Slovenia travel adventures are just magical. To say you will be enchanted by Slovenia is an understatement. Slovenia is a young country, once a part of Yugoslavia. It retains influences of those who have come and gone. In parts, it looks and feels like Italy, with a strong influence of Venice. In other areas, it has the look and feel of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Of course, there are remnants of the communist era in the architecture as well.
Slovenia Travel Adventure: Enchanted Mixture of Italian, Istrian, Austrian, German, and Switzerland Traditions, Cultures, and Food
Slovenia. A tiny country, easily driven across from Italy to Croatia in a matter of hours. This gem sits in the very heart of Europe, literally and figuratively. Its neighbors are Italy, Austria and Croatia. Its landscape stretches from Alpine peaks to rolling hills dotted with caves, beautiful crystal clear lakes and the shining Adriatic Sea. Its cities and villages are storybook perfect. And its food and wines are world-class. Go now in any season to enjoy the best of what Europe has to offer- history, culture, active pursuits from mild to extreme, wine-tasting, gastronomic fireworks.
My own recent trip here took me from the Slovenian wine valleys outside Ljubljana and Maribor. In Maribor I was there for the festival of the oldest vine in Europe, which is trellised across the roofline of the Town Hall. With speeches, music and fanfare, the first harvest of the season was taken. I sampled various wines in the region with a local sommelier whose family has been involved in some of the most prestigious vineyards for generations. Closer to the Italian border, I sampled whites and Pinot Noirs- some of the best I ever had!
The best thing about Slovenia is the ability in any given day to combine active adventure with refined experiences. You can paraglide from Alpine heights to a vineyard tasting, or have a restaurant dinner where you order your fish course directly from the renowned producer listed on the menu. And it is possible to visit the most celebrated chef in Slovenia (a woman) after a day of biking or ebiking in mountain valleys steeped in World War II history.
Don’t miss your opportunity to experience a country not (yet) filled with tourists, as are its neighbors.
Walking on Historical Footsteps in Slovenia
Today, Slovenia celebrates the ingenuity and imaginations of its modern-day passion for healthy living and a proud heritage of community that has existed no matter which of its neighbors was in control. For them, there are no borders that stop the culture between countries. You will find Italian spoken as fluently as Slovenian by many living near the Italian border; the traditions and foods of Istria stretch along the Adriatic from Italy to Croatia. You can see Alpine huts as you wander hiking paths in the Julian Alps, and wooden farmhouses with red blossoms of ivy geraniums spilling from flower boxes affixed to their balconies just as you would in Austria, Germany or Switzerland.
When you are on your Slovenia travel adventure, you walk in history through towns and cities with roots stretching back to Roman times with medieval influences and further into styles adopted in the time of Austro-Hungary rule, and see the influences of Tito alongside classic architecture in cities.
Carnival, Hiking, Skiing, Sailing, Food and Wine – Everything is Right There!
You can join in harvest festivals, local carnival traditions, and outdoor pursuits from hiking and walking to biking, skiing, sailing- just to name a few. And to be in Slovenia is to be among the best in food and wine traditions.
Staying in the Finest Slovenian Accommodations
Your comfortable stays could include hotels in the grand tradition of the golden age of travel at the edges of lakes, on the sea or in Ljubljana, its capital. Quaint inns dot the countryside in nature. Spa and wellness centers at thermal springs offer rejuvenation.
Photo by Francisco Ghisletti on Unsplash
Traveling in Slovenia is Like a Recipe for Vacation Success:
- Start with a green countryside of farms full of the ingredients for the freshest food.
- Blend in wide open spaces on rolling hills, deep forests, soaring mountains and crystal clear lakes.
- Add in a small but sparkling coastline with sophisticated marinas and spa grand hotels within walking distance of fishing boatyards dotted with the quaintest of medieval-beginning towns with Italian flair.
- Drop on top cities of romantic charm.
- Choose your preferred flavoring of accommodations: a quaint inn, a luxury hotel, a wellness spa retreat (or all the above).
- Wrap all in a layer of the people’s hospitality and friendliness and a deep caring for the cleanliness of the outdoors for the future
- Serve fresh (as are all things in Slovenia) with wonderful wines from a choice of four regions.
Any or all the above Slovenia travel adventure ingredients can create your perfect vacation. The small country, in the heart of Europe “, is easy to get to, around once you are there, and no one area is more than 2 hours of another. In fact, it is possible to ski in the morning in the Alpine region, and in the afternoon relax with an aperitif by the sea! That’s why Slovenia is one of my top travel destinations for 2019!
If you’d like to have more ease in your travel planning, I’d love to help! You can stay informed and inspired in planning your travel in 2019 by reading more of my blogs. You can also follow me on Facebook. Twitter @enlitndjrntrvl, and Instagram @enlightenedjourneystravel. Sign up to receive the blogs and a newsletter filled with more insights and offers so you don’t miss a thing.
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