovenian honey, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca, Visit Žirovnica, Žirovnica by

The Hop-On Hop-Off tourist bus made its first journey(s) of the season this week and this year there’s even more to see and do with two extra days added to the timetable and entirely new destinations to discover! Take a ride and discover the hidden corners of the Radol’ca countryside.

The Hop-On Hop-Off bus is a great way to discover more of Radol’ca and the surrounding areas. For those who do not have a car or those who want to simply leave the car behind and be chauffeur-driven for a change, without having to worry about reading maps, finding parking places etc.

On Tuesdays you can take the ‘Charming Towns and Villages‘ route, which includes visits to Radovljica, Posavec, Ljubno and Kropa. Among the highlights of this route are the Iron Forging Museum and the Vigenc Vice foundry in Kropa, where at the latter you can see a demonstration of hand nail forging, and the Museum of Apiculture and Lectar Honeybread Museum and Workshop in Radovljica.

A demonstration of hand nail forging, Vigenc Vice Foundry, Kropa

Lectar Inn Honeybread Museum and Workshop, Radovljica

On Wednesdays the ‘Bee Our Guest‘ bus provides a fascinating insight into Slovenian beekeeping and includes visits to the Museum of Apiculture in Radovljica, the Beekeeping Education Centre of Gorenjska in Lesce, Anton Janša’s apiary in Breznica, Bee Paradise in Selo pri Žirovnici and Kralov med beekeeping in Selo pri Bledu.

Kralov med, Selo pri Bledu

Anton Janša’s apiary, Breznica pri Žirovnici

Thursday’s ‘Tales from the Countryside‘ route takes passengers to places such as Vrba, Žirovnica, Begunje na Gorenjskem, Brezje and Podvin. Among the highlights of the route are the ruins of Kamen Castle, the Avsenik Museum and the Museum of Hostages in Begunje, Adventure Mini Golf in Gorica, the Villa Rustica archaelogical site in Mošnje, and the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Brezje.

Adventure Mini Golf in Gorica

Završnica Valley, Žirovnica

And on Fridays, the bus runs to Begunje na Gorenjskem and then along the ‘Panoramic Road to Tržič‘. Highlights include the ruins of Kamen Castle, the old town centre of Tržič, the Mebron foundry and the Dovžan Gorge.

Ruins of Kamen Castle, Begunje na Gorenjskem

Dovžan Gorge, Tržič

So, as you can see, there’s plenty to choose from; in fact the toughest decision could be choosing which of the routes to take!

Click here for more information and the full timetable.

© Adele in Slovenia

 

Adventure Mini Golf Panorama – The Name Says It All!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, adeleinslovenia, golf in Slovenia, ifeelsLOVEnia, Jelovica, Julian Alps, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

Now I know why the new mini golf course in Gorica, near Radovljica is named Adventure Mini Golf Panorama. Wow, it offers a panorama in the truest sense of the word, and with a heat wave forecast this week, its the ideal place to escape the heat, too.

I run through the village of Gorica regularly and had seen the signs for the new mini golf course, but, if I’m honest, I thought it would probably be nothing that special. Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong – this place really is rather special!

Whether you are a fan of mini golf or not, you simply must visit; be it to play a round or two or just to sit on the terrace with a drink and savour the stunning panoramic views of the Julian Alps and the Jelovica plateau.

The 12-hole mini golf course has been thoughtfully arranged using superior-quality materials and is set in the cool of the forest.

Photos alone don’t do it justice, particularly as it was slightly overcast on the day of my visit. So, just go and check it out, I believe you won’t be disappointed and you’ll hopefully come away as enthusiastic as I was!

The forest setting provides the perfect respite from the heat and the whole ambience makes you instantly feel relaxed and at ease.

The course is suitable for all ages and abilities – from the littlest to the largest – as long as you can hold a club you can play!

Owner Andreja and her husband are there with a warm welcome and don’t take much persuading to join in a round or two!

The first round per visit costs 5 euros for adults, 4 euros for children, each round thereafter during the same visit costs 2 euros for adults, 1.50 euros for children.

During summer the course is open from 10am – 9pm and you can check the latest opening hours on the website here – http://adventureminigolf.si

© Adele in Slovenia

 

 

Spend a Night with a Knight at Opulent Otočec Castle!

Posted in Castles in Slovenia, caves in Slovenia, golf in Slovenia, Hotels in Slovenia, ifeelsLOVEnia, Slovenia by

You are never too far away from a castle in Slovenia since there are around 500 of them. One of the most famous is Bled Castle, perched on a cliff above picturesque Lake Bled – an iconic image which is undoubtedly one of, if not the, symbol of Slovenian tourism.

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Another is the mighty Predjama Castle, which is built into the mouth of a cave and is entered into the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest cave castle in the world.

Photo: Nea Culpa

A good majority, though not all, of Slovenia’s castles are open to the public and are well-maintained. There are a few that have seen better days, but somehow even the ruins of once mighty castles seem impressive, such as this one, Kamen Castle in Begunje na Gorenjskem. The castle stands at the entrance to the Draga Valley, a popular start point for hikes in the Karavanke mountains.

Photo: Miran Kambič

At quite a number of castles you can get married or hold various types of functions and gatherings. This one, for example, Sevnica Castle, features an impressive wine vault.

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I can attest that the wine pairs perfectly with salami from Grajske mesnine butchers. You can read plenty more about the castle, my experience of the Sevnica Mountain Marathon, and what else to see and do in Sevnica, in this previous blog post – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2015/09/10/sevnica-so-much-to-see-and-do/

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Surprisingly, however, there are only a handful of castles in Slovenia where you can actually stay and live it up like a King or Queen! Among them my favourite would have to be Otočec Castle. Both the castle itself and the stunning setting, on an islet in the middle of the Krka River, make it quite unique.

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Nowadays the castle operates entirely as a luxury five-star hotel, the Relais & Chateaux Otečec Castle Hotel. The hotel seamlessly blends the castle’s history with modern luxurious furnishings, superior rooms and suites, and gourmet dining. More information here – http://www.grad-otocec.com/en/us/home/

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As with all good castles, there is a knight in shining armour! This one stands guards over the hotel reception – perhaps to weed out any unsavoury looking guests!

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The setting is about as idyllic as it gets!

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For lover’s of the great outdoors, Hotel Sport, within walking distance and owned by the same company, offers a wide range of sports activities available for guests staying at the Otočec Castle Hotel, including an indoor pool filled with thermal water, Turkish and Finnish saunas, covered tennis courts, and the Otočec Adventure Park offers fun for all the family.

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Golf Grad Otečec is just a stone’s throw away from the Otočec Castle Hotel and is one of Slovenia’s longest and most attractive golf courses.    http://www.golf-otocec.si/en

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To whet your appetite further, you can watch this short video and, if you have the chance, do go and experience Otočec for yourself!

© Adele in Slovenia