Ljubljana and Otočec, Slovenia
In July 2012, we picked up a new 135 convertible at BMW Welt in Munich through the BMW European Delivery Program.
We left the delivery center and started our journey towards Slovenia.
Our drive took us through Austria:
Gorgeous mountains and a lot of tunnels.
After a couple of hours on the road, we found a lunch spot in a charming Austrian town.
Side Note: Why do people serve hot drinks in a glass?
And without a handle?
The drive from Germany to Slovenia was stunning.
We crossed the border:
Went through several more tunnels:
And arrived at Otočec Castle, a Relais & Châteaux hotel.
The unique castle hotel is situated on an island right in the middle of Krka River.
After we settled in, we drove through a dense forest to the next town and ate dinner at Gostilna Vovko Restaurant, a traditional Slovenian restaurant.
While we looked over the menu, our waiter brought us a couple of house made liquors.
Think moonshine. Delicious moonshine.
We both started with the House Special and a Laško.
My main course was Leg of Roe Deer with Štruklji and Cranberry Jam.
Štruklji are made from different kinds of dough and can have a wide range of fillings.
Our waiter brought out another round of liquors for us to try. All of them were a different flavor, and we loved every single one of them.
We finished our meal with Pears Poached in Red Wine.
The next morning we ate breakfast in the courtyard of our hotel.
And then headed to Ljubljana, the capital and largest city of Slovenia.
We put the top down and drove through the windy country roads.
It was a gorgeous summer day and perfect for exploring Old Town Ljubljana.
So picturesque!
We found an outdoor cafe for a light lunch.
And then left the city center and drove up Castle Hill to the Ljubljana Castle.
The oldest mention of this medieval castle was in the early 1100s.
In 15th century, it was almost completely demolished and rebuilt.
And in the 17th and 18th century, the castle functioned as a military hospital and an arsenal.
There is so much to do and see in Ljubljana.
It’s impossible to see everything in one day but we were able to get a good taste of the history and culture.
We went back to the Otočec Castle Hotel and walked around the lush grounds before dinner.
Dinner for two was included in our hotel package.
We had Wine:
A delicious amuse-bouche:
Marinated Duck Breast with Honey and Porto Wine:
Carrot Cream Soup with Fried Leeks:
Pasta with Crayfish and Fennel:
And Pork with New Potatoes and Vegetables:
The next morning we started our drive towards Hungary.
It’s about a four and half hour drive through beautiful landscapes.
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You can read about the BMW European Delivery process HERE and HERE.
Highlights
- Slovenia
- Otočec
- Otočec Castle, a Relais & Châteaux hotel
- Otočec
- Hungary
- Budapest
- St. George Residence
- Budapest
- Slovakia
- Brataslava
- Marrol’s Boutique Hotel
- Brataslava
- Czechia
- Prague
- Alchymist Residence Nosticova
- Prague
- Austria
- Vienna
- Hotel Das Tyrol
- Vienna