SLOVENIA (attractions): |
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-Ljubljana- -Alps- -Coast- -Karst- -Panonnia- -Soca-
Ljubljana is a smaller Prague without the hordes of tourists.
By far Slovenia's largest and most populous city, it feels like a clean, green,
self-contented town rather than an industrious municipality of national importance.
Ljubljana began as the Roman town of Emona, and legacies of the Roman presence
remain throughout the city. The Habsburgs took control in the 14th century and
later built many of the pale-coloured churches and mansions that earned the
city the nickname 'White Ljubljana'. From 1809 to 1814, Ljubljana was the capital
of the Illyrian Provinces, Napoleon's short-lived springboard to the eastern
Adriatic. Despite the patina of imperial Austria, contemporary Ljubljana has
a vibrant Slavic air all its own. The 35,000-something students who attend Ljubljana
University keep the city young.
Most of the city's sights are along the banks of the Ljubljana River. On the
southwest side is the Municipal Museum, stocked with a collection
of Roman artefacts, plus a scale model of Roman Emona and some terrific period
furniture. Further northwest from it is the National Museum,
which has the requisite prehistory, natural history and ethnography collections.
The highlight is a Celtic situla, a kind of pail or urn, from the 6th century
BC. Diagonally opposite is the Museum of Modern Art, where
the International Biennial of Graphic Arts is held every other summer. More
museums occupy the Old Town Centre, which also features cafes,
baroque churches and quaint bridges hidden in its maze of narrow streets. If
looking at all this art incites the need for some R&R, head for peaceful
Tivoli Park, in the northwestern quadrant of the city. A recreation
centre within the park contains bowling alleys, tennis courts, swimming pools
and a rollerskating rink.
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Adrenaline seekers in Slovenia head for three-headed Mt
Triglav (2864m/9394ft), the country's highest peak. It presides over
the Julian Alps, which cut across Slovenia's northwestern corner into Italy.
The Alps are visited by hundreds of weekend warriors, not all of whom are on
ambitious treks. Early Slavs believed the mountain to be the home of a three-headed
deity who ruled the sky, the earth and the underworld. Since the days of the
Habsburgs, the 'pilgrimage' to Triglav has been a confirmation of Slovenian
identity. Today Triglav figures prominently on the national flag.
Bled's quintessentially medieval castle was the seat of South
Tyrolian bishops for over 800 years and was later used as a summer residence
by the Yugoslav royal family. Set atop a steep cliff above Lake Bled, the castle
has great views. A small museum within peeks into the area's history through
a manly collection of swords and armour. On Bled Island, at
the western end of the lake, is a white 15th century belfry with a 'bell of
wishes'. It's said that anyone who rings the bell will get what they wish for;
naturally everyone and their Slavic grandmother rings it over and over again.
The land around Lake Bohinj, 30km (19mi) southwest of Bled,
is undeveloped and exceedingly beautiful, with high mountains rising directly
from a basin-shaped valley. The best routes up to Mt Triglav start from nearby
Savica Waterfall and Stara Fuzina.
Bled is 51km (32mi) northwest of Ljubljana and is well-served by both buses
and trains.
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There are several bustling beach towns along Slovenia's short
Adriatic coast. Italianised Koper, only 21km (13mi) south of
Trieste, Italy, was the capital of Istria under the Venetian Republic in the
15th and 16th centuries. The Old Town's medieval flavour lingers despite the
surrounding industry, container ports and superhighways.
Pretty Piran is a gem of Venetian Gothic architecture with
narrow streets, which tend to be a mob scene at the height of summer. Its name
derives from pyr - the Greek word for fire - referring to fires lit at Punta,
the very tip of the peninsula, to guide ships to the port at Koper. Piran's
long history dates back to the ancient Greeks, and well-preserved remnants of
the medieval town walls still protect it to the east. The Maritime Museum,
in a 17th century harbourside palace, has compelling exhibits on seafaring and
salt-making, which have been important to Piran's development over the centuries.
The nicest beach along the coast is nearby at Fiesa. From its
clean sands and boat-restricted waters you can see Trieste's Miramare Castle.
Portoroz is a popular place either for work or vacation and
entertainment. It is also a popular congress location.
Piran is 17km (10.5mi) southwest of Koper, which in turn is 163km (101mi) southwest
of Ljubljana. Bus service to both towns is frequent from Ljubljana and Trieste;
buses also conveniently link all the coastal towns. A train also links Koper
to Ljubljana.
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Karst offers different possibilities: visit to subterranean
caves or to stud farm Lipica, home of famous Lipizzaner horses,
the horses of the former Austrian Imperial Court. The large underground Skocjan
Caves lie below the desolate land of the Karst region. Millions of
years ago this area was covered by a deep sea which left a thick layer of limestone
deposits. Visitors can pass through these spectacular deposits thanks to an
artificial tunnel built in 1933.
If you visit the Postojna Cave, famous for the "human
fish" or proteus anguinus, you also have to visit the
Predjama Castle, which hangs dramatically in the middle of
a 123 metre cliff.
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Slovenia has been making wine since the time of the Romans,
and it now produces many high quality varieties. The country has 14 distinct
wine-growing areas, but two of the most important for white wine are just outside
the town of Ptuj: the Haloze Hills and the Jeruzalem-Ljutomer
districts. From Ptuj, the vineyards are accessible on foot, by car or by bicycle.
The Haloze Hills extend south of Ptuj to the border of Croatia. The Haloze
Trail (Haloska Pot) takes in this land of gentle hills, vines, corn
and sunflowers; it's easy to pick up the path near Borl Castle,
11km (7mi) southeast of Ptuj.
The Jeruzalem-Ljutomer vinska cesta (wine road) begins at Ormoz and continues
for 18km (11mi) north to Ljutomer via the hilltop village of Jeruzalem. There
are bundles of cellars and restaurants along the way where the region's local
whites can be sampled.
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The Soca Valley, defined by the aquamarine Soca River,
stretches from Triglav National Park to the Italian border town of Nova Gorica
and is one of the most beautiful and peaceful spots in Slovenia. It wasn't always.
During much of WWI, this was the site of the infamous Soca Front, which claimed
the lives of an estimated 1 million people and was immortalised by Ernest Hemingway
in his novel A Farewell to Arms.
In 1917, combined Austrian, German, Hungarian and Slovenian forces met in Kobarid,
on the front, and defeated the Italian army. It was the greatest breakthrough
of WWI. Visitors flock to Mediterranean-style Kobarid (known as Caporetto to
Hemingway) to relive these events at the award-winning, anti-war Kobarid
Museum.
Half a dozen buses travel between Kobarid and Ljubljana daily. Kobarid is about
150km (93mi) northwest of the capital. Due north 21km (13mi) is Bovec,
an adventure sports centre full of hiking, kayaking, mountain biking and skiing
opportunities.
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