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Summer in the lakes and mountains

30 replies

gazingatgoats · 01/11/2023 15:27

Would love to hear about your summer holidays in the lakes and mountains of Europe. Looking for an inexpensive holiday for 2 adults and 1 teenager, open to any European country and any type of accommodation.
Would love somewhere that we can swim in lakes/pools and have cable cars to access the mountains. Will need somewhere that has good public transport or lots to do close by, as to keep costs down we won't hire a car. Delicious local food would be a bonus

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Forgottenmyphone · 01/11/2023 19:24

We had a lovely stay at Manor Farm campsite in Switzerland. We stayed in one of the Eurocamp caravans and got free transport to and from Interlaken which was about 3 miles away (we also did it on the hired bikes a couple of times). The park has a private lake beach and the lake was perfect for swimming when we went in late August.

CaptainMyCaptain · 01/11/2023 19:38

Lake Bled in Slovenia. We only went for the day so I've no idea about places to stay. There were definitely people swimming in the lake.

It's like Switzerland but cheaper.

Triptastico · 01/11/2023 19:42

Forgottenmyphone · 01/11/2023 19:24

We had a lovely stay at Manor Farm campsite in Switzerland. We stayed in one of the Eurocamp caravans and got free transport to and from Interlaken which was about 3 miles away (we also did it on the hired bikes a couple of times). The park has a private lake beach and the lake was perfect for swimming when we went in late August.

Sounds like a lovely holiday you had but an unsure if Switzerland and inexpensive are mutually exclusive.

Op we went Austria and had a lovely lakes and mountains holiday but that wasn't inexpensive.

How about Zakopane in Poland. It seems to have what you require.

HappiDaze · 01/11/2023 19:43

Bavaria

Forgottenmyphone · 01/11/2023 19:53

@Triptastico We were self-catered, which really helped. We also did lots of free or cheap activities like swimming in the lake, walking and cycling. The free transport into Interlaken really helped keep the costs down too.

TeamGeriatric · 01/11/2023 20:55

We loved Lake Bled when we visited last year, lots to do. We few to Zagreb and then took the train to Ljubljana, had a night in Ljubljana (a single day is enough to see the sights) then onwards train to Bled. We did hire a car once we got to Bled for 3 days, but there are buses and loads of companies doing transfers to places like Vingtar Gorge. Car hire wasn't too expensive though with a local company, cost 240 euros, we booked a Seat Mii but they gave us a Mercedes. Car hire meant we could get to Skocjan caves and Predjama castle as well as places around Bled. There was a direct train from Bled back to Zagreb. There are direct flights to Ljubljana from the UK if you live near London, but we are in the north of UK. Now Croatia is in Schengen area there may be more trains crossing the border, summer 2022 they only ran four times a day and certainly on the way back to Zagreb it ran late.

MidtoLon · 01/11/2023 20:57

As a previous poster said Lake Bled Slovenia would be good. Swimming kayaking and paddle boarding on lake. Summer toboggan run would be great for teenager. Good bus service linking to Ljubljana and also Lake Bohinj where you can take cable car up the mountain (and meet the goats) Bus or train to Kransja Gora and the ski resort there which would also be lovely in summer. Can walk through Vintgar gorge from Bled and the surrounding countryside. Can also do excursions to coast eg Piran is lovely. Been twice and never had a car.
Hotels and AirBandB to suit all pockets

helpfulperson · 01/11/2023 21:11

Austria, Achensee in particular is well worth a visit.

Triptastico · 01/11/2023 21:28

@Forgottenmyphone that's good to hear. I'd love to go to Switzerland but the cost puts me off. You've now given me an idea.

Purplerainpurplesky · 01/11/2023 21:44

We stayed in Limone on Lake Garda, we had a fantastic time. We stayed in the north where it was really built with mountains and very dramatic. Spent a week kayaking, eating pizza at the top of the mountain after getting the cable car to the top, getting the ferry to the south and visiting the castles. Really amazing fantastic week.

MinnieMountain · 02/11/2023 06:13

I’d say lake Bohinj rather than Bled. It’s less built up and the lake is bigger.

gazingatgoats · 02/11/2023 07:26

Some interesting suggestions, thank you! Will do some research on Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj as had never thought about going to Slovenia.

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ReviewingTheSituation · 02/11/2023 07:38

We went to Slovenia this year and loved it. We stayed in both Bohinj and Bled, and they were quite different. Bohinj was great for the absence of tourists and the incredible scenery. Bled is iconic for a reason! (in a good way). The buses are really good, but a car would get you to more remote places.
There's a small town/village in between Bohinj and Bled that I'd definitely consider if you're not bothered by waking up next to the lake. Probs 15 mins to Bohinj and 25 to Bled - Bohinjska Bistrica. If you have a car, I'd stay there.
You'd fly in to Ljubliana and that's worth a day or 2 too.

We also went to Piran for a few days, and that was a lovely contrast.

It was very reasonably priced - especially the excellent local wine!

ReviewingTheSituation · 02/11/2023 07:42

Just seen that you won't have a car... we did everything by bus. Very efficient and very cheap.
If you're open to moving accommodation, I'd really recommend staying in both Bohinj and Bled because they offer such different experiences. You could still stay in between and use the bus, but you're beholden to the timetable and it would eat into your 'doing' time.

We did pre-book a taxi from the airport to our first accommodation in Bohinj, but if you stayed in Ljubliana initially you could easily get the bus out to the lakes from there.

missusvontrap · 02/11/2023 07:47

Been all over Austria, it is stunning and there are lakes everywhere to swim in and mountains with cable cars. Favourite places include Achensee, Ellmau, Seefeld, Innsbruck. Area 47 is great fun too, especially the rafting.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 02/11/2023 07:55

A summer holiday in Slovenia was one of my favourite breaks we did. Would love to go back there again.

Jellymoon1 · 02/11/2023 07:56

Slovenia! We’ve been twice and loved it. Lake Bohinj is much less touristy than Lake Bled, and there’s a cable car up into the mountains (Volga I think?) from the village. The capital, Lublijana is also lovely and worth staying for a couple of nights, also they’ve got the Julian Alps, breathtaking, Piran on the coast, beautiful, and also look at Kobarid as a base to do all the canyoning and rafting around the River Soca.

Livingmagicallyagain · 02/11/2023 08:11

Innsbruck would be perfect for this kind of holiday, you can also day trip by train to Italy for the day!

Mindymomo · 02/11/2023 08:14

We went to Seefeld in Austria in July, it was lovely, lots of lake swimming and activities.

wishiwasidisneyland · 02/11/2023 08:19

gazingatgoats · 02/11/2023 07:26

Some interesting suggestions, thank you! Will do some research on Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj as had never thought about going to Slovenia.

They went to Lake Bled in one of the episodes of 'celebrity race around the world' on BBC. I'd never heard of it before but looked lovely.

MangoAF · 02/11/2023 08:20

I bustled onto this thread really self-importantly as I needed to tell you about Slovenia as of course no one else has ever visited and you wouldn’t get any replies about Slovenia.
Well.
Anyway, another vote for Slovenia - personally I prefer Bled and I think it will be easiest without a car. I won’t go into how gorgeous, stunning etc it is as people already have.

gazingatgoats · 02/11/2023 08:28

Thanks😆

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Jellymoon1 · 02/11/2023 10:40

Me too! I thought, they need to know about Slovenia, I’ll def be the only one to tell them because we made this wonderful discovery that no-one else knows about 😂😂
Oh well, Albania is the next ‘discovery’ apparently…also has lakes and mountains…

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MissAmbrosia · 02/11/2023 11:40

We spent a week in Seefeld in July and it was lovely. 30 mins to Innsbruck and Mittenwald by train. Free tickets for local buses. 2 out door pools. Cable car, funicular etc. Our hotel had lovely food and a daily activity schedule.

poorlyarm · 02/11/2023 12:51

Have a look at les gets in France. I haven't been in summer but beautiful views of mint blanc, loads of mountain activities and I think there is a lake in the summer for swimming etc. lovely town with loads of restaurants etc.

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