Swannee

Hello,

We have rented a car at Venice airport and have 3 days to visit Slovenia and return the car to Venice for our next flight. We are leaving in a few days as we are off to Cortina to ski first.

We would appreciate some suggestions as to best short itinerary. I thought of going first to Bled, then to Ljubljana and then back to Venice. Wish we had more time but cannot at this time. We will be picking up our car around noon so if we get to Bled it will be late afternoon.

What is best -- 2 nights in Bled and one in Ljubljana or the reverse? We must be back in Venice by noon the next day.

Looked at some of the posts and found some good B&B ideas. Any thoughts on Hotel Vila Bled? Any other recommendations in either Bled or Ljubljana?


Thank you.

maitaitom

I would do two days Bled, one day Ljubljana (they are both terrific)

In Ljubljana - B&B Slamič

In Bled - Hotel Berc

In Bled, be sure to have the kremna rezina. Walk around the lake. Take a Pletna to the island. On the way to Ljubljana, take a short detour to Vintgar Gorge.

Swannee

Thank you for the tips.

Would you know if one can get those car vignettes for the highways in Italy -- or are there places where you can get these as soon as you enter Slovenia? As we are renting the car from Marco Polo Airport -- I don't know if they would provide those stickers.

cheers

bobthenavigator

I would stop in Piran on the way over for lunch. I assume you have checked on the insurance coverage for the car in Slovenia. There are no vignettes in Italy, but an IDP is always a good idea.

KayF

I second the suggestion of Piran - it's a picturesque, very old, small town jutting out into the sea. There are lots of places to eat in the big square. You probably don't want to stay there but there is a map on this website that shows where the carparks are -

http://www.maxpiran.com/piran-map.htm

Also we picked up a car in Trieste and drove into Slovenia, then on to Croatia. We had to check the car was insured in all 3 countries (it was). Just over the Slovenian border there was a sign and a little shop where you could buy the vignette to drive on the highways. The person in the shop spoke no English but I had read up on what we needed and just pointed.

Kay

Swannee

Thanks everyone,

However I don't know if we will have time to go to Piran -- I did check it out and it looks fabulous. But I looked at the driving times from Venice as that is from where we would be leaving and it seems that it is a bit longer to go to Bled then to Ljubljana. So I thought that it would be be easier to do the longer portion first, then drive to Ljublana from Bled -- which does not not seem far -- then drive back on the morning of when we have to return our car in Venice from Ljubljana back to Venice. I guess Piran would be closer to Ljubljana -- and if we have time --maybe on the way back to Venice -- but no time for lunch as we have to be at Marco Polo airport for our next flight --otherwise another time.

It seems that we have to drive in Italy, then enter Austria for a short time, then enter Slovenia at a town called Predor Karavanke.

Does anyone know of places near there to get that vignette.

Re insurance, we are renting from Alamo and there seems to be no restrictions for driving into many other European countries including Slovenia. Their web site lists where one can or cannot go. Funny though, they only mention stickers needed in certain parts of Germany.

cheers

KayF

You will need a vignette if you are driving in Austria as well. I think I read before our trip that in Slovenia, the vignettes are always available just over the border, at places such as petrol stations and shops. We bought a vignette for Austria immediately over the border as well, there was a small sign, luckily we knew what to look out for.

Kay

Swannee

Thanks KayF,

Will check that as the recommended Via Michelin route seems to take us mostly in Italy, then entry into Austria along Highway A2/E55 for only 46 km then entry into Slovenia. I wrote earlier that the entry town was Predor Karavanke, but I think that is the name of the tunnel from Austria to Slovenia. The first town we are near, but not entering seems to be Jesenice, but then there is an exit to Bled which seems to be 25 km from the border.
I read that indeed one can get these at gas stations - so hopefully it will work out.

I read that most people have to buy the 1 month pass. Elsewhere I read that there are also weekly passes for a lot less. As we are only there for 3-4 days,I would prefer to buy the weekly pass. Do you (or other readers) know if this is indeed available?

cheers

lchin

Thanks for the car rental information. We are doing a similar drive but entering from Vienna. Autoeurope will not allow any cars to leave Austria.

aleksander57

Yes you can buy weekly vinjeta and you have two options to travel from Venice to Bled. One is from Venice to Tarvisio in Italy, all highways with tolls. From Tarvisio you go direction to Kranjska Gora in Slovenia, just 10km. from There to Bled is another 30km.
Other options is going from Venezia to Trieste, enter Slovenia in Sezana, direction to Ljubljana,then Bled. All highways.
First route is shorter but little more expensive because off tolls in Italy. For Slovenia you must buy vinjeta/vignetta for seven days for 15E I think.
There is no need to go to Austria.

levins56

Hello! I think your trip was a while ago (am I right?), but we are doing some similar things in September.

I had one quick question. Was it as easy as others mentioned to find a Vingette in Sezana when you crossed the border from Italy to Slovenia? We want to be sure we are well prepared.

Thanks for your help!

aleksander57

You can buy vignetta on petrol stations in Italy and Slovenia or on border crossing. In Sezana you will cross the border on motorway so you must stop immediately on petrol station which is few 100 meters from border. DARS strictly control cars on motorways and if you are without one, fine is 150 Euro.

levins56

Thanks! If there is a petrol station right after the border (we will watch for it) we should be fine. I just don't want to miss it!! I wasn't able to find anything listed for any places on the Italy side that offered them for sale.

Everything will go smoothly I am sure, we just want to be sure we konw what to expect. thanks so much!