Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
12
Slovenia
by Keith Bain
I
f you've ever wanted to visit a place that
few people even know exists (and fewer
still can point out on a map), start plan-
ning your trip to Slovenia soon; it won't be
long before this smart central European
country is setting the tone for fashionable
travel. With fewer than two million inhab-
itants, and only recently discovered by a
select group of globe-trotters who've tuned
into tales of its idyllic beauty, Slovenia is
considerably more tranquil and sophisti-
cated than any other destination cast
under the “Eastern European” banner,
with almost none of the hang-ups associ-
ated with its former Communist connec-
tions; 15 years after gently wresting itself
from Yugoslavia, there's a fresh exuberance
of spirit here suggesting a nation still
enjoying its independence honeymoon. Its
beauty has drawn comparisons with
Switzerland, a country that is twice its size,
and while there are similarities, Slovenia's
relative anonymity means that you can still
enjoy yourself here for fewer euros
(although it's certainly not as cheap as
other Eastern European destinations).
Imbued with fantastic, scraggy mountains,
turquoise rivers and silver lakes, vast sub-
terranean caves, and just enough medieval
castles to conjure up a fairy tale or two,
Slovenia is one of those destinations you
wish you could make your regular week-
end getaway.
1 Getting to Know Slovenia
THE LAY OF THE LAND
Easy to miss on even the largest of maps, Slovenia is tucked into the armpit formed
by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the east, and Croatia to the
south. It's pretty much in the center of Europe, about the same distance from London
as it is from Istanbul, and more or less midway between Moscow and Lisbon.
THE REGIONS IN BRIEF
Ljubljana
is more or less in the center of the country. To the north, the
Julian Alps
on the Italian border form one natural perimeter of the
Triglav National Park,
syn-
onymous with the triple-peak Triglav Mountains seen on the national flag. Triglav's
proud peaks add to the splendor of the country's most cherished lakes,
Bled
and
Bohinj,
both defining features on the country's tourist trail. Tucked between Triglav
and the Italian border is the fantastic
So
c
a River Valley,
a tour de force for travelers
looking for river and mountain thrills. And stretched along the northern Austrian bor-
der is the Karavanke Mountain range, providing rewarding views as you drive any-
where north of the capital.
