You should fall in love with Slovenia. It’s nice when you discover a place that you can fall in love with over again. When that country is so warm and inviting that they invite you back, it’s truly a place to be cherished. That’s exactly my feeling for my second trip to Slovenia.
For this trip, I experienced a little bit of everything from historical sightseeing, sports activities and my favorites things: beer and wine tastings along with some incredible fabulous gourmet meals. Starting in NE Slovenia, I hit the countryside to learn about Slovenian hops, one of the key ingredients needed to make beer. Slovenia is known for it’s hops and exports much of theirs for use in beers around the world. Naturally at Eco-Museum of Hop-Growing & Brewing in Zale, I had to learn the art of the proper pour and maybe have a sample or two.
The country’s terrain is similar to that of Italy and Austria and as a result there are some really good wines at affordable prices One of the newer wineries was Zlati Grič. The beautiful winery aimed to keep the land pretty pristine. Its state of the art facility is primarily underground, leaving the lush countryside in tact. Using the techniques and inspiration established by the French Carthusian monks, Sanctum wines benefit from the lush terrain and was also a fantastic wine to enjoy, another reason to fall in love with Slovenia.
A little further north is the Rogla Ski Resort, where you’ll find some of Slovenia’s best skiing. Hotels like the Hotel Natura offer convenient access to the slopes in a spa-like atmosphere. While it wasn’t quite ski season, I did find a little grass sledding quenched my need for speed. Staying in the region, I also went to see the Žice Chartusian Monastery. Although the monastery is largely in ruins, plans are in the works to restore the structures.. It is here too that you can visit and eat at Gostilna Gastuž, the oldest restaurant in Slovenia.
The coastal area is just as impressive as the countryside. The city of Koper is the home for Lisjak, Slovenia’s award winning olive oil producers, I had the important task of tasting these oils and sampling them along with the delicious wines from Zaro Winery. And if you’re going to taste and sample you might as well enjoy a nice meal too. How about pasta made with fresh black truffle? Just another reason to fall in love with Slovenia.
Known as the Slovenian Rivera, the country may not have the lush sandy beaches of other waterfront cities but they do have small beaches that can still enjoy. One of the major cities in the area is Piran. This coastal city has a strong Venetian influence and from here you can see both Croatia and Italy. This sleepy little city has the unique distinction of being the first country of the former communist Europe to elect a black mayor.
For a small country, I was amazed how much there is to see and do. Whether you’re an eco-tourist, sports enthusiast, foodie, wine lover or just your regular average tourist, there’s something for just about everyone. With LOVE in it’s name, you should fall in love with SLOVEnia too!
My trip was arranged by luxuryslovenia.eu. If you want a truly remarkable experience, I recommend contacting them. These guys love their country and know how to craft truly remarkable experiences.
Shop My Look/ Details
The weather this time of year was quite spring like but depending on the region it could be cooler or hotter than expected. My wardrobe consisted of mainly lightweight slacks and shirts, with a light leather jacket when things got cool.
Navy leather Jacket – Zara (faux leather version); Polo shirt –Theory; Plaid slacks –Miu Miu (similar); Sneakers – Prada; Sunglasses – Tom Ford
