Slovenia is such a beautiful place! One of the great things about it is that it isn’t a huge country, meaning that you can cover a lot of ground in a week. Its proximity to Italy, Croatia, Hungary and Austria means that it’s perfect if you want to extend your trip around Europe. You’ll also see these influences in their cuisine too! To travel around Slovenia, you could choose to rent a car or simply base yourself in Ljubljana and explore the nearby places from there. On our trip that is exactly what we did, so here is my itinerary for a perfect 5 days in Slovenia. 

Day 1 in Ljubljana 

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Ljubljana is a fairly small city, so one day is perfect to see everything worth seeing. That being said, Ljubljana has so many great restaurants, so if you’re basing yourself here you’ll have plenty of chances to try out the culinary scene! I always check the Michelin Guide to see what’s good in the area. 

Morning 

Start your day by walking up to Ljubljana Castle, which will take you around 20 minutes. Some areas of the castle are free but if you want to visit the viewpoint tower, Puppetry museum or some of the other exhibitions, you will have to pay 12€. 

After exploring the castle, walk back down and one street to your right you’ll find Cafe Cokl. Which is said to have ‘the best coffee in Ljubljana’ as they import fair trade coffee from South America. If you sit outside, keep an eye out on the Puppet Theatre building adjacent as you’ll see some puppets come out of the clock tower with music on the hour. If you’re after some  hot chocolate instead, then head to Cacao!

Afternoon 

In the afternoon, I highly suggest taking a Food Tour of Ljubljana with Ljubljana Yum. You will get to try a variety of Slovenian food and drink and what I really enjoyed about it is that our guide would connect the tastings to different parts of Slovenia. One of our stops was also in a Michelin guide restaurant that was on my list to try, so I was happy this was included! 

The food tour cost 85 euros and I think it was worth the cost, as we had around 10 dishes to try (including dessert!) and 5 alcoholic drinks. We got to try more modern ‘tapas’ style dishes as well as traditional Slovenian cuisine such as the carniolan sausage (kranjska klobasa) and a barley stew (ričet). I was really a fan of the variety of liqueurs they produce in Ljubljana and I even brought back a bottle of the blueberry liqueur and also some honey, as Ljubljana has one of the highest number of beekeepers in Europe. It was also a great way to get our bearings around Ljubljana as we walked around the Old Town. 

Once you’ve finished up with the food tour, walk to the alternative district of Metelkova. This will take you around 20 minutes from the last point of the food tour. This place is worth seeing for the graffiti and the quirky buildings. I read that they usually host cultural events here in the evenings, but when we went in the afternoon there were just a few skaters hanging around but it was still cool to see! 

Evening 

If you’re still after more traditional food, then I recommend Julija or Restaurant Šestica for dinner. One Slovenian dish you need to try is their rolled dumplings. We tried mushroom & ricotta dumplings at Sestica and I also had a bowl of Goulash with homemade Polenta which was delicious. One thing I learnt in Ljubljana is to always book in advance! As some restaurants were fully booked when we tried to walk in for dinner. 

If you like your drinks with a view, then head to Nebotičnik - Skyscraper for a night cap with a great view of the city. Prices for drinks weren’t too bad here as I paid 6.50€ for a Hugo Spritz. Or for something more cosy, head to Kolibri Cocktail Bar and try one of their signature cocktails. 

Day 2 - Lake Bled

Lake Bled is just a one hour drive from Ljubljana. If you haven’t hired a car you can either get there by train or through a tour with GetYourGuide. We did the latter and found it was enough time for what we wanted to see and do. 

Firstly, our driver drove us to Bled Castle. Entry to the castle is 17€ and for me the best part about this was the view we got of the lake and Bled Island. If you're not that interested in the castle, then you can get a great view of the lake from Ojstrica viewpoint (and you won't have to pay). 

After this, you could take a ride on a pletna boat or hire a rowing boat to Bled Island. A ride on a pletna boat is 18€ per person, whereas if you hire a rowing boat it's 25€ per hour and that covers up to 4 people. You’ll only need an hour to do the roundtrip from the Island, as there’s not much to see once you’re there. 

You also can’t leave Bled without trying the Bled cream cake, a delicious layer of custard, cream and pastry. We had ours at the Park Cafe which is home to the original cake. 

If you have more time in Bled, you can go summer tobogganing on a sledding track, we didn't have time for this but it looked pretty fun. Although be prepared to queue for 45 mins when it’s busy. Another activity worth doing if you’re staying in Bled more than a day, is visiting the Vintgar Gorge as it’s absolutely beautiful. 

Day 3 - Soca Valley 

This day will take you through the beauty of the Soca Valley, but your experience might be dependent on the weather! We got quite a rainy day so the turquoise river quickly turned to white and then brown, but I suggest you Google what this place looks like in the summer as it's beautiful.

Soca Valley is located in the North West of Slovenia, and the river flows through the Julian Alps. The River Soča, which has a very picturesque emerald green colour. 

There’s a few guided walking trails you can take here, and you’ll come across viewpoints and waterfalls. It was also great to see the Alpine towns that surround the river, such as Bovec, Kobarid and Tolmin. 

Day 4 - Postojna Cave and Škocjan Caves  

Postojna Cave and Škocjan Caves are two of Slovenia's most famous and impressive cave systems. A lot of people often wonder which of the two caves is better, but I think it’s worth visiting both as they’re only a  25 minute drive from each other. If you’d rather just visit one here is a bit more information on each to help you decide:

Postojna Cave

• 40 minute drive from Ljubljana

• The cave stretches over 24 kilometres, and is known for its stunning formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and other unique features. 

• The most iconic thing about this cave is the train ride you have to take (in the cave) before starting the walking tour. 

• You’ll also find a variety of amphibians living here!

Škocjan Caves

• 1 hour drive from Ljubljana 

• Škocjan Caves is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, for its exceptional natural beauty and biodiversity.

• The caves feature one of the largest underground canyons in the world, with a river flowing through it. In the summer this can also have turquoise waters which look beautiful when contrasted with the darkness of the cave. 

Scokjan Caves

Day 5 - Piran

An hour and a half drive from Ljubljana, you’ll find the coastal town of Piran. Piran was built under Venetian influence, and you’ll be able to see that as you wander through the narrow streets. However when you look at it from above, the birds eye view of the town reminded me of Dubrovnik in Croatia. 

To start your day here, climb up to visit St George’s Church to get panoramic views of the town and the Adriatic Sea. After this you could explore Tartini Square and stop at a local cafe for breakfast, such as Caffe Teater. 

In the afternoon, for 2€ you can walk along the town walls of Piran and you’ll be able to get some great views from above. After this you could take a walk around the Seaside Promenade and visit the Maritime Museum if this is of interest to you. 

For lunch, I suggest finding a seafood restaurant as its proximity to the sea means you’re guaranteed to get the freshed catch of the day! One restaurant I recommend is Fritolin Pri Cantini. 

As you can see there is a lot you can explore in 5 days in Slovenia, this isn’t an exhaustive list so I’m sure if you’re travelling from far and would prefer to extend your stay, there’s a lot more to explore! If you have any questions on where to stay or want more recommendations for Slovenia, feel free to reach out to me on my social accounts!

Geneva was never a city that was high on my bucket list, especially when the first reaction that people have when you say you're going there is 'nice, but Switzerland is so expensive!' If you live in the likes of Gibraltar or London, then the prices there won't scare you much and there are always 'hidden gems' where you can get a cheap deal or at least value for your money. If you're planning a trip to the swiss city, here are my recommendations on where to stay, what and where to eat and what to do in Geneva. 

 

Where to stay

Geneva is relatively small, meaning that as long as you get a hotel in the city centre you will be able to reach most points of interest by foot. We stayed at the Auteil Manotel Hotel, which was a few minutes walk from the main train station and about 5 minutes from the bus station. 

The 4 star hotel cost around £160 a night during the spring season and my favourite thing about our stay had to be the bed and pillows. I felt like I was sleeping on a marshmallow! I also love hotels that do a bit extra for their guests (in the form of treats) so it was great to find a bar of swiss chocolate, some fruit and a bottle of red wine for us. Our room also had a big terrace facing the train tracks, which we thought might have been too noisy but to be honest with the door shut we didn't hear anything. 

What and where to eat

For breakfast, head to the Cottage Cafe nice and early and grab yourself one of their 'open sandwiches' and a coffee for under £10. It's a very quaint little place and you get great views of the city and river behind you. If you want to splash out a bit more, I had a 'Oui Monsieur' at Birdie Cafe which was lovely and cheesy, but also cost me £16. 

For cheese lovers, I 100% recommend you make a reservation at Cafe du Soleil for their cheese fondue. This place was filled with tourists and locals, and if we wouldn't have pre-booked we would have probably been waiting outside for a while. The menu says that the cheese fondue is priced at around £20 per person, but we thought surely it isn't going to cost us £40 to eat melted cheese if there's two of us. We asked the waiter if we could just order one portion and that was fine, and they still gave us 10 slices of bread and a pot of fondue to share. We also split a steak and chips and this was also delicious, this got dipped into the cheese too! 

Another place which is known for their cheese is Restaurant Les Armures. This is found in the old town and you will be able to try swiss cheeses like gruyère and raclette. 

If you fancy something a little different, then Masala House do really good indian food. You'll find that Geneva is a melting pot of cultures, and as you walk down the streets you'll see there is a bit of everything when it comes to cuisine! 

What to do 

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Geneva hasn't got a long list of landmarks to see, but some points of interest which you might want to mark on your Google Maps are: 

• Jet D'Eau
• Temple de Saint-Pierre
• Jardin Anglais (English Garden)
• Place du Bourg-de-Four
• Botanical Gardens
• Quai du Mont-Blanc

Map thanks to Wanderlog, a trip planner app on iOS and Android

The main event of our trip to Geneva, was a 3 hour chocolate tasting tour with Local Flavours Tours. If you select the 2:30pm tour, then I suggest you just have breakfast and treat this tour as your lunch because you will end up very satisfied. 

This tour will take you through some of the best artisan chocolate shops in Geneva, and of course let you try a range of chocolate in all different forms. We had hot chocolate, truffles, unique flavour creations, ruby chocolate, a chocolate patisserie and then got to select some on our own. What's great about this is not only is it an immersive way to learn about the history of chocolate in Switzerland, but it's also a great way to get your bearings around the city with a walking tour! 

The tour is slightly on the pricier side at 98CHF (around £87) per person, but if you factor in all the chocolate you eat you'd probably be spending over half of that buying them individually at the shops.  

*We were kindly invited by Local Flavours Tours to review this experience

I know this blog post is titled what to do in Geneva for a weekend, but if you find yourself with time to spare then I really recommend catching a Flixbus to the French town of Annecy. The trip will only set you back 10 euros and you will get there in under an hour. If you haven't heard of Annecy, just think Venice mixed with Beauty and the Beast! It really is one of the most picturesque places I've been to. Here you need to try a raclette baguette from La Fermette and try a tartiflette (a dish made of potatoes, cheese, bacon and everything delicious). You can find this dish on almost every menu in Annecy! 

I hope you've found this travel guide to Geneva useful, and if you have any more questions feel free to send me a message on my socials! 

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 With Gibraltar being such a small place, one of the most common ways to spend your weekends here is eating out and going for drinks. Whenever I’m travelling to a new city, I find myself searching across social media channels for the best places to eat. Which is why I wanted to find out what restaurants the people in Gibraltar would rate the best, to help tourists but also for locals to discover some new places. Over 400 people took part in this survey, and these were the results! 

For Breakfast

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Coming in first place for breakfast is My Wines. This was actually my vote too as I love the variety. Whether you’re looking for something sweet or savoury, or having breakfast with your family there’s something for everyone. I recommend the pancakes, bacon eggs benedict or a simple mollete with tomato. If you visit around autumn/winter, they also have pumpkin spiced lattes on the menu. I need to go for breakfast soon to try their latest edition to the menu, the ‘breakfast hunger killer’. This combines their famous lemon chicken fingers in a warm mollete with melted cheese. 

2. Hustle n’ flow

In second place we have Hustle n’ Flow, which is a very convenient 2 minute walk from my house. This place combines nutritious food with an instagram worthy aesthetic. Here you can find a variety of smoothies, acai bowls, classic toasts and a few lunch options such as wraps and burgers. My recommendations here would have to be the french toast , the blue eyed girl bowl and the ‘honey we’re all nuts!’ toast. Whilst you’re here, finish off with one of their super shot elixirs! 

3. Aquaterra 

In third place we have Aquaterra, which hadn’t been on my radar until this. This place is usually known for their meats and cool cocktails, but they also have a very cheap and cheerful breakfast menu. It also looks like it’s packed every Saturday morning so you’re best off booking a table in advance! I had their Andaluz breakfast which included bread with tomato and olive oil, topped with jamon serrano. You also get a tea or coffee included for a total of £3.90! 

For Tapas

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1. La Tapilla Sixtina

In first place for tapas we have La Tapilla Sixtina, located in Chatham Counterguard. This is probably the closest you’ll get in Gibraltar to a typical Spanish tapas menu, and the prices are reasonable. Here you’ll find a variety of montaditos, tostadas, croquettes, meats and more. My staples when eating here are the huevos rotos, the pork with truffle oil, the carrillada (pork cheek) stew, and the prawns pil pil. To wash it all down, have a tinto de verano with liquor 43!

2. Vault 13

In second place, we have Vault 13, an asian-mediterranean fusion tapas restaurant. I’ve never had a bad meal here, and I’ve pretty much tried 90% of the menu. My favourites are the asian prawns, the octopus with potatoes, the pork belly, the mini chicken brioche sliders and all of the bao buns!

3. My Wines

Making another appearance on the list, in third place for tapas is My Wines. I always like coming here in a big group because there are a lot of things on the menu that I enjoy. I recommend booking a table on their terrace in the warmer months too. My recommendations here are the goat’s cheese salad, the jalapeno wontons, lemon chicken fingers, puchero croquettes, and the duck nachos (a lot of my friends are 50/50 on these nachos, but I love the oriental spin on them!) My favourite wine here is Anahi, if you’re looking for something semi-sweet to pair your food with. 

For a date night

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In first place for date night or a meal out, is the Indian restaurant Little Bay. This place is always full so expect to wait a while for your food, but it is delicious. The go to order for my boyfriend and I when we go is the chilli cheese naan, the pomegranate aloo tikki chana masala, the anardana jhinga which is a prawn dish, and the chicken murgh makhani. For dessert, the pistachio kulfi is lovely. I also recommend checking out their signature cocktail menu!  

2. 4 Stagioni 

This is my favourite Italian restaurant in Gibraltar, mostly because of their very cheesy garlic bread calzone and the pumpkin ravioli. 4 Stagioni is located a bit further away from town but the fact you have to make more of an effort to get there almost makes it feel like an even better spot for a special occasion. If you’re more into pizza than pasta, then I recommend the tropical pizza which comes with ham, pineapple and mango chutney! Our favourite wine to have here is Satinela. 

3. Vault 13 

Also making a second appearance is Vault 13, so I thought I’d save some of my other favourite menu items for this section of the article. The whipped feta with honey, the hummus and the beetroot & goat’s cheese mousse are all great plates to start with! 

For Cocktails

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If after you’ve checked out one of these restaurants you fancy going for a few drinks, then these are the best cocktail spots according to locals. In first place we have Las Iguanas, which probably has one of the largest cocktail menus in Gibraltar. My go to here is the Pornstar Martini or the Guava Colada. In second place is Little Bay, and my favourites here are the Masala Mule and the Ancient Routes. In third place we have Bruno’s, which is famously known for their 24 hours 241 cocktail special. I usually have a Singapore Sling or a Pornstar Martini here, or an Aperol Spritz when the sun is out!

Iguanas 241 Guava Colada's