The emerald green waters of Lake Bled are so inviting, and the mild thermal springs therein make the lake the best bet for a quick dip, especially in summer. Else, a ride in the piloted wooden boat (aka pletna) to the celebrated Bled Island is indisputably an archetypal vacationer’s experience.
3) The tiny nation is replete with a bounty of tasty food varieties.
While the gastronomy borrows from the neighbouring Austria, Hungary and Italy, most of its dishes are home-grown. And if you have a sweet tooth (like me), the signature Slovenian gibanica (layered cake with poppy seeds, sweet curd cheese, cream, walnuts, raisins and apples), Bled's Kremna Rezina (cream cake) or the potica nut rolls will leave you in a state of satiated bliss. Also, since beekeeping is one of the major traditions of Slovenia, it becomes binding to pick up some stunning bottles of honey brandy from the local markets (I did).
Tip for the true blue gastronomes: Make sure you make it to Ljubljana's Odprta Kuhna (Open Kitchen) Food Market, where food and beverage vendors, modern restaurant chefs, farmers as also traditional gostilna experts congregate to offer their specialties. Thumbs up for the spectrum of epicurean delights and of course, the community sentiment!
4) No safety concerns.
The Global Peace Report 2016 has ranked Slovenia as the 10th safest country in the world, moving it up five spots since 2015. So whether you are a solo traveller, an avid trekker, woman traveller or a family holiday person---Slovenia will not let you down.
5) A hearty laugh and a glass of fine wine are the perfect Slovenian sundowns.
Red or white, aromatic, full-bodied or light, dry or sweet – no matter what your preference is, you ought to find it in one of Slovenia's 14 wine-growing districts. Signing up for a winery tour is a great option to spend a day immersing in the wine-growing culture of the nation. Also, The Guinness Book of Records declares that the Slovenian city of Maribor is home to the oldest vine in the world--you would want to add this to your bucket list!
Here's a lowdown on why the central European green gem of Slovenia is the bundle of big things in small packages:
1) If you are the outdoorsy type, Slovenia will spoil you for choice.
It is great for adventure sports and offers a spectrum of options including white water rafting in the Soca river, canyoning in the Julian Alps, zip-lining, scuba diving, paragliding and river bobbing, among others.
Your trip is incomplete without witnessing Slovenia's subterranean splendour. The mesmerising underground caves of Postojna are a must. These caves are home to unusual sculptural rock formations, magnificent stalactites and stalagmites, underground halls and bizarre animals, the most famous being the human fish.
2) Lake Bled--the jewel of the Julian Alps is pretty as a picture.
