Some people build vacations around famous cities. We rarely do.

Instead, we chase landscapes, castles, mountain roads, and places that tell a story. Give us an apartment over a hotel, a scenic drive over a crowded attraction, and the freedom to change plans along the way, and that’s our kind of vacation.

This summer’s road trip took us from our home near Prague through Austria, Slovenia, and a touch of Italy, covering roughly 1,800 kilometers over six days. Along the way we explored alpine lakes, mountain gorges, historic castles, hidden beaches, and coastal towns while discovering a few surprises that made the journey even more memorable.

As always, I documented the adventure from both the ground and the air. You’ll find a collection of photos in the Flickr album, and over the coming weeks I’ll be sharing Reels and Stories on Instagram (@cdiesal) as I work through the footage. Longer video highlights from the trip will also make their way to YouTube at YouTube.com/ChuckDiesal312, so if you’d like to experience the journey from a different perspective, stay tuned, there’s plenty more to come.

We also travel a little differently than most people. Hotels have never really been our thing. We prefer apartments. They give us the freedom to cook together, spread out, and experience a region beyond the busy tourist centers. Some of the homes we stayed in were destinations in themselves, tucked away in the countryside with incredible views. It really feels like vacation when you’re staying somewhere that’s nicer than your own home.

Another thing we’ve learned over the years is how to pace a road trip. Day one and the drive home are our longest travel days. Everything in between is designed to be easy, usually no more than two or three hours behind the wheel. That leaves more time to hike, explore, stop when something catches our eye, and simply enjoy where we are instead of racing to the next destination.

Hallstatt, Austria

Our first stop was Hallstatt, and it couldn’t have been a better way to kick off the trip.

Nestled beside one of Austria’s most beautiful lakes, Hallstatt is every bit as picturesque as the photos suggest. The colorful buildings, mountain backdrop, and calm waters create one of those places where you find yourself stopping every few minutes just to take another picture.

Although many visitors come for the famous salt mine, our focus was simply enjoying the town itself. We wandered along the waterfront, explored the narrow streets, and took in the atmosphere before making our way to Waldbachstrub Waterfall. One of the things I appreciated most was how accessible it is. Within minutes, you’re standing beside a beautiful waterfall that’s tucked into the edge of town, making it an easy addition to any visit.

Hallstatt is absolutely worth seeing, but I also think it’s the perfect place to start a larger adventure rather than being the adventure itself. For us, it marked the beginning of six days that would take us through three countries and a wide range of landscapes, each completely different from the last.

Lake Bled, Slovenia

From Hallstatt, we continued south into Slovenia, making our way to one of the country’s most recognizable destinations, Lake Bled.

Although Hallstatt and Bled are both famous lake towns, they couldn’t feel more different. Hallstatt is a lakeside village surrounded by dramatic mountains, while Bled feels more like a large park built around a lake. Wide walking paths circle the shoreline, making it easy to spend hours exploring at your own pace.

At the center of the lake sits Bled Island, home to the Church of the Assumption. Visitors arrive by traditional wooden boats before climbing the famous 99 stone steps leading to the church. Watching the boats make their way across the lake gives Bled its unmistakable character.

High above everything sits Bled Castle, perched on a cliff overlooking the water. We didn’t tour the castle itself, but simply seeing it from around the lake made for incredible photographs. Another fun stop was the large heart sculpture positioned along the shoreline. Since it’s only an outline, it perfectly frames the lake, the island, and the castle all in one photograph.

We were burning a little time before our reservation at Vintgar Gorge, so walking around Lake Bled turned out to be the perfect way to spend the afternoon. Thanks to a recommendation from a friend who lives in Slovenia, it quickly became one of the highlights of the trip.

Vintgar Gorge

Vintgar Gorge ended up being one of the biggest surprises of the entire vacation.

Unlike many natural attractions where you’re viewing the scenery from above, Vintgar places you right inside the gorge. Wooden walkways hug the cliffs as crystal-clear water rushes beneath your feet through the narrow canyon. Everywhere you look there’s another bend in the river, another waterfall, or another incredible view.

The main boardwalk is roughly 1.6 kilometers long and is an easy walk, allowing you to focus almost entirely on the river itself. The sound of the water becomes the soundtrack of the entire experience.

At the end of the gorge, the river spills into a beautiful pool before continuing downstream. During the summer, many visitors cool off in the water here before beginning the return journey.

What many people don’t realize is that reaching the end only gets you halfway through the adventure. To return to the entrance, you climb into the hills above the gorge before making your way back through forests, open countryside, and farm fields. Yes, there’s a decent uphill climb, and by the time we reached the café near the top, we were more than ready for a short break.

The second half of the hike offers something completely different from the gorge itself. Rolling hills, grazing cows and sheep, mountain views, and even a glimpse of Bled’s summer toboggan run make the return walk just as enjoyable as the gorge below.

Before visiting Slovenia, everyone told us the Soča Gorge was the place to see. After experiencing both, we’d have to disagree. Vintgar Gorge delivered a much richer experience from beginning to end.

The Soča Valley

Crossing Vršič Pass into the Soča Valley was one of the most scenic drives of the trip. Mountain roads, sweeping overlooks, and winding switchbacks made the drive itself part of the adventure.

The Soča River is famous for its unbelievable emerald color, and in person it’s every bit as striking as the photos suggest. It’s one of those rivers you can’t help but stop and admire every chance you get.

Our main destination was the Great Soča Gorge.

I’ll probably surprise a few people with this opinion, but after hearing so much about it beforehand, I actually found it a little underwhelming compared to Vintgar Gorge. The entrance is spectacular, with crystal-clear pools flowing between beautiful rock formations, and it’s easy to see why so many people stop here to swim or jump from the surrounding rocks.

As you continue along the path, however, the scenery becomes much rockier and more open. It’s certainly beautiful, but it didn’t provide the same immersive feeling that Vintgar Gorge offered.

One thing everyone should know before jumping in: the water is incredibly cold. Even in the middle of summer, the Soča is fed directly from the Julian Alps, and you feel it immediately.

That doesn’t mean we’d skip it. Quite the opposite. The Soča Valley remains one of the most beautiful regions we’ve visited in Europe. Between the mountain scenery, emerald river, historic fortresses, and countless hiking opportunities, it’s a destination we’d happily return to. We simply found ourselves enjoying the journey through the valley even more than the gorge itself.

Miramare Castle, Italy

After several days in the mountains, it was time for something completely different.

A short drive into Italy brought us to Miramare Castle, beautifully positioned along the Adriatic Sea just outside Trieste.

Of every castle we visited on this trip, Miramare easily became our favorite. The castle itself is elegant without feeling overwhelming, while the surrounding gardens and walking paths are just as enjoyable as the building itself.

For me, it also turned out to be the most photogenic location of the entire vacation. From ground level, the gardens, stone walls, and sea views create endless compositions. From the air, the castle sitting on its rocky peninsula becomes even more impressive. It was one of those places where I found myself taking far more photographs than I originally planned.

Whether you decide to tour the interior or simply enjoy the grounds, Miramare is absolutely worth adding to any trip through northern Italy or western Slovenia.

The Piran Region

Our final destination was Slovenia’s Adriatic coastline.

If you’re expecting long stretches of sandy beaches, you might be surprised. Along much of Slovenia’s coast, concrete platforms, stone walkways, and pebble beaches are far more common than sand. That also means one important piece of advice: pack water shoes. Walking barefoot across those smooth pebbles isn’t for everyone.

Rather than spending our time on the busiest beaches, we explored some of the smaller local spots around the Piran region. Dubrava Beach became one of our favorites. Reaching it required a short hike down the hillside, but once there, we were rewarded with clear, warm water and far fewer people than we expected. We even stayed one evening to watch the sunset over the Adriatic.

Piran itself was exactly the kind of coastal town we enjoy. It’s less about laying on a beach all day and more about slowing down. Find a café, order a drink, watch boats come and go, and simply enjoy the atmosphere. The sea is always just a few steps away, even if you’re sitting on a stone wall instead of a sandy beach.

One unexpected highlight was finding the perfect gift for our daughter, a real pearl necklace from a local shop in Piran. It wasn’t flawless, which made it feel even more authentic, and seeing how excited she was made it one of those moments we’ll remember long after the trip itself.

Food, Family & Chicken Bacon

One thing vacation gives us that everyday life often doesn’t is time.

Time to cook together.

Time to sit around the same table.

Time to enjoy meals without watching the clock.

That’s one of the biggest reasons we prefer apartments over hotels. Having a full kitchen lets us shop like locals, prepare breakfast together, and enjoy dinner without rushing from restaurant to restaurant.

I also love visiting grocery stores whenever we travel. Every country tells its own story through its supermarkets. You notice different breads, different seafood, different products, and different shopping habits. Even though Slovenia shares many similarities with the Czech Republic and the rest of the Balkans, I still found myself wandering the aisles looking for something new.

And then… I found chicken bacon. (I Don’t Eat Pork)

It probably sounds funny, but after living in Europe for more than a decade, I hadn’t seen it anywhere. Needless to say, several packs came home with us in the cooler bag. The morning after returning home, we celebrated with scrambled eggs, cheese grits, hash browns, and chicken bacon, a breakfast that reminded me a little of home.

Sometimes it’s the smallest discoveries that become the best stories.

Final Thoughts

In just six days we crossed three countries, drove roughly 1,800 kilometers, explored medieval towns, hiked mountain gorges, crossed the Julian Alps, visited castles, relaxed beside the Adriatic Sea, and came home with Hundreds of photographs and a decent amount of drone footage.

More importantly, we came home with a much better understanding of western Slovenia. Every trip teaches us something, and this one reminded us that no amount of online research can replace seeing a place with your own eyes. We made new friends, discovered new favorite places, and already have ideas for future adventures.

Europe continues to amaze us with how quickly the landscape can change. Within a few hours you can go from alpine lakes to mountain passes, emerald rivers, historic castles, and warm Adriatic beaches. That’s what makes road trips like this so rewarding.

Follow the Journey

If you enjoyed this adventure, there’s plenty more to see beyond this article.

📸 Flickr – Browse the complete photo gallery from this road trip, including ground and aerial photography:
https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCYKbh https://www.flickr.com/photos/chuckdiesal/albums

🎥 YouTube – Full travel videos and highlights from this trip will be released over the coming weeks:
https://www.youtube.com/ChuckDiesal312

📱 Instagram – Follow along for Reels, Stories, behind-the-scenes moments, and future adventures:
https://www.instagram.com/cdiesal/

🌍 The Ride With ChuckDiesal – More travel stories, cultural experiences, photography, radio, and life across Europe:
https://TheRideWithChuckDiesal.com

Every road trip teaches us something new, and this one gave us an even greater appreciation for western Slovenia, northern Italy, and the Austrian Alps. There are still plenty of roads left to drive, stories left to tell, and places left to discover. I’ll see you on the next adventure.