Top 10 reasons for visiting Slovenia

A few years ago Slovenia started regularly appearing on tops of various hot travel destinations lists all over the media. Key market players and trend-setters like Lonely Planet, Frommer's, Fodor's, and National Geographic have all been raving about this small country with a population of two million, tucked among Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. If this still does not ring a bell, you definitely must be wondering what the fuss is all about...

As a local who has also done his share of travelling, I can easily point out a few strong points of this little gem of a country every visitor should be looking forward to. Even more than just that - I can do it from a traveller's point of view.

If you are a regular visitor of this blog, you have probably noticed I recently entered Big Blog Exchange competition (hosted by Hostelling International) and made it to 100 finalists from all over the world. If the jury recognizes Slovenia as an interesting enough travel destination, I will have the honor of exchanging places with another contestant from a yet unknown country. Only 16 lucky bloggers will have the chance to embark on this great adventure. I hope this list will also help tip the odds my way.

So with no further ado, here are my top 10 reasons why everyone should visit Slovenia:

1. DIVERSITY
   For a country only the size of Wales, Slovenia packs a huge variety of landscapes. Country's landscape changes from snow caped Alpine peaks in the north, to Adriatic coast in the south-west and Pannonian Basin in the east, with endless, green rolling hills in the middle. The best part of this is you can get from the Alps to the Adriatic sea in a couple of hours and even make a short stop at a fairytale-like lake on your way there.
   If diversity of landscape is not enough for you, there is also a whole different world hidden underground (some of the natural cave systems go on for over 20 kilometers).

2. GREAT FOOD & WINE
   Alongside with landscape food also changes from one part of the country to another. Near the northern border there is a strong Germanic influence and in the west Italian and Mediterranean cuisine is well represented. There is a similar situation in eastern (Hungarian influence) and southern regions.
   Those endless rolling hills mentioned before make a perfect setting for three main wine producing regions: Littoral, Lower Sava Valley and Drava Valley. Although low production capacities are keeping most Slovenian winemakers away from the World scene, there are some real gems among them.
3. ON THE EUROPEAN CROSSROADS
   Slovenia's location is one of its strong-points but at the same time takes its toll on the number of visitors. It is definitely conveniently located next to higher ranking tourist countries like Italy, Austria and also emerging Croatia.
   Sadly instead of including Slovenia into their itineraries tourists tend to rather spend more time in nearby Italy and Croatia. The best case scenario includes a short three-day visit to Slovenia.
   In my opinion Slovenia can serve as a perfect base for an European adventure - when (if at all) one gets tired of it, there are always places like Venice and Vienna just a short drive away.

4. HISTORICAL HERITAGE
   Due to its location and a quite turbulent past, there are many fascinating historical sites in Slovenia. They range from prehistoric (the oldest musical instrument in Europe was recently discovered here), Roman, medieval (picturesque castles), WWI (one of the bloodiest battles was fought in the west of the country) to WWII (many remains of partisan activities) and beyond.
5. UNTOUCHED NATURE
   Despite its location in the very heart of Europe there are still many nicely preserved regions where a traveller can be one with nature. Over half of the country is covered with forests where many rare animals can still be observed in their natural habitat. A true paradise for nature lovers!

6. PRISTINE LAKES AND RIVERS
   You can try swimming in many Alpine lakes and rivers so clear they will make your head spin. It is no wonder a fairytale movie spectacle like The Chronicles of Narnia was filmed in the Soča river valley. You can also find some unique fishing and adrenaline sports opportunities there - usually for a fraction of a price you would pay in a neighboring country.

7. AFFORDABILITY
   Even though prices have gone up since embracing the Euro, Slovenia is still very affordable compared to its neighbors. I am sure with growing tourism, prices will only rise with time. This is usually an irreversible process, so visiting as soon as possible is the right thing to do.
8. RELATIVELY UNDISCOVERED
   Even though it is not unknown, I think it is fair to say Slovenia is still relatively undiscovered. This however is changing fast. With growing media attention more and more visitors are finding it on the tourist map. This might be good for the economy but seeing crowds of tourists around every corner is not a very desirable thing for a traveller.
   Luckily at this moment finding a place for yourself is pretty easy to do - even though it is a small country.

9. FRIENDLY PEOPLE
   Visitors to the country are usually surprised to find friendly locals always ready to help them out. I guess this has something to do with the fact people are not tired of tourists yet. There are not all that many... yet.
   If you are approached by a local it does not mean he wants something from you - he probably just wants to offer help.
   Having one of the lowest crime rates in Europe should also say something. This does not mean a traveller should be totally careless in Slovenia but probably there is no need to be more careful than at home.
10. ENGLISH IS WIDELY SPOKEN
    Last but definitely not least - there is a good chance you will not have any problems communicating while in Slovenia. I find this to be quite important when trying to learn more about a local culture. Most locals speak at least a second language apart from Slovenian. English, Serbian, Croatian, Italian and German are widely spoken. If you do find a person who does not speak any English, there is a very good chance he (or she) has a friend or a relative nearby who does.
    Despite all this, it always helps if you show a little effort and learn a word or two in local language. It just might help you get to the other side of that door that usually stays closed.

I believe Slovenia is a perfect destination for a first time visitor to Europe. It offers a perfect taste of Europe - a little bite of every neighboring country, usually with some local seasoning. Since it is pretty easy to navigate and laid-back it can serve as an introduction to more hectic places (e.g. Rome or Athens).

Slovenia can make a prefect start to your European adventure!

How about you, my trustful reader - have you ever been to Slovenia? Did you like it? What do you think of the above list?
Please leave a comment. I would really love to hear from you.

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Wordless Wednesday: Venetian lion in Chioggia

This Lion of Saint Mark (also known as the winged lion of Venice) - a symbol of the Republic of Venice is guarding one of the entrances into the town of Chioggia. Even today the lion can still be seen all over the Mediterranean.

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Chioggia by night

As I mentioned few posts ago, the cute little Italian port town of Chioggia might seem a bit empty and uneventful at the first glance. There is a very good chance you will also see it like that if you arrive directly from its usually overcrowded neighbor - Venice.

When I was there I started appreciating that relaxed feel to it soon enough. The pedestrian only town center (mainly Corso del Popolo) was quite busy even during early afternoon hours but other parts of town were pretty empty.

Moments after sunset I noticed an obvious change. Cars started queuing at the old city center entrance and everybody seemed to be heading for the streets. All cafes were full in a blink of an eye and everybody was waiting for a glass of obviously very popular Aperol Spritz. If you are not familiar with it Aperol is a bitter, bright orange alcoholic drink, somewhat similar to Campari. They mix it with prosecco (sweet) wine, champagne or sometimes even some soda to get a fresh sparkling effect. It is usually served with a couple of ice cubes and a slice of orange.

I could not figure out if this drink popularity was a seasonal thing or it had something to do with the Veneto region or perhaps it was just another trendy thing.

I can only wonder how late into night this thing lasted, but the crowd looked like it was still warming up when we left the scene. At first this seemed a bit strange since it was Sunday evening but then I remembered Monday in Italy is the day of the week when most of places stay closed or at least have a late start.

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Sunday market in Chioggia

There are a few reasons for visiting the cute little Italian fishing port of Chioggia on a Sunday.
The first one I already mentioned in one of my previous posts and has something to do with museum opening hours - the old clock tower with a clock museum is only opened on Sundays and holidays. The second reason is the flee market taking place on Corso del Popolo.

At the first look the flee market seemed like an unattractive pile of junk - many piles of junk to be exact. Since I am usually not interested in those kind of items, it took me a while to actually stop at one of the stands.
After a closer inspection I realized there were actually a few interesting items for sale. A potential buyer could browse among various coins, cheap jewelery, old LP records, African masks, wooden and ceramic decorations and much more.

Some vendors were offering local items but also many things on display were (probably) of eastern origin, like for instance some old Soviet Union army gas masks and helmets. Quite a few things had a cheap, made-in-China feel to them but obviously everything was not junk.
Either that, or people had no idea what they were looking at and buying. I must say people were showing quite some interest in the displayed goods.

It may come as a surprise to you but at the end of the day I walked away empty handed. I guess this was because I just could not decide between a miniature Vespa and a gilded wooden angel statue...
If you are thinking I should have simply bought both of them, you must definitely plan your visit on a Sunday and check out the market yourself.

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Wordless Wednesday: Colorful Chioggia #2

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Chioggia - Vintage Style

If you are a regular visitor of this blog you have probably noticed, I took some nice photos during my day in a charming Italian town of Chioggia (click the link to check out my other posts about it).
Also if you are not a follower yet, you are very welcome to become one - just choose your favorite platform through which you wish to stay in touch and you will be reminded of my new posts.

This time I decided to publish a few more photos of this lovely fishing port and add a little twist to them. Welcome to Chioggia in Vintage Style!
I hope you like the photos. You should click on the photos to enjoy them in larger resolution. I would love to hear your feedback on which one you like best and I also appreciate some constructive criticism.

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Chioggia - A perfect base for exploring Venice

The town of Chioggia or Little Venice, as it is often referred to, is a small fishing port 50 kilometers from Venice. As a more popular neighbor, Venice takes larger share of tourists and obviously at some times also gets way too crowded. Even though Chioggia can hardly compete with Venice, it makes a great base to explore the nearby famous world class attractions and can be a convenient getaway from the crowds.

During our last visit to the area M. and I stayed at a nice and affordable Bed&Breakfast between the two and spent a day exploring each. Venice frankly deserves more attention, but since we have visited it quite a few times before, we were also happy to discover something interesting nearby. Obviously we chose Chioggia.

If you are planning a stay around these parts, are looking for an affordable place to spend a night and are travelling by a car you should check out Alloggi Balabuska‏ (Via Romea, 8 Km 97 SS 309 I 35020 Codevigo). It is located by the main road (look for a blue colored house across from a gas station), so you shouldn't expect much of a view from your bedroom window.

We stayed in a double room for EUR 35.00 per night without a breakfast. We usually do not care much about breakfasts when travelling around Italy since a typical Italian breakfast usually only includes a simple (not too tasty) croissant with a cup of coffee. We prefer to find some local cheese or a piece of pizza by ourselves.

With a couple of canals and colorful Venetian style buildings next to them, Chioggia really looks like a miniature version of Venice. It might look a bit run down and somewhat neglected, but definitely has some charm of its own.

There is not all that much to see in the old town - apart from many cute little piazzas, bridges and random colorful old buildings (click on Chioggia label to see some more color). There is however an interesting clock tower with a clock museum on Corso del Popolo. Supposedly it is the second oldest tower clock in the world. Besides the clock mechanism there is also a great view you can admire from the top for a small fee. You should keep in mind it can only be visited on Sundays and holidays.

There is also the Duomo (cathedral), situated at the opposite end of Corso del Popolo from the port. It became a cathedral in 1110 but was rebuilt in 1623. Today it houses some great 16th century paintings and various 17th century sculptures by Bartolomeo Cavalieri.
If you are an early bird you can observe fisherman bringing in catch in the early morning hours. There is also a large fish market set up every weekday morning worth checking out.

When you check out all of the above, there is always Corso del Popolo, where you can take a relaxed stroll through the historic center, do some shopping or simply enjoy a drink at an outdoor table and watch people walk by.

As it is a fishing port you can find many great options for an excellent seafood meal there. You can get it for a much more affordable price compared to Venice - in fact much of local daily catch ends up on Venetian menus. It is hard to eat bad seafood in Chioggia but as everywhere else, also here some places are better than others. From what I have seen Osteria da Nicola on Fondamenta S. Domenico 874 by the San Domenico Canal offers top quality and is also not too expensive. Main dishes start at around EUR 12.

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Wordless Wednesday: Colorful Chioggia #1

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Mountain hut details from Dolomites

If you are a regular visitor of this blog you have probably noticed I have been raving about these charming mountain huts in Italian Dolomites over the last few posts. Of the things that definitely add up to the charm of these rifugios, various details and decorations are amongst the more obvious.

Obviously these decorations are authentic and usually prepared in just the right style to fit the overall image. There is no place for cheap plastic chairs and tables in an environment like that. Instead products made of local wood can be seen everywhere. It seems traditional wood crafting is still very much alive in the Dolomites area.

I am very glad they are keeping very high standards even when building new such huts in this beautiful environment. I hope they keep it up for ever.

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Val di Zoldo at dusk

This photo fits the two from my previous post perfectly. It was taken from the same spot as the previous two, I just pointed my camera to the east this time. As it is evident from the two post titles the valley has a few similar names: Val di Zoldo, Val Zoldana or simply Valzoldana.

We could enjoy colors like these almost every evening during our stay in the Dolomites just after the sunset. On one of the mornings colors were even more spectacular with surrounding mountains glowing in red. Unfortunately I didn't get to capture the moment on time. Waiting for it to happen again on next few mornings did not help a bit. I should have learned this lesson until now...

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Wordless Wednesday: Val Zoldana by Day and by Night

So, which version of this beautiful Italian mountain valley view do you like better (click on them to admire them in larger resolution)? I just could not choose between the two and decided to post both of them...

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Charming mountain huts on ski slopes

I can hardly imagine snowy white slopes without those charming mountain huts scattered around. I am not the kind to go "skiing" and then spend the whole day sunbathing in a deck chair - quite the opposite actually. I am whooshing around on skis all day usually taking up to three short stops per day to catch my breath and get a snack and something to drink. Nonetheless I would miss those few breaks if did not take them - even more so on cold, windy days.

A mountain hut is simply called rifugio in Italian, but these are often a mix between a ristorante and a rifugio. This does usually not effect their genuine look. Mostly they are made of wood - roof tiles and gutters included, and fit into the surroundings perfectly. In some cases you can actually ski directly up to a bar and order something to warm you up.
In some you can find many local delicacies usually home-made by the staff.

The always cozy atmosphere inside those mountain huts and breathtaking views of the Dolomites can make you quickly forget the cold and simply enjoy every moment of the experience.

On these photos there are of just some of many rifugios scattered around the Civetta ski resort. I did not make it to visit all of them in my all too short week there. Have to save some for another time I guess.

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The end of ski season...

...or is it really?

It has been some time now since we have returned from our skiing week in the Italian Dolomites and I expected for all this snow to give way to spring by now. Winter however has something different in mind since we had some heavy snowfall the other day here in Slovenia. This also means the start of mountaineering higher in the Alps will probably be delayed a bit this year - I guess it might take a while for all this snow to melt.

I believe there is a similar situation in the Dolomites. Even when we were there a month ago, there was lots of snow and now there is well over 2 meters of it at higher altitudes. More then enough for the skiing season to last for a while I guess.

Like every year until now we had a great time in Civetta skiing resort. If you are interested in my previous skiing trips to the region you should look for the Dolomites label.

Weather was great and there was even some fresh snow for us to enjoy. It fell during the night which was pretty convenient. You can hardly beat a right amount of fresh powder in the morning.

I included a few photos taken this year and I think they nicely represent the beauty of the area. There is Mount Pelmo visible on all of them - just like on the one I published last Wednesday (you can check it out here). I hope you like them all.

If you feel a need for skiing after reading this post, you might still get to enjoy some great skiing conditions this season if you hurry up. Enjoy it where ever you might go!

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Wordless Wednesday: Magnificent Monte Pelmo

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Village of Vojsko in winter

I have posted various cross-country skiing photos from the highest lying village of Slovenian Primorska region (i.e. Slovenian Littoral) before - you can check out my previous post if you are interested.

Vojsko is a small village near the town of Idrija and since it lies more than 1.000 meters above sea level it usually gets loads of snow. This winter is no exception.

On my way to the cross-country skiing center I always pass by the church in the little village. The other day I made a short stop and took a few photos. Although some snow has already melted, there was still about a meter and a half of it left. In my book that is still a hardcore winter. Since in the past decades they often had to deal with more than twice the amount of this year's snow, some locals might disagree with me.

I will let you check out these photos and judge for yourself.

Regardless of all problems snowy winter brings along, I always love to visit Vojsko plateau. Nature is so beautiful around these parts and there is a great variety of wildlife preserved for a visitor to admire. Among other things this also makes it an excellent destination for photo hunting... but that is a different story for another post.

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Cross-country skiing class

Winter has been quite generous with snow so far in Slovenia and it looks like we are getting some more this week. Snow usually brings along some trouble but it also enables us snow sports enthusiasts to have lots of fun.

I have been lucky enough to spend quite a few really nice and fun days on skis so far this season and I do not intend to stop just yet.
Apart from alpine skiing I also like to go cross-country skiing from time to time. Last weekend I had a great opportunity to improve my skills at a training course. It was led by a friend of mine, so I knew pretty well what to expect.

We chose a great location - Vojsko cross-country skiing center. It is located near the town of Idrija in Slovenia (you can check out its location here). I posted about this great activity before - you can check out what I wrote about a great day I spent cross-country skiing on this same location roughly 3 years ago (you should probably click on the link if you like this post).

We were a group of eight and considering there were some first-timers amongst us, we all did great. We started with some warm-up exercises and continued with an introduction to skate skiing. After more than three hours of improving ours skills and doing quite a few kilometers of skating through a section of available tracks, we enjoyed a brief break.

Weather was quite nice. Apart from a foggy morning we had a nice and sunny day. Snow was still on trees, providing an idyllic setting for spending a day in the nature.

The afternoon was reserved for a cross-country trek. We changed from skate to classic style skis and ventured off the track into the forest. Wading through nearly meter and a half of snow wearing only boots would be almost impossible, but with skis on, it was quite easy.
It took us around two hours to do a ten kilometer track. Views and natural beauty were just breathtaking. Almost every one of us preferred this part to our morning skating exercises. There were however a few who had trouble with deep snow - I guess being overweight does not actually help with this activity.

Since we really enjoyed this day, we will try to repeat it as soon as possible. I also intend to go on a bit more serious cross country trek as soon as possible.

If you ever find yourself in Slovenia and would like to try a winter activity like this, do not hesitate. If you need an advice or help in organizing such an event feel free to contact me through email or simply leave a comment on this post. I will gladly help you out.

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Wordless Wednesday: Tiled spring in Sintra

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Legend of the Rooster of Barcelos

Rooster of Barcelos (Galo de Barcelos) is one of the most common Portuguese emblems. It can be found all over the country and Lisbon is no exception.

As the legend goes, this story unfolded in the city of Barcelos (it is located in northwestern part of Portugal) a long time ago.

Once upon the time silver had been stolen from a landowner in Barcelos. Everyone was looking for the criminal who had committed the crime. One day, a man from neighboring Galicia turned up and became suspect. The man swore that he was merely passing through Barcelos on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela to complete a promise he had made.

In spite of everything, the authorities arrested the Galician and found him guilty of theft. This was a serious charge for which a guilty verdict meant certain death, so they condemned him to death by hanging. The man asked his guards to take him in front of the judge who had condemned him. The authorities honored his request and took him to the house of the magistrate, who was holding a banquet with some friends. Feeling vulnerable in a strange village and knowing what his sorry fate might be, the Galician pointed to a roasted cock on top of the banquet table and exclaimed, "It is as certain that I am innocent as it is certain that this rooster will crow when they hang me." The judge pushed aside his plate because he decided to not eat the rooster. But still, the judge ignored the Galician's appeal.

But, as the pilgrim was hanged, the cockerel jumped up and crowed. Realizing his mistake, the judge rushed to the gallows and found that the pilgrim had miraculously survived due to a loose knot. He was released immediately.

According to the legend, the pilgrim returned many years later to carve the Crucifix to the Lord of the Rooster (Cruzeiro do Senhor do Galo) which is now housed in the Museu Arqueologico in Barcelos.

Ever since, the Barcelos Cockerel has been a symbol of faith, justice and good fortune as well as the country of Portugal.

As is the case with many legends this one also has many variations but the main part of the story is very similar in all of them.

Today one can find the famous rooster in many varieties. Walking around Lisbon you will get a feeling it particularly likes to hang out in various souvenir shops.

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