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Stunning Slovenia
November 13th, 2009
For a country that has only been independent since 1991, Slovenia has quickly distinguished itself. The city’s move towards modernizations blends well into its classic Eastern European history and architecture blend with it’s stunning natural beauty as a picturesque backdrop.
City Life
Ljubljana, the country’s capital city center’s around it’s lively square, characterized by the pink stone church at the top. A river winds through through the center with brightly colored buildings on either side and foot bridges connecting the historic and modern sides of town. Interested visitors can take a historic river tour. Restaurants offer outdoor seating year round, with heat lamps situated warming diners in the colder months. Several days a week, vendors selling everything from crafts to clothing to food partake in an impressive market that stretches several blocks.
Ljubljana
The Great Outdoors
Feed your adventurous side, head to Lake Bled, about an hour from Ljubljana. Here you can enjoy the lake itself, or spend your time hiking, climbing, cycling , horseback riding, ballooning, canyoning and any number of other activities.
Exploring the Limestone Caves
Some of Slovenia’s most famous and most unique features are its limestone caves. While these can be found in various spots throughout the country, the Skocjan Caves Regional Park is a World Heritage Site. Located just 13 miles east of Trieste, Italy in the Karst Plateau, this system spans five kilometers and reaches a depth of 200 meters. Waterfalls, a swallowhole and four deep chasms created by the Reka River are all highlights for visitors to the caves. Walkways and bridges have been built for the safety of those exploring the caves.
The Slovenian Coast
One might not think of Slovenia in terms of a coastal region and while it doesn’t boast magnificent beaches, it does have several towns whose charm alone makes them worth the stop. Portoroz, along the Croatian boarder, is the one beach resort town in Slovenia. Two kilometers north is the Piran, with its beautiful harbor, medieval square, Venetian inspired alleyways and beautiful architecture. North from Piran is Koper, also medieval in appearance and popular for sailing, windsurfing and other water activities.
The Slovenian Coast
Visitor Facts
Getting there: Fly into Ljubljana via one of many connecting cities (Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Zurich, Brussels and Paris are popular connection cities).
Getting around: Slovenia’s roads are remarkably well-kept and driving is easy (watch your speed, they ticket!). Slovenia is part of the Rail Europe system which makes both rail travel within the country and with surrounding countries enjoyable, safe and simple.
Entry requirements: US citizens will need a passport. They will not need a visa.
Currency: Slovenia adopted the Euro on January 1, 2007. The former currency, the Tolar, cannot be used for purchases (can only be exchanged at the Bank of Slovenia).
4 Responses to “Stunning Slovenia”
Don’t forget the food. The taverns and restaurants in Ljubljana have great meals and drinks at really reasonable prices.
Yes, Slovenia has some amazing food and actually wasn’t as tough for a vegetarian as I anticipated. Assuming you can pantomime a vegetable! Just kidding, their English was also better than anticipated. I was there in November and loved the hearty fare and especially the roasted chestnut vendors on the streets! It’s exactly what I would have pictured for a Slovenia in November.
Thanks for the kind words. If anyone wants more info, you can find free downloadable PDF guides for a dozen Slovene cities here: http://tr.im/BJzY
Great, thank you! I just absolutely fell in love with Slovenia. We drove from Bologna, Italy through Trieste and then to Ljubljana, through the Karst area and down the coast, then down to Split and Dubrovnik in Croatia (with a sliver of Bosnia/Herzegovina in between) and I have to say that Slovenia was my favorite part (with Bologna’s food a close second 🙂 It was so beautiful and I loved the contrast of “old world Europe” and modernization all mingled together. The lakes and scenery on the drive were breathtaking.