Slovenia

Lake Bled, Slovenia. For a country I'd never heard much about, Slovenia was amazing. It's probably best described as a poor man's Switzerland. Nearly the same quality of mountain vistas, lakes, ski resorts, etc but at a fraction of the cost. And this beautiful mountain country even has a little bit of coastline on the Mediterranean. This is the Church of the Assumption of Mary (or Cerkev Marijinega Vnebovzetja if you prefer), located out on a tiny island in the middle of Lake Bled.

Lake Bled, Slovenia. An overview of Lake Bled and the island church from high on the cliff at Bled Castle.

Ljubljana, Slovenia. A view down the scenic Ljubljanica River, running right through downtown.

Ljubljana, Slovenia. The castle on the big hill in the center of town transforms into a bar/restaurant at night.

Slovenia. Like most of Europe, there's history everywhere, even if you're not looking for it. This is just another random wine cellar in a 1,200-year old castle.

Piran, Slovenia. There's not much Slovenian coastline, but the little bit that they've got is pretty sweet!

Piran, Slovenia. A peaceful evening at the Piran harbor.

Slovenia. Old World Charm.