Discover Ljubljana, one of Europe’s greenest and smallest capitals, on an enlightening walking tour through downtown, by visiting Ljubljana Castle and by exploring the surrounding countryside and gorgeous Lake Bled.
Note: This program begins in Ljubljana, Slovenia and ends in Trieste, Italy. Guests will need to fly into the Ljubljana Jože Pucnik Airport (LJU).
DAY 1
After arriving at the Ljubljana Airport (LJU), you will be met outside Customs and transferred to your hotel with the assistance of an English-speaking representative. The remainder of the day will be at your leisure, so you may want to consult with the hotel’s hospitality desk for recommendations.
Check-in at your hotel is 3:00p.m. Although every effort will be made to have rooms available sooner, this cannot be guaranteed. Meals will be on your own today.
DAY 2
Following breakfast in the hotel, you will meet the guide in the lobby and begin a comprehensive walking tour of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Although relatively small for a capital city, Ljubljana is full of attractions, many of which you will see while meandering through the historical downtown. Highlights include the central Farmers Market, Town Hall, Ljubljana Cathedral, Three Bridges, National Library and Preseren Square.
In time, you will ride the funicular to Ljubljana Castle with the English-speaking guide. Looming over the city for about 900 years, the castle offers spectacular views. You may also browse the castle’s Slovenian history exhibition and unusual puppet museum.
After returning to the hotel, the remainder of the day will be at your leisure with dinner on your own.
Note: The walking tour of Ljubljana is rated as an easy walk, especially in the pedestrian zone of the city. The city center is small, and the distances covered are small. The sightseeing tour is accessible by wheelchair. The tour also includes the funicular ride to the castle hill and the visit to Ljubljana castle. The funicular is accessible and the castle is partly accessible.
DAY 3
Following breakfast at the hotel, you will transfer to Lake Bled, an absolutely gorgeous setting in the Julian Alps. The building that you will see rising above the lake’s sole island is the Assumption of Mary Church.
Bled Castle sits atop a precipice above the lake. While meandering through the medieval castle during free time, you may see its Gothic chapel, wine cellar, replica Gutenberg wooden press and museum, where a 6th-century peacock brooch is one of the many artifacts on display.
Once you return to the hotel, the remainder of the day will be at your leisure with dinner on your own.
DAY 4
Following breakfast at the hotel and check out, transfer to Postojna Cave, the second-largest cave system in Slovenia. You will ride through the cave on a small railway that has been operating for nearly 150 years. Later, discover the flavors of Ljubljana at lunch.
Afterward, you will transfer to the port of Trieste for embarkation.
Note: Bled Castle and Postojna Caves are accessible for wheelchairs as long as there is someone to push the wheelchair. There is a slight ramp to enter the castle.
Land Program Details Step by Step
• The order of sites visited may vary to avoid congestion. Program times are approximate, given here for general reference purposes and subject to change.
• Itineraries with the up-to-date details will be issued when you are emailed your final cruise documents 21 days prior to sailing. You will then receive a final itinerary from our ground operator with a Welcome Letter upon arrival or at your hotel. Please review the letter and your final itinerary carefully for further amendments.
• The hotels used for your land program will be the hotels listed in this document unless you have been advised otherwise in advance of the land program start date.
• Guests failing to arrive on Day 1 of a scheduled land program will be considered a no-show and their hotel space released.
Extra Nights
• All extra nights booked through the cruise line are confirmed at the hotel that is used on the FIRST NIGHT of your land program
• If you book extra nights through the cruise line, you will be met as per the flight details provided and transferred to your hotel. Check-in is 3:00pm (subject to change). Meals other than breakfast, as well as activities, are on your own until day 2 of the program.
• If you have an early-arriving flight, you may wish to book an extra night as your room will not be ready for occupation until approximately 3:00pm.
• If you book extra nights on your own, transfers are not included.
DAY 1
Arrive at the Ljubljana International Airport
Meet and Greet and transfer to your hotel
3:00pm Check-in at the hotel
The remainder of the day is at your leisure with meals on your own
Overnight at the Intercontinental Hotel
Meet and Greet and transfers
• Final cruise documents will be emailed 21 days prior to sailing. The local ground agent’s telephone number will be on page 1, if you can’t locate the meet-and-greet representative upon arrival. Be aware that the representative may be assisting others and may not be in sight when you first exit Customs and the luggage claim area.
• Look for someone holding a sign with the cruise line logo and possibly your name. If in doubt, ask the airport staff to direct you to the meeting area for transfers or to page our representative.
• Meet and Greet and transfers are arranged for guests arriving on Day 1 of a land program or for extra nights booked through the cruise line and are arranged based on the flight details received by guests at least 14 days before sailing. Guests arriving independently before the program start date will not have a transfer included.
• If we have not received your flight details or your flights have changed and the Destination Services Land Team has not been notified, then a transfer cannot be provided, and guests will be responsible for getting to the land program hotel at their own expense. Please immediately contact our Reservations Department for any flight changes before departure.
DAY 2
7:30am Breakfast at your hotel
9:00am Meet your guide in the lobby to begin your city tour
10:00am Entrance to Ljubljana Castle with funicular
11:00am Remainder of the day at your leisure
Lunch and dinner on own
Overnight at the Intercontinental hotel
DAY 3
07:00am Breakfast at the hotel.
09:00am Meet your guide in the lobby of the Hotel Grand Plaza, departure, and transfer to Bled Castle in a private bus
10:00am Bled Castle Tour (entrance included)
11:30am End of the visit and transfer to Lake Bled
11:50am Free time, lunch on your own
02:00pm Departure from Bled
03:00pm Return to the Hotel Plaza, overnight in the hotel
DAY 4 - timings to be adjusted – guests will need to be at the Venice terminal at least 2 hours before ship departure
7:00am Breakfast at your hotel
8:00am Check out
8:15am Meet your guide in the lobby of the hotel
8:30am Departure for Postojna
10:00am Entrance to the cave (group tour with on spot guide)
12:30pm Discover the tastes of Ljubljana on lunch
1:00pm Departure for the port of Trieste
2:00pm Approximate arrival at the port of Trieste for embarkation
Expected Weather
April: average temperature: min 4, max 15 degrees Celsius. Expect rain.
May: average temperature: min 9, max 20 degrees Celsius
June: average temperature: min 12, max 24 degrees Celsius
July and August: average temperature: min 14, max 27 degrees Celsius
September and October: average temperature: min 11, max 22 degrees Celsius
What to Bring
Clothing that can be layered to suit to the temperature, good walking shoes, warm jacket and pants for the Postojna cave (constant temperature of 10 degrees Celsius), hat, sunscreen, umbrella, camera, chargers, medications and toiletries.
Local Currency
Euro
Electricity
In Slovenia the power plugs and sockets are of type F. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. Type F: also known as "Schuko." This socket also works with plug C and plug E. We recommend bringing your own universal travel adaptor for electric devices.
Documents and Visa Requirements
A valid passport is required. As entry requirements vary by nationality, we recommend that guests check with their local Slovenian Embassy for any visa or other travel requirements for your nationality.
Hotel
Intercontinental Hotel
Slovenska cesta 59, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
*We will only source different hotels in unforeseen situations. If similar hotels are required, they will be of equal ratings and standards, and you will be notified of the change. If you are not notified of any changes before your departure, then you will be staying at the hotels listed in this program.
Program Includes for guests:
• 3 nights at Intercontinental hotel – Superior King room or similar hotel
• Breakfast daily
• 3-course lunch on Day 4 with drink package (1 glass of wine or 1 small beer or 1 soft drink + 0.5 litres of water) per person
• Porterage (1 piece per person)
• DBL room accommodation with breakfast included. Porterage (1 piece per person)
• Meet and greet service with English-speaking guide assistance at the Ljubljana airport
• Hospitality desk at the hotel on the first day
• Transfer from the airport to the hotel with luggage
• Private English-speaking guide for the walking city´s sightseeing tour (up to 2 hrs)
• Private English-speaking guide for a half-day tour to Bled
• Transportation for HD tour to Bled
• Touring and entrances per the itinerary: Postojna cave, Bled castle and Ljubljana Castle with a funicular ride
• Full-day English-speaking guide and transportation for tour from Ljubljana to Postojna and then the port of Trieste
Please Note: Guests booking their own flights independently of the cruise line are responsible for ensuring that the cruise line has the updated arrival information, so your transfer can be arranged. If you book additional nights independently of the cruise line, an arrival transfer is not provided. If we do not receive flight details a minimum of 14 days in advance, transfers will not be provided.
Program Excludes for guests:
• Gratuities for drivers and guides
• Hotel incidentals including mini bar and room service
• Meals or beverages not listed above
Please note: Land programs that encompass multiple days ashore customarily include extensive and prolonged activity, while those of shorter durations typically have more moderate activity levels. However, each program varies, and participants should be prepared to negotiate a mixture of surfaces which may include inclines, cobblestones, sand, gravel and natural paths. There may also be a need to climb steps or stairs occasionally. Guests who utilize a wheelchair and those with mobility concerns are advised to check with the cruise line in advance to see if any portion of the tour program may not be considered suitable for their individual situation.
Please note: All land programs are capacity controlled and subject to availability. Programs falling under the minimum number of required participants are subject to cancellation. Pricing listed is also subject to change to meet unexpected cost increases for transportation, land arrangements or currency fluctuations. Once purchased, pricing is guaranteed and not subject to change.
Land programs must be purchased no later than 60 days prior to your sail date. Cancellations made within 60 days or less prior to the sail date are subject to 100% cancellation penalty. There are no refunds for unused portions of any program. Guests failing to arrive on Day 1 of a scheduled land program will be considered no-shows and their hotel space released.
Prices are per person, based on double occupancy and subject to availability.
