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My husband and I were staying in Trieste in northeastern Italy, when we decided to climb into our hire car and drive to Slovenia for the day. We had spent a good few days exploring the city and seaport of Trieste, and after an evening of cooking pasta and drinking delicious Italian wine in our apartment, we decided to venture a little further afield. Neither of us had been to Slovenia before and truthfully didn’t know much about it, so this was as good a time as any to be adventurous and take the road less travelled. Slovenia soon became one of my favourite destinations, especially as it’s not your typical European destination. For me it felt like an undiscovered country, which made it that much more appealing. We drove along the brand new motor ways and were often the only car on them. I loved the ever-changing landscape with the Adriatic coastline on one side and majestic mountains on the other. We headed for Lake Bled which is a beautiful emerald-green lake in the Julian Alps where it adjoins the town of Bled. Lake Bled reminded me of a fairytale town with its Alpine-style chalets with wooden shutters and flower boxes, overlooking an enchanting lake against a mountainous backdrop. In the middle of the lake is a small island housing the Church of Mary the Queen, also known as Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, or Our Lady of the Lake. We hopped on a traditional Pletna boat to visit the picture-perfect island, where the views and photographic opportunities were indescribable. The Pletna is a large gondola-like boat with a canopy driven by a friendly local. Built on a precipice above Bled, overlooking the lake, is Bled Castle. Bled Castle is a medieval castle and, according to some, is the oldest Slovenian castle. The views from this fairytale castle are phenomenal, with the grandeur of the mountains straight ahead of you and the mesmerising lake below. From Lake Bled we headed for Ljubljana, the country’s capital and largest city. Ljubljana is a cosmopolitan city with fantastic architecture and friendly people. The jade-green Ljubjanica River runs through the city and the outdoor café’s have set up terrace-seating along the river. Perched above the city on Castle Hill is Ljubljana Castle, accessed by furnicular. One can enjoy a wonderful view of the city below once at the top. We wondered though the narrow streets of the Old Town, where we were entertained by street musicians and actors. An original artistic intervention which I enjoyed, was the sight of hundreds of shoes hanging from a cable above us. The little bridges spanning the river were decorated with colourful key locks, a symbol of love for couples. We ducked into a café to satisfy our tastebuds, and watched the world go by while sipping on the local Laško beer and enjoying the delicious food recommended by our waiter. Prešeren Square is the place where the city meets up, and leading off the square is Triple Bridge. As the name suggests, Tripe Bridge is a group of three bridges with stone balustrades and lanterns. A stunning spot for a photographic opportunity. Dragon Bridge is ‘guarded’ by four dragon statues standing sentinel on each corner of the bridge After a wonderful day of exploring the enchanting Lake Bled and the historical streets of Ljubljana, it was time to drive back to Trieste. We had been treated to a fantastic introduction to this beautiful country and were already planning our next trip back to Slovenia.