DAY 14
Drive through the Logar Valley along the Solvaca Panoramic Road with a short hike to Rinka Waterfall
After four days in Bled, the time had finally come to say goodbye to the lovely lake with its picturesque island.
Most of the day would be spent in the car exploring a region in the northern part of Slovenia known for its valleys. Our first leg was from Bled to the Logar Valley, about a 1 1/2 hour drive east.
We routed ourselves to the Rinka Center, a nice little tourist information center in a small village called Solčava at the far end of the valley. There we picked up a map of the region, got some tips on what to do and see from the person at the information desk, and checked out the small exhibition.
Before getting back into the car, we walked across the street to check out a cute little church at the top of a hill and were rewarded with really nice views of the valley and a colorful cemetery. I’ve never seen so many fresh flowers in a cemetery — it was lovely.
From the tourist information center we headed west, driving along the scenic Solvaca Panoramic Road.
The road was dotted with the occasional viewpoints, each with a vending machine selling fresh products from local farmers. I really love the idea of these vending machines. Such a cool way to support the community. I wish more places had these!
About halway along the Panoramic Road is the entrance to the Logar Valley. We pulled off the main road to make our way down into the valley. A ticket booth greets you at the entrance where you’re asked to pay a small fee to access the valley.
Just past the booth we were greeted with a beautiful view straight down the valley. We passed a farm with a dozen or so highland cattle grazing and couldn’t resist pulling off to say hello to the adorable cows and snap a few photos. I’m convinced these cows are there simply to have their photo taken.
After our rendevous with the highland cattle, we jumped back in the car and drove the winding road down the length of the valley. At the end of the road we found the parking lot for the Rinka Waterfall. Before heading to the falls, we stopped off for a quick lunch at the small cafe near the trailhead.
After our pit stop, we loaded Luna up in the hiking backpack and made our way to the waterfall. Like most of the falls we visited, the hike was relatively quick and easy.
One of the coolest features of this waterfall is the cafe that’s built into the side of the cliff, which has a spectacular view of the falls from about halfway up. The cafe was closed due to it being the offseason (otherwise, I’d suggest you definitely bypass the one at the trailhead) but we were still able to enjoy the view from the wrap-around terrace.
Once back down to the trailhead, we stopped off once again at the cafe to buy some ice cream. The lady at the visitor’s center said we had to try the local goat ice cream from the Mark Tourist Farm, and they just so happened to be selling it there in a vending machine. There were so many flavors, it was hard to choose which ones to get. The ice cream was definitely worth the hype.
Unfortunately our time in the Logar Valley had to come to an end. We still had a decent drive ahead of us before we’d reach our final hotel of the trip. Luckily it was yet another scenic drive, so we didn’t mind the extra time in the car.
We got back on the winding Panoramic Road and continued further west from the Logar Valley. The route passed briefly through Austria (surprisingly the least scenic part of the drive due to logging) until we entered Slovenia once again.
Just on the other side of the border we arrived to Jezersko Valley and our home away from home for the next couple of nights, a farm stay called Senkova Domacija.
We checked into the hotel and got settled into our room, which was surprisingly cozy and modern. We went out for a walk around the property to meet the many residents at the farm: chickens, goats, cows, cats, and one large and friendly dog.
Where we stayed: Senkova Domacija
We had dinner at the hotel, which was included in the price of the room, and were served a delicious stew and a desert that’s traditional to the region (wish I could remember what it was called!). Both were phenomenal!
DAY 15
Rainy day in Jezersko Valley and a walk to Planšarsko Jezero Lake
We started our last full day of the trip off with a bang. We had the best breakfast of the trip at the hotel — an impressive spread of all locally-sourced meats, cheeses, honey, fruits, and veggies.
Everything was so fresh and tasty. I would return to this hotel for the food alone!
Unfortunately our one day in the valley was the rainiest of the whole trip. We actually had some errands to run in preparation for our flight back home the next day, so we ended up killing a couple of hours at a nearby mall.
We were hoping the rain would stop by the afternoon, but we eventually came to terms with the weather and decided to make the most of it. We borrowed some umbrellas from the hotel and went for a walk to the nearby Planšarsko Jezero Lake.
We followed a trail that circled the small lake. Even in the rain it was beautiful.
For our final night, we had yet another fantastic meal at our farm stay. This time we were served a hearty plate of roasted meat, potators, and side salad. We spent the remainder of the night organizing our belongings and packing our bags.
It was hard to believe that our time in Slovenia had come to an end. We accomplished so much in two weeks, but there’s still so much more I’d like to do. We don’t often repeat destinations, but Slovenia is definitely one place we’ll return to one day.
Don’t miss it…
This post is a part of a larger two-week trip around Slovenia. Check out the full itinerary and an overview of the trip here!
