Tours, sightseeing tours, activities & things to do | Viator.com
Slovenia
Trip Planning & Itineraries
Rich in resources, naturally good looking and persistently peaceful, Slovenia has been doing just fine since its break from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. Although no longer the undiscovered, bargain gem that it was, Slovenia still remains a wonderful antidote to much of Europe's crowds and high prices.
Many of its cities and towns bear the imprint of the Habsburg Empire and the Venetian Republic, while up in the Julian Alps you'd almost think you were in Bavaria. The relative affluence of this country on the 'sunny side of the Alps' is immediately apparent.
Best of Slovenia: Top 3 Must-do Experiences
Best of Slovenia: Suggested Itineraries
Slovenia is Italy's next-door neighbor, and while it is not as popular among tourists, it is arguably just as beautiful and unique in its own right. The country's relatively cheap prices attract skiers for the big winter ski competitions and tourists for a number of attractions; including the country's beautiful Venetian architecture, amazing networks of caves, Mediterranean coastline, and gorgeous countryside.
For a complete list of activities and in Slovenia, check out the things to do tab at the top of this page. Or, take a look at the itinerary below to find the best way to utilize your time in this beautiful country.
Day 1: Slovenia's Famous Caves
Slovenia is famous for its amazing underground networks of caves, and no visitor should miss out on the caving or cave touring experience. The Postojna Caves and Predjama Castle Tour from Ljubljana is a great place to start, and will take you to the caves and to a 700 year-old Slovenian castle owned by a legendary Slovenian knight. Another great option for seeing caves is the Lipica Stud Farm and Skocjan Caves Day Tour from Ljubljana, which will take you to the Skocjan Caves, as well as a horse farm in Lipica that has been breeding beautiful whit Lipizzaner horses for 400 years.
Day 2: The Beautiful Countryside
On your second day in Ljubljana, Slovenia's cultural and political capital, you'll probably want to get out and see the countryside; preferably above ground this time. The Bled and Bohinj Valley Tour from Ljubljana will take you to the beautiful municipality of Bled, a popular destination next to the Julian Alps. The Bled Castle overlooks the lake, including the central island with its picturesque Assumption of Mary Pilgrimage Church.
Another option is the Karst Region Day Tour from Ljubljana, which will take you to the a Slovenian village with Karst architecture, a Karst farm for a taste of wine and dried ham "prsut".
Day 3: Relaxing in Venice and on the Coast
You can't go to Slovenia without hopping the border to see Venice, which is exactly why the Venice Day Tour from Ljubljana is such a great option. If you're looking for even more time by the water (Slovenia is on the Mediterranean, after all), head out to the coast with the Portoroz and Piran Tour from Ljubljana.
Ljubljana is certainly Slovenia's central city culturally and it is the country's capital, but some of Slovenia's medieval towns deserve a visit as well. To see yet another side of Slovenia, take the Maribor and Ptuj Tour from Ljubljana to see Slovenia's second biggest town -- with a character completely different from Ljubljana -- and its oldest town. Ptuj has been around since the first century A.D., when it was governed by the Romans.
Best of Slovenia: Top Restaurants
Best of Slovenia: Top Hotels
Ljubljana's Hotel Mons is a hotel and convention center only a couple of minutes from the city's center. jubljana is a mid-sized European city with the friendliness of a smaller town and the activity of other larger European capitals. The hotel is a four-star business hotel with a free transfer service to the city center, walking and jogging paths in the woods nearby, and a couple of nice restaurants and a bar.
The Park Hotel is in the center of Bled, with a wonderful view of Lake Bled, Bled Castle, and the Julian Alps. The Hotel features excellent food and drink, a "wellness area" with all of the bells and whistles, and it is an excellent venue for conferences. Most importantly, it's original ice cream cakes (baked here since 1953) are great.
Portoroz is a popular beach location on Slovenia's Mediterranean coast. Portoroz is beautiful, but the main beach has so many high rises that the experience is substantially less relaxing than it could be. That's where Hotel Marko comes in. This lovely, new, family-owned hotel is in a quiet spot across from the main beach. It is the best option for a relaxed, enjoyable stay in Portoroz.
Festivals in Slovenia
The Ljubljana Summer Festival is the nation's premier cultural celebration, featuring music, theatre and dance performances in Ljubljana during the months of July and August. The Cows' Ball (Kravji Bal) in Bohinj is a kitschy weekend of eating, drinking and folk dancing in mid-September to mark the return of the cows to the valleys from their high pastures. It doesn't get any more Slovenian than this.
January and March bring ski competitions - the January Women's World Cup Slalom and Giant Slalom Competition is one of the major ski events for women, held on the slopes southwest of Maribor.
From USD $77.23
Explore this "pearl of the Alpine" on a guided tour and lake cruise of Bled and the Bohinj Valley Tour.
- Plan Slovenia vacations on Yahoo! Travel
- Hotels from PlanetWare
- English-language news from The Slovenia Times
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