In Slovenia, one is excused if caught gaping unabashedly at a beautiful mountainside scene or found embarrassingly speechless on seeing the sights of a valley. It is quite normal here and you would just invite an indulgent smile. After all, not too many places are left on earth with this kind of hypnotic beauty.
Slovenia is the land of fables with its picturesque lakes, castles seemingly lifted from the pages of a fairy tale book and even legendary dragons. It may be heaven on earth for its perfect vistas of snow capped mountain, rustic valleys and greenery. Slovenia is located in the pulsating part of Europe, and is bordered by the Adriatic Sea. The country is essentially the place to go if you love nature at her best – there are the snow capped Alps to start with, beautiful valleys with rivers snaking through them and the charming Adriatic coastline. In this mesmerising land, there are mountains waiting to be hiked on, vineyards aplenty to sample local produce, rivers that invite you to raft and when you are tired, eat to your heart’s content from the country’s most sophisticated, yet rustic food.
Some awe inspiring statistics about the country: 7000 kilometres of mountain hiking trails, more than 5 different food festivals (ever heard of the Cabbage festival?!), Slovenia is the third most forested European country and is astoundingly home to more 24,000 species of animals!
Need more reason to visit Slovenia? Here we go...
Of Capital Cities: Ljubljana
The largest city in Slovenia, Ljubljana is the capital of the country. Being the capital of the country may be serious business, but this city has retained its castles, culture and most importantly charm. It tops the list among Europe’s greenest and most liveable capitals. The city has the river Ljubljana flowing beside it, reflecting the green of the trees on its banks. Feel like you are in Venice, as you take a romantic boat ride along the river. Ljubljana is where the mythical Greek warrior Jason (from Jason and the Argonauts) killed a dangerous dragon, that later became the city’s lovable symbol on the famous Dragon bridge. If you are travelling to Ljubljana between March and October, visit the Central Market’s street food open kitchen, a haven for food buffs in search of Slovenian cuisine. Start your Slovenian tour with the capital city’s very own castle, called by the same name of course. The 900 year old castle is a study in history, but more importantly offers the best views of the city from its towers. Ljubljana has a culture of outdoor entertainment and street side cafes; explore these as you watch the city pass by. The city has a vivid nightlife too with many clubs and bars, and its own microbreweries.
Must Do: Ljubljana is a cyclist friendly one, cycling tours often take one along the river banks through the city’s landmarks. Visit the ‘Love Bridge’ weirdly called the Butchers Bridge, where hang many a couple’s padlocks of love.
Wine County: Maribor
It may be the second largest city in Slovenia, but is not the typical bustling large town. Maribor is a cosy city that oozes old-town charm. The hills here are famous for its vineyards and maybe a reason why Maribor is so welcoming to tourists! While you are looking in on the world’s largest and oldest wine cellar in Europe, the marvellous views of the country side vie for your attention on the hills. There are many home stays on these slopes that offer one a home cooked meal, with wine on the side. The River Drava winds through Maribor, perfect for a casual evening stroll. The mount Pohorje in winter turns into Slovenia’s most touted skiing slopes.
Of Adventure and history: Soca Valley
Museums, Waterfalls, fortresses, gorges, rivers and even a cheese farm – Soca Valley is one of the best adventure holiday destinations in Slovenia! The Soca River is where the adventure starts – white water rafting on these blue waters is a must. The valley has canyons and if you want a birds-eye view, then zip-lining across is for you. The Tolminka Gorge and the Slap Kozjak waterfall is an easy hike away. Paragliding, bungee jumping and more are available here. Before you leave, visit an organic dairy farm and take home some Slovenian cheese.
Castle Country
You could say that for most of Slovenia, but more so for Bled; this lake-resort town is a dream, a place where evil cannot exist and maybe where the fairies reside! The town is centred around the glacial lake Bled and the 11th century Castle Bled situated on an island in Lake Bled. The lake that is a stunning blue turns ethereal orange as the sun sets picturesquely over the towers of the Castle Bled. Take a boat ride into the island to visit the castle and have a look around medieval history. The river Radovna flows near the town and has carved the remarkable Bled Gorge, a favourite among visitors for its waterfalls and rapids.
A rather unique and mysterious looking castle, the Predjama Castle in the Karst region is set on a 123 metre steep and tough looking cliff. The castle was home to the medieval Robin Hood of Slovenia, the knight Erazem. 700 years after the legendary Erazem, the castle is still preserved in its near-original state.
Must Do: Don’t miss the puppet museum at the Bled castle, Slovenia is country known for its puppet making history. And at Predjama Castle, adventure awaits those who dare take the Erazem’s tunnel!
Along the Adriatic Coast
Piran is the south-western triangle of Slovenia that drops into the Adriatic. If you look with an eagle eye (and binoculars), Italy lies opposite to the tip of Piran. Not surprisingly, Italian was one of the languages spoken popularly in Piran. The rustic allure of the town, its lazy seaside ambience is probably what makes Piran a popular destination. They say walls have ears, Piran’s walls have seen much history being a seaside town, and were built to prevent attacks from the Ottomans. Visit Tartini Square, named so in memory of the musician Giuseppe Tartini; set in the middle of red roofed buildings this is where one can absorb the essence of the seaside town.
Koper city is more Mediterranean than its other coastal counterparts in Slovenia. The city is an important port in Slovenia and is connected to the capital Ljubljana by rail and also to Italy. The city is busy and may even have an all-important air about it, but its historic past and attractions are many. Take for example the 15th century Praetorian Palace in the city square that was originally two 13th century houses which when built over became the present Venetian style palace! Koper’s entertainment is by the sea, in its many sea-side cafe’s are where one can stretch the legs or its clean beaches for that perfect sun tan.
From Koper, it is easy to visit the Skocjan Caves, a UNESCO world heritage site. The underground river Reka winds its way creating the phenomenal 6 km Skocjan cave system. It can leave you wondering about the power of water that can create such miraculous wonders .The River empties out into the Dead Lake, after which it disappears again to resurface in Italy! A must visit also because the world’s largest underground canyon is located here.
Portoroz translates in Italian to ‘Port of Roses’, but is less of roses and more of sea. It has been a much visited sea-side resort and has been part of the famous Austrian Riviera. Once a health resort town, Portoroz is now a seaside entertainment town, maybe the Las Vegas of Slovenia with its many Casinos. For the adrenalin junkies, sailing, kayaking and even scuba diving are a rage in Portoroz.
Too beautiful to inspire murder
So said novelist Agatha Christie of the captivating beauty of the Alpine valleys of Slovenia. Slovenia is a fairy tale come true and the perfect holiday destination, one where you wouldn’t mind getting lost in!
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