This is a really fantastic tip to get that last drop of green magic out of Slovenia, before you really do have to rock up at Ljubblyjana airport!

We are determined to see every single castle in Green Slovenia, (this quest will take some time, there are a lot), so when our guests' flight was delayed by a couple of hours for a pick up, we asked at the friendly airport info where the nearest castle was!

The good news is, it is just 10 minutes away.. the bad news is we are not sure we will ever be able to pronounce the name Strmol castle.. (try to say it properly and it gets very Swedish chef from the Muppet show.. but seriously, spell it very carefully if you put it into gurglemaps)!

it would be impossible for a castle of this beauty to be empty in your country, but Slovenia has loads of castles..

Readers of our Secret Places to Visit articles will already know how often we are pleasantly surprised, sometimes stunned at finding these secret places that even we have never heard of and Strmol is no exception..

Leaving Heathrow airport you can consider yourself lucky if you are not stuck in a huge traffic jam and the contrast here with Ljubljana airport could hardly be stronger.

Ljubljana airport must be one of the most beautiful descents you can do, certainly in Europe, as the airport is tucked under the Kamnik Alps, which provide a stunning backdrop.

a really lovely cafe just across from the castle with a car park..

But leave the airport direction Strmol, better still go directly to Strmol on the way to the airport and you are IMMEDIATELY cushioned by green fields, leafy lanes, big forest and a few little picturesque villages to navigate!

You take a sharp turn off the main country road onto a long driveway that leads into the castle grounds, then turn right for a car park next to a really fantastic cafe, surprisingly called the castle cafe!

It is then just a short walk up the cafe road to the front of the castle and you can either approach the castle from the big lake in front or go up either side on a steep driveway.

This castle is an absolute stunner on the outside and we found out at the cafe that it is actually a hotel, but we didnt see much sign of life.

It is hardly hustle and bustle at Ljubljana airport, but regardless, for a pre flight stretch of the legs and a relaxing coffee in a very beautiful quiet location, Strmol is absolutely perfect!

We have been here a couple of times now and we would tip walking across to the grass in front of the castle and doing a loop around the back returning to the cafe.

what a shock to find such a perfectly restored castle we had never heard of..

We saw a heron hunting in the fields in front of the castle and it was pretty idyllic.

Maybe you will have some stuff left for a picnic, so plonk yourselves on the grass by the lake and see if you can spot the ENOURMOUS FISH in the water!

We also found a forest track that leads from the back of the cafe car park to the castle and this looks like a popular spot with local people for walking too.

Don't be shy about wandering around the castle, even if the hotel looks busy in the future, as Slovenians are very relaxed about allowing you to have a nose around..

worth going round the back of the hotel as it is very well restored..

Even if the hotel does take off, then we are sure it is ok to do the loop at the back of the castle to see the car park as there is a line of dramatic looking statues, fortunately with their bits covered up, just waiting to be photographed.

Our other "goto" tip for guests with a longer pre airport gap to fill, is the lovely old town of Kamnik, which is pretty much the perfect image of a central European town.. castle, hills, river, church spires, lovely dinky old town and mountains in the background.. lovely job!

But if you only have an hour or a little bit more to spare, then make a bee line for Strmol and take a few photos home, in case someone in your family is getting married soon!!