Blue Cottage - a little family house in the nature

Hi! My name is Blue Cottage. In fact I am not entirely blue, but yellow too. That is becasue my owner loves the sun as much as she loves this blue, blue and blue colour. In fact, she loves it so much that she and her family (3 kids, 2 dogs and 1 husband) have coloured all my windows and shutters all sorts of blue. Btw., did you know that »blue« in Slovenian doesn't mean »sad« (like in English), but »wise«! (My story continues bellow - please, keep reading!!) And I believe it was very wise (not sad at all!) of my owner not to let any wi-fi installed inside me. She believes that what makes home a home (or holidays – free time) is either talking to each other or staring at fire in silence. Not staring at a screen all by yourself, all lonely. That's why there is a fireplace in my living room, and a place for making open fire in my garden. And there are milions of stars to observe above me. There are no other lights around. And my owner is also a book worm - she has too many, so she happily shares some of them in English, Russian and German also with me - and you. Now, don't get too hooked with me yet! I must honestly warn you that just like every soul on earth, mine also has some faults. For example, my kitchen is rather small, but there are all the essensials for a practical, non-demanding cook: a double induction plate, a fridge, a sink, a cupboard, a stove, a toaster and a coffee-maker. And in summer you can compensate well with the old barn turned into a cosy summer kitchen. It is also a peaceful reading-corner you may enjoy while your kids are jumping on the trampoline ... and while the father is grilling meat or veg on the unfancy portable barbeque. Another fault I have comes out in winter time: there is just a stove and a fireplace (no central heating) so that I can be warmed up just by good old wood. It's ecological and romantic, but it's not as comfy as you might be used to. It takes a little bit more effort than just pressing a button to keep me warm. As you can see in the pictures, I am already a really old house, actually I am over 100 years old. So I may be called blue (i.e. wise) with justice. :) My owner is doing her best in her creative way to keep me happy and to preserve my dignity, but despite all efforts she just couldn't hide some wrinkles on my face. She has never wanted to make me perfect, but she does keep me warm, dry and well-fed by the loving energy of hers and of many guests who keep coming to enjoy my old, but sometimes still a bit childish and playful company; I love kids, so besides two hammocks and a swing and a huge trampoline, there are also some toys and boardgames and books for kiddos. In front of me there is a garden with a hammock under the wild cherry tree, an open fireplace in the middle, a magnificent view of the valley and large green pastures where sometimes sheep come to keep me company. Behind me there is a barn / summer kitchen, a small forest and a hosue of a most kind elderly neighbours (a couple, who don't speak any foreign language but keeps smiling instead). So I believe I am the luckiest and the most grateful old Blue Cottage in Slovenia. And last, but not least, perhaps most important news: soon I will get a sister! My dear owners have just started building a house right next to me so that they will be able to move in and keep me company in the old age. How cool is that? Well, maybe not such cool news for you, because my sister took up some of my space (meadow), but luckily not too much and she could not take away my garden, my trampoline, nor my hammock. And most importantly: she sleeps quitely most of the time. If you like me so far, just drop by to meet me in person, but mind the danger: you might want never to leave again! :) But when you get fed up with me (well, who doesn't need some distance from each other from time to time!), you can always jump in a car and drive for 2hs down to the blue Adriatic sea, or for 1h to the magnificent Alps, or for 45 min to the most beautiful city in the world - the capital: Ljubljana, or for 15 min to go hiking in the summer and skiing in winter in Golte. The Velenje lake (great for swimming) is 20 min away and a wonderful spa resort Topolščica is 1/2h away. I was built on a small hill by the forest, 10 min walk to a small lake (more like a pond), ideal for walking around, but not suitable for swimming. There is also a river nearby, and many paths provide for good hiking, so you won't have to just lie in a hammock or read books all days long. But if you prefer air to the firm grounds, you can also try paragliding from the nearby hill and my owner's husband, an eager paraglader himself, can arrange it for you any time. Skiing in winter is another option. The skiing slope/a great hiking area Golte is only 15 min driv away. Swimming? Well, no swimming pool in my garden. But the nearest spa and welness centre is only half an hour drive away. The famous beer fountain in Žalec is also just 20 min away! Otherwise there is a big basket with many maps and additional tips in my kitchen. And Mojca, my owner, is really helpful, so if you ask her, whe is happy to help you with more information. You will be able to enjoy the privacy and peace you need for yourself. But we like to meet our guests soon after arrival just to welcome them in person and give tips for interesting places to visit according to individual preferences of each guest. There is, however, a brochure to be found in the cottage including many tips for daily trips and the houserules. Blue Cottage is located in the middle of small Slovenia, so you can reach any destination within 1,5 - 2 hours, either the Alps or the Adriatic sea. It is situated on a small hill by a forest. It is a very quiet place here. The views of the hills and meadows are spectacular. The trampoline is the best "babysitter" for your kids. The barn behind the cottage is either a cosy reading place or a summer kitchen if you need a little distance also from your family for an hour or so. The open fireplace in front of the cottage makes for the warmth which kids like to enjoy with their parents in the evenings. As well as watching the stars visable on the sky due to the absence of other lights. Things to do: - HIKING: you can go hiking straight from the cottage up the hill (Dobrovlje) behind the house, or down to the nearby Lake Braslovče where you can eat the best prepared fresh fish with potato salad or/and the most delicious ice cream in Slovenia. You can also go hiking for a whole day along the nearby Savinja river. Or on the Mountain Oljka. Or on Golte. Or visit Planina Menina. Options for hiking are almost endless and really awesome. CICLYING: We offer three bicycles for free, but they are a bit old and not the fastest ones. So if you are a keen cyclist it's a good idea to bring your own because there are so many really many cycling tours around the whole Savinjska region it would be a pity to miss them. PARAGLIDING: Right above the Cottage (Dobrovlje) there is a popular paragliding start, so that you can see them flying above the house almost every day. Being keen paragliders ourselves, we can organise a tandem jump for you, too. FLYFISHING: It is possible to do flyfishing at the nearby lake Preserje or Braslovče Lake. SWIMMING: Some people swim in the river Savinja, but most prefer to drive to the Velenje Lake or to the spa Topolščica (about 20 min drive). Groceries: The nearest grocery shop (Jager) is 2 km away in the center of Braslovče. There are also many farms nearby where you can buy fresh milk, eggs and flour. Fresh fish (trouts) are also available close by. There is also a farm close by where you can buy fresh farm milk every day. (Let us know!) But most importantly: the gems you mustn't miss once you are already visiting our area: 1. The LOGARSKA VALLEY is one of the most beautiful valleys in the world, surrounded by magnificent mountains and the Rinka waterfall coming out of one of them at the end of the valley. (1/2h drive from the cottage). It's a great starting point for various hikes for mountain lovers. 2. GOLTE is a small but beautiful ski resort in winter as well as magnificent hiking area in summer. There is a cable-car running every full hour which can take you up to the slope where you can start your hikes. (15 min drive from the cottage) 3. MOZIRSKI GAJ is a beautiful flowers park, especially enchanting to visit in spring and summertime. (15 min drive) 4. TOPOLŠČICA is a wonderful spa-welness resort with many toboogans, indoors and outdoors swimming pools, situated in the middle of a forest. (1/2h drive) 5. VELENJE LAKE is a big lake, warm in summer and suitable for swimming as well as sailing and windsurfing. There are tennis courts and a path all around the lake to go for a long walk. (20 min drive) 6. The SAVINJA RIVER runs nearby, a bit cool for swimming, but it is great to take a rafting tour down the river, starting bit upper in the Savinjska valley. 7. ŽALEC is a nearby town, famous for its beer fountain, beer museum and one of the best chocolatte-cakes cafe (Dobnik) in the world! (15 min drive) 8. CELJE is a historical town with good restaurants, many small shops, market place, museums and a wonderful medieval castle. 2. Please, have a look for more inforamation of the Savinjska region on the Feelslovenia website. - There is enough parking place right next to the cottage. - There are 3 bicycles you can use for free. - To arrive to the cottage it's best to rent a car, since public transport is too far away and not frequently available. - It's located 45 min from the main airport in Ljubljana. We are more than happy to inform you that our government has announced the END OF EPIDEMIC in Slovenia! We hope it this fact will make you feel safe and free to trevel around and relax. Additional costs: a tourist tax of 1,50 eur/person/day (0,75 eur for childern from 7 - 18 yrs) Bedlinen and one towel per person are provided. Pets are welcome, but not more than one pet at a time and we’re kindly asking you to keep him/her off beds and sofas to keep the place tidy. No smoking inside the cottage.