Discover Slovenia

Ljubljana - the city of dragons

The most beautiful place in the world. Ljubljana, which is the capital of Slovenia, deserves its beginning of the description in the most beautiful way. Every true Ljubljana resident thinks the same. All 300.00 inhabitants are very proud of their city what it all offers us and how nice it is to live here.
Although it is one of the medium-sized European cities and retains the attractive friendliness of a small town, it has everything that big capitals have - it is the political and cultural heart of the Slovenian nation, an important European trade, business, congress and fair center, as well as transport, science and the educational center of Slovenia.

Ljubljana is a city that offers you a lot, regardless of the weather or time of year. It boasts many sights, picturesque areas and pleasant corners.

The guest-friendly, green capital of the green country will impress you with its tourist and cultural offer. The characteristic image of the town by the river, which winds through the old town, with picturesque bridges and a market, was designed by the great European architect Jože Plečnik. Plečnik's Ljubljana, which ranks among the most important integrated works of art of the 20th century, is a global urban phenomenon.

Over the last decade, the city center has undergone visible changes. The city center is closed to motor traffic, promenades have been created along the banks of the Ljubljanica River, and green corners and streets are pulsating to the rhythm of café culture. The city is permeated with positive energy that you will definitely feel.

The city is full of adventures with many interesting stories and legends. The sights of the city are usually best explored while walking through its picturesque streets. You could say that sometimes it’s good to get lost in it for a moment so you can feel the genuine energy of the alleys, squares and river embankments. However, in order not to wander around the city completely lost, we have prepared tips for discovering the city, which will take you to all the most important sights of the city.

Bled lake

Bled and its surroundings are one of the most beautiful alpine resorts, known for their mild, healing climate and thermal lake water. The picturesqueness of the place is emphasized by the lake with an island covered with greenery, among which are hidden a bell tower, a church, a chaplaincy and a rectory, and a little desert. There are many legends about the island, one of which was used in his masterpiece even by our greatest poet France Prešeren.

The specialties of Bled are carriages, transport to the island by raft and a symbol of Bled cuisine - cream slices.

In the immediate vicinity of Bled, the Vintgar gorge, the Pokljuka gorge and other natural beauties are also inviting. Bled is without hesitation the image of paradise on earth!

Postojna cave

Welcome to the most attractive cave in the world with magnificent stalactite sculptures and a diverse wildlife. Embark on an unforgettable ride on the underground train and experience the mighty underground paradise, shaped by tiny drops over millions of years.

Only in Postojna Cave can you see the most precious diamond in stalactite form up close and meet real dragon puppies. The Postojna Cave, in which, just like on the surface, mountains rise, rivers murmur and huge halls open, is a challenge for researchers and the cradle of world speleobiology.

Postojna Cave is open every day of the year, even on holidays. The tour, which includes a train ride and a walk through undemanding terrain, lasts an hour and a half. Each visit is accompanied by guides who present the beauties of the cave in more detail to visitors in Slovene, Italian, English or German. Audio guides are also available in as many as 17 languages. The visit is suitable for everyone, including families with small children and people with reduced mobility. The temperature in the cave is constant throughout the year (10 ° C), so dress warmly and put on sneakers.

The Škocjan Caves

The Škocjan Caves Regional Park is a natural monument that has been inscribed on the list of cultural and natural heritage since 1986. It lies in the karst area in the sub-Mediterranean western part of Slovenia in the municipality of Divača. It includes the Škocjan Caves system, the area above the caves with the villages of Škocjan, Betanja and Matavun and the Rijeka canyon from the caves to the bridge in Škoflje. 

In the information center of the park we get tickets to see the Škocjan Caves and all the necessary information. There is also a restaurant and a children’s playground. The Škocjan Caves Regional Park comprises a typical karst landscape, where we can see many typical karst phenomena. The Škocjan Caves consist of a network of eleven caves, sinkholes, natural bridges, landslides and much more. With the spaciousness of the halls and underground gorges, they have a special place among the caves in Slovenia. 

The Škocjan circular educational trail takes visitors around the landslides of the Mala and Velika dolina valleys in the center of the park. It takes a good hour and a half. The village of Škocjan lies on a hill, which is surrounded on both sides by precipice walls. It is a clustered settlement in which we can see the church of St. Kancijana with a lookout point, the parish church, the old school where the Škocjan Tourist Association is based, the stone communal fountain - well, interesting old houses, Okroglica, which is a 90 meter deep karst abyss, the pond, the village cemetery, Jurjev skedenj, J'kopinov skedenj and second. The village of Betanja lies on a terrace at the edge of the Mala dolina, just below Škocjan and comprises five homesteads. 

Matavun is the largest settlement in the narrow protected area of ​​the park and the starting point for visiting the Škocjan Caves.

Soča - pearl river

The Soča Valley is an important European crossroads of nature and culture. For many, the Soča River is the most beautiful European alpine river, skipping a rocky slope in small waterfalls, carving the narrowest gorges into the rocks, then spreading its bed wide on white gravel, but always enchanting with its emerald green color.

The Soča is the most desirable destination for rafting, it is popular among kayakers and canoeists, it has excellent conditions for hydrospeed and canyoning. You can go on the Path of Peace, which connects the heritage of the Isonzo Front and the natural sights of the Upper Soča. It is dedicated to the memory of many victims of the First World War. In the Kluže Fortress you can put on a military suit and become a guard of the Fortress.

If you are a fan of outdoor activities, the Soča Valley is definitely the corner of Slovenia and the Alps that you must visit. Embark on exceptional water experiences, kayaking and rafting on the Soča River, discover the unspoiled beauties of the canyons and the charm of the pools that inspire fishermen and swimmers.

Those who prefer to go on foot will enjoy the vast world of the high mountains and the stunning views offered by the Julian Alps all the way to the Adriatic Sea. Awaken the explorer within you, discover the pearls of nature and the legacy of the Isonzo Front and embark on marked lowland hiking trails. More and more cyclists are enthusiastic about the exceptional nature and cycling opportunities, as they can choose between different difficulty routes.

Fans of the adrenaline rush in the Soča Valley will certainly not be bored. Fly with a paraglider, gather the courage to jump from a plane, go down the longest zipline cable car in this part of Europe or raise your heart rate in one of the adventure parks.

In all seasons, you can choose an active experience that is written on your skin. In winter, ski at the Kanin-Sella Nevea International Ski Resort, treat yourself to a guided trip to the mountains, organized sledding, and if you are well-versed in skiing and ice climbing. Every year you can take part in various active events, the most prominent of which are the Soča Outdoor Festival, the Bovec Marathon and the Hiking Festival.

Tolmin, after which the whole region is named, lies at the confluence of the Tolminka and Soča rivers. The area is geographically very diverse, as it has been transformed by both glaciers and rivers. The picturesque and wild Tolmin Gorge, waterfalls hidden in ravines and mountain villages on sunny terraces under high peaks, are perfect for exploration, excursions and tours.

Kobarid, which is best known from history for the breakthrough of the Isonzo Front and t.i. 'miracle at Kobarid', is an old market town at the junction of the Alps and the foothills.

The bridge on the Soča lies on a rocky pier above the confluence of the Soča and Idrijca rivers, which with their deeply incised riverbeds in the past offered the town excellent protection.

Maribor

Maribor is the center of Styria and the second largest Slovenian city. It has a varied historical past. It was first mentioned as a town in 1254. A year later, the townspeople began to build a two-kilometer-long city wall that bounded the old town. The walls were further fortified with defensive towers, which are the Court Tower, Tscheligi Tower, the Jewish Tower and the Water Tower. 

The old town hides many sights such as Lent, Stara trta, Koblarjev zaliv, Mariborski otok, Koroški most, Jožefova cerkev i vodnjak, Stari most, Grajski trg with the castle and museum, Glavni trg with the Plague Sign and Rotovž, Slomšek's Cathedral with a lookout tower , the Jewish synagogue and many others. Lent is the oldest part of the city along the Drava River. 

On the front of the House of the Old Vine, the temple of wine tradition and culture, is the oldest vine in the world. You can go to the island of Maribor along a well-kept promenade along the Drava. In summer, the island has an annual swimming pool. 

St. Joseph's Church was once a pilgrimage church with the largest pilgrimage gatherings on the church holiday of St. Joseph, when hawkers sold wooden stoves and other dry goods. The formation of the city is closely connected with the crossing of the Drava River. 

Today’s Old Bridge, built between 1906 and 1912, was one of the most beautiful bridges in Austria-Hungary. Maribor City Castle is located in the heart of the city and is surrounded by the lively Castle Square, Trg svobode and Trg generala Maistra, where you can visit the Maribor Regional Museum. The castle is the most beautiful and largest building in the city. The central space is the ceremonial or knight's hall. 

The main square is the largest square in Maribor. In the center of the square stands the monument Plague Sign, a pillar with the image of the Assumption of Mary. It was erected in the 17th century in gratitude for the end of the plague. 

Rotovž dates back to 1515. Today it houses the Toti rotovž restaurant, a small exhibition space and the seat of the Puppet Theater. 

The cathedral church stands in the middle of Slomšek Square. It was built in the first half of the 12th century as a three-nave basilica in the Romantic style. In 1859, Blessed Anton Martin Slomšek moved the seat of the Lavant diocese to Maribor and the church became a cathedral. It has undergone two recovery periods over the past hundred years. Today it shows a Gothic form with a long choir from the 14th century and a central church nave from the 15th century. The top of the 57-meter-high lookout tower can only be climbed by prior arrangement. 

The Jewish Synagogue is one of the oldest preserved synagogues in Europe. You can find it on the Jewish Square in the former Jewish Quarter, located near the Main Square. It was first mentioned in 1427, but it certainly originated earlier. Next to the synagogue there was once a rabbi's house, a Talmudic school and a cemetery, and a ritual cemetery by the river Drava. Today it is a cultural and event center that operates within the Maribor Regional Museum.

Slovenian coast

Slovenian coast or the Coast is an area that encompasses the coast of the Slovenian part of the Adriatic Sea. It is the shortest European coast. It is surrounded by the Piran, Koper and Strunjan bays. The Coastal Road also runs from Koper to Izola.

Along the coast are the next major places Debeli rtič, Ankaran (tourist resort and hotel Convent), Koper, Izola, Strunjan with salt pans or landscape park and nature reserve in the bay of Sv. Križa (Moon Bay), Pacug, Fiesa, Piran, Bernardin, Portorož, Lucija and Sečovlje with salt pans. The Slovenian coast discovers its wonders at every step.

Strunjan cliff is the highest flysch cliff on the Adriatic coast. It is eighty meters high.

Fiesa is a small bay located between Piran and Strunjan. In recent decades, the bay has turned into a popular bathing resort with a campsite, hotels, holiday homes and villas.

The Sečovlje salt pans were first mentioned in the 13th century. They are a nearby refuge for more than 150 species of birds.

Izola, Koper and Piran are beautiful cities that attract with their medieval cores.

Portorož is a fashionable city with many modern hotels, a casino, a gliding airport, a camp, a fully equipped marina. In the summer months, it has a wide range of entertainment, cultural and sporting events.