Sample Slovenia – close, charming and cheap

IF you need a weekend break away from the hustle and bustle of London living, head to Slovenia, one of the smallest and the newest countries in Europe. With a little something to tantalise everyone’s taste buds, it has mountains, coast, caves, lakes and the beautiful Ljubljana. What more could you ask for?

Sloveniais a great place to relax and unwind especially in the great outdoors. Its natural charm hasn’t been spoilt, there aren’t swarms of tourists and, best of all, it is a fraction of the cost of its neighbours.

It has a population of two million people, is roughly a third of the size of Tasmania and is located in the heart of Europe. Its neighbours include Austria, Hungary, Croatia and Italy.

As one of the wealthiest of the former Yugoslavian states, Slovenia declared its independence in 1991 and joined the European Union in 2007. Slovenia has come quite a long way from its days of being just an outpost: first of the Holy Roman Empire, then of the Habsburg’s and, of course, not forgetting Napoleon’s Illyrian Provinces.

From Ljubljana, the capital city, through to the Julian Alps, Lake Bled, the Skocjan Caves and the Adriatic Coast, here is my guide to the best way to enjoy Slovenia.

Ljubljana
Ljubljana (pronounced loo-be-are-na) is a great place to start exploring Slovenia. With a population of 280,000 it has the conveniences of a modern city but maintains the friendliness of a small town and can be easily explored in a day.

TheOldTownstarts inPreseren Squareand is set along the banks of theLjubljanaRiver. It is lined with cobbled streets, baroque-style buildings, art galleries, boutiques, restaurants and bars. You will soon notice how much Slovenian’s love to sit outside rain, hail or shine. To get a better taste of the city, throw your map away and let destiny take its course.

On your leisurely stroll, you can find the flower market next to the cathedral which has some of the most beautiful baroque art that you will ever see.  On Sunday mornings, the banks lend themselves to the city’s flea market, a treasure haven for antique collectors. There are also the famous three bridges, a fantastic spot for a picture to send home to mum and dad.

Make sure that you check out theLjubljanaCastle. It’s not the most impressive castle in Europe but you can get a great view of the city from the tower.

Julian Alps
Set in the north western corner near Italy, the Julian Alps are home to Slovenia’s highest peak, Mt Triglav (2864m). Legend has it that the mountain is home to a three-headed god who ruled the sky, earth and underworld.  There are four tourist towns in the area, Bled, Kranjska Gora, a popular ski resort, Bohinj and Bovec. Most of the area is within the Tiglav National Park, one of the largest natural parks inEurope. You will also find deep river gorges (excellent for a Slovenian kayak adventure), highlands and traditional alpine dairymen tending to their sheep.

Lake Bled
At the foothills of the Julian Alps lies Lake Bled, Slovenia’s most popular resort. If it was good enough for the Yugoslavian Royal family’s summer residence, it is probably good enough for you. With its medieval castle, it’s a fairytale setting complete with a 17^th century church and bell of wishes in the middle of the lake on a tiny island. Hire a boat and ring the bell to make your wish come true. In the summer, swim, sail and relax under the Slovenian sun surrounded by mountains. Bled is 51 kilometres north west of Ljubljana and easily accessible by buses and trains.

Adriatic Coast
Slovenia has 46.6 kilometres of coastline with diverse beauty and medieval towns. Piran, at the small end of the peninsula is one of the best preserved and picturesque of the towns in Slovenia. You can also visit the Secovlje Saltworks which still produce salt using traditional methods. If you have time, stop at Koper, Slovenia’s major port town which is also said to be ‘Italianised’ and Izola, a former fishing island. If you are looking for a more mainstream town and like a bit of a gamble, head to Portorz, a tourists paradise complete with casino and all.

Skocjan Caves
There are more than 1000 caves in Slovenia. TheSkocjanCavesin the Karst region are said to be the most beautiful underground part of the world and are listed under UNESCO as a world heritage site. You can get your fix of limestone stalactites, stalagmites, flowstones, dripstones and deposits. If caves aren’t your thing, you might like to see the 250 varieties of plants and check of the five types of bats the caves house or the human fish that live in the caves. The Skocjan Caves are 110 km southwest of Ljubljana within the village of Matavun.

Accommodation
The Hostel Celica is an artistically renovated former prison with 92 beds. Even if you don’t stay, it is well worth a look especially the two-bedded former cells. It has a restaurant, bar, cyber cafe, art gallery and friendly staff.

If you would prefer to soak up the serenity in a village atmosphere, the Pension Restavracija Lieber is about a 10-minute drive from the centre of town.

When to visit
The best time to visit Slovenia in summer is in May and June. If you are lucky, you may still catch some winter snow (winter months a great too – for some uncrowded relaxing or even some alpine fun). In July and August, hotel rates increase. September is a good time to visit for long days and warm weather and is great for hiking. For local festivities, visit on 25 June for Slovenia Day and 15 August for the Feast of the Assumption.

Fun Facts About Slovenia: 

Capital:           Ljubljana
Population:    2 million
Area:               20,256 km2
Language:      Slovenian
Currency:       Euro
Religion:        Roman Catholic (82%)
Flying Time: 2 hours