Slovenia - The Green Heart of Europe
Discover the northernmost republic of the old Yugoslavia from the Alps to the Adriatic…
The country reminds visually a little bit of Austria and this has a good reason: Because for about 1000 years the country with the long mountain ranges and green valleys also belonged to Austria. For vacationers Slovenia with its both Mediterranean and alpine climate has very varied sights to offer. There are, for example, the spas, including Rogaska Slatina, or the great wineries of Maribor or the baroque buildings of the capital Ljubljana. Lipica is also famous, where Lippizaner horses were once bred for Austria’s Spanish Riding School.
Green Mediterranean
The 46.6 km long Slovenian coast is covered with lush vegetation. Here are also located the salt pans of Secovlje, which were already mentioned in the 13th century. Because of their cultural and natural importance, they were declared a landscape park in 1989.
The towns of Piran, Izola and Koper seduce with their medieval townscape. Koper has the reputation of having one of the most picturesque areas in the north of Istria with its historic old town. The nearby surroundings of Koper and the hinterland are particularly attractive: the vertical cliffs at Crni Kal and Osp are a Dorado for free climbers, the rural area is characterized by typical gastronomy and excellent country wines (wine taverns). The longest tradition as a vacation resort is the fashionable Portorož, a popular seaside resort with modern bathing facilities, varied gastronomy and events.
The mysterious karst
The two faces of the karst, one above and one below the earth’s surface, are due to limestone on the one hand and water on the other. Above the ground, various karst phenomena such as sinkholes, cirques, springs, depressions, hollows and poles have been created, while below the ground, numerous karst gorges and caves extend.
It is said that the Slovenian Karst is a piece of the most beautiful underworld of our planet. There are over a thousand caves and sinkholes here, 20 of which are treasure troves full of lime masterpieces created by underground seeps. The most famous cave is called Postojnska jama. It was mentioned in documents as early as 1213 and is one of the largest and most impressive caves in Europe. This is by no means the end of the sights of the Slovenian Karst. Many people do not know that the noble Lipizzaners come from Slovenia. The village of Lipica with its more than 400-year-old stud farm is considered the cradle of this white horse breed.
But the Slovenian Karst also stands for stone houses, in whose cellars excellent wine is served, especially Teran, accompanied by Pršut – ham air-dried in the Karst wind. A prime example of a typical Karst village is Štanjel, which is considered an urbanistic monument and is characterized by a terraced medieval village layout.
