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

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.

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.