Slovenia might be a country of small proportions but crammed in its compact borders you’ll find fascinating cities, Alpine peaks and a beautiful Adriatic coastline. The screensaver-worthy waters of Lake Bled are perhaps the nation's best-known attraction, while the sprawling chambers of the Skocjan Caves finish a close second. Here's why this underrated country should shoot to the top of your European wish list...
Big-hitting Italy and Austria might dwarf neighbouring Slovenia on the map, but they can’t compete with a country where you can skip between the mountains, the capital and the coast with terrific ease. Cyclists and drivers benefit from quiet roads cutting through glorious landscapes, while trains are efficient and reliable.
With its shimmering waters, mountain backdrop and a picturesque island topped with a Baroque church, Lake Bled looks like it leaped straight out of a fairy tale. Its well-deserved status as a national treasure means it draws big crowds, but rowing across the glacial lake as the church bell tolls in the distance is still wonderfully romantic.
Subterranean Slovenia is every bit as mesmerising as the landscapes you’ll encounter above ground level. In the southwestern Karst region, Postojna and Skocjan caves are extraordinary limestone sculpture parks dripping with clusters of stalactites and stalagmites.
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If you like to get your heart racing, Slovenia can definitely oblige. From white-water rafting along the snaking, emerald-hued River Soča to exhilarating ziplines running through the Julian Alps, it’s an adrenaline junkie’s paradise. Summer visitors can hike, climb and kayak while small ski resorts open once winter snowfall starts drifting over the mountains.
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Sharing borders with four countries, Slovenia is largely landlocked. However, for a brief pause along its western limits, it meets the sparkling Adriatic Sea. Along this lovely 30-mile (48km) stretch of coastline lie the fishing villages of Piran and Izola, lined with graceful Italianate buildings, and the buzzing resort of Portoroz.
Chic and serene, Ljubljana has all the class you’d expect of a European capital with the bonus of an enviably relaxed vibe. Topped by a medieval castle, its leafy streets are dotted with classical buildings designed by Slovenian architect Joze Plecnik. Intriguing monuments, galleries and museums offer cultural diversions by day while the city’s atmospheric riverside clubs and restaurants come to life at night.
Experiencing the deep peace of the Soca Valley today, it’s hard to believe that this tranquil landscape was the site of a massive First World War battle only a century ago. A trail passes the old military fortifications and memorial chapels that are an enduring legacy of the mountains’ violent history, and the Kobarid Museum documents the conflict.
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Trained along the facade of The Old Vine House in the eastern city of Maribor is the world’s oldest productive vine, still bearing fruit after more than 400 years. There’s a long history of wine production in Slovenia and you can tour the vineyards and cellars of the country’s 14 wine districts on special routes, sampling full-bodied Teran or enjoying a glass or two of Slovene sparkling wine as you go.
Head for the clouds at Triglav National Park, named after towering Mount Triglav, the country’s highest peak at 9,400 feet (2,865m). You can hike through shady pine and larch forests where rare orchids and pale Julian poppies bloom, ascending to magnificent Alpine views. If you’re lucky you might catch a glimpse of golden eagles or griffon vultures soaring above.
Hundreds of tourist farms dotted throughout Slovenia’s countryside offer travellers an immersive experience of local life. Staying in traditional farmhouses and sometimes dining with your hosts, you’ll be able to sample regional specialities and wine, while kids might be able to get stuck in with the animals or hone their cookery skills.
It’s easy to steer clear of bland chain hotels in Slovenia, and enjoy a special night or two in the country's quirkier accommodations. From sleeping in a former 19th-century prison cell at hip Ljubljana hangout Hostel Celica to finding your inner Heidi in an Alpine log cabin at Pristava Lepena or slumbering amid the treetops at Garden Village near Lake Bled, you can take your pick of offbeat places to stay.
Though the impressive red-roofed castles in Loka and Ljubljana dominate their respective skylines, our favourite Slovenian castle is surely Predjama, a massive 12th-century fortress hewn out of solid rock. The largest 'cave castle' in the world, Predjama is cut into the side of a 400-foot (123m) cliff, and backs onto a massive network of secret passages that tunnel deep into the rock. Dripping with medieval romance, visitors can hear heroic legends of grand sieges and rebellious knights, or scout out the vast bat colony in the castle caves.
"More interesting than it sounds", according to Lonely Planet, the beekeeping museum in Radovljica is a terrific antidote to the fusty glass cases that often dominate museum halls. Beekeeping has a long tradition in Slovenia, and visitors can enjoy bee-themed folk art, a series of enormous beehives sculpted to look like people, objects and animals, and a live colony of local Carniolan bees. Other offbeat offerings include the Railway Museum in Ljubljana and the Museum of Underwater Activities in Piran.
Low-stress holidays can be hard to find and many destinations are tainted by huge crowds, complicated travel or wallet-draining prices. But perhaps by virtue of its small size and better-known neighbours, Slovenia is generally free of these frustrating pitfalls. A welcoming, calm and beautiful country you can fully explore without long car journeys or costly internal flights – what’s not to love?