My passion for Slovenia was forged in the context of war, when I wrote about its brief battle in 1991 to break free from Yugoslavia. It amazes me that more than three decades on this fabulous country is still on so few people’s tourist radar.
Slovenia, the size of Wales, used to market itself as the ‘sunny side of the Alps’, a microcosm that offers a taste of Alpine grandeur along with the swagger of the Mediterranean.
You can ski in the morning, drive south for lunch with Ernest Hemingway’s ghost in a three-star Michelin restaurant and still be in time for a sundowner overlooking the cleanest seas in the Med.
Slovenia has come a long way since I wrote my first guidebook on the nation. As I’ve returned almost every year since, hotels have blossomed alongside a constantly improving dining and drinking scene, while improved roads have opened it up beyond the capital, which feels like a proper European city rather than a provincial town.
Using the capital as your base, you can easily get around by car. Slovenia has forced its way on to the map, you should make sure this remarkable all-rounder is on yours.
CAPITAL DELIGHTS
The Ljubljanica river winds through the old town of Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana
Ljubljana is one of Europe’s most compelling capitals. It charms in its compact size, relaxed core and greatest hits of European architecture. The old town echoes Prague with medieval and baroque buildings.
Across the Ljubljanica river, the Italian Renaissance flourishes alongside startling art nouveau.
Swirl in fantastic restaurants – Janez Bratovz’s Michelin-recommended JB is one of my favourite places to dine anywhere – cruise along the willow-strewn Ljubljanica, take a funicular ride to the fairytale castle, enjoy the great green lung of Tivoli and visit superb museums. If you only have time for one destination, make it Ljubljana.
My tip: The locals love their bikes. Join them on a guided tour to explore the city (biketourljubljana.com).
Book it: Bed down at Vander, right on the river with a rooftop swimming pool; doubles from £96 (vanderhotel.com).
MORE THAN A SECOND CITY
Enjoy a stroll by the River Drava in historic Maribor, which has a large student population
Propelled by its large student population, Maribor’s historic streets buzz with cafes, bars and restaurants. This elegant bolthole on the River Drava boasts the world’s oldest vine, though you need to be royalty, or the Pope, to savour its wines. Dig deeper at the Maribor Regional Museum, enjoy a riverside stroll or maybe a feast in one of the trio of Michelin-recommended restaurants.
My tip: Take a walk up the Piramida, a 1,200ft hill topped by a chapel.
Book it: Hotel Habakuk is a comfortable four-star just a taxi ride from the centre; doubles from £66 (habakuk-hotel.com).
LAKE LOVELINESS
The Church of the Assumption sits on Lake Bled, the star of the Julian Alps National Park
The star of the Julian Alps National Park is pretty Lake Bled. Snow-capped peaks forge a natural amphitheatre for aquarium-clear glacial waters that are only broken by an island topped with the Church of the Assumption. As pletnas – wooden boats – ease you out, the bells chime merrily.
The place to stay is Vila Bled, Yugoslav leader Tito’s lavish 1950s retreat. Dine on the terrace after a dip off their bathing platform. Nearby, Vintgar Gorge offers a gentle introduction to Slovenia’s hiking. Mount Triglav, at 9,400ft, is rewarding for the experienced.
My tip: Lake Bohinj, Bled’s bigger sibling and Slovenia’s largest lake, is missed by most visitors. Join the savvy locals escaping the crowds to enjoy this fellow glacial wonder.
Book it: Don’t look further than Vila Bled; doubles from £125 (brdo.si).
ALPINE RETREAT
The Logar Valley rises through forested slopes to dramatic 6,600ft-high snowy peaks
When people think Alps, they often imagine Logarska Dolina (Logar Valley). This five-mile valley bursts with flowers, rising through forested slopes to a dramatic denouement with snowy 6,600ft-high peaks. The best base is Hotel Plesnik, a family-run hideaway. Aim for Rinka, a 300ft waterfall just a 15-minute walk from the parking.
My tip: Some locals prefer the neighbouring valley of Jezersko. If you hired a car, venture here too.
Book it: Stay at Hotel Plesnik, where they organise bikes for exploring; doubles from £180 (plesnik.si).
HEMINGWAY’S HAUNT
The beautiful Soca Valley offers plenty of opportunities for water sports such as kayaking
The gnarly mountains, savage gorges and surging waters of the almost 100-mile river made the Soca Valley a hellish place to fight during the First World War. Evidence not least from author Ernest Hemingway, who was wounded driving an ambulance here in 1918.
The legacy is the fantastic Kobarid Museum, which brings home the brutality of the fighting here. The wildly beautiful scenery provides a spectacular backdrop to the kayaking and white-water rafting adventures.
My tip: Leaf through Hemingway’s A Farewell To Arms as you explore the valley.
Book it: Hotel Hvala is cosy and homely, in keeping with the trim wee town of Kobarid; doubles from £95 (hotelhvala.si)
CAVE DWELLING
Predjama Castle, set into the mountainside, is a few miles away from Postojna
Slovenia gave the world the word ‘karst’, and its karstic limestone landscapes are crisscrossed by captivating cave systems. The most famous is Postojna, where the Pivka River burrows through a cave system 15 miles long. Predjama Castle, set into the mountainside, is just a few miles away. But I prefer the grander and less slick Skocjan Caves, which Unesco recognised on the World Heritage List in 1986.
My tip: Visit the home of the dazzling Lipizzaner horses at the original Lipica Stud Farm, a 15-minute drive from the Skocjan Caves (lipica.org).
Book it: You cannot stay any closer to Postojna Cave than at the Jama Hotel; doubles from £128 (postojnska-jama.eu).
MOUNTAIN PLAYGROUND
Lake Jasna, in front of the Julian Alps mountain range, lies near the village of Kranjska Gora
When Austrians cross your border to go skiing, you know you have something special. And Slovenia does, with excellent value, quality skiing for all skill levels. Kranjska Gora, in the Julian Alps National Park, is the best set up resort with everything you need for hire, swathes of accommodation and both ski and snowboarding tuition.
In summer, it switches tack, transforming into a hiking destination. There is mountain biking and road cycling, too.
My tip: Nearby Planica is the highest ski jumping centre in the world (nc-planica.si).
Book it: The Hotel Kranjska Gora is an old-school ski hotel that has been given an impressive makeover; doubles from £108 (hotel-kranjskagora.si).
WINE COUNTRY
Slovenia’s vineyards produce massively impressive vintages, seen in restaurants worldwide
Long gone are the days when cheap, mass-produced Slovenian wines fuelled America’s students. These days you are more likely to see Slovenia’s massively impressive vintages in Alain Ducasse restaurants in New York. It has been a remarkable transformation but not a surprise given how much the Romans coveted the local grapes.
My favourite wine touring country is the hilly Goriska Brda, with its Tuscanyesque villages.
My tip: Have dinner at Gostilna Pri Lojzetu, a Michelin-starred extravaganza in the surrounds of a 17th century castle (zemono.si).
Book it: Majerija is a deeply characterful farm-style hideaway; doubles from £115 (majerija.si).
TERME TIME
Vander Hotel in Ljubljana has a rooftop swimming pool to enjoy. Or you can head to one of Slovenia’s many termes (thermal baths and spas) if you’re in search of a wellness boost
You might never have heard of a terme but you will thank me when you return rejuvenated from a stay at those life-affirming wellness centres. Slovenia’s spas have long drawn on thermal and mineral waters, hitting the big time as prescribed health treatments.
Today’s termes have moved beyond socialist-era functionality. Smart on-site hotels and proper restaurants have sprung up alongside the myriad bubbling pools.
In the east, family-friendly Terme Catez offers an array of outdoor pools while Terme Dobrna is reputed to be Slovenia’s oldest terme, in use for over 600 years.
Terme 3000 Moravske Toplice is another large-scale terme with a water park.
My tip: Try to visit more than one terme – they are all distinct and planning your relaxation is fun.
Book it: In the estate that surrounds stately Mokrice Castle you can relax within leisurely striking distance of Terme Catez; doubles from £89 (mokrice-castle.com).
COASTAL ESCAPE
Piran is a postcard-pretty historic town set on its own peninsula on the Adriatic coastline
Slovenia’s short 30-mile Adriatic coastline packs plenty of punch. Piran is the undoubted star, a postcard-pretty historic town set on its own peninsula. A wealth of spa hotels line the front and the local restaurants have blossomed.
My tip: You can pick up the acclaimed Piran Salt throughout the coast but it actually hails from the Secovlje Salina Nature Park (pomorskimuzej.si).
Book it: Nothing beats Kempinski Palace Portoroz; doubles from £250 (kempinski.com/en/palace-portoroz).
…WHERE TO AVOID
Portoroz is a place to avoid in peak season, as the country’s shoreline can feel the pressure when Slovenians flee the hot hinterland in search of a cooling dip in the Adriatic
As more savvy visitors discover Slovenia, there are pinch points where areas can become uncomfortably crowded. If the capital gets too much, consider cities such as Maribor, Celje, Koper (on the coast) and Kranj (also handy for the airport). Avoid Ljubljana in December if you are Scrooge-like – the banks of the Ljubljanica have some of Mitteleuropa’s best (and busiest) Christmas markets.
The country’s shoreline can also feel the pressure when Slovenians flee the hot hinterland in search of a cooling dip in the Adriatic. Piran and Portoroz are the flashpoints to avoid in peak season.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .