In 2020, the first COVID-19 year, we made a roadtrip across Austria, Slovenia and Italy. We booked every accommodation at most two days in advance, as it was unclear how the pandemic would progress. The original plan was to travel to Croatia too, but the country closed its borders while we were on the road, as infection numbers were rising again. I created a GeoJSON with the route and some points of interest we visited.

  • Day 1 (2020-09-01) Drove from Leipzig to Salzburg. Visited Mozart’s birthplace, Mirabell Palace, Hohensalzburg Fortress. Stayed at Altstadt Hotel Hofwirt Salzburg.

  • Day 2 (2020-09-02) Drove from Salzburg to Soča. Stopped at the Russian Chapel near Vršič Pass. Hiked at Vršič Pass. Visited the Soča spring. Stayed at Camp Soča with our tent. Three nights for EUR 93.

  • Day 3 (2020-09-03) Drove to Dom dr. Klementa Juga v Lepeni (700m). Hiked to Lake Krn (1400m). Lunch at Planinski dom pri Krnskih jezerih.

  • Day 4 (2020-09-04) Drove to Bovec and took the Kanin-Sella Nevea ropeway. Hiked to Peter Skalar’s cottage. Had some breathtaking views across the Triglav National Park and the Soča valley.

  • Day 5 (2020-09-05) Visited Kozjak waterfall, Tolminska korita (Tolmin gorge). Drove to Camp Bohinj at lake Bohinj (EUR 83).

  • Day 6 (2020-09-06) Hiked in the mountains north of lake Bohinj. Ate at Koča na Planini pri Jezeru. and enjoyed the view over the lake at Kosijev dom na Vogarju. Rented a canoe at Camp Bohinj and crossed the lake to the opposite shore.

  • Day 7 (2020-09-07) Visited Bled with its famed church on an island in the lake. Walked around the lake and to the vantage point Mala Osojnica.

  • Day 8 (2020-09-08) Took some photos of Predjama Castle. Visited Postojna Cave. Drove to Piran where we were greeted by mediterranean climate. Stayed one night in a private accommodation in the old town. Spent some time in the old town and went to the city walls for the sunset. Ate delicious sea food at Fritolin Pri Cantini.

  • Day 9 (2020-09-09) Hiked on Rilke trail providing a scenic view of the Gulf of Trieste. Continued to Lido di Jesolo where we stayed for two nights at Hotel Nizza Fronte Mare Jesolo (EUR 191.50).

  • Day 10 (2020-09-10) Lazy beach day.

  • Day 11 (2020-09-11) Drove to Camping Brunner am See at lake Millstatt where we stayed for three nights (EUR 94.50). Hiked from Schwaiger Hütte over Millstätter Hütte to Alexanderhütte with good views and great Kaiserschmarrn.

  • Day 12 (2020-09-12) Hiked from Lammersdorfer Hütte around the Granattor. Lunch at Ortnerhütte.

  • Day 13 (2020-09-13) Drove to Alpengasthof Hansbauerhütte and hiked to Tschiernock and Tschierwegernock.

  • Day 14 (2020-09-14) Drove along the Großglockner High Alpine Road. Visited Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe. Drove to Bad Aibling and enjoyed the thermal spring. Spent one night at Pension Demmel in Bruckmühl (EUR 89).

  • Day 15 (2020-09-15) Drove back to Leipzig with a stopover at Walhalla.

Despite the pandemic, the roadtrip showed us how beautiful Europe can be and that you can see amazing places without flying to a different continent.

River near lake Bohinj