Ljubljana, Slovenia·June 3 - 12 2024

Slovenia - Land of Shifting Borders

Explore stories of belonging within an ever-changing homeland

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Overview

One of the seven republics of the former Yugoslavia in Central Europe, Slovenia is known for its storybook beauty. Its majestic mountain vistas, turquoise rivers and lakes, and stunning Adriatic coastline are no longer a secret. Newly crowned "The New Zealand of. Europe", it hosts a wealth of diverse activities, from hiking and rafting to caving and traditional cooking and dancing. Slovenia and its neighbors seem always to be at the crossroads of significant historical events—from world wars and the Cold War to more recent immigration from the Middle East. Despite constant change, its people are genuinely warm and welcoming, and its country safe.. In our travels, we'll explore this homeland of continually shifting borders and meet current generations of women who call Slovenia home. Two key factors in the development of Slovenia's identity and establishment as a sovereign country were the literature and language—a language spoken only by just two million Slovenes. The critically-acclaimed novel, I Saw Her That Night, by celebrated Slovenian writer Drago Jančar, will be our guide. Understanding a slice of Slovenia during its development, as well as what it was like for one woman during WWI, will give us context for our travels, and the rich discussions we'll have with each other and the Slovenian sisters who we meet and celebrate. Through storytelling, we'll explore Slovenian's search for identity as they continue to navigate questions of belonging that may resonate with our own inner journeys. REGISTRATION CLOSES APRIL 1.

Highlights

Experience stunning beauty  & welcoming hospitality

Experience stunning beauty & welcoming hospitality

A relatively newly discovered gem, the fairytale Slovenian countryside still maintains its natural beauty, and its people are known for their authentic warmth. Both have an open armed charm! From the Julian Alps to the Adriatic Sea, this country the size of Rhode Island really does have it all.

Celebrate curiosity & authentic connection

Celebrate curiosity & authentic connection

Whether within our intimate trip group of 14, or exchanging stories with our Slovenian sisters, we all celebrate family, tradition, and deep connection. We'll take time to understand and celebrate both our distinct cultures AND the threads that unite us as women.

Gain rich historical context for everything you see

Gain rich historical context for everything you see

Unravel the mystery of one Slovenian woman’s disappearance from her country mansion during WWII in Drago Jančar’s award-winning novel I Saw Her That Night. Visit the castle where she lived and, for better or worse, broke barriers of gender and culture when her homeland was again at the crossroads of history.

Itinerary

We have carefully selected the itinerary and lodgings so that you can experience one of the most beautiful countries in Europe with an authentic look at culture, environment, and wonderful stories from its women. Activities may vary, but this gives you a flavor of the experience.

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The day before your trip

Pre-trip

Before we leave, we invite you to read I Saw Her That Night by celebrated Slovenian author, Drago Jančar. This award-winning novel is a love story caught in the middle of troubled Slovenian times before and during World War II. We will provide the book.

We will also gather our trip group on Zoom several weeks before we leave to share introductions, trip goals, logistics, and to answer your questions.

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DAY 1

June 3-4

The capital city of Ljubljana provides plenty of opportunities to immerse ourselves in the culture and tradition of our new playground of Slovenia. From a boat ride to a fairytale castle and a city walk filled with history led by our fabulous guide, Minka, to traditional food and scenes, we'll begin to feel what makes Slovenia unique. 

Our focus on sharing stories begins here as we meet our first local Slovenian sisters. 

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DAY 2

June 5-6

Now out of the city, we'll enjoy a beautiful drive through the countryside to the majestic Škocjan Cave, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that so closely resembles the caves in The Lord of the Rings you'll feel you're on a quest of your own! 

Discovered in 1815, the cave has a river and waterfalls running through it, and part of the 6 kilometers of paths is a bridge spanning the water in one of the largest cave chambers known.

From the depths we'll climb into the Soča Valley carving throught the Julian Alps. In Kobarid we'll raft on the river featured in the filming of Prince Caspian. The Tolmin Gorges, which claim Dante's Cave, will reveal another striking scene contrasting dark rocks and turquoise water.

We'll then venture into the mountaintop heights and trenches of the WWI battles waged between Italy and Austria-Hungary (who conscripted Slovenes for their side). Of course there will be time to hike and take in the spectacular mountain views.

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DAY 3

June 7-8

The charming town of Celje will host a weekend getaway. Close friends are ready to share the secrets of their hometown, including the beautiful Romanesque castle there dating to 701, and a magical pedagogical treehouse. We'll also feast on regional cuisine and hear fascinating stories of historical figures such as the Counts of Celje, who ultimately lost out to the Hapsburg monarchy.

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DAY 4

June 9-11

From Celje we'll stop by Strmol Castle, where our common novel takes place, on our way to one of the most celebrated areas of Slovenia, the Lake Bled region. By boat and on foot, we'll enjoy this gorgeous setting with its storybook medieval castle on the bluff over the ever-photographed island with a church at the top of 99 steps. 

We may find time for an optional visit to nearby Radovljica, a favorite well-preserved medieval town, where the traditions of beekeeping and honeybread are kept alive.

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DAY 5

June 12 - Departure

After our last night's celebratory dinner, it's time to revel in the beautiful connections and new inspiration this magical country has given us.

Following breakfast and morning sharing, we'll transport you to the airport...unless you decide to stay on and continue the adventure. The choice is yours!

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DAY 6

Continued Community

Your Honest Heart journey can continue after you arrive home. We'll host a call following the trip for trip sisters to reconnect and share lasting impressions and inspiring take-aways. We also maintain occasional natural communications via WhatsApp following our shared experience.

We fully anticipate this won't be your last HHJ experience either. You're now part of a beautiful community with new sisters!

The Experience

Unplug to immerse

Unplug to immerse

We invite you to leave your "to do" lists at home, turn on your "out of office," and trust all's well with your loved ones and work back home. Sink into views of gorgeous landscapes, the slower pace, and rich connection with each other and local women friends. You'll feel the magic of this storybook land with its distinct history and character.

Let us host your journey

Let us host your journey

You'll love our wonderful guide, Minka, whose family background mirrors Slovenia's distinct dilemma around belonging. Using our trip book, prompted journaling, and the art of storytelling, your HHJ hosts, Ellen and Jen will provide thoughtful context for exploring universal themes of change and identity that thread their way through Slovenia's history and our own lives.

Activity Level

Activity Level

Be prepared for moderate activity. We'lll spend time hiking around the mountains and towns - cobblestone streets, castles and a cave with abundant stairs, and some wooded trails. It's easy to walk several miles in a day while exploring, but they won't be consecutive. Be ready to get a little wet rafting the Soča River one afternoon on easy I-III Class rapids with a guide.

Experience the best in charming & comfortable lodging

Experience the best in charming & comfortable lodging

We’ve selected from among the very best accommodations with culture and comfort in mind. From old world Austrian-inspired hotels in the heart of town to newly-renovated Alpine lodges with lake view terraces, you'll feel truly pampered and special.

Sample the most delicious Slovenian cuisine

Sample the most delicious Slovenian cuisine

Begin your day with a full traditional breakfast at our hotel, then continue your day with delicious colorful, fresh tastes. You can sample štrukli, a sweet or savory steamed dumpling, or potica, a favorite baked treat; or feast on seasonal specialty mushroom or asparagus delights. Grilled meats will please some palates. Cuisine ranges from Mediterranean to Italian to Viennese, as in wiener schnitzel!

Why experience Slovenia in June?

Why experience Slovenia in June?

Slightly ahead of the peak summer crowds, early June offers relaxed sightseeing, long days of sunshine and bright-green scenery, and waterbodies inviting enough to swim in. Average temperatures peak around a perfect 68 degrees in the mountains and a warmer 80 in the capital and on the coast.

How do I pack?

How do I pack?

We will provide a complete planning guide, including a detailed suggested packing list, after you register. Be prepared to walk, either in the cities or in the Alpine mountain ranges. You'll spend more than one night in all hotels, with time to wash, so pack light!

What's Included

What's Included

All lodging and transportation

All activities & entry fees - tours, museums, classes, rafting, caving, hiking, etc.

All but a few meals at times that we've intentionally left flexible

All transportation to and from Ljubijana, Slovenia

Trip insurance (required)

Airport transfers to and from hotels on travel days

Hosts

After hearing college students rave about their abroad trips to Slovenia with Ellen, HHJ Founder, Jen Dale, knew she wanted to experience this magical country of "unreal beauty" for herself. Ellen had also been her daughter's first boss and mentor, and she knew she loved this woman! Thus, their effortless communication began, and Ellen and Jen can't wait to introduce you to the vibrant and diverse community of women that Ellen has developed there through the years.

Ellen Sprague

Ellen Sprague

While her career has centered on writing, Ellen’s deeper passion within that is language, the cultural connections and implications, the unfamiliar sounds and meanings, and the surprises. She’d spent time in Western European countries during college and her first time in grad school (an MA in French), but after just nine days in Slovenia in 2012 studying creative nonfiction writing for her MFA, she was smitten with the nascent country. (It had been part of Yugoslavia until 1991.)

She couldn’t get enough of the culture, landscape, history, and gelato, so she designed a month-long study abroad program for college students, which she has led three times. When she returned from her last visit in 2022, she realized that while she was going to miss the country, what she would most miss were the friends she had made in her several visits to their Central European homeland. That’s why she snatched the opportunity to plan an Honest Heart Journey to Slovenia with Jen—friendships.

Since 2015, she’s been trying to learn Slovene (taking both online courses and in-person private lessons in Slovenia), but with little opportunity to practice, she says she’s really just a Slovene enthusiast with a lot of vocabulary and good friends. It’s been through reading literature from other countries—stories mostly from Slovenia and it’s neighbors—that she has learned enough about the history and culture of the region to feel she built and completed her own master’s degree in Balkan studies.

She loves the mountains and is so incredibly grateful to be able to work from her new home in Castle Rock, Colorado, remotely as Principia College’s Writing Center director with a few more roles. When she travels to Slovenia, the only things she misses are her husband, Josh, and her German Shorthair Pointer dog, Bader.

Jennifer Dale

Jennifer Dale

Jen loves celebrating and encouraging the beauty she sees in others. She's a gatherer and builder who naturally nurtures community and hosts safe environments for meaningful connection. She believes in our inherent wholeness and need for discovery and growth. While pursuing careers in dance and design, Jen recognized that she thrived most nurturing people. She spent almost two decades developing and facilitating programmed trips and events for faith-based community with Adventure Unlimited and her church. This included helping develop DiscoveryBound's National Leadership Council servant leadership program for teens as director during some of its formative years. As dean of girls at Principia School, Jen heard a calling to nurture the kind of sisterhood that defies current cultural stereotypes and expectations. Honest Heart Journeys was conceived during long conversations about strong, gracious womanhood with a sister friend during COVID lockdowns. She loves writing about timeless women’s topics in her frequent HHJ blog. Wherever Jennifer's gone, her 'sisters' -- wonderful women with whom she’s built teams, programs, and deep friendships – have been steady, supportive companions. This kind of quality sisterhood is woven through the HHJ experience. It encourages others to give time to nurture their spiritual and personal hearts and gently holds them accountable to seeing and living their fullness, which of course blesses others.Travel has always been a passion of Jen’s, and she’s experienced firsthand the powerful impact of intentional programming facilitated within correlative environments. She can't wait to experience Slovenia's stunning storybook charm and bond with the women on this journey. The HHJ magic continues in Slovenia!

FAQs

Reserve your spot through our website. We require a 50% deposit with full payment due 90 days prior to the departure date. We welcome payments via credit card, check, or Zelle (jen@honestheartjourneys.com). Credit card payments will incur a surcharge. We're happy to work with you to establish a payment plan as well.

If you have ANY questions, we'd love to talk with you! Reach out any time at info@honestheartjourneys.com.

A deposit of 50% of the HHJ trip cost is required to reserve your spot on the trip.

If a cancellation is made prior to 180 days before the trip date, the entire deposit will be refunded less a $300 per person service charge. If a cancellation is made from 180 to 90 days prior to the trip departure date, 50% of the deposit will be refunded. If a cancellation is made within 90 days of the trip departure date, the entire trip fee is forfeited. All cancellations must be received in writing to info@honestheartjourneys.com. 

It is highly unlikely that we will cancel a trip, but we do reserve the right to cancel due to weather, natural disasters, emergencies or a lack of sufficient reservations. If we cancel a trip, a full refund of the trip deposit and any final payment will be given.

HHJ requires that you obtain travel insurance in case of cancellation, unexpected circumstances, or the need for evacuation. We want you to make a decision that meets your needs. Though we do not recommend specific companies, travel industry colleagues have recommended the following companies: AIG Travel, Allianz, Seven Corners, Travelguard, and WorldNomads. Booking protection is offered through the registration process on our website. You might also see what your credit card offers, and many airlines now offer travel insurance.

The planning guide that we provide all registered guests who are paid in full includes a full trip itinerary, packing list, supportive travel information, release forms for you to review/sign/return to us, information on our trip book and other supporting materials, and a link to a guest survey that collects your important information. 

We will meet in the capital city of Ljubljana and depart from Lake Bled. 

If you fly into Ljubljana (LJU), we can arrange for hotel transport for the 45 minute ride to our hotel in the city center. You might also consider flying into a less expensive European city (e.g. Zurich or Milan) and enjoying a beautiful train ride to Ljubljana. Departing from Bled, we can also arrange hotel transit to the airport. 

Google Flights and Kayak are good places to begin searching for flights.

Please check your passport well in advance of your departure date and make sure that it has been issued within the last ten years and is valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave. Six months are recommended. No visa is required for a trip under 90 days long.

Reviews

My trip with HHJ brought out my true self, the self I haven't seen or felt in a very long time!

Brenda, Lyons, CO

I was blown away by the opportunity to connect with an amazing group of women in a way I did not know was possible and in a format which opened up a beautiful way to connect and talk.

Linda, St Louis, MO

The trip was an eye opening experience, not only for the hidden beauty of Slovenia but for the rich culture there. Ellen led the trip with expertise and thoughtful planning that made it a truly unforgettable experience.

Lydia, Boston, MA

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