Bank of Tourism Potentials in Slovenia (BTPS) promotes networking of ideas and their realisation oportunities in (Slovene) tourism arena. This is our Travel blog, where we will try to find different people willing to write about Slovenia and Slovenian tourism potentials. All in the name of even better tourism for which our Bank of Tourism Potentials is struggling 24/7. Stay tuned to BTPS and stay tuned to series of live reporting from Slovenian tourism scene!


December 18, 2011

10 things I like about Slovenia


Ariane Goerke, young German entrepreneur discovering innovative Slovenian tourism

As the holiday season approaches, I would like to take the opportunity to say thank you to my host entrepreneur Novi turizem and to the four tourism institutions/companies (NEC Cerknica, Vina Štekar, STB and Autentica) I visited so far for your invitation to collaborate with me and your hospitality. Without your support this exchange programme and my future business would not be possible.
I send my best wishes to you and your loved ones and hope that the New Year will be filled with happiness and most of all business success. I look forward to working with you in the coming year!

Being a "young ambassador" of Slovenia, I feel I should say some things about what I like most about this beautiful tiny country:

1. The variety of landscapes that can be discovered: from the Alps to the Adriatic Sea within one day!
2. Unspoiled character of nature.
3. The hospitality and modesty of the people.
4. Many people are multilingual: they understand and speak at least English and German. On the coast Italian is very common.
5. The hearty and natural food: some dishes are very German/Austrian/Hungarian-like :-). But also Slovenian pizza tastes fresher and more natural than Italian! My favourite food is jota and koruzni kruh.
6. The historical and cultural richness: Over centuries Slovenia was part of different kingdoms and empires and has been influenced by the Slavic, Roman/Venetian, German and Austro-Hungarian culture which can still be seen today in the architecture of the cities. My favourite cities are Piran and Ljubljana.
7. Since 2004 Slovenia is part of the European Union and introduced the Euro as a currency in 2007. This made travelling and economic cooperation much easier.
8. Slovenia as starting point for travels to Eastern countries: Experience and enjoy Slovenia and "the forgotten Europe" by going to Croatia, Hungary and the Balkans in just a few hours!
9. A Slovenian friend is a friend for a lifetime.
10. Relaxed atmosphere and attitude: since I have been living here I'm enjoying life more and I'm always late (yeah I know, these punctual Germans...)

Vesel božič in srečno novo leto 2012 :-)

Photo: Promotional presentation for "Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs" at youth club Cerknica (11.11.2011) for young people in the area including a group of young project managers. I was talking about the application process and my experiences with the programme as well as competitiveness of tourism in the Notranjska region. 

December 16, 2011

Authentic Experience


Ariane Goerke, young German entrepreneur discovering innovative Slovenian tourism

I spent the last days working with travel agency Autentica in Koper. Thank you Matjaž and Nina for showing me some of the attractions in Istria and on the Karst edge: we went to Hrastovlje, a small village below the Kraški rob (Karst edge - a natural border between Karst plateau and Slovenian Istria) with an old church surrounded by walls and world-famous frescoes inside (see photo). In Marezige, the "center of Refošk wine", we tasted typical Istrian wine at Dean Plahuta's ecological wine estate. A very spiritual place for me was "Slovenian Stonehenge" ;-) near Krkavče. Well, actually it's just one stone on a hill above the Dragonja valley which dates back to the 1st century. Anyway, just as we arrived at noon all churches on the hills around this strategical place started to ring their bells. Amazing!

"In search of the white gold" - "Night walk by torchlight" and "Become a caver for a day!" are just some of the charming slogans of authentic experiences that you can enjoy in the Slovenian Istria and around with Autentica. I translated some of their tours for MICE guests in Portorož  into German. I hope I did the job all right :-).

Until now, I wasn't really sure if I was able to open my own business in the future - well I have all the ideas in my head. I like to create individual tours to Slovenia and Estonia and I know from family experience what it means to manage your own business, but I'm actually not sure if I would find enough people to sell my tours to. Since I've seen what Matjaž and Nina are doing and that they really have success with the concept of offering authentic tours, I'm now getting much more motivated to try it on my own. They told me to be brave and think positive ;-) and most of all to pick the right target groups and find financial support for the first three years. We were also talking about working together in the future. Besides being manager of Autentica, Matjaž also works for the "incubator" of the University of Primorska in Koper, which gives innovative small and new companies and young entrepreneurs a platform and support to keep their business flourishing in the first years. I have to find a similar institution in Germany!

December 11, 2011

Days of Slovenian Tourism

Ariane Goerke, young German entrepreneur discovering innovative Slovenian tourism

On 8 and 9 December the Days of Slovenian Tourism took place at the Congress Center Bernardin in Portorož. The two-day event brings all tourism institutions of Slovenia together, including Slovenian Tourist Board, Ministry of the Economics, Tourist Association of Slovenia, Chamber of Tourism and Catering, Chamber of Crafts and Entrepreneurship, Association of Tourist Agencies of Slovenia as well as Slovenian Convention Bureau to talk about the future of Slovenia as a travel destination.

I joined Novi turizem team Tina and Dejan on Friday for the plenary session at the 14th Slovenian Tourism forum, where the new Development Strategy Plan for Slovenian Tourism 2012-2016 was presented. Thanks to headphones and translators I could understand everything :-)! There is still much debate on the vision and mission of the strategy. Some argue for instance, that Slovenia should focus on one main product. Others say, that there is no single USP that could work for Slovene tourism. The complexity of the brand Slovenia is the true advantage. All in all, the Slovenian Tourist Board wants to focus and encourage sustainable, high-quality and responsible tourism by promoting a GREEN sLOVEnia.

What I found really interesting was the presentation of Daniel Levine (Avant Guide Institute, New York). He talked about "The New Future of Tourism: How Slovenia will thrive beyond 2012" and showed us how Slovenia could and should use global trends in the tourism industry - personalize your products and services, post on social web, know who talks about you online and respond, think mobile and promote meaningful experiences including health, learning, environment, friends and family to name just a few of his tips.

Thanks for letting me join the event with you Novi turizem :-)! I met many innovative and inspiring people such as Tomaž Štefe, the initiator and former manager of Hostel Celica which is an old prison turned into a hip hostel, and Miha Anzelc from Židana Marela, a private company of three guys who found a market niche by organizing unique Slovenian evenings, special tours for photographers and stag parties for mostly British tourist.

December 06, 2011

Crazy! Already Christmas time?


Ariane Goerke, young German entrepreneur discovering innovative Slovenian tourism

It feels really strange to see all the Christmas decorations in the city centre in Ljubljana. I mean it looks nice, but where have all the last weeks gone? Still weather is playing tricks this year with around 10 degrees Celsius and just a little rain. Give me snow, then I might believe that Christmas time is here. Maybe some hot mulled wine on the Christmas market will help me to get into the holiday season feeling. Different to Germany, they serve mulled wine here either white (belo) or red (rdeča). Along the Ljubljanica river you can find hundred stands to gather your friends and colleagues. 

Do you know what? I will become the next Slovenian TV Super Star! Seriously.
Mrs. Mojca Reček, journalist of the national TV Slovenia, would like to make a promotional videoclip of Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme for the TV show "European Magazine" and asked me and Kamila, another young entrepreneur, to join the show. They will film us at work and do a little interview. I've never been on TV before. So, wish me luck :-).

Hey, did you hear about the new challenge of the Slovenian Tourist Board and Bank of Tourism Potentials in Slovenia? On the platform Challenge:Future you can still submit your innovative ideas (deadline: 12 December). It's all about "Old stories 4 new adventures" and young people from all over the world take part.

Take care and stay tuned!

November 25, 2011

I feel SOCIAL MEDIA

Ariane Goerke, young German entrepreneur discovering innovative Slovenian tourism

I've been following the development of the website and the marketing strategy of the Slovenian Tourist Board over the past 5 years. I think both improved a lot and I especially became a huge fan of the new brand "I FEEL SLOVENIA".


After all those years being a supporter of Slovenia as a "new" travel destination, I was able to set foot in the institution where it is all promoted: the Slovenian Tourist Board in Ljubljana. Here I learned a lot of things about the work of STB and all that innovative stuff they are doing. I had a meeting with STB web editor Luka Sever and Nina Cvirn who is responsible for social media (see photo) and they told me about the innovative strategies of STB in general and for e-marketing and social media.


What they are doing was at first not quite familiar to me. Of course, I know Facebook and Co., but there is so much more that you can do in the world wide web and SOCIAL MEDIA:


In the field of domestic marketing and public relations the STB established Next Exit and uses Foursquare. Both to simplify your travel and motivate you to go "off the beaten track" by using new routes and be able to get information via your mobile phone.


Facebook advertisements are used for specific target groups as well as the Facebook App "Slowwwbus", a game where you can win an adventure trip like rafting in Slovenia dependent on how high you scored.


STB also uses QR (= quick response) codes at their information stands during fairs and exhibitions. They even won a price at this year's World Travel Market in London for the Best Stand for Interacting with Travel Agents - Slovenian Tourist Board was singled out for the access to information made available to travel agents. Instead of weighing them down with brochures, agents could simply download everything they needed to know. A big screen where agents could also flick through digital brochures proved to be not only eye-catching but a good way of getting the information out.


Time doesn't stand still - every day there is something new. That is why the overall social media strategy of the STB including Facebook, youtube, Twitter, Google+ and Foursquare is under constantly development.


Another innovative thing I like to point out is the GREEN sLOVENia campaign:
They take part in the European Project called EDEN (European Destination of Excellence) and award best practise of green tourism e.g. ecological tourist farms.


On the next day I was kindly invited to the STB Motivational Event at Hotel & Castle Drnča near Radovljica with presentations and workshops about social media and web analytics to improve websites and user activities of all members of the portal slovenia.info. 


Hvala lepa Luka and Nina for sharing your knowledge and ideas with me! And thanks also for the invitation to the Motivational Event!


Don't forget to visit FEEL SLOVENIA on Facebook!

November 18, 2011

Martinovanje

Ariane Goerke, young German entrepreneur discovering innovative Slovenian tourism

Last weekend some friends and me went to Nova Gorica and nearby Goriška Brda. "Brda" means hills in English and the region is situated in western Slovenia near Italy. Again, I was astonished about another area I've never heard of before: with beautiful vineyards, medieval villages and many kaki trees - its fruits also ripen around St. Martin's Day. 

Nova Gorica I didn't really like so much. The town was buiIt in 1948 after a newly established border between Yugoslavia and Italy. If you like casinos and an average "American style" town, it  might be something for you. The old town (Stara Gorica) is nicer, but now lies behind the border in Italy. 

The events organized around St. Martin's Day (so-called martinovanje) in Slovenia celebrate the time when grape must turn into young wine and are getting livelier every year. Not only in Goriška Brda, but also in one of the other 13 wine regions such as Slovenian Istria, Karst, Vipava Valley, Dolenjska, Prekmurje and Štajerska/Steiermark.

Back to Goriška Brda: 
It's a picturesque area with around 80 different wine-growing estates. No offense, but it is more developed for tourism than the wine region in northern Portugal which I visited 2 years ago. There are signs everywhere leading you along "vinska cesta" (wine road) and many "kmetijas" (farms) have a restaurant and on average five guest rooms (Bed & Breakfast). 

I had a meeting with Jure Štekar at Vina Štekar in Kojsko. They produce ecological wines and offer home-made food in their restaurant. You can also stay in one of their four cosy rooms.

Don't miss it - it is really nice and the house was renovated last year.
Or visit their website for more information:
www.stekar.si/ in three languages 
www.vinastekar.si (wines, only Slovene language)

Jure gave as a little tour around the winery and we also tasted wine.
To be honest, I am not an expert when it comes to wine. I'll try to improve :-). But I can really recommend the following wines which I tasted in the last month and are typical for Primorska region (including Goriška Brda, Karst and Istria):
- Rebula (white wine from Goriška Brda)
- Kraški Teran (Teran from Karst region, a dark red wine)
- Refošk (Istrian red wine)

For matinovanje we went to the medieval village Šmartno and enjoyed a hearty jota (traditional soup) with white wine in a cosy gostilna (pub).

Thank you Jure for the great wine!

Don't forget to visit him at his wine farm ;-).

Na zdravje! 

November 14, 2011

Mysterious Disappearance


Ariane Goerke, young German entrepreneur discovering innovative Slovenian tourism

I would never have thought about visiting Cerknica and the rural area around called "Notranjska". Even many Slovenians don't know much about it, which is strange for me, because it is so close to the capital Ljubljana. Thanks to Anja from NEC Cerknica, who invited me kindly to stay at her home for one week, I could experience all the natural and cultural wonders Notranjska has to offer.

The biggest "disappearing lake" in the world (Cerkniško jezero) is an amazing natural wonder - it lies in a depression of the limestone plateau known as Karst and looks different in every season. Sometimes in summer it is completely dried out and you can walk across to see its sinkholes to subterranean caves.

If you're "lucky" you can meet bears in the Notranjska Regional Park - Slovenia has one of the biggest populations of brown bears who live here in natural forests. They are even exported to other countries ;-).

Together with Anja's colleagues we took an individual guided tour through Križna Cave. It was much better than the popular Postojna Cave which is too touristy for my taste. We walked 20 min. equipped with boots and our own lamps to a subterranean lake (one of 22! in the cave) and continued the trip by boat. The guide was very funny and multilingual.

What else? You shouldn't miss Rakov Škocjan, a valley (Karst dolina) and natural reserve with natural bridges. And then, to my surprise, we visited a hunting castle in Snežnik, which belonged to the Saxon family Schönburg of Dresden (a little piece of home in Slovenia :-)).

Not to forget the many "kmetijas" in Notranjska! Kmetijas are tourist farms that give you insight in their traditional work and producing of for instance jam, wine and brandy. We tasted home made brandy in Kmetija T'Dolenj with a beautiful view of the Cerknica Lake.

The region has a very good potential for natural tourism - in many ways. I recommend it especially for research and educational trips for instance for schools and students of geography/geology and hydrology. There is a interactive museum/interpretation center in Dolenje Jezero where you can learn more about the process of the disappearing lake on the basis of a living model.

Thank you Anja for the great time! I learned so many new things about Slovenia and the work of the Ecological Center which among other things deals with the so-called "interpretation of heritage" - one way of exploring and proving authentic tourism.

My head is full of new impressions and ideas!

Adijo!

November 07, 2011

My travel plans

Ariane Goerke, young German entrepreneur discovering innovative Slovenian tourism

One month of my stay is already over - three months to go!

I worked out the dates of my travels around the country. So far I want to visit eight different places all over Slovenia:

1. Notranjska Region and Ecological Center in Cerknica www.nec-cerknica.si/domov

2. Nova Gorica/ Brda wine region on St. Martin's Day, wine-estate Kojsko http://www.vinastekar.si/

3. Slovenian Tourist Board in Ljubljana http://www.slovenia.info/

4. Travel Agency Autentica in Koper http://www.autentica.si/

5. Castle Štatenberg and Tourism Association in Makole www.slovenia.info/?grad=3622&lng=2

6./ 7. Bohinj Turizem & ECO Hotel http://www.bohinj.si/ & http://www.bohinj-park-hotel.si/

8. Tour Operator Slavija Turizem in Maribor http://www.slavija.si/

I will do longer and shorter visits, bigger and smaller projects. With all of them I will talk about their business and situation in the Slovenian travel industry and try to learn about their products and offers in general and also if they are doing anything innovative. Others asked me to help with creating a product, how to put this especially on the German market and to find contacts in Germany. I will also look at their German websites if any correction is needed.

I am looking forward to meeting everyone and willing to learn & help as much as I can!

Check out my travel route (pic)!
Ariane

October 20, 2011

Getting started

Ariane Goerke, young German entrepreneur discovering innovative Slovenian tourism

I've had some time now to reflect on the few weeks I've spent here and to clearly define my goals for the upcoming months.
Meanwhile it has been great weather for Ljubljana ;-). I remember being here last year during the same time and it was raining cats and dogs! I couldn't get my shoes dry for over a week and got a cold just right after I arrived. A Slovenian friend told me that Ljubljana has even more rain in average per year than London. Unbelievable. Anyway, this year it's a whole different story. With almost 30 degrees Celsius by the end of September it is said to be the hottest summer in 100 years. Well, it just started to rain today....

Last week I joined Tina to the opening of a new tourist agency here in Ljubljana called PREMIKI (which means movements). It's a further development of Turag4all and it's all about accessible tourism. They focus on target groups with special needs such as disabled people, old people or pregnant woman. It is a really interesting concept, I think, and I wish Dolores will have a fruitfull business! We'll see if there is a possibility for cooperation in the future.

Yesterday I met Sebastjan Rosa, the Slovenian coordinator, and we presented the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneur Programme together with a young entrepreneur from Spain at Studentska Arena, the biggest event for students in Ljubljana. That is where the photo of this post was taken :-).

I was thinking about how to make the best out of my stay here. Tina posted the news about my stay on the BTPS website and I got many emails from tourism providers. YEAH!

I already got in contact with Anja from Notranjska Ecological Center and we agreed to do a little project together. I will visit her and the ECO Center in the beginning of November and we want to try to create something together, which is great and exactly what I was looking for. Of course, such things take time - so I decided to do a longer project with her lasting until January.

You probably won't believe it, but I seriously did some research at the library of the Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana. There you get access to search engines for academic journals and I found loads of papers in English on Slovenian tourism. 

So, my mission is to find and/or create innovative and authentically tourism products with the help of any tourism player who is interested to collaborate with me. Hereby I would be happy to help and promote rather unknown places in Slovenia, you know, everything except the top destinations >Postojna Cave, Bled and Ljubljana<.

It's getting better and better!

Stay tuned about my journey around GREEN sLOVEnia!

Lep pozdrav,
Ariane 

October 11, 2011

Hej Slovenija! - Hello Slovenia!

Ariane Goerke, young German entrepreneur discovering innovative Slovenian tourism

Here I am - a young ambitious girl from Germany :-)! Being relieved that all my university final exams are behind me, I will discover innovative tourism in Slovenia for the next 4 months.

Actually, this is not my first time in Slovenia. I fell in love with the country 5 years ago when visiting a friend and keep coming back every now and then. After 5 years of studying Geography, Business Administration and English at the University of Trier (Germany), I am now ready to do my own thing.

I intend to open my own travel business (a tour operator) with special focus on small and rather unknown countries like Slovenia and Estonia - a market niche in Germany. Looking for and providing authentically and innovative tourist products is my overall-goal. I am glad to be able to do this exchange with the New Tourism Institute sponsored by Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs programme. Hvala lepa Tina and Dejan!

An important part of my stay will be visiting Slovene tourism businesses of any kind. So, if you are a hotel, cultural or natural sight, restaurant, travel agency, tourist information, city marketing agency or any other tourism player in Slovenia who has creative ideas and offers some kind of innovative or authentic product - get in touch with me (ariane.goerke@googlemail.com) and we can arrange a meeting!

I'll keep you posted!

Ariane

June 09, 2011

Podravska

Pascal Aerssens, young Dutch student writing Tourist Guide to Slovenia (more photos)

The Podravska region lies in the northeast of Slovenia. Its name derives from the main river of the region: river Drava. The area is about 2,170 km² big and there live 319,144 people. It has one of the best transport infrastructures of Slovenia: an excellent motorway connection with Graz (Austria) and Ljubljana, good railways and the airport of Maribor.

Maribor
Most of the city’s historical sites are situated in the old city centre, so actually all cultural and historical sites can be visited by foot.
Bee keeping is a local tradition in Maribor and the rest of Slovenia. For the people who would like to learn everything about the local bee keeping, there is a Bee-Keeping Centre (Address: Streliška 150). You get to know why honey is so healthy and how it is produced. You can taste different types of honey, e.g. chestnut, acacia and linden, without any costs at all. In summer, you can see the bees working through the sides of a glass beehive. If you would like to buy a souvenir, you should buy the homemade honey wine, various honey liquors and champagne.
If you are on a business trip and want some rest or if you are stressed of all the travelling during your holiday, you might like to take a walk in the Maribor’s City Park (Pri Parku). This peaceful park, just north of the historical town centre, is absolutely one of Maribor’s best recreational sites. Funny are the squirrels up and around the trees, always searching for food. If you like classical music, you really should go to the park on Sundays because then there are several concerts held in the pavilion. 
Maribor Castle (Address: Grajska 2) doesn’t really look like a medieval castle, but more like a City Hall. This is mainly because the current building has gone through various style periods. However, the original castle was built in Gothic style in 1555 to serve as a noble residence. But in the 17th century, fortifications were added in the Renaissance style. It was in this time that the southern façade was added as well. In the 18th century the staircase was added as we still can see it nowadays. Currently, the castle is home to the Regional Museum of Maribor (Muzej Pokajinski) with local artefact collections.
The synagogue (Address: Židovska 4) was built in 1465 to serve as a Jewish house of prayer, but also as an educational centre of the Jewish religion. The city’s Jewish community has ever since 1290 lived in the this street. The tower in which the synagogue is housed, was a part of the medieval fortified part of Maribor. It currently serves as a photo gallery, showing various photos about Jewish culture. However, the building’s original character is still present and it is considered to be one of the city’s main heritage sites.
The remarkable Water Tower (Address:  Usnjarska 10) is called ‘Vodni stolp’ in Slovene. It was built in 1555 as a part of the city’s fortifications. These fortifications were set up against the Turkish invaders. Currently it functions partially as a wine shop. The upper floor of the tower is like a medieval dinner hall and serves as a place of wine tasting.
Maribor Cathedral (Address:  Slomškov Trg 20) was built in 1248 as a Roman basilica, but got its Gothic appearance in the 15th century. The Baroque chapels date from the 16th and 18th centuries. Inside, there is a generously decorated and light giving altar. Quite special is the stained glass
window remembering the papal visit to Slovenia in 1999 by Pope John Paul II. You can have a look from the top of the tower if you would like to. These tours are available between 08:00 and 18:00.
Against the wall of the Old Vine House (Address:  Vojašniška 8), you can see the oldest vine in the world. At an age of 400 years, the vine has been listed in the Guinness Book of Records. The vine still bears the Zametovka grape, which is one of the oldest grape sorts in Slovenia. the house is nowadays a museum for people who would like to know more about the rich wine culture of the Styrian region. It offers various excursions for wine lovers. You can buy here some nice Styrian wines at a very generous discount.

Ptuj
Ptuj is the oldest town in Slovenia. It is a colourful city with a flourishing nightlife. And it has a relaxed appearance with its public spaces, parks and its location by the river Drava. It lies in the centre of Slovenia’s most important wine growing region. Its history is very rich and archaeological findings of Illyrians, Celts and Romans prove this. You can see the main sights in just half a day, because everything of real interest is concentrated on or just some metres off the two main squares      (Mestni trg and Slovenski trg) and the main street (Prešernova ulica). Because of a lack of industrial development in the city itself, it still has its picturesque appearance, which is loved by tourists.
If you would like to take some great photos of a typical Slovenian town, you should go to Mestni trg with the muddy-green Town Hall, a beautifully stuccoed corner house (café Evropa), a plague column to remember the people who died because of the plague and a court house with a Renaissance portal. 
Very attractive is the Slovenski Trg. The brightest coloured house of the square is Ptuj’s theatre. Very remarkable, of course, is the tower that dominates the square: it is the City Tower (Mestni stolp). The tower was built in the 16th century as a bell tower for St. George’s church, but was used as a watch tower during the 17th century. The tower’s ground floor currently serves as a tourist information centre.
The most impressive of the military and civic tombstones under the tower is the Orpheus’s monument. It was cut from the local Pohorje marble in ancient Roman times and was erected to commemorate mayor Marcus Verus of Poetuvio. It is called the Orpheus’s Monument because it depicts the story of Orpheus. Despite the actual goal of this monument, it was used for public beatings during the Middle Ages.  
The church of St. George (cerkev Sv Jurija) has been beautifully decorated. Of special interest are the pews of the choir, which are made of oak wood and ornamented with figures of plants and animals, and the 14th century wooden sculpture of Saint George in the display.
Every year there is a festival called Kurentovanje. It is a kind of carnival celebrated in the region. For more information see ‘Land, People and Culture: National holidays and events: Kurentovanje’.

Ptujska Gora
Ptujska Gora is a very popular place for hikers and cyclists, this is mainly because of the stunning sight on the flatlands of Dravsko Polje and the Haloze Hills.
Ptujska Gora is mainly visited because of its St Mary’s church, which was built in on the peak of a 352 metres high hill and is visible from far away. Unlike other churches across the country, it has no forerunner, which means it is the first building on this location. Ptujska Gora was heavily damaged by Turkish invasions, so the inhabitants of the village fortified the church heavily. It is a pilgrimage church and one of the most beautiful Gothic churches on Slovenian ground. It attracts about 60,000 visitors to Ptujska Gora every year.

Tourist Information Centre
Address: Partizanska 6a
Telephone: 234 66 11
Website: www.maribor-pohorje.si 

Tourist information centre
Address: Ptujska Gora 36
telephone: +386 (0)2 7940027 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            +386 (0)2 7940027      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
e-mail: info@ptujska-gora.si

June 07, 2011

Osrednjeslovenska

Pascal Aerssens, young Dutch student writing Tourist Guide to Slovenia (more photos)

This is the central and most densely populated region of Slovenia. The country’s capital, Ljubljana, is situated in this region. Therefore, there are good traffic connections into every direction. Because of all the facilities located in Ljubljana, the region is economically more developed than other regions in the country.

Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital and the biggest city of Slovenia. There live about 310,000 people in Ljubljana. Most embassies, consulates and government buildings are situated here. It combines the characteristics of a capital with a relaxed town atmosphere. It is easy to travel around the city and see the most important attractions, because the main places of interest are nearly all situated within a small area that includes the old city centre on the right riverbank of the Ljubljanica. After centuries of Habsburg’s rule, Ljubljana almost feels Austrian. In 1985, much of the town was destroyed by an earthquake. The town was rebuilt in the art nouveau-style, because it was very popular in its capital at that time, Vienna. Because of this and because of the huge amount of students, Ljubljana appears to be a young city.
Joze Plečnik is a name you should know before going sightseeing in Ljubljana. He transformed Ljubljana from a provincial town into a real capital, in just three and a half decades. Most of the architectural attractions in the city are his works, e.g. Tivoli Park, the Triple Bridge and the Church of St Francis.
A good place to start your sight-seeing tour, is Ljubljanski Grad (Ljubljana’s Castle). It is located on the top of a hill in the centre, looking out over the whole city and its surroundings. It is a pity that the 800-years-old castle has been renovated instead of being restored, nevertheless  you will have a great view from here.
You can go down the hill by using the cable car or the various hiking paths. Down the hill you can find the city’s daily market. Here you can buy everything you need, e.g. fresh fruit and vegetables, cheeses, souvenirs and clothes. There is a great atmosphere, because of the colonnade running along the river. It was built by Joze Plečnik in 1940. 
Stolnica sv Nikolaja (cathedral of Saint Nicholas) is the catholic cathedral of the archdiocese Ljubljana and is the biggest church of the city. It has two remarkable green bell towers. There has been a 13th century Romanesque basilica at the same site as the current cathedral, which was also dedicated to St. Nicholas, patron of sailors and fishermen. The present appearance of the cathedral only dates back to 1700, when a new church was built. Be aware that it is generally closed from 12.00 to 15.00.
When you cross the Tromostovje (Triple Bridge), you will arrive in the new part of the city’s centre on the left bank of the Ljubljanica. The bridge consists of an old stone bridge built in 1842 and two newer bridges, which were added by Joze Plečnik in 1931. Close to the Triple Bridge is the city's major square, Prešernov trg. There is a statue of France Prešeren, the most important Slovenian poet. He lived in Ljubljana during the 19th century. In one of the cafes he wrote, probably being drunk, an ode to the Slovenes. In this ode, Zdravljica, he praises the Slovenian wine, but also the Slovenian youngsters as a hope for a better future. His poems have always been loved by the people. One of the verses of this ode has become the national anthem after the independence of Slovenia. If you look into the same direction as Prešeren, you’ll see a bust of Julija Primic, his unreachable lover. 
The red Frančiškanska cerkev (Franciscan church) at Prešernov trg was built between 1646 and 1660 by Augustinians, who lived inside this monastery until the end of the 18th century. Because of financial problems, the facade was only finished in 1700. Later the church was taken over by the Franciscans, who’s name it still bears. Francesco Robba, a sculptor, made an altar for the church in the mid 18th century. Because of the damage of the earthquake in 1895, the church had to be renovated, so its present appearance dates only back to that period of time. Masses are held daily in Slovenian, English, French, Italian, Croatian and Serbian.
As a trade-mark of the city, the Dragon Bridge is one of the most famous sights of the city. It is called after the four green dragons, who guard both the bridge and the city. According to a popular local legend, the Greek hero Jason and his followers, the Argonauts, are the founders of Ljubljana. After they had stolen the golden fleece from King Aetes, Jason and his friends fled across the Black Sea. They sailed up the rivers Danube, Sava and Ljubljanica. After a while they stopped at a huge lake near the spring of river Ljubljanica. They planned to carry their ship sneakily in pieces across the Adriatic. Here, while taking the ship to pieces, they found a monster. Jason started to fight the creature and won the battle. The creature became famous as the Dragon of Ljubljana and is nowadays the icon of the city and an important part of the city’s crest. Ladies mind the dragon tails... They are said to wave when the bridge is crossed by a virgin! Made of armoured concrete, it is one of the first bridges in Europe using this technique.
However, according to historians, Ljubljana was only founded around the year 15 BC as a Roman castrum (fort). It was called Colonia Iulia Emona. There were about 6000 inhabitants and it was surrounded by town walls. Because it was a ‘gate’ from the Roman Empire to countries in Eastern Europe, Emona was a rich town of salesmen and artisans. It was part of the Amber Road, which connected the North Sea and the Baltic Sea (St. Petersburg) with Italy, Greece, the Black Sea and Egypt for the transport of amber.  The town has also been the site of numerous battles and wars. The last battle was the one against Attila and his Huns in 452 AD. Unfortunately the Huns won the battle and burned down the entire town. Nevertheless, still nowadays you can find Roman tracks throughout the city, e.g. town walls, gates, an early Christian baptistery, burial grounds and insulae (apartment buildings).  For guided tours and various exhibitions of Emona (Roman Ljubljana), contact the City Museum at: t +386 1 241 25 00 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            +386 1 241 25 00      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
On Trg Republike, visitors can see the Slovenian Parliament building, which is the heart of Slovenian politics. It is a modernist palace, which houses the bicameral (National Assembly and National Council) Slovenian government. It was built by the Slovenian architect Vinko Glanz between 1954 and 1959. The building has formerly housed the tricameral communist government, but after the independence it has become the political centre of the new republic. The facade has been decorated with marble from the Kras region and with granite from Oplotnica. The Trg Republike is enclosed by the skyscraper TR3, the Parliament, the Ljubljanska Banka and the Cankarjev dom. It is a place for mass gatherings, for protests and speeches.
Because of all the students, Ljubljana has a flourishing artistic scene. There are various galleries and museums.
The National Museum of Slovenia (Muzejska ulica 1) dates back to the foundation of the Provincial Museum of Carniola in 1821. However, the neo-Renaissance palace in which it is located, was built between 1883 and 1885 by the Slovenian construction firm of Viljem Treo. The museum is Slovenia's most important museum of national history. Therefore, it keeps various archaeological finds from Slovenian territories. The collection is believed to be important to the world's cultural and historical heritage. The masterpiece of the Slovenian collections is probably the Neanderthal flute of 55,000 year old, which was found near Cerkno. The masterpiece of the foreign collections is probably the ancient Egyptian mummy, which dates back to the 5th century BC. A wheelchair entrance can be found on the side of Prešernova Cesta. 
Tivoli Park is close to the old town. It is a bird’s and squirrel’s paradise. It is great place for a walk, because of the various paths. Not all are signposted but all paths connected in some way. If you have plenty of time to spend, you can go deeper into the wood part, where you have a big chance of being alone to rest and enjoy nature. Without traffic you might think you are not in the centre of a capital. The locals go here to walk, jog and cycle. There are creeks, ponds and lawns.
The Ljubljana Zoo (Večna Pot 70)is quite small, but it is a place of relaxation within a natural forest close to Rožnik Hill. The price is reasonable. At the weekends there are usually  guided tours and workshops. Under the supervision of a zoo mentor, you can help feeding the animals, or hold real spiders, snakes and scorpions in your hands. The zoo can be reached by foot, bike, car or bus.
The Slovenian National Opera and Ballet Theater (Zupančičeva 1) was built in properly grand style in 1882 by the Czech architects Jan Vladimir Hrásky and Anton Hruby. It currently houses the Slovenian National Opera and Ballet companies, which both mainly play well-known favourites by Verdi, Mozart and Smetana.
The Slovenian Ethnographic Museum (Metelkova ulica 2), which was founded in 1923 when it separated itself from the National Museum, is home to a collection of Slovenian and non-European materials, concerning social, spiritual and cultural aspects of life. However, its earliest collections date back to the Provincial Museum of Carniola, which was established in 1821. The museum runs a programme of various exhibitions, events and it releases a range of publications to present the rich culture of Slovenia (minorities, expatriates, etc.) and non-European peoples. You can also visit the weaver’s workshop of the museum, where you can find the traditional art of Slovenian weaving.
Ljubljana's Railway Museum (Parmova ulica 35)is home to a gathering of historical trains including steam locomotives, coaches, railroad cars and wagons. There is also a permanent exhibition on a range of railway sectors, e.g. Station Master's Office, Communication, Signals and Security. 
The Slovenian School Museum (Plečnikov trg 1) was founded in 1898 and has gathered a large variety of materials on the history of Slovenian education and pedagogy. Most interesting are the notebooks, school furniture, diplomas and report cards. The library of the museum contains a large number of original Slovenian educational literature (currently more than 55,000 books). Most of the books date back to the 18th and 19th centuries, but there are also incunabula which were printed before 1500.
The Ljubljana's Sports Museum (Kopitarjeva ulica 4) houses an exhibition on the national history of sports. Because it was just founded in 2001, its permanent exhibition is still in preparation. It is planned to consist of 8,000 displays with written documents and other materials bearing witness to the rich and diverse history of sports in Slovenia. Part of this exhibition can already be visited. However, there are also various well-known Slovenian athletics, and there is more than that to be seen in the museum.
The just reconstructed Philharmonic Hall (Kongresni trg 10) was first built in 1898. The custard-yellow hall has a modern backside which faces the Ljubljanica, but the facade towards Kongresni trg, is more pleasing to the eye. It is home to the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, which was founded in 1701. It is one of the world’s oldest philharmonic orchestras and has a great reputation because of various well-known members, e.g. Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart.
The Robba Fountain is situated at Mestni trg. The artist Francesco Robba was inspired by Bernini’s Four Rivers Fountain at Piazza Navona during a visit to Rome, so he designed a similar fountain to represent the three Carniolan rivers: Sava, Krka and Ljubljanica. The steps to the fountain represent the Carniolan mountains. Unfortunately, the ordered Italian marble sank near Trieste, so Robba only made the figures of real Carrara marble. Finally the fountain was finished in 1751. The original fountain has been moved to the National Museum in 2006 because it fell into decay, however an exact copy of the original has been placed on the square. 
The Botanical Garden of Ljubljana (Ižanska cesta 15), was founded in 1810. It is the oldest cultural, scientific and educational institute that has been running uninterruptedly from the time when it was founded. The  plants collection exists out of 4,500 species.  One third of the species are foreign, while two thirds came from different parts of Europe. The garden has international maintaining contacts with more than 270 botanical gardens. It is used for scientific research and educational activities. It plays an essential role in the research of growing and protecting  endangered species in Slovenia. 
The Serbian Orthodox Church was built in 1936 by the Serbian architect Momir Korunović. The building contains an iconostasis  made by Mirko Šubic and several notable frescoes.
Stična Abbey (Stična 17, Ivančna Gorica)
In 1135, there was established a Cistercian monastery in Stična. Although it was (and still is) the only operating Cistercian monastery in Slovenia, it became the religious, economic and cultural centre of the whole southern part of the country, within just a couple of years after it was built. For a long time
it even exceeded Ljubljana in influence and status, the capital city of Slovenia.
The monastery was a centre of education, and was famous for its production of manuscripts ever since the 12th century. The monks have created the oldest and most important collection of Latin manuscripts of the whole country. Some manuscripts were written in the Slovenian language, which unmistakably demonstrates the cultural origin of several monks and their concern for their Slovenian community. So in the Stična monastery not only the common Latin and German languages of the higher social groups were taught, but the Slovenian language was played a major role as well. The monastery offered theological studies, served as a school of music and even housed an early version of a medical school. The pharmacy which was founded, achieved nationwide fame and still exists nowadays.
The monks were important to the local population as well, because they trained local farmers in sophisticated crop growing techniques, among others the introduction of the iron plough. They built roads and even bridges, from which both locals and trekkers could take advantage. The monastery also offered shelter to trekkers, in consequence making travelling easy and stimulating mercantile activities.
According to various Slovenian and foreign art historians, Stična Abbey is nowadays one of the most important ethnic monuments of Slovenia. In addition to the skilfully painted ceilings and statues made to order of various abbots throughout the centuries, there is a Renaissance church with an extraordinary floor-plan with five apses and an exceptional cloister (krizzni hodnik).
Currently the Sticcna Monastery is still in use by the monks. It has been opened as a museum to people who are interested in the centuries-old history, dynamic and flourishing, with its wealth reflected in the stunning building complexes, the well preserved and painted interiors and wother art works. The museum has a keeper who takes care of the interiors and makes the first moves to do the necessary improvement and preparation of various exhibitions.
Admission fees:
PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS
Adults: .....................................................................................................  € 4,50 Students..........................................................................................…….  € 2,00
Seniors: ..................................................................................................  € 3,00
Families (at least three people): .............................................................  € 7,00
TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS
Adults: ....................................................................................................  € 2,00
Students: ................................................................................................  free of charge
People with special needs and children are free of charge for all exhibitions.

June 01, 2011

Obalno-Kraška

Pascal Aerssens, young Dutch student writing Tourist Guide to Slovenia (more photos)

Obalno-Kraška is a statistical region in the south-west of the country. The region exists out of 7 municipalities and covers an area of 1044 km². In 2006, there lived about 106000 inhabitants, of which almost a half live in the city of Koper. It has 24.5% of all tourists in Slovenia.

Hrastovlje
The hamlet of Hrastovlje is not very interesting, though its church is. Sveta Trojica cerkev (church of the Holy Trinity) is a fortified church, on a hill just outside the village. It was built in the 12th century. The outer wall was built to defend the sanctuary against the Turkish invasions. In the past it was also used as a shelter for the local people, when the enemies were on hand.
The interior of the church is tunnel-vaulted and divided into three naves by four pillars. The walls, ceiling and pillars are completely covered with early Gothic frescoes, that were painted in the 15th century by Janez iz Kastva. They were hidden under plaster for years, but were found back in 1949. In the 1950’s the frescoes were thoroughly renovated. The wall paintings represent country life scenes and various biblical happenings, e.g. Genesis and the life of Jesus. The most famous fresco is the Death Dance (Dance Macabre). This wall painting covers the whole southern wall and is mainly a reminder of life. It shows the theory of justice: completely honest and unavoidable for everyone, baby and grandpa, king and farmer, Pope and monk. 
Tourists can visit the church every day from 9:00-12:00 and from 13:00-17:00, it is closed on Tuesday.
I am very sorry, but you are not allowed to take photo’s inside the church.

Koper (Capodistria)
Koper has always been an administrative and judicial important city on the Istrian peninsula.
Throughout history, Koper has had several names, e.g. Aegida, Justinopolis and Caput Histriae.
It has a picturesque town centre, because it has kept its medieval character. At first, it was built on an island, but in the 19th century it was connected with the mainland by a causeway. After they had drained the marshy area between the mainland and the island, there was left behind a plain, on which they later would develop the largest port of Slovenia.
From 932-1797 Koper was part of the Venetian Republic. Under the name ‘Capodistria’, it became the capital city of the Venetian province of Istria. The Venetian influence is still reflected in its streets, squares and houses. After WW II, Koper became part of the Free Territory of Trieste (Italy). Italian schools and a bilingual principle still show the Italian influence on the city. In 1954 it became part of Yugoslavia. Slovenia gained independence in 1991, therefore Koper became part of Slovenia again. Koper is an essential port for the non-coastal countries of central Europe (Austria and Hungary).
There are many fountains and squares in Koper, but the most impressive of the squares is Titov trg. It is the main square of the town. The cathedral of the Assumption and some Venetian palaces stand on this square.
One of the palaces is the Praetorian Palace, which dates from the 15th century. The palace was built on the site of two older houses from the 13th century. In the second half of the 13th century the buildings were linked by a loggia and were rebuilt several times and completed with the typical features of Venetian Gothic. After the Venetian Republic was occupied by the army of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1797, the Praetorian Palace lost much of its importance. It fell more into decay, when the Austrian rulers moved the municipal seat of Koper to the Armarija Palace in the 19th century. Some serious renovations begun in 1991. It took ten years and € 3.34 million to finish this. The palace regained its historic role as city hall in May 2001, when the renovations were finished. Nowadays the offices of the mayor and the municipal council are located there.  When passing through the loggia of the Praetorian Palace, you can see a small opening on the side wall.  It is called a bocca del leone (lion’s mouth). Here citizens could post anonymous letters and requests for the Mayor.
The cathedral of Mary’s Assumption was built in the 12th century, when the city got its own diocese. The current façade unites both Gothic and Renaissance styles. The interior is baroque. The cathedral keeps various treasures: the large altar painting “Madonna with Child on the Throne and Saints”, painted by Carpaccio in 1516; the stone sarcophagus of St. Nazarius, Koper’s patron saint, which dates back to the 15th century and more. The organ of the Cathedral has been decorated by Carpaccio’s paintings “The Slaughter of the Innocents” and “The Presentation in the Temple”. The inside of the cathedral was redecorated by the well-known draftsman Giorgio Massari in the 18th century. The bell tower dates from the 14th century. You can climb the tower to have a great view over Koper and the Adriatic.
The Koper Regional Museum is housed in the beautiful Belgramoni Tacco Palace. Its collection contains a wealth of information about archaeology, history and art of the coastal and Karst regions. It cooperates with several Slovenian, Italian and Croatian institutions in Istria. The indoor and the outdoor collection, in the palace garden, both present the cultural history of the coastal and Karst regions. The collection contains sculptures, paintings and beaux arts products, displayed in chronological order and by subject. Its Pinakoteka presents Venetian 17th - 18th century furnishing and medicine, Enlightment and political material from the 18th - 19th century in the Koper region. On Gramsci square, the museum houses a permanent ethnological collection.
There is no beach at Koper, but there is a water park where you can rent sun loungers and swim from a pier. There are relatively few tourists in Koper, because the harbour doesn’t make it very attractive to a lot of people, and even in the high season it doesn't get crowded.
Koper is easy to reach by bus or train. The train and bus stations are neighbouring and are about 1 kilometre away from the town centre. The nearest airports are in Trieste (64 km)and in Ljubljana      (124 km).

Lipica
Lipica is located in a landscape covered with low shrubs and pine forests. The well-known stud farm has developed for more than four hundred years.
Its history is very much connected with the Habsburg monarchy, who needed horses in their army. At that time, the Spanish horse was thought to be a perfect breed. Archduke Charles therefore let build the royal stud farm in the Karst region, because its soil and climate are almost the same to the Spanish climate.  After the Turks had left the region in 1545, the summer residence of the bishop of Trieste was damaged and finally deserted. Archduke Charles decided in 1578 to start a royal stud farm at this site. In 1580, the bishop and he signed an agreement to repair the manor. In 1581, 24 mares and 6 stallions were bought in Spain and in 1816 the first Arab stallion was used at the stud.
During the World Wars, it was necessary to look for a safe haven for the herd in other countries. Therefore, they were brought to Hostau in Czechoslovakia by the Germans, during WW II. After the Yalta conference in 1945, Czechoslovakia was Soviet Union territory.  The chief of the US cavalry, colonel Reed, asked general Patton to realise a military operation to save the horses from the Russians. The American supreme military command refused to operate on Red Army territory. Though, general Patton took performed a daring military operation on the 28th of April 1945, and moved the horses to a region that was ruled by the Allies.
Today there are about 400 horses in Lipica. The shows of its traditional riding school are an memorable experience, especially for horse lovers.

Piran
Piran has been inhabited since prehistoric times, the town’s name derives from the Greek word pur (pyr), meaning fire. That is because in ancient times, fire was lit at Piranska Punta, the tip of the peninsula. This was to direct ships to the harbour of modern Koper. Because of its old city walls, Piran is a member of the European Walled Cities Association. The locals earn their income for the most part by tourism. When you visit the city, you must take a look at its architecture, which has been strongly influenced by the Venetian Republic. It has, just like Koper, kept its medieval structure with the typical clustered houses, squares and churches. But the town has a lot more to bid than just history. It is nice place for people who like to go outside. There are several beaches, hotels and hostels, restaurants, sports facilities, an aquarium and a casino.
The oval inner harbour, was replaced in the 19th century with a stylish plaza, Tartiniev trg (Tartini square), the heart of the town.  It concentrates on the statue of Tartini. GiuseppeTartini was a 18th century composer, violinist and local of Piran. There is always happening something at the feet of his statue: the youth meets there and cyclists and skaters come along.
When the Venetians came to Piran in the 13th century, they built a lot of buildings as a reminder of their power. One of them is the most striking building of the Tartini square: a red woman’s palace with a typical balcony in Venetian Gothic style. During the Venetian occupation of Piran, there was a rich (married) merchant who fell in love with a local maid. He came often to the town and brought his love precious gifts. In time, he even built her a palace near the harbour. When he was away, evil tongues made the maid's life always difficult. So the merchant decided to place a stone plate with the words "Lasa pur dir” (Let them talk) on the house. Nowadays, there's a small shop selling salt from the close by saltpans of Sečovlje. It is called the Venetian House, which is sometimes confusing for tourists because there is not just one Venetian House in Piran.
The cathedral of St. George (cerkev Sv. Jurija) rises high above the city. It has just been renovated and it is worth a visit. The cathedral was most likely built in the 12th century, but no accurate data exist. The beautiful 17th century campanile was designed by Giacomo di Nodari, an artist from Koper. On the top of it, stands the archangel St. Michael. It was copied from the St. Mark’s campanile in Venice. Between 11am-5pm, you can climb the wooden steps to the top of the tower, for a small admission fee, to have an amazing sight of the town and the Gulf of Trieste. The church is almost always closed, though visiting the museum (open between 11am-5 pm)for a small admission fee  makes it possible to get in the church. The interior is very fine, with a large medieval crucifix, a 2nd century Roman sarcophagus, a statue of St. George killing the dragon and St. Nicholas, who is the patron saint of sailors.
Piran's aquarium is a very small one and it's hosted in an old building by the harbour. It is under the management of the Maritime High School of Portorož.  You can learn there about the fishes, sea plants and sponges of the Slovenian Adriatic sea.
From St. George’s cathedral down to to Tartiniev trg you will find a Minorite monastery. The monastery and the church are dedicated to St Francis of Assisi. They were originally built in the 14th  century but were renovated over the centuries. Inside the church are frescoes, an enormous clam shell for donations and the family tombe of the Tartini family. Don’t forget to have a look at its beautiful cloister.

Socerb
The hamlet of Socerb is located on the border of the Zgornji Kras region (Upper Karst) and the Spodnji Kras region (Lower Karst).
 Because of its nice climate, exceptional geographical and strategic situation, people already settled here very early in history.
There has been done a lot of archaeological research and there have been found various ruins of all times, from a castle and ruins of the parish church of St.-Socerb till tombs from prehistoric and Roman times.
Socerb Castle is situated on the cliff, that a long time ago formed the political border between the Venetian Republic and Austria. It had an essential tactical and political purpose during the Middle Ages. The castle was only in hands of the Venetians for half a century. Most of the time, it was in hands of the Austrian Markgrafen (margraves). It was also important because it controlled the trading route, from the Adriatic to the Kranjska province.
Currently, the castle is a state property of great importance and hosts a high-quality restaurant. From the walls of the castle, you will have an extraordinary view on the city of Trieste and on the Adriatic sea.
The well-known Sveta Jama (Sacred Cave) is located close to the castle. It is the only underground church in Slovenia, and it is 44 m deep and 189 m long. Legend tells us, that St. Socerb has lived in the cave once he was converted to Christianity. Therefore he was executed by the governor of Trieste in 1284. Inside the cave a mass has been held every year on 24th May (his name day) since WW II. You can find the entrance in a small valley. You can go down (45 stone steps) into the cave. There is water in a shallow basin, just behind the altar, which is dedicated to St. Socerb. Baron Janez Vajkat Valvasor already mentioned this shallow basin in the 17th century, saying that it would never run out of water. Some columns form the shape of a bed, where St. Socerb would have slept.

Krkavče
There are lots of unexplained and forgotten stories about Slovenian Istria. Just outside the village of Krkavče stands a monolith of about 2,5 metres high, known as the Krkavče Stone. No one knows exactly when it was erected and by who. Therefore it has inspired scientists for years. Various archaeologists, historians and art critics tried to solve the mystery, which resulted in a range of ages and purposes of the monolith. It also resulted in a lot of stories about this interesting stone:
They say it was used as a ‘whipping post’ for criminals in the nearby Castle of Gradišče. Others say that it once has been a part of an old house. Some also suggest that the image of a human with its crown of sun rays depicts the Persian god Mithra or the Slavic god Svarog. Some more creative people think it proves an ancient visit of aliens from outer space. It is said that the Krkavče Stone releases unusual energy, so some locals visit it with wishes and appreciation. They even bring candles and flowers as a special sacrifice to the stone. There are locals that believe that if you hug and caress the stone, it gives you strength and fertility. Whatever the case might be, locals always know how to convince you of their beliefs regarding the stone and are always willing to tell their story about it.

May 26, 2011

Koroška

Pascal Aerssens, young Dutch student writing Tourist Guide to Slovenia (more photos)

Koroška is a statistical region in the north of Slovenia. It has the highest employment rate of the country due to the various mines and manufacturing plants. There live about 73,839 people on a surface area of 1041 km².
Dravograd
During WW II the basement of what is now the town hall was used as a prison by the Gestapo. During the WW II, Slovenia was under German occupation and the town of Dravograd was used as a centre of operations for the Koroška region. The local people didn’t like this at all and the local resistance was well organised, which resulted in a lot of attacks on the Germans. The Gestapo had no trouble at all filling their prison, not only with the local partisans, but also with Russians who were forced to work on the water-energy plants on river Drava.
Nowadays, the former Gestapo prison is home to a small, but fascinating museum. The local Tourist Information Office holds the key to the museum and you need to contact them in advance by phone or email. I really would recommend it if you have an hour to play with in the Koroška region. After a short introduction, you can walk around and explore the cells. You can have a look in all five of them. Two of them were punishment cells, in which the ceilings were even lower so the only possible position of the prisoners was to stoop. Graffiti was found in all of the cells, explaining the thoughts of the prisoners. A couple of the cells contain show cases, showing some objects that had been found in the building after it was deserted. There is no admission fee. Visits only by appointment from Monday to Friday between 8.00am-2.00pm. It is  closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Very special is the 12th century St. Vitus church (cerkev Sv. Vida), which has survived the wars throughout the centuries. It is one of the most important Slovenian Romanesque buildings in existence and therefore is part of the Transromanica project of the EU and UNESCO.   
Interesting to encounter are the traditional charcoal burners in the Kobansko Hills, which are an important part of the local cultural heritage.
The tourist office can arrange rafting tours on the river Drava. This will cost you only € 16 for three hours of fun. The price includes food and drinks.
The region is also interesting to bird spotters because in the marshes live numerous bird species like the sandpipers, egrets and various gulls.

Contact the Tourist Office on:
Address: Trg 4. julija 50, 2370 Dravograd    
Phone: +386 2 871 02 85
e-mail: info.dravograd@triera.net

May 23, 2011

Notranjsko-kraška

Pascal Aerssens, young Dutch student writing Tourist Guide to Slovenia (more photos)

Notranjsko-kraška is a statistical region in the south-west of the country. It is the least densely populated area of Slovenia and is famous for its nature: the Postojna cave and lake Cerknica.

Cerknica
Cerkniško Jezero (lake Cerknica) is the biggest lake of Slovenia, though only if it’s there. It is a seasonal lake. The water of the lake is directly connected with the underground waters, because of all the karstic tunnels and caves. So when the groundwater level rises or falls, the surface water of the lake will also rise or fall.
The bed of the lake is connected to a huge but for the most part unapproachable system of caves that drain the water away or eject the water.  The bizarre behaviour of the lake was already observed by the Romans, who made notes of it, but never had explanations of why it happened. At the utmost, the surface area of the lake is about 26 km², however during rainy periods it can reach a size up to 38 km².  In summer, the lake shrinks into some small pools, of which only one is permanent. At the centre of the lake there is an island with a small village.
Museum Lake Cerknica
There is a small museum with a unique presentation of how the water system of the lake works and where the water goes. I has a 3D model of the valley and the lake. They give some special explanations for tourists in English, German, French and Czech and for children. To book one of these tours, please contact the museum:
Museum Jezerski Hram
Dolenje Jezero 1e, 1380 Cerknica
telephone: +386 1 7094 053
e-mail: jezerski.hram@siol.net

Postojna
The largest known cave system in Slovenia, is in Postojna. There are a lot of caves in the world, but a visit to the cave of Postojna is exceptional because of the variety of shapes, widespread cave areas, the enormous amount of stalactites and stalagmites and the subterranean water systems. Well-kept tracks for tourists cover most of the Postojna cave, making it possible for almost every visitor to see most of these various shapes and formations. So not only cavers with special caving equipment, but also tourists can visit the cave. An electric train will take you to the cave, where guides accompany visitors for a one and a half hour tour through the cave. The last hall of the cave has a pool in the middle with a number of cave salamanders in it. They are caught in a cave close by and released again after a few weeks.
People who are not afraid to show some physical effort, can visit the more difficult parts of the cave with narrow passages and flooded areas that are not open to the general public. For those daring people, there are unique adventure tracks. These require special tools and qualified guides and are organised for small groups of 3 till 15 people.
An indication of life in the cave is given by the Proteus Vivarium, which is located about 100 metres from the entrance of the cave.  The Postojna cave is a home to 84 subterranean  animal species, of which 36 are land-living and 48 are aquatic. In the vivarium you can watch a multimedia presentation about karstic caves. In the Passage of New Signatures there are two separate sections about cave fauna, there you can have a glance at the proteus anguinus, an amphibian salamander, and the drobnovratnik beetle.
Christmas in the Postojna cave
During the winter holidays, there is always a series of tableaux that tell the biblical Nativity story placed in one of the most wonderful parts of the cave.  There also is a Christmas fair a chocolate fair. Booking is recommended, because everyone wants to see this wonderful sight and there is only a limited amount of places available for each performance.
Telephone: +386(5) 7000 100

PredjamaPredjama Castle (Predjamski Grad) lies in the village of Predjama, about 10 kilometres north-west of Postojna. The castle was most likely built in the 12th century. At that time it was controlled by the counts of Gorizia. In 1478 the castle became the home of the well-known knight Erazem (Erasmus). He was doubtless the most legendary resident of Predjama Castle. In 1483 he killed Field Marshall Pappenheim at the Royal Court in Vienna during a dispute. But Pappenheim was a relative of the Emperor so, to escape his punishment, Erazem fled to his castle. The castle was afterwards sieged on the Emperors instructions by Lord Gaspar Ravbar of Trieste. Ravbar tried to let him die of hunger but was shocked to see that he always had fresh food on hand. At last Erazem was killed by a cannonball. Later they found out that he had got his provisions through an underground passageway through the caves. The castle is situated in the middle of a 123 metres high, overhanging rock face. It was built in the entry of a cave. The river Lovka runs underneath the castle. A smaller cave has been used as a horse stable. The interior of the castle can be visited and gives you a good view of how much the castle and the life of the residents was adapted to the cave and the cliff. Every year in July, there is a medieval tournament named after the famous 15th century baron Erazem of Predjama.

Snežnik Castle
Snežnik Castle is the only castle in Slovenia with authentic furniture that has survived the centuries. The museum inside the castle was opened to public in 2008 after the restorations of this romantic castle had been finished. The building is owned by the state, but the museum is maintained by the Slovenian National Museum.
It was built on the edge of the Lož Valley, which is of course a very strategic site. The Romans had already built a stronghold on the same site, from which some remains are found and exhibited inside the museum. However, the Lords of Snežnik were first mentioned in the 13th  century. The word Snežnik means ‘snowy one’, which is a slovenised form for the name of the initial owners: the royal house of Schneberg (German for snowy mountain). During the  following centuries, there have been a lot of owners, of which most were members of prominent Carniolan noble families, e.g. the Lambergs, Scheyers, Raumschissls, Eggenbergs, Auerspergs and Lichtenbergs.  A large area in the Notranjska region was governed from the castle during the 17th century. Yet, it only got its current appearance from the 19th century. It was in that time that the estate had been bought by the princely Saxon family of Schönburg-Waldenburg. They converted the castle into a hunting and holiday residence, because of its enormous forests. It was on this site, that Prince George founded the first Slovenian forestry school in 1867. The Schönburg-Waldenburgs were good for the environment: Endangered species were not hunted, a steam saw stimulated the development of woodworking industry in the valley and electricity was not only provided in the castle, but also in the surrounding villages. The castle owners offered of course a range of jobs to the villagers. This ended  after WW II, when Leon Schauta had saved the castle from destruction and so fulfilled his job as caretaker of the castle.
Exceptional is the Egyptian room from the early 20th century. The furniture of this room has been given to the owners by an old friend from Egypt. Interesting as well are the piano, the billiard table and the theatre corner which reveal the owners' hobbies. Because this castle has been a hunting residence, there are a lot of interesting old hunting trophies, of which the most interesting is of course the stuffed bear. In the entrance hall there are ancient Roman tombstones and a large map of Carniola from 1744, which was made by an Italian monk. The wooden boat under the hanging wooden gangway is was used by the villagers to cross the flooded grasslands.
Funny to know is that Tito was a great fan of hunting. At one of his trips he slept over at Snežnik castle, because he could go hunting in its forests.
The gardens of the castle are great to walk through. There are two hiking routes close to the castle, the Krpan route and the European 6th route. The area is also great for cycling and horseback riding. Perhaps you will spot some of the Slovenian wild animals yourself.

Pivka
The Park of Military History (Kolodvorska cesta 5, Pivka) in Pivka is a museum and experiential centre. It hosts the national tank-artillery collection, which is exhibited and so offers visitors a unique view into the military-historical heritage of the country. Its purpose is education, research and exceptional experience.
The park hosts an exhibition about the several thousand years old fortification heritage of the region. The exhibition shows the visitors military history from the oldest periods of ancient history and the Middle Ages to contemporary history. The Latin name for the region Regio Carsica Militaris already suggests the military importance of the Karst region, which nickname is the open doors of Postojna. It has always been a strategic site due to its dominating high position and the important trade routes running through the multiple river basins of the region.  
If you make a reservation prior to visiting the museum, you can participate in spy games or play with remote control tanks. For bigger groups it is also possible to organise military demonstrations. Each year there are special military demonstrations in September.

May 03, 2011

Jugovzhodna Slovenija

Pascal Aerssens, young Dutch student writing Tourist Guide to Slovenia (more photos)

Jugovzhodna Slovenija is a statistical region in the southeast of Slovenia. It has about 2,675 km² and there live 139,095 people. The population grows steadily because of positive net migration, which is a result of the increasing amount of recreational areas in the region. A second reason is that it has the highest share of young people in Slovenia, about 15.8 %.

Novo mesto
The "Breg" area of Novo mesto is one of the most pictoresque places of the city. The name literally means ‘steep riverbank’, that is because the buildings of "Breg" were at first built on the rocks of the riverbanks of river Krka. Most houses were built in 1786 following the outline of the ruins of the medieval city walls, which still can be seen in the cellars of the houses. Because the people that lived in these houses were really poor, the housewives of "Breg" had to rent rooms to grammar school students until WW II and were therefore called "Student Moms". The roofs of the buildings parallel to the street were first covered up with wooden panels until the 20th century, when they were replaced by roof tiles. The area of Breg in Novo mesto has been declared a cultural monument of local importance by the Novo mesto Community.
High above the Old City, you can see the 15th century Gothic chapter cathedral of Saint Nicholas (stolnica Sv Nikolaja). It is one of the most important historical monuments of Novo mesto. The bell tower once has been a medieval defence tower. Imposing are the painted ceilings and the painting of Saint Nicholas, which was painted by the Venetian master Jacopo Tintoretto (1518-1594). If the church is closed, you can always ask for the keys at the Provost’s House (Proštija, Kapiteljska ulica 1), which is the yellow building to the northwest of the church. It was built in 1623.
Nice to visit is the Dolenjska Museum. The oldest building once housed the Knights of the Teutonic Order, but nowadays houses an archaeological collection of findings that were done in the suburb Kandija: a helmet from the 4th century BC,  a bronze pail decorated with hunting scenes and Celtic ceramics and jewellery.
The church of Saint Leonard and the monastery attached to it, were founded in 1472, when Franciscan monks fled for the Turks from Bosnia. Its library contains over 12,000 books.
South of the Provost’s House, there is a part of the 14th century medieval town walls.

Tourist information centre Novo mesto
Address: Glavni trg 6
telephone: +386 (0)7 39 39 263
e-mail: tic@novomesto.si