Goriška

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

Goriška is a statistical region in the west of the country on the border with Italy. Its capital city is Nova Gorica. The area is 2,325 km2 and there live about 119,622 people.

Bovec
Bovec is situated in the middle of Triglav National Park. It is a perfect destination for people who like to go outside and like an active holiday. In summer there can be canoed and rafted on the rivers and in winter there can be skied at the Kanin ski resort. Close to the town are the river Soča and the river Koritnica joined together. At that place there are arranged some camping sites.
You might not have heard of it but maybe you have seen it before, because the mighty skirmish scenes at the end of Disney's film The Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian were filmed near Bovec. In June 2007, they shot these scenes in the valley.
Trouts love the cold and clear water of the river Soča and they get to huge sizes that every angler would like to catch. Marble trout, Brown trout and Soča grayling are native species of the river. The best time to fish at the Soča river is late August and September.
In the parish church of Bovec there is a notable painting: Archangel Michael fights with Hitler and Mussolini. They represent God’s enemies, the foes of society and the devil.

Idrija
It was in Idrija that a loaded deposit of mercury ore was exposed in 1490. Idrija’s famed mercury mine, once was the second largest mercury mine in the world. It has served for 500 years, but now it has closed. The Anthony’s Shaft is the oldest part of the mine and dates from the 16th century. There also is a subterranean chapel that dates from 18th century. Both the mine and the church are open for visitors.
The glorious Gewerkenegg Castle, which dates from 1533, is a home to the wide-ranging collection of the Idrija Municipal Museum.  The courtyard of the castle serves in summer also as a scene of summer cultural events.
Very famous is the centuries-old lace making tradition, which has been practiced in the area for more than 300 years. Its lace making school is more than 120 years old. You can buy its products all over the town. Every year there is a traditional Lace Festival at the end of August.
The famous Johannes Antonius Scopoli, an Italian physician and naturalist, was a practicing doctor in the town in the Switzerland building. He was the first doctor of medicine, appointed in Idrija in 1754, who described in great detail the symptoms of mercurialism among smelters and pit workers. Mercurialism is caused by mercury vapour over long periods of time. Some symptoms are inflammation of the mouth, loose teeth and blue lines on the gums. So this really was an important discovery of him.
There are lots of local "gostilnas" and farms where you can enjoy the local cuisine. The home-made dish žlikrofi (a kind of ravioli) is really worth a try.

Kobarid
Kobarid was populated as early as the Hallstatt Age (700-600 BC). During ancient Roman times, Kobarid was an important stopover on the road from Aquileia to Noricum. And in Medieval times the settlement was owned by the Cividale Chapter. But Kobarid is well-known for its tumultuous past:
In 1688 a devastating fire swept through the settlement; the Turks invaded the region and Napoleon's army past through the valley. The greatest highland battle in history took place around the town during World War I. The first "blitzkrieg" of the world took place in the valley.
The Kobarid Historical Trail has been set up for visitors that are interested in the local historical, cultural and also natural points of interest. The trail is approximately five kilometres long and you can walk this in about three hours. Some interesting spots on its way are the Kobarid museum, a Roman settlement on Gradič Hill, Tonocov grad, Kozjak Waterfalls and the Napoleon Bridge. 
In the small village of Zatolmin are many Cheese Houses that make their own cheeses. The owners would be pleased to give you a short explanation about the process of making cheese. When you have finished the tour, you can take a look around  in their cheese cellar.
If you like hunting and fishing, Kobarid is a great place for you. There is plenty of small and big game and also a lot of fish in the rivers.

Nova Gorica
The city of Nova Gorica was only founded just after WW II (1948). According to the 6th Paris Peace Conference the city of Gorizia would become part of Italy, and as a result the Slovenian region of Goriška lost its centre. Therefore the Slovenes decided to build a new town: Nova Gorica, which in Slovenian literally means ‘New Gorizia’. However, the history of the Goriška region is very old and there are some significant archaeological sites.
The city is also known as the Slovenian Las Vegas because it attracts many tourists to its casinos, discos and entertainment centres. Locals prefer walking in the hills, with their unspoiled milieu. The city is really worth visiting, together with its Italian neighbour Gorizia, because of its historical monuments, concerts and choirs.
There is a red rose on the crest of the municipality, because this flower has an exceptional historical importance for this region: before WWI, it delivered roses to the Imperial Court in Vienna. Nowadays there are numerous roses and gardens that beautify the city.

Just on the border between Slovenia and Italy, lies Kostanjevica Hill. It houses a 17th century Franciscan monastery. Attached to the monastery is the church of the Annunciation of Our Lady. There is a crypt below the church, in which the last members of the French royal family, the Bourbons, were buried. Charles X fled from France because of the revolution in 1830. He found a safe haven in Gorizia, and in time the death.
North of the town is another Franciscan monastery on the Holy Mountain (Sveta Gora). It has attracted pilgrims for five centuries. The sight from the peak is great, and when the sky is clear, visitors can see the whole of Istria, the Dolomites, the Alps and sometimes even Venice. There are often concerts in the enormous basilica. Other buildings on the peak are the Battle of Isonzo Museum and a cosy tavern.
The charming building of Vogrsko Mansion is an excellent example of Mediterranean Baroque. The construction of the building began in the 16th century, but the building was totally renovated in the 17th century and completed in the Rococo style. Nowadays it is used for many purposes, e.g. grande cuisine, lodging and recreation.
From the Medieval castle of Rihemberk you have an impressive sight of the Vipava Valley. This valley is well-known for its wines and prosciutto. In summer the castle becomes a place for people to meet up and for various events and shows.
There are lots of things to do for outdoors sport enthusiasts, who can take pleasure in parachuting, hang-gliding and canoeing on the river Soča. River Soča is famous for the green colour of its water. Therefore, the river is also known as the Emerald Beauty. It is one of the exceptional rivers in the world that keep their clear, green colour throughout their length.

Gorenjska

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

Gorenjska is one of the oldest and most traditional regions of Slovenia. Its capital city is Kranj, but interesting as well are the cities of Bled, Bohinj and Škofja Loka. There live about 193,375 people and the surface is approximately 2,272 km² big.

Bled
Bled is well-known for its lake, Blejsko Jezero, which was formed when a glacier melted during the last Ice Age. When walking around the lake it might remind one of the Sound of Music.
The church of St Mary’s Assumption (cerkev Marijinega Vnebovzetja) was built on the island in the middle of the lake. It probably is the most famous sight of the lake and photo’s and post cards of the island with the church are spread all over the world. Archaeologists have concluded that there already was a church on Bled Island in the 9th century, but the current church dates back to the 17th century. Though there still are frescoes from the 15th century and a wooden Madonna statue that dates back to the same period of time. However, this was not the first construction built on the island: The island has served as a Stone Age burial ground before the church was built. If you would like to visit the church and the island, just take a gondola at the tourist office or hire a boat at Mlini. The church is used for weddings and is available for Slovenes and foreigners. If you would like to marry there, please contact Bled’s Roman Catholic parish at 04 574 4046.
Bled castle, or Blejski Grad, (Grajska 25) looks out over the lake from a 139 metres high rock. It is said to be founded by bishop Albuin of Brixen, after Emperor Heinrich II had donated him the land. Unfortunately the castle fell into decay after the earthquake of 1510. In the 1950s the castle was renovated in Baroque style. Nowadays it houses a museum dedicated to the regional history. 
At tourist agency AlpinSport (Ribčev laz 53), you can hire canoes and kayaks. They also offer full programmes like rafting, mountain trekking and paragliding.
Interested in fishing? Fishing for catfish, pike, carp and lake trout is permitted. You can buy licenses at the local tourist office.

Tourist office 
Address: Cesta svobode 10
Telephone: +386 (0)4 574 11 22
E-mail: tdbled@telemach.net

Bohinj
Bohinj is also famous for a lake: Bohinjsko Jezero. It is a glacier lake, just like the lake of Bled. It is the biggest lake of Slovenia (1 km wide and 4.2 km long) and attracts lots of tourists and locals that yearn for a dive in the cold water.
Bohinj once has been the centre of alpine dairy farming in Slovenia and therefore houses a Dairy Farming Museum (Stara Fužina 181). Interesting are the reconstructed alpine huts and dairy exhibits.
It is possible to take a ride aboard a steam train, which will ride you all along the charming Bohinj railway. Tickets should be booked in advance at +386 059 070 512 or send an e-mail to abc-tourism@europcar.si

Tourist Information Centre
Address: Ribčev Laz 48
Telephone: +386 (0)4 574 76010
E-mail: info@bohinj-info.com


Škofja Loka
The area around Škofja Loka is perfect to go cycling or hiking. It is famous for its well preserved medieval character. The town dates back to 973, when Emperor Oton II donated the land of Loka to bishop Abraham of Freising.
In the Middle Ages the people of Loka were starting to spread around the place where the rivers Selška and Poljanska flow together. Loka means  grassland by the river. Soon after the bishop of Freising renamed the governmental and financial centre of the lordship to Škofja Loka. For security purposes the town was protected by a town wall that was constructed in the 14th century.
There were five gates to the town and each of them was protected by a watchtower. Nowadays most of the town wall is still fresh-looking.
Škofja Loka is now well-known as the best conserved mediaeval town in the country. The old town centre is has two major squares: Plac and Lontrg, which are both dominated by the Castle.
The Granary has probably the most reputable historic value in the town. In the past it was one of the most important buildings of the town, because it kept the natural taxes. It was controlled  by a bishop's administrator: the granary-man.

Tourist information centre
Address: Poljanska cesta 2
Telephone: +386 4 517 06 00
E-mail: info@lto-blegos.si

Land, people and culture

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


Landscape and Geology
Although Slovenia is a very small country, there are a lot of different landscapes: the Alpine area, which includes the Julian Alps, the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, the Karavanke and Pohorje; the hills to the south of the Alps; the Karst area from the south of Ljubljana towards the Italian border; a short Adriatic coastline of only 46.6 kilometres; numerous rivers to the east and a small area of Pannonian plain near the Hungarian border.
Most of Slovenia has a karst topography and is composed of limestone. Kras is the Slovenian name for these landscapes, and that is also where the term karst derives from. Nowadays this term is used all over the world to describe the dissolution of one or more layers of soluble rock like limestone. You can clearly see the results of this in the landscape because it allows water to sink directly into the soil. Therefore there are several periodic lakes. These are lakes that come and go throughout the year. The most famous periodic lake in Slovenia is the lake of Cerknica .
There are around 7000 caves in Slovenia and every year there are even discovered more. Some of them reach a depth of 1000 metres. Most famous of them are the caves of Postojna and of Škocjan. The Škocjan Caves are even on UNESCO's list of natural and cultural world heritage sites.
The lowest point is 0 metres above sea level on the coast, and the highest point is 2,864 metres on mount Triglav.

Climate
The different landscapes result in different climates. There is a Mediterranean climate on the coast and a continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys in the east.

When to go
In Slovenia every season has its attractions. There can be snow in the mountains until late June or even July. Spring is a great time to spend in the lowlands and in the valleys, they will be covered with flowers. Be aware that it can be pretty wet in May and in June. When the days are getting longer, the cultural events like theatres are in full swing and off-season rates are generally still available.
Summer, from mid-June to September, is great for hiking and camping, but be aware that it is the peak season for visitors. This also makes accommodation and dining in restaurants hard to come by without reservations, and it is most of the time also be more expensive.
September is a great month to go to Slovenia. There is plenty of local fruit and vegetables and the prices are going down again because tourists are heading home. The Adriatic sea is still very comfortable to swim in.
Autumn is beautiful, but by October lots of camping sites have closed down. October and November are the best months for hiking and climbing. Please be aware that it can be very rainy in autumn.
The best time for skiers to go is in winter. It can be very cold. But most museums and tourist sites have closed down. It can get very crowded during the winter holidays. The winter holidays for school children are about ten days between Christmas and New Year. They again have holidays for a week in the second half of February.

History of Slovenia
The Slavic ancestors of the Slovenes came in the 6th century AD from eastern Europe. They started to live in the northern part of modern days Slovenia. They found a state called Carantania (Slovenian: Karantanija), which was an early parliamentary democracies in Europe. The Knez (ruler) was elected by popular vote.
During the following years, the Carantanians were defeated by both Bavarians and Franks, who eventually assimilated them. They were Christianised, but kept a lot of their rituals of their heathenish religion and, most important of all, they kept their own language.
The Slovenian territories were part of the Holy Roman Empire and also of Austria under the Habsburg dynasty up to 1918.
In 1918, the Slovenes, the Serbs and Croats formed a new state ruled by the Serbian Karadjordjević dynasty. It was called ‘the Kingdom of the Serbs, the Croats and the Slovenians’ (Slovene: Kraljevina Srbov, Hrvatov in Slovencev), and was renamed Yugoslavia in 1929.
The country was occupied by Germans, Italians and Hungarians during WW II . At the same time, there has been a civil war between the procommunist liberation formation (the Partizani) and Roman Catholic anticommunist formations (the Belogardisti and the Domobranci), therefore collaboration with the occupational  forces took place. The victory of the allies and as a result also the Partisans, resulted in mass departure and mass execution of members of anticommunist formations.
After WW II, Slovenia became a part of the new Yugoslavia. They were Communists, but they distanced themselves from Russia. This resulted in a system between the East and the West. Frustrated with the power of the majority Serbs, the Slovenes succeeded in certifying their sovereignty in 1991 with minimal violence.
In 2004, Slovenia became member of both the EU and NATO. In January 2007, Slovenia was the first of the new member states that joined the EU in 2004, to adapt the euro as its official currency. And Slovenia held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2008, as the first new member state to do so.

Costs and money
Slovenia adapted the euro in 2007 as its official currency, before it was the tolar. The most important goods cost in Slovenia just as much as they do in the rest of Europe but, though the prices are rising, Slovenia is almost a third cheaper than its neighbours Italy and Austria. Hungary stays cheaper and everything will cost at least 33% less than in Slovenia, but Slovenia always has been cheaper than Croatia.  
When you stay in a guesthouse or private room, eat average-priced food at restaurants and travel 2nd class by train or bus, you should manage to pay everything with ± €50 each day. Travelling in greater comfort (active nightlife, bottled wine in restaurants, etc.), it will cost you €75 - €80 in the provinces and ± €100 in Ljubljana. People who spend the night at hostels or college dormitories and eat simple food, e.g. burek (pastries), for lunch and eat in self-service restaurants or fast food for dinner, should come by on €30. 
Travelling 100 kilometres by train or bus will cost you €5.50 - €9. Bicycle rental for one day will cost you  €4.20 - €5.45. A bottle of ordinary Slovenian wine will cost you about €6. A cup of coffee in a café will cost you only €0.75 - €1.

Government and politics
The President of Slovenia is the Head of State. He/she is elected by the Slovenian people every five years, and can be president for a maximum of two terms. The President is officially the Supreme Commander of the army, but  his/her power is mostly reduced to ceremonial powers.
The Prime Minister, who is the Head of Government, and the Cabinet  form the law-making power. They are both elected by the parliament.
The Slovenian parliament is bicameral and is made up of the National Assembly, with 90 members, and the National Council, with 40 members.

People
There live about 2 million Slovenes in Slovenia. There is a confluence of ethnic groups in Slovenia, but the Slovenes form a majority of the population. More than 80% of the population is Slovene. Some other peoples living in Slovenia are Bosnians, Croats, Serbs, Yugoslavs, Hungarians and Roma people.

Religion
Most of the Slovenes are Roman Catholics, but there are also about 40 other religious communities recorded in Slovenia. In Slovenia state and religion are separated and all religious communities have got the same rights, and are allowed to practice their activities freely. The 2002 Census data of religious membership are: Roman Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1%.

Kurentovanje in Ptuj (February)
The ten days long ceremony of spring and fertility in Slovenia is called kurentovanje. The origins of this festival are unclear, but it is very likely connected to earlier Slavic, Celtic and Illyrian traditions. Festivities like kurentovanje are found all over Central Europe. Kurentovanje is a unique pre-Lenten festival, so it is a kind of carnival. The name derives from the main figure of the ceremony, the Kurent or Korant. Kurent was the god of uncontrolled pleasure and pleasure-seeking. In earlier times people believed that the Kurent had
the power to drive out winter and to guide in spring.
During the procession through the village or town, crowds of Kurenti (=plural of Kurent) wear sheepskins with cowbells and furry masks with horns and other decorations, e.g. a long, red tongue hanging down to their chest, ribbons, sticks and feathers. The bells are, together with their wooden clubs with hedgehog spines, meant to scare off bad spirits. Traditionally, the Kurent's outfit only could be worn by bachelor men, but currently Kurents can be married men, children and women as well. A devil is the leader of the procession. He is covered in a net to take the souls. Young girls attach handkerchiefs to the Kurent’s belt. The village people break terracotta pots at the feet of the Kurents for good fortune and good health. More info at: http://www.kurentovanje.net/

Festival Lent in Maribor (June)
The International Festival Lent is a festival of more than 14 days of outstanding festival activities with many   well-known Slovenian and foreign performers, but also with many amateurs from all over Slovenia and abroad.
The festival offers concerts of all kinds of music, theatre, dance and drama performances. There is always something for the children like a puppet show, sports and artistic workshops. In the City Park there is lots of comedy and folklore festivities.  Some events are free, but for others you will have to buy tickets.
More info at: http://lent.slovenija.net/

Ljubljana summer festival (July-August)
The summer festival is held seven weeks long in Ljubljana each summer. It is the biggest cultural event of the year and attracts every year about 50,000 visitors. The first time the festival was held, was in 1953 and every summer it continues with a wide range of music, dance, opera, ballet, theatre, art and films in a variety of venues and locations all over the city. Ljubljana Castle is the most famous location.
More info at: http://www.ljubljanafestival.si/

Rock Otočec near Novo mesto (July)
Rock Otočec is a traditional music festival with that started in 1976. The events take place at a really idyllic location close by the river Krka, just at the back of the Otočec castle. It is situated near Novo mesto, an old town about 70 km away from Ljubljana. At the three days long festival there is always something to do. Aside for the music, the festival is well-known for its wide range of activities, in particular those that involve mud. Half of the tickets are usually reserved before any of the performers are known, so it is very popular. You can buy tickets on-line, but they are available during the festival as well. Parking and camping are also available for all visitors.
More info at: http://www.rock-otocec.com/

Cow Ball in Ukanc (September)
Each year the Cow Ball is held. It symbolises the return of cattle to the valley after a long summer pasture.  The event takes place in Ukanc at Lake Bohinj. The cows are decorated and accompanied by herdsmen, dairymaids and cheese-makers. They walk in a parade, carrying all the requirements of a herdsman when he leaves with cattle to the mountains at the beginning of summer. You can buy there the typical home made products of Bohinj: baskets, lace and wooden products. The visitors can taste and buy cheeses and take part in traditional entertainment and sports typical for the mountainous areas: sling shooting, chopping trees with a crosscut saw and throwing horseshoes.

Food and beverages

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

Food
Slovenia has more than 1200 national dishes. Slovenian traditional dishes differ very much from region to region. It’s however not easy to find a traditional Slovenian dish like mlinci (pasta tatters) or ajdovi žganci (dish made from boiled cornmeal). If you wish to try traditional Slovenian dishes, the best places to go are gostilna or gostišče (local pubs). If you want to enjoy the food in a Slovenian way, you will have to eat slow, because in Slovenia slow and organic food rules. Slovenes normally eat three meals every day, with lunch being the most important.  

Sok (fruit juice), kava (coffee), or čaj (tea) and žemlja (a type of hard roll) are common for zajtrk (breakfast).

Lunch generally starts with juha (soup). It generally includes a meat dish, a starch dish (e.g. bread, pasta, dumplings or potatoes), vegetables and a salad (e.g. francoska solata, cubed potatoes and vegetables with mayonnaise). Bread almost always goes with both lunch and dinner. When a meal is taken at a restaurant, the waitress expects the diners to report the number bread slices they wish to eat during their meal. Most restaurants will serve homemade olive oil with their meals.

To drink at lunch or dinner, there generally is vino (wine), pivo (beer) or malinovec (a drink made with raspberry syrup).

Dinner is usually light. Salads and yoghurt, accompanied by leftovers from lunch, are characteristic. When invited to dinner, Slovenes consider it decent to bring small presents. Flowers and wine are usually given to the host, and sweets is offered to children. It is considered impolite to refuse any food that is offered, even if you don’t like it. So you better tell your host what you like, some days before visiting.

Eating at restaurants is considered luxurious by the Slovenes, so it is normally only done on special occasions and for celebrations. Nevertheless, many Slovenes do often have a meal at a gostilna or a gostišče (local pub). The traditional Sunday lunch in a local pub may include beef or chicken soup with homemade noodles, pork or veal roast, sautéed or roasted potatoes, salad and strudel for dessert.        

Young Slovenes may go out for pizza and like eating at fast food places. A very popular fast food dish is burek (a layered pie with cheese, meat or apples). You can buy it at most of the takeaway places.
You can eat fresh fish of a good quality throughout the country. Both, fresh water and salt water fish are served, e.g. pike, trout, scampi, squid and different kinds of perch. Most of them are grilled or fried.

The Slovenian cuisine has been strongly influenced by its neighbours. From Hungary there are palačinke (pancakes), paprikaš (chicken or beef stew) and golaž (goulash). Austria has put in dunajski zrezek (schnitzel), klobase (bangers) and zavitek (a kind of strudel). The ravioli žlikrofi is typical Italian. And čevapčiči (grilled minced meat) comes from the Balkan.

A Slovenian meal is not complete without a juha (soup), like goveja juha z rezanci (beef soup with thin egg noodles), gobova kremna juha (creamed mushroom soup) or a zelenjavna juha (vegetable soup).
Please don’t let pass trying potica (cake roll filled with dried fruit, walnuts and a range of herbs) or maybe you like gibanica even more (a pastry filled with walnuts, apple, poppy seeds and cheese and a cream topping). Another Slovene specialty is štruklji (cheese strudel), which is a terrific way to start a meal. Sliced raw onions mixed with pumpkinseed oil are a delicacy and are often served.

There is always special food on St. Martin's Day (11th of November). St Martin is the patron saint of wine, so his feast day is the day that grape juice officially becomes wine, and that is always celebrated. Red cabbage is prepared sweet and sour and a well roasted goose is traditional. Another unusual dish is mlinci (pasta tatters), that have been roasted with the goose.
And of course, previous year's wine and the new wine are both drunk!

Drinks
Wine is the main drink in Slovenia, and a big industry in the region surrounding Ptuj. Wine growing in Slovenia has very good results, because it lies on the southern hills of the Alps and touches the Mediterranean sea. And so it is blessed with climatic changeability from the north and the south. Very interesting in the Ptuj region is the practice of offering water to mix with the wine. This practice is not common in other regions to the west. Bottled water, either with or without bubbles, is offered along with wine. The amount of water in the wine is up to the drinker. In the cafes, a glass of homemade white wine will cost about € 0.75, while coffee will be several times more expensive.

The opening drink in the morning is usually sweetened herb tea. So you better taste it first, before adding sugar! The tea is often followed by very sweet, Turkish  coffee, which is boiled with sugar in a small pot with a long hold. The sediment is divided over the cups. It is usually served with cream, kava s smetano. It normally is offered in the morning but is available whole day long. Some slivovka (plum brandy) might be offered with the coffee as well. Slivovka can be offered at any time of the day since many locals make it themselves. There are also a lot of beekeepers in Slovenia, so you can buy homemade med everywhere. Offering a toast to everyone's health is considered polite.

Brezalkoholne pijače (soft drinks) are often available. Pivo (beer) is common and might be offered anywhere. Everyone has their preference for one of the national brands, either Laško or Union and there is a real beer rivalry. Laško is brewed in the town of Laško near Celje and has a green label with a set of mountain goat horns. The Union brewery is in Ljubljana.