Instagram post 17983449061890786 Instagram post 17983449061890786
🌴This place was no where to be seen on my Googl 🌴This place was no where to be seen on my Google searches. I just happened to stumble across it on my walk and it was my favourite spot of all. 🧡😍

🥾So this is your sign to just start walking and exploring 

📍Reeds Bay @thunder.bay.beach.bar 

Where was you’re favourite place that you just found by chance?
9  things to NEED to do on your Barbados holiday🌴🇧🇧:

🐟 Oistins Fish Fry on a Friday Night
⚡️ Go for a drink and swim @thunder.bay.beach.bar 
🌅Watch the Sunrise
🐢Swim with Turtles
⛵️Boat cruise with @silvermoonbarbados 
🌮Sunset Dinner @seashed_barbados 
🐎Watch the racehorses at Pebbles Beach 
🌊 Walk along the Hastings Boardwalk 
🌅Watch the sunset 

Anything I’m missing from the list?
Where is your “OMG” travel destination? Where is your “OMG” travel destination?
POV: you’ve taken 100,000 pics and videos on you POV: you’ve taken 100,000 pics and videos on your 1 week holiday 😅📸

Anyone else do the same! 

(📹Reel Credit @saradavies_)
🌅🌅🌅 🌅🌅🌅
Anyone else dreaming of a Euro summer? 💭💭💭
SWIMMING PIGS 🐖🐷🐽 🌴The Bahamas, more SWIMMING PIGS 🐖🐷🐽

🌴The Bahamas, more specifically the Exumas are famous for their resident swimming pigs. 

🏴‍☠️No one really knows why they have been out here but there are a couple of stories floating around.

🥓One of them being that they were left here by sailors who had planned to come back and cook them (poor piggy’s) but never made of back. 

🐟We even got to see stingsrays too (never did I think I would need a stingray and pig side by side with each other 😅)

⛵️There are a few boat companies that will take you to see these pigs and I went with @exumawatersports. I booked the half day tour which was $175 (you can book on a full day and also swim with reef sharks and see Pablo Escobars crashed plane). ✈️

Would you want to see the swimming pigs 

For more piggy cuteness follow @theswimmingpigs 🐽🐷🐖
What’s you definition of happiness ✈️⛵️🌍
✈️🧳How to pack using handluggage only! 

💰If you hate paying the RIDICULOUS prices for checked baggage like me, then here’s how to pack with hand luggage only. 

And yes I’m talking about week long (or more) holidays 😀 

👗Pack a mix and match wardrobe- you get brand new outfits whilst using the same clothes 

👠Pack 1 statement shoe plus a pair of casual ones 

✈️Wear your bulkiest items on the plane- eg jumpers and jackets (think joey from friends). Try to wear your bulkiest shoes on the plane too.

🧼Decant toiletries  into 100ml bottles and buy the rest of what you need at the airport. In fact, do an online order and get it delivered to the airport boots and you can pick it up after security

📦Use packing cubes to compress down your clothes and create more space in your hand luggage 

🫧And remember, you can wash your clothes abroad!! 

Have I missed anything?
I can’t wait to get back to Central America and I can’t wait to get back to Central America and be surrounded my volcanoes and lakes 😄🌋

Where do you feel the most free? 🦋

📍@Atitlansunsetlodge, Guatemala 🇬🇹
I mean the UK is fun but how much better is everyw I mean the UK is fun but how much better is everywhere else 😅😅😅

Where would you move to if you had the chance? 🌎🏡
𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐍 𝐀 𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐁𝐔𝐃𝐆𝐄𝐓. 

💰Here are my top tips on how to travel often but keep the costs down. 

💙Be more flexible with you destinations and go to places that have the cheapest flights. ⬇️

My top tip for finding these is head to @skyscanner add in the dates you want to go and type in “EVERYWHERE” in to the destination box. @skyscanner will bring up the cheapest flights in ascending order. 

💙Use deal finding apps like @jacksflightclub @travelzoo_uk @secretescapes @holidaypirates @voyageprive_uk to find deals on flights, hotels and holidays. 

💙Avoid paying for checked luggage where possible. Try the clothes rolling technique, you’ll be surprised at how much you can fit in your hand luggage by doing this. 

💙Don’t splash out on fancy hotels if you don’t plan on being in the hotel much. This for example could be on a city break, chances are you will spend most of the day exploring and use your hotel litterally to sleep and shower. 

💙 If you are solo travelling, stay in a hostel. Meet people that you can do activities with , which can also help share/spread and cut costs.

💙 Get on to Google and find out the best free things to do at your destination.

💙Try to cook some meals where you can. I know part of travel is trying out new foods but if you are doing it often cooking one or two meals is a great way of cutting costs. Alternatively book accommodation that offers free breakfast as part of their package. 

💙 Walk as much as you can to cut down on transport costs.

💙Alternatively if walking isn’t an option and you’re in a city, buy their local travel transport card (eg Oyster card for London). I’ve found that a lot of European cities have super cheap train/tram/bus costs and are even cheaper with one of these cards. 

💙Rent a car. Renting a car can be sometimes miles cheaper than going on a package tour or excursion. Sometimes this isn’t the case but do your research first to see what’s your best option
Places to travel to in your 30’s when you’re n Places to travel to in your 30’s when you’re not as broke as your 20’s (AKA more expensive places) ✈️🍃3️⃣0️⃣

Do you have any recommendations? 🌅🐬
TRAVEL OFTEN AROUND YOUR 9-5⬇️ 🟠 Obvious c TRAVEL OFTEN AROUND YOUR 9-5⬇️

🟠 Obvious choice but make use of the weekends. Fly out on Friday night and home Sunday evening. Really good to squeeze in a mini city break. 

🟠 For longer holidays use the same method as above. Fly out on a Friday night and home the following Sunday. You can get almost 9 days away and only have to take 5 days off work.

🟠 Make use of your bank holidays. Tag on an extra day off around a bank holiday. For example around the Easter break. 

🟠If you are flying on weekdays fly out late evening and fly home early morning so you don’t have to take those flying days off work.

🟠 Work from your holiday. Commit to working one or two mornings whilst you are away. This can help in saving up a few half days when you get to the end of the year. However this is probably not worth it on shorter trips

🟠 If you are able to travel with work. Make a holiday out of that by tagging on a few days holiday after the work trip is over.

Do you have any other tips?
Instagram post 18167693284267175 Instagram post 18167693284267175
Travel ✈️🍃🌍❤️ Travel ✈️🍃🌍❤️
Instagram post 17999465992602774 Instagram post 17999465992602774
In need of sunshine and hot temperatures 🌡️☀️

Where’s your paradise? ⛵️🌴🐚
TRAVEL OFTEN AROUND YOUR 9-5⬇️ 🟠 Obvious c TRAVEL OFTEN AROUND YOUR 9-5⬇️

🟠 Obvious choice but make use of the weekends. Fly out on Friday night and home Sunday evening. Really good to squeeze in a mini city break. 

🟠 For longer holidays use the same method as above. Fly out on a Friday night and home the following Sunday. You can get almost 9 days away and only have to take 5 days off work.

🟠 Make use of your bank holidays. Tag on an extra day off around a bank holiday. For example around the Easter break. 

🟠If you are flying on weekdays fly out late evening and fly home early morning so you don’t have to take those flying days off work.

🟠 Work from your holiday. Commit to working one or two mornings whilst you are away. This can help in saving up a few half days when you get to the end of the year. However this is probably not worth it on shorter trips

🟠 If you are able to travel with work. Make a holiday out of that by tagging on a few days holiday after the work trip is over.

Do you have any other tips?
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Christina in the Clouds

Adventure around a 9-5

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City Breaks, Europe · February 8, 2021

Ljubljana to Lake Bled – How to Spend 3 days in Slovenia

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Slovenia is a small country located in central Europe snuggled between 4 other countries, These are  Italy, Hungary, Croatia and Austria. Although it may sound like Slovenia is landlocked, it does in fact have a small, but stunning coastline along the Adriatic Sea. 

Like Croatia and Serbia, Slovenia once formed part of the former country known as Yugoslavia, before gaining their independence in 1991. 

With a population of around 2 million people, Slovenia is one of the smallest countries in Europe. 

In recent years Slovenia has gained increasing popularity with tourists and adventure seekers from all corners of the globe and is regularly voted as one of the top countries to visit in Europe.  

It’s unsurprising to hear this when you realise the sheer diversity in landscapes across the country; from cities steeped in history, beautiful blue lakes and impressive mountain ranges. 

One of the most popular trips to do when visiting Slovenia is from Ljubljana (the capital) to Lake Bled (unarguably one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe). 

So if you want to see how to go about this popular trip across Slovenia, then read on for my itinerary. 

When is the best time to visit Slovenia?

Like a lot of places in Europe, Slovenia is the kind of place you can visit all year round depending on what you are after. There is something for everyone no matter what season you visit. 

If you are after a Christmassy or winter wonderland style holiday, then Slovenia sees decent snow fall through December to March. If you want to see wildflowers bloom across the Slovenian valleys, then head here between March-June. If you want to enjoy some heat and drink wine by the Adriatic Sea then be sure to come here during the summer months. Or finally if you prefer the crisp autumn air and the enjoy the colours and the crunch of the autumn leaves then a great time to visit is September-November.

 I personally visited Slovenia in early October and we couldn’t have picked a better time. The tourist season had died down so things weren’t too busy and the weather was still fairly warm with early autumn sunshine for the whole duration of our stay.

What is the best way to get to Slovenia?

You can fly into Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport from most London Airports for as little as £60. The Airport is located just a 25 minute car journey from central Ljubljana and will cost you roughly €30 euros.

Ljubljana, Slovenia

What is the best way travel around Slovenia?

Rent a car 

Renting a car in Slovenia is pretty cheap, coming out at roughly  €25 a day. This is also the fastest and most convenient option. Not only is the drive to Lake Bled just 45 minutes from Ljubljana, but having your own car also means you will be able to explore the surrounding areas of Lake Bled on your own schedule. 

Taxi

If you want to get a Taxi from Ljubljana to Lake Bled it will cost you approximately €50-€60. There are also a few taxi services in Lake Bled itself  if you want to visit spots outside of the main town.

Train 

You can get the train from Ljubljana to Bled Jezero station for around €5. The journey to Lake Bled is between 40-60 minutes, depending on the train you get. Bled Jezero station is a 6 minute drive or 26 minute walk from the centre of Lake Bled.

Coach/Bus

You can book a coach from Ljubljana to Lake Bled here. The bus journey is approximately 1.5 hours and will cost you €6. In the summer months the buses run between 5am-10pm, departing every 30-60 minutes.

There are 2 bus stations on Lake Bled; ‘Bled Union’ and ‘Bled’. I would recommend getting off at ‘Bled’ in order to be dropped off in the centre of town.

Ljubliana, Slovenia

Where to stay in Slovenia?

As the title of this posts suggests we stayed in both Ljubljana and Lake Bled. With Ljubljana being only 1.25 hours’ drive from Lake Bled there is no need for a stopover or to stay anywhere in between (unless you want to of course).

If you are short on time I would recommend just one night in Ljubljana and the rest of your stay in Lake Bled. Ljubljana is one of those cities where you can see a lot of its best bits in just one day. And, if like me,  you are a nature lover, then you are going to want to spend the majority of your trip discovering Lake Bled and it’s surrounding areas of natural beauty.

Accommodation in Ljubljana

For our stay in Ljubljana we stayed in the Emonec Hotel. We managed to get 6 of us into one room for just £20 each for the night.  

Accommodation in Lake Bled

For our stay in Lake Bled we rented out an amazing Villa via AirBnb just slightly out of the main town, This looked out over Lake Bled and was in the perfect position to watch the sunrise over the lake.

Not only that, but the villa also came with a sauna/steam room. Just make sure that if you do use the sauna, you are fully hydrated, you don’t want to end up ill with severe dehydration like one of my pals but that’s a story for another time lol.

If you want something in the centre of Bled town then Vila Cvetka is a good option to choose.

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Budgeting for Slovenia

Most travellers report spending between €75-100 a day and I would say that is completely accurate, obviously very dependant on the activities you do and how much alcohol you drink.

3-Day Itinerary

Day 1

Unfortunately, our flight to Slovenia was in the afternoon so we didn’t arrive here until around 9/10pm. We dropped our bags off at the hotel, freshened up and headed straight to Captains Cabin,  a pub that had been recommended to me by a friend who had been here before. If you’re heading to Ljubljana, I would definitely recommend visiting this pub; it has a pirate theme, the atmosphere is lively and to top it off you can grab 241 cocktails pretty much all night.

Day 2

After prying our slightly sore heads from our pillows we set off to explore Ljubljana. Here’s my recommended list of things to see:

Ljubljana Castle

Located in downtown Ljubljana, Ljubljana castle is a great place to start to not only experience some of Slovenia’s history (the castle dates back to the 14th century) but to also get an amazing panoramic view of the city. If you want to take a look in and around the castle, tickets will cost you approximately €9. If like us you just want to head up there to experience the view, then that is completely free.

Ljubliana, Slovenia

Funicular Railway

The Ljubljana Funicular railways links Ljubljana Castle with the old town. This is a fun way to head down to the old town from the castle and again to experience great views. Tickets for adults cost €4 and the trains run every 10 minutes between approximately 9am-10pm. Click here to find out more.

Ljubljana Old town

Ljubljana old town is small but fascinating; think cobbled streets, multicoloured buildings and rustique style lamp posts. When walking through the old town you will notice a lively and buzzing atmosphere with streets lined with vibrant bars and restaurants. Even if you don’t sit down to eat or drink, its definitely worth walking through here to admire the architecture.

Ljubljana Central Market

The central market is one of Ljubljana’s most popular spots. Not only is it a place for locals to pick up fresh produce but its also the place where hungry tourists and locals come to pick up a spot of lunch. There is a plethora of food and drink to choose from, with lots of hearty & traditional Slovenian dishes on the menu.

Triple Bridge

As you might have guessed from the name, Triple Bridge is a group of 3 bridges arched over the Ljubljana River. The first of the bridges was formed in 1842 and the other two joined along between 1929-1932. Understandably, this unique formation has become quite iconic in Ljubljana and is a popular tourist attraction. In my personal opinion, the most important thing to note about this bridge is that it connects you to the Ljubljana Central Market and ergo, food.

Preseren Square

Fun fact about Preseren Square is that it’s actually an oval. It is located in the heart of Ljubljana Old Town and is an epi-centre of good views. From here you can witness the famous pink Franciscan Church of Annunciation as well as Triple Bridge (discussed above), the canal and many other historic buildings and delightful architecture.

Ljubliana, Slovenia

Mersarski Bridge

Mesarski Bridge (also known as Butchers Bridge) is Slovenia’s answer to Paris’ love lock bridge. So, go on, have a nose at the padlocks there or maybe even attach one of your own.

Mestni Trg

Mestni Trg, is Ljubljana’s main town square. Here you will be able to lay your eyes upon the Ljubljana Cathedral, Ljubljana town hall and also throw a coin in the Robba fountain.

Ljubliana, Slovenia

After our full day of exploring we headed to the car rental store and hired out a people carrier for the next two days of the trip. We then drove down to Lake Bled. As our accommodation was slightly out of town and we all wanted to enjoy a drink we decided not to eat out, but to pick up some bits from a local supermarket instead and cook up a feast in our fancy Airbnb.

Day 3

Waking up on day 3 of our trip was something quite special as we got to witness the most magical sunrise over lake bled, and enjoy the autumn  sunshine with a cup of hot coffee on the balcony. 

Lake Bled, Slovenia

After we gulped down our coffees we got ready and headed out for a day of adventuring Lake Bled.

Here’s what we did:

Walk around the lake 

This might sound like an obvious one, but it definitely needs to be done. Each side of the Lake provides a different, but equally as stunning view.

Row to Bled Island

Rent out a rowboat and row yourself to Bled Island. You can get a larger boat to take you out there, meaning you can skip the upper body workout, but that’s far less fun and far less dangerous. I spent the duration of my journeys to and from Bled Island convinced that we were about to fall in.

Once you get on to Bled island you can explore the Church of the Assumption, as well as grab some coffee and ice cream at the onsite cafe

Lake Bled, Slovenia
Lake Bled, Slovenia

Triglav National Park

This was my ultimate favorite part of our trip to Slovenia. Triglav National park is 880 km² in size and can be found on the outskirts of Lake Bled and beyond. We visited Vintgar Gorge which is just a 10 minute drive from Lake Bled and it did not disappoint. Here you can take a nice leisurely walk along and through the gorge. Along the way you will witness plenty of breathtaking views with emerald green rivers and gushing waterfalls. 

If you happen to have more time I would highly recommend exploring more of Triglav National Park. Unfortunately we didn’t and I am very keen to get back!

Lake Bled, Slovenia
Lake Bled, Slovenia
Lake Bled, Slovenia

Ojstrica viewpoint

This is probably this most famous viewpoint in Lake Bled and undoubtably the best. Not only do you get an epic view of the Lake itself but also the surrounding Julian Alps too. We got extremely lost trying to find this viewpoint but luckily for you, the writers at ‘Our taste for life’ have given a very helpful guide on how to find and hike Ojstrica which you can find here.

Bled Castle

Perched on a cliff top 130m above Lake Bled is Bled Castle. The Castle dates back to Medieval times and is the oldest castle in Slovenia. If you want to take a look around the castle tickets are €11. As well as soaking up some Slovenian history, this is also another fantastic view point.

Day 4

Our flight was in the afternoon so we had a few hours left to kill in Lake Bled. We decided to spend this time at a local cafe overlooking the lake and try out the famous Bled delicasy; the Bled cream cake. If you love pastries with creamy, custardy goodness then this is a cake for you!

Lake Bled, Slovenia


Looking for more long weekend inspirations? Then check out my Norway itinerary here.


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I'm Christina a part-time traveller who is exploring the world around my 9-5. From canyons to coasts, I love all kinds of adventures. I've created this space to provide you with all the travel inspiration and my top tips for seeing more of the world in less time.

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Instagram post 17983449061890786 Instagram post 17983449061890786
🌴This place was no where to be seen on my Googl 🌴This place was no where to be seen on my Google searches. I just happened to stumble across it on my walk and it was my favourite spot of all. 🧡😍

🥾So this is your sign to just start walking and exploring 

📍Reeds Bay @thunder.bay.beach.bar 

Where was you’re favourite place that you just found by chance?
9  things to NEED to do on your Barbados holiday🌴🇧🇧:

🐟 Oistins Fish Fry on a Friday Night
⚡️ Go for a drink and swim @thunder.bay.beach.bar 
🌅Watch the Sunrise
🐢Swim with Turtles
⛵️Boat cruise with @silvermoonbarbados 
🌮Sunset Dinner @seashed_barbados 
🐎Watch the racehorses at Pebbles Beach 
🌊 Walk along the Hastings Boardwalk 
🌅Watch the sunset 

Anything I’m missing from the list?
Where is your “OMG” travel destination? Where is your “OMG” travel destination?
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