With famous tourist destinations all around it, very few people think to travel to Slovenia. This is a shame, because even though it may be a small country, it certainly has a lot to offer!
Bordering countries like Italy, Croatia and Austria, Slovenia has historically been influenced by some of the biggest events in European history. But from being a vital part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to becoming one of the favourite holiday destinations for the Yugoslavian dictator, Tito, Slovenia has stayed true to itself, its people and its culture.
It’s a success story that very few people even in Europe know about. So my darlings, let us learn a little bit about this unknown diamond in the Balkans! (Although we should make it clear that realistically only about 25% of Slovenia is part of the Balkan Peninsula.)
Here are six very valid reasons to travel to Slovenia and gain bragging rights to a destination that your family and friends have NOT been to:
Travel to Slovenia – 6 Reasons to Visit This Unknown Diamond of Europe
The first thing to know when planning to travel to Slovenia, is that you should actually discover the whole country. No no, that’s the whole point, it’s a small enough country to discover in under a week! And since the trend of the decade is Slow Travel, this is the perfect opportunity to get acquainted with it.
What I would suggest is to rent a car, because that is the easiest way to discover the beautiful country at the foot of the Alpine mountains. And because it’s Slovenia, it won’t blow a massive hole in your wallet either. I’ve used Discover Cars before: it’s like Trivago for car hire. Check it out ↓
And once you’ve got your car sorted it’s time to consider everything that you can explore in this beautiful country of just over 2 million people.
1. Lake Bled 🏞️
Yes, I’m starting with the obvious one. It’s the best known part of Slovenia, and the one thing that most people currently travel there for. But don’t be fooled! If you like this adventure, you definitely need to see the other 5 reasons to travel to Slovenia below.
So, let’s start with Lake Bled. Just 20 kilometers South from the Austrian border resides a lake and a small town of Bled. The area is actually part of the Alpine Mountains (Julian Alps), so the views here are nothing short of EPIC. And above the lake towers the Bled Castle. That’s already a lot to explore, isn’t it?
The first version of Bled Castle was built in around 1004 by Emperor Henry II of Rome because he wanted to enjoy the lake’s medicinal benefits. Bled Castle remains to this day one of the very few castles in Europe that was never conquered. Once you see how it’s located you’ll understand why!
In the middle of the lake there is a small island with a church. This island is a very popular place to get married on, and it is said to bring luck to the couple if the groom carries the bride up the steps to the church court yard. I want to know how many grooms have tripped over in the process!
The way to the island is waded on a tiny wooden boat that resembles gondolas in Venice. Except these pletnas can seat up to 20 people. Apparently the right to steer these boats is restricted to the descendants of the original 22 oarsmen families appointed by my namesake, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.
Read also: Traveling to Venice? You Need to Know This Before Booking
My recommendations
I would recommend spending at least one night in Bled. That way you have plenty of time to explore everything, because despite this being a small area, there’s an insane amount to see and do.
The best view of the lake is from the Castle court yard. There you can also taste a wide variety of honey, of which Slovenia is a major producer in Europe. And for architecture nerds there’s also Tito’s “summer house” right by the lake to explore.
2. Ljubljana 🏰
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and obviously worth seeing. However you travel to Slovenia (by plane, bus or car) you’ll end up there. And why not! This tiny capital of 270 000 people has much more to offer than many bigger capitals on the continent.
Situated right in the middle of the country, Ljubljana is a great place for a base while you drive around the beautiful country discovering its wonders. And while there you have plenty to do, including:
- visit the castle towering over the Old Town
- discover beautiful architecture and lovely cafeterias in the Old Town
- have a stroll in the Tivoli park
- find the Dragon Bridge
- shop local produce in the Central Market.
The vibe in Ljubljana is lovely and chill so if you’re looking for a moment of relaxation, just order a glass of wine and sit by the river practicing some people-watching. And don’t be afraid to strike a conversation with the locals! Slovenians speak exceptionally good English and they’re some of the most hospitable people I know ♥
My recommendations
Definitely climb up to the Castle, but know that it has been renovated to modern standards and has lost most of its historic charm and architecture. Also note that the prices in restaurants in the Old Town can be as high as up in Northern Countries. I recommend strolling just a couple hundred meters along the river out of the center area to find more budget friendly eateries.
Tivoli park is a lovely place for a walk, and there you can see something that Slovenia is known for: apiaries. Bee keeping and making honey is a long-running tradition and a big industry in Slovenia. While there you should definitely try the different flavours of Slovenian honey!
3. Wine 🍷
We all know about Italy, France and Portugal being amazing wine producer countries, right? But would you ever travel to Slovenia expecting to get quality wine? Well, you should! After all, Slovenia is situated only few hundred kilometers away from the lush wine regions of Tuscany.
I bet you didn’t know that wine production was an industry in Slovenia way before it became one in Italy or Spain. These days Slovenia holds within its borders altogether 28 000 wineries and produces over 80 million liters of wine per year. Anyone else feeling thirsty all of a sudden?
The unfortunate thing is that most of the wine produced in Slovenia is consumed domestically. So, if you want to try Slovenian wine you’ll have to travel to Slovenia. It’s worth it though!
There are 3 main regions for wine production and they are Podravska bordering Croatia and Hungary; Posavska where the wine producing tradition goes back for 200 years; and Primorska by the Italian border and thus influenced by the famous wine country.
My recommendations
Seriously, hire that car and go visit at least couple wineries in Slovenia! For example the Podravska and Posavska regions are just a stone-throw away from the capital Ljubljana. If you go at the right time of year you can maybe even take part in harvesting the grapes. Manual harvesting is the preferred method in Slovenia due to the country’s steep geography.
4. Horses 🐎
This may interest a smaller demographic but all the more passionate one! The Southern Slovenian region of Lipica is the home of one of the most esteemed horse breeds in the world: the Royal Lipizzaners. These white horses are bred for professional purposes: the haute-école riding.
But the Lipica Stud Farm is also a big leasure center. In addition to the horses there’s a golf course and a gorgeous, sustainability-focused hotel Maestoso. You can book a riding lesson and go watch how these majestic creatures are trained. You can also find a horse there that was gifted to a known horse-lover, Queen Elisabeth II.
The Lipica Stud Farm was established already in the 1580 and the first horses were brought there from Spain. And it’s thanks to Empress Maria Theresa that the horses are all white today: she preferred white horses to pull her carriage, so the breeding of white Lipizzaners was emphasized.
My recommendations
I absolutely recommend staying for at least one night in the Maestoso hotel. Then you can walk around the farm and maybe have a round of golf as well. The area around the farm is lush and green with the Alps towering in the horizon. If you need an escape from the world, but can’t afford to fly off to a deserted island in the middle of the ocean, this is it.
And of course go say hi to the horses while there!
5. Caves 🔦
Slovenia isn’t only gorgeous on the outside, it’s incredible also literally on the inside. The country includes multiple impressive caves and underground lakes. These are the 3 main caves, but there are more!
Postojna Cave
The best known cave in Slovenia and so massive that there is a train that takes you through it. In the cave you can of course find incredible formations created by Mother Nature herself, like stalactites and stalagmites, and massive stone halls.
But the 2 most interesting features of this cave are the human fish – which are also called baby dragons – and the Predjama Castle built in the stone over 800 years ago. It’s the world’s largest cave castle.
Škocjan Caves
If you’re a fan of the Lord of the Rings, this cave is a must-visit for you! It’s one of the deepest and largest underground canyons in the world. Venturing the never ending tunnels and halls is like wading your way through another planet or the halls of Moria.
Vilenica Cave
This is an interesting one in the sense that to this day nobody knows just how old this cave actually is. Fair to say it’s OLD. I determine this from the fact that stalactites ‘grow’ approximately 3 mm per year and the ones in this cave are massive. I know, so clever!
This cave is also special because it is actually used every year as the main venue for the final event of the Vilenica International Literary Festival. In addition this cave is known to have given inspiration for artists of all sorts. So if you work in the creative field, it may be a good idea to check this place out.
6. Skiing ⛷️
If you love the Winter sports but can’t do them as often as you’d like because they’re so bloody expensive, here’s a brilliant solution! Ski in the actual Alps in Slovenia for a fraction of the price that you’d have to pay in France or Switzerland.
For comparison, seasonal ski passes in France start from 300€ and can go up to 1 000€ depending on where you’re skiing. In Slovenia you pay 180€ for a 5-day ski pass.
Considering the cost of the ski equipment on top of the ski pass, personally I don’t understand why anyone would waste money on skiing in France or Switzerland. It’s the same mountains after all.
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Slovenia is a country I became aware of by making Slovenian friends some years ago. And now that I’ve finally confirmed what I knew to be true – that Slovenia is amazing! – I make sure everybody who knows me also knows about Slovenia!
So, now that you know what this unknown treasure trove has to offer, would you travel to Slovenia? ♥
