Want to know a secret?
/
I get it. Italy is beautiful. France is amazing. England is charming. Without a doubt they are all worth seeing for sure.
But want to know a secret? There are other countries in Europe that are also worth seeing but only those “in the know” know about them. Lucky for you, I’m in the know. And now you’ll know too.
Here’s one to consider: Slovenia.
Slovenia is roughly the same size as New Jersey and is located in southeast Europe. It used to be part of Yugoslavia before it gained independence in 1991. Its neighbors are (clockwise from left): Italy (Venice is right there), Austria, Hungary and Croatia. It has a small area on the coast (with a charming town!) but the real spectacular parts of Slovenia are in the countryside, hills and mountains (known as the Julian Alps - yes, part of “the” Alps). There’s wineries, cute towns, national parks… and beautiful views wherever you look. Even the capital of Ljubljana has a scenic historical center that is worth exploring for a day or two.
Slovenia urges you to slow down. There are no high speed trains. Best way to get around is by car - either self driving or with a driver (not as pricey as it sounds). Accommodations can vary but generally include family-owned inns, modern hotels, mountain chalets and wineries. Clean, comfortable and of good value.
So, why would you want to go to Slovenia? Besides being breathtakingly beautiful, Slovenia appeals to those interested in active vacations. Hiking, biking, river rafting, skiing in the winter - things like that. There’s also the wine regions which are growing in popularity. The wines are said to rival the best of Italian and French wines so of course people are starting to pay attention. And then there’s also the food. A restaurant on the “top 50 restaurants in the world” list (and featured on Chefs Table) is located in Slovenia (in the Soca Valley area).
Getting there does require at least one change of planes from the U.S. as there are no non-stop flights. You could easily tag on northern Italy, Austria or Croatia to the trip as they are all in that same general area. I’d recommend at least a week to explore the highlights of Slovenia - you could do a couple days by the water, some time in Ljubljana and then definitely some time in the Alps/valleys that make this country so spectacular. For a more in-depth experience, you could easily spend two weeks+ in this small country.
Ready to learn more? Contact me today so we can begin discussing your travel plans!
Some people want to travel to a specific country (for many it’s Italy), or there’s a specific mode of travel to get you there (think river cruise), or their trip is all about who they are traveling with (that long overdue girls trip or that overseas honeymoon that was never taken for example.) The reasons for the items on your travel (bucket) list could go on and on. Let’s find out about the Top 5 Travel Trends for 2020.