OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

Select your choice of optional activities on 3 separate days. Note: A minimum number of delegates is required for each activity. Should these numbers not be met, the activity might have to be cancelled and you will then be requested to select an alternative activity. LAKE BLED OPTIONS

Summer tobogganing Fitness level: (1) Summer tobogganing is a fantastic experience for young and old alike. The sledding track is situated on the Straza Hill above Lake Bled. Get a chairlift to the top of the hill on the ski slopes and toboggan down! The track length is 520 meters, the elevation difference is 131 meters and top speed can reach up to 40 km/h. The average incline is 25, 2%. The track offers great views of Lake Bled, Bled Castle and the mountains of the Slovenian Alps. If you would like to spice up your visit of Lake Bled with a touch of adrenaline, then summer tobogganing is a must. Standup paddle adventure on Lake Bled Fitness level: (2) Especially during summer, Lake Bled is a popular hot spot where all the locals meet and greet. The tiny island in the middle of the lake is one of the most attractive and well-visited tourist points in Bled. Yes, you could take a traditional boat ride to the island, but if you are looking for something new, something hip and exciting, take a SUP and paddle away! You will be introduced to all the basics you need to know about safe and comfy SUPing, then when you feel secure, you will paddle to the middle of the lake, enjoy the majestic view of the Bled Castle, nested on top of a cliff, high above the lake, and SUP a little further until you reach the famous little island, which simply cannot be missed out on once you enter Bled!

Visit to Bled Castle and High Tea at Grand Hotel Toplice Fitness level: (1) Perched atop a steep cliff more than 100m above the lake, Bled Castle is how most people imagine a medieval fortress to be, with towers, ramparts, moats and a terrace offering magnificent views. The castle houses a museum collection that traces the lake’s history from earliest times to the development of Bled as a resort in the 19th century. After your visit replenish your energy sources with High Tea at the most renowned hotel in Bled, the Grand Toplice. You will also get to enjoy the only true cream cake, the Bled cream cake. You have to taste it! Explore the Vintgar Gorge Fitness level: (2) This gorge offers lush green vegetation, clear blue water, and is easy enough for anyone to explore. The one meandering path from the parking lot is well maintained and follows the Radovna River as it snakes through the gorge. The Radovna carved out 160-330ft walls which makes being inside the gorge really feel like you're immersed in earth's raw elements. The river ranges from calm pools to rapids to waterfalls, making it quite exciting for such a short walk. The wooden trail crosses the river many times giving you up close and personal views from observation bridges and you may even get wet from the mist.

PORTOROZ OPTIONS

Beach day at Meduza Beach Club Fitness level: (0) The Meduza Beach Club is one of the most beautiful and exclusive beaches on the Adriatic. It is located 150m directly west of the Kempinski Palace Portoroz hotel and it boasts an excellent concept and top-quality service. Besides the beach bar, with daily fresh summer salads, snacks, fresh fruit and a great selection of ice-creams, it offers two elegant massage pavilions for classic, Thai and Ayurveda massages, pre- and after-sun treatments for the body and face and a range of beauty and relaxation programmes.

Unique Lepa Vida Salt Spa Fitness level: (0) On the Slovenian coast, you can admire one of the most beautiful natural and cultural jewels of Slovenia – the Sečovlje Salina Nature Park. Here, the tradition of salt production has existed for hundreds of years and since the Middle Ages has created and preserved a unique saline landscape. At the Lepa Vida Thalasso Spa guests are offered a special experience of traditional thalassotherapy in a unique natural environment amidst the salt pans using natural products, produced in the Sečovlje Salina Landscape Park. Note: For privacy sake, men and women will be split into different groups.

Bicycle Tour Fitness level: (2) The health and friendship route is the right one for all those who want to take a step into the history of old cities and get acquainted with the natural resources of the Istrian Coast and see the beauty of the landscape, covered with hills. The route goes along the old narrow gauge Parenzana railway, which used to connect Trieste and Poreč and has become a symbol of friendship between the Slovenian, Italian and Croatian municipalities. The Parenzana route takes you through old cities and villages, along the sea, among vineyards and olive plantations, through short tunnels and across valleys and hills. It is suitable for everyone and there are also many resting points along the way. You can never be bored on a bike in Slovenia.

Truffle Hunt and Cooking Class Fitness level: (1) The scent of rich bark and crisp leaves surrounds you in a cool even air. The helpful hunting dogs are lively and ready. In raw form the truffle is delicate, sprouting from the forest ground beneath pines and time. In food truffles are robust and flavorful, overpowering in the wrong hands but enhancing cuisine to almost ethereal proportions in the right ones.

Stepping through the brush, follow your guide who is led by the eager-to-please hunting dogs in a one of a kind experience - like searching for a buried treasure hidden somewhere nearby. After the hunt you will learn to cook with truffles and then enjoy the product of your labour over a relaxed lunch which will include a wine tasting from the region.

Full Day Trip to Venice Fitness level: (0) Experience the beauty and glory of Venice for yourself on a day trip from Slovenia. As you stroll, your guide will point out the significant buildings and monuments. Admire singing gondoliers, exotic architecture and mysterious canals. Discover the secrets on how a city built on swamps became one of the most enlightened cities of the western world. See the famous landmarks of San Marco Square, learn the legends of Casanova and Marco Polo, the paintings by great Venetian masters, Sculptures, and the Rialto Bridge. Take free time to set off on your own Venetian adventure, exploring tucked-away medieval streets before transferring back to Portoroza.

Fitness Level Key:

0 – No fitness level required

1 – A moderate level of fitness recommended.

2 – A higher level of fitness recommended.