Lonely Planet 4 On the Road STEVE FALLON Coordinating Author They say you re not really a Slovene until you ve climbed Mt Triglav and got spanked at the summit, so after a decade of stalling I decided it was time. Of course we did it the hard way up and down in a day but being on top of the Slovenian world looking down on creation was worth every ache and all the pains. DON T MISS More often than not, even serial visitors to Slovenia like myself just stop and stare, mesmerised by the sheer beauty of this land. With so much splendour strewn across the country, it s nigh on to impossible to choose a številka ena (No 1) ab-favourite top place. OK, OK, it s got to be the Vršič Pass ( p145 ), which stands (literally) head and shoulders above the rest and leads me from alpine Gorenjska, past Triglav and down to sunny Primorska and the bluer-than-blue Soča River. All in a hair-raising, spine-tingling hour. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Steve has been travelling to Slovenia since the early 1990s, when a well-known travel publishing company initially refused his proposal to write a guidebook to the country because of the war going on (it had ended two years before) and an influential US newspaper told him their readers weren t interested in Slovakia. Never mind, it was his own private Idaho for over a decade. Though on še govori slovensko kot jamski človek (he still speaks Slovene like a caveman), Steve considers part of his soul to be Slovenian and returns as often as he can for a glimpse of the Julian Alps in the sun, a dribble of bučno olje (pumpkinseed oil) and a dose of the dual.
15 Destination Slovenia It s an undeniably tiny place, with just over 2 million people. But good things come in small packages and never was that old chestnut more appropriate than in describing Slovenia, an independent republic bordering Italy, Austria, Hungary, Croatia and the Adriatic Sea. Slovenia has been dubbed a lot of things since it separated from Yugoslavia in 1991 Europe in Miniature, The Sunny Side of the Alps, The Green Piece of Europe. They may sound like PR sound bites but they re all true. From the Venetian harbour towns of the coast to the Hungarian-style farmhouses of Prekmurje; from the subterranean magic of the Škocjan Caves to The Sound of Music scenery of the Julian Alps; and from the opera and concert halls of Ljubljana to the WWII Partisan bases hidden in the hills of Dolenjska Slovenia has it all. Its incredible mixture of climates brings warm Mediterranean breezes up to the foothills of the Alps, where it can snow even in summer. And with more than half of its total area covered in forest, Slovenia really is one of the greenest countries in the world. And in this land of the great outdoors the list of activities on offer is endless; throughout the year you ll encounter locals engaged in decidedly active pursuits canoeing and kayaking in spring, swimming and water-skiing in summer, hiking and climbing in autumn, and skiing and snowboarding in winter. But Slovenia ain t paradise. Like everywhere, it has its own share of difficulties. Take the economy. Slovenia joined the EU in 2004, exchanged the tolar for the euro in 2007. And while Slovenia remains the most prosperous country in transition Europe, the average annual inflation rate has jumped from 2.5% to more than 6% in just a few years, a result of pricing in the new euro and the effects of the global credit crunch. Job loss is another big (and relatively new) worry here; at the time of writing 90,000 people were unemployed out of a labour force of just under a million. And then there s the problem with the neighbour to the south Since the collapse of Yugoslavia, Slovenia and Croatia have been battling over where to draw their border in Piran Bay and the dispute could lead to the former s blocking the latter s bid to join the EU. The two haven t actually gone to war in fact, they never have in their history and the issue is now in arbitration but the dispute has sparked the so-called Facebook Wars, with tens of thousands of Croatians joining a group on the site calling for a boycott of Slovenian products and Slovenia. Mind you, it would take them a month of Sundays to get here nowadays. Road construction and expansion continues apace in Slovenia, where the total number of highways have more than doubled since independence. Indeed, at the time of research some 160km of highways (and an uncountable number of roundabouts) were under construction causing inevitable delays on road journeys. Slovenia may look fantastic now, but just imagine what it will look like when it s finished. FAST FACTS Population: 2.05 million GDP per capita: 18,200 (93% of EU average) Inflation: 6.4% Unemployment: around 10% Size: 20,273 sq km (0.2% of Europe s total land mass) Average size of household: 2.8 people Percentage of English speakers: 48.2% Bear population: 450-500 23 December 1990: 88.5% of the Slovenian electorate vote for an independent republic Slovenia s national anthem: Zdravljica (A Toast to Freedom), written by poet France Prešeren in 1844
16 For more information about Slovenia s climate, see p284. Getting Started Slovenia is a dream destination for many reasons, but among the most obvious is that it requires so little advance planning. Tourist literature abounds, maps are excellent and readily available, and the staff at tourist offices, travel agencies, hotels, train stations and so on are almost universally helpful and efficient and speak English very well. Slovenia is so well developed and organised that you don t have to plan much of anything before your trip; almost everything can be arranged on the spot. But this is fine only if your budget is unlimited, you don t have an interest in any particular activity, period of architecture or type of music, and you ll eat or drink anything put down in front of you. Those who have a limit as to the amount they can spend while travelling, or want better value for their money will benefit immensely from a bit of prior knowledge and careful planning. And if you have specific interests from white-water rafting and mountaineering to bird-watching and folk music you ll certainly want to make sure that the things you expect to see and do will be possible at the particular time of year when you intend to travel. WHEN TO GO Every season has its attractions in Slovenia. Snow can linger in the mountains until late June, but spring is a great time to be in the lowlands and flowercarpeted valleys (though it can be pretty wet in May and June). At the same time the days are getting longer, the theatres and other cultural venues are in full swing and off-season rates still generally apply. Summer (mid-june to sometime in September) is the ideal time for hiking and camping, but it s also the peak season for visitors, making accommodation in Ljubljana and on the coast hard to come by without advance booking. September can be an excellent month, with plentiful local fruit and vegetables, shoulder-season tariffs in effect again and the tourist masses back at home. You can still swim comfortably in the Adriatic in September, but by mid-october most of the camping grounds have closed down and the DON T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT Unless you plan to do some serious hiking or engage in some sport, you don t have to remember any particular items of clothing for Slovenia a warm sweater or windbreaker (even in summer) for the mountains at night, perhaps, and an umbrella, especially in spring or autumn. In addition, don t forget: check the visa situation and your passport expiry date ( p292 ) organise a health-insurance policy ( p302 ) a swimsuit, plastic sandals and a towel a compass to help orient yourself in the mountains an adapter plug for electrical appliances (if not from Europe) tea bags (since Slovenes drink buckets of the herbal variety but not much of the black stuff ) sunglasses and sun block, even in the cooler months (those rays in the mountains can be fierce) a penknife, with such essentials as a bottle opener and strong corkscrew binoculars for when trekking or viewing detail on churches and other buildings
lonelyplanet.com GETTING STARTED Costs & Money 17 days are growing shorter. Autumn is beautiful, particularly in the mountains of Gorenjska and Štajerska, and it s the best time for hiking and climbing (though October and November can be rainy). Winter (December to March) in Slovenia is for skiers. It can be very cold and, away from the mountains, often quite bleak. At the same time, winter sees museums and other tourist sights closed or their hours sharply curtailed. Skiers should bear in mind that Slovenian school kids have winter holidays for about 10 days between Christmas and the start of the New Year and again for a week in the second half of February. COSTS & MONEY Although prices have increased sharply with the advent of the euro, Slovenia is generally cheaper than neighbouring Italy and Austria. At the same time, everything costs at least a third to half as much more than in nearby Hungary. Croatia has always been more expensive than Slovenia. If you stay in private rooms or guesthouses, eat at midrange restaurants and travel 2nd class by train or bus, you should just get by on under 60 a day. Travelling in greater style and comfort restaurant splurges with bottles of wine, a fairly active nightlife, small hotels/guesthouses with character will cost about twice as much in the capital but an average of about 80 in the provinces. Those putting up at hostels or college dormitories, eating burek (meat- or cheese-filled pastries) for lunch and at self-service restaurants for dinner could squeeze by on 35 to 40 a day. TRAVELLING RESPONSIBLY Slovenia is one of the greenest countries in the world, with more than half of the country under forest cover and more than 11% of the countryside under some sort of protection. The vast majority of Slovenes are very aware of their impact on the surrounding environment; everyone takes their rubbish home with them, for example, when hiking or trekking. As a traveller, it is impossible not to have some effect on the environment, but there are a number of ways to minimise the impact. Getting to Slovenia by train or bus from most parts of Europe is a relatively easy exercise. Naturally it s more time consuming than air travel, but your carbon footprint would be a fraction compared. If you do fly, consider offsetting your carbon emissions (for example on www.jpmorgan cl imatecare.com). Within Slovenia, the transport network is relatively useful and affordable. Trains travel the length and breadth of the country, and where they don t go, buses generally do. And most sizable towns and cities have local publictransport options. Away from the highest of mountains of Gorenjska and Štajerska, getting around by bicycle is a highly viable option; bicycles can also be transported on some trains. It s easy to avoid large, generic hotels and hotel chains in Slovenia and opt instead for smaller, family-run establishments, therefore ensuring your euros go directly to the local community. Additionally, farm-stays accommodation, private rooms, and pensions ( p281 ) are further alternatives. Fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables are readily available throughout Slovenia, especially at markets. They are cornucopias offering a bounty of seasonal goodness: from strawberries and raspberries and cherries through all the stone fruits to apples and pears and nuts. Much of this produce is locally grown and free of chemical sprays. The number of organic farms in Slovenia has mushroomed over the past decade from a mere 41 in 1998 to 1780 (or 5% of the total) in 2008. The farms raise and process everything from cereals, dairy products HOW MUCH? 100km by train/bus 6.03/9.20 Bicycle rental (per day) 5-15 Bottle of ordinary/ quality Slovenian wine 3.50/9.50 Cup of coffee in a cafe 1-2.50 Ski pass (per day) 15.85-24.60
18 GETTING STARTED Reading Up lonelyplanet.com and meat to fruits and vegetables, oils, nuts and wine but the largest category remains grassland. Only products inspected and certified by the TOP PICKS Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food may bear the government s SLOVENIA Ljubljana FESTIVALS & EVENTS Slovenia marks red-letter days with festivals and special events throughout the year, some of them exotic in the extreme and dating back hundreds of years while others are very much part of this century. Among the best/most colourful/liveliest are the following: Kurentovanje ( p247 ) in Ptuj in February Lent Festival ( p253 ) in Maribor in June Trnfest ( p89 ) in Ljubljana in August Rock Otočec ( p21 ) near Novo Mesto in July Cows Ball ( p138 ) in Bohinj in September Laufarija ( p165 ) in Cerkno at the start of Lent (late February/early March) NATURAL WONDERS In a land of hundreds of natural wonders from ice caves and disappearing lakes to virgin forests and cobalt-blue rivers it s difficult to narrow the list down to five. It s certain, however, that most travellers won t soon forget any of the following: Vršič Pass ( p145 ) Škocjan Caves ( p167 ) Logarska Dolina ( p265 ) Soča River ( p148 ) Vintgar Gorge ( p131 ) Velika Planina ( p110 ) OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES Perhaps more than any other country in Europe outside Scandinavia, Slovenes are attached to the great outdoors ( p63 ). We recommend: Skiing in the Maribor Pohorje ( p255 ) Canyoning near Bled ( p127 ) Hiking in Triglav National Park ( p144 ) Kayaking on the Krka River ( p208 ) Taking the waters at Dolenjske Toplice ( p209 ) Mountain biking in Koroška ( p272 ) green-coloured Ekološki label or Biodar label of the Slovenian Organic Farmers Association. READING UP There s no shortage of books on Slovenia, but travellers writing diary accounts of southeast Europe have usually treated Slovenia rather cursorily or not at all, as they made tracks for more exotic destinations like Croatia, Bosnia or even Serbia. In Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, her classic (and, at over almost 1200 pages, rather longwinded) look at Yugoslavia between the wars, Rebecca West allows Slovenia and the Slovenes fewer than a dozen brief references. And the recently re-issued Foreign Travellers in the Slovene Karst 1486-1900 by Trevor Shaw will be a bit esoteric for most readers. We know that a few other great writers did make it here, and there s documentation to prove at least one did. In Ljubljana s train station, for example, a brass plaque installed in 2003 to the left of the staircase leading down from platform No 1 (Map pp72 3 ) tells us that no less than James Joyce, together with his new paramour Nora Barnacle, spent the night of 19 October 1904 in Ljubljana. What the inscription fails to mention is that
lonelyplanet.com GETTING STARTED Internet Resources 19 the couple, who had met just four months earlier and were on their way to teach English at Berlitz in Pula, had caught the wrong train. More recently, the Irish novelist Colm Tóibin in his The Sign of the Cross: Travels in Catholic Europe included a short chapter called Slovenian Spring. There s not much new here except for a rather curious comment after a crawl through the cafes and bars of the Old Town. The atmosphere was sexually alive, he wrote. In the way they ordered a beer, or smiled, or found a table, people oozed sex. Ljubljana might ooze a lot of things, but sex really isn t one of them. Having said all that Slovenia is not completely devoid of books to inspire readers and get them excited about their trip. Recommended reading: Facts about Slovenia (Government Communication Office) A government publication but a cracker and free from many tourist offices, this 100-page booklet is written and updated annually by experts in their field and is an easy introduction to Slovenian history, government, geography, culture and so on. Forbidden Bread (Erica Johnson Debeljak) Slovenia s past and present through the eyes of a love-struck young American woman who follows her poet-lover to his homeland and adjusts to a new country, language and culture. Questions about Slovenia (Matjaž Chvatal) This rather naff, 95-page book in an oversized vest-pocket format will tell you the differences between Slovenia, Slovakia and Slavonia, what koline (pig-slaughters) are and just what makes Slovenes tick and talk. Slovenia from the Air (Matjaž Kmecl et al) This trilingual coffee-table book has the standard wow-factor photographs of Slovenia s lakes, coast, towns and, of course, mountains from on high, and may even have you considering the ascent of Triglav. Slovenia: My Country (Joco Žnidaršič) With Slovenia so diverse and physically attractive, there s no shortage of picture and art books on the country and this is the best: a heartfelt but never cloying paean to the celebrated photographer s homeland. INTERNET RESOURCES E-uprava (http://e-uprava.gov.si/e-uprava/en/portal.euprava) The State Portal of the Republic of Slovenia has information about and links to just about anything you could want to know about the country from today s pollution indices to how to trace your Slovenian roots. Government Communication Office (www.ukom.gov.si/en) Full of facts and figures about Slovenia s politics, economy, culture and environment. Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com) Information on Slovenia; you can ask questions before you depart or dispense advice when you get back via the Thorn Tree forum. Mat Kurja (www.matkurja.com/eng) The Mother Hen site is a vast directory of Slovenian web resources. Najdi (www.najdi.si) The most popular search engine in Slovenia (mostly in Slovene). Slovenia Times (www.sloveniatimes.com) Website of the independent (and free) magazine that comes out every two weeks. Slovenian Landmarks (www.burger.si) General and detailed information along with some 360-degree tours of Slovenia s towns and cities, museums and galleries, castles and manors, caves and waterfalls. Slovenian Tourist Board (www.slovenia.info) The Slovenian Tourist Board s ambitious site has information on every conceivable sight and activity in the republic. STA (www.sta.si/en) News and views from the Slovenska Tiskovna Agencija (Slovene Press Agency). Telephone Directory of Slovenia (http://tis.telekom.si) National telephone directory.
20 Events Calendar Major cultural and sporting events are listed in the Festivals & Events section of individual towns and cities. The following abbreviated list gives you a taste of what to expect. For a more complete list look under Events on the website of the Slovenian Tourist Board (www.slovenia.info) or in the STB s annual Calendar of Major Events in Slovenia. JANUARY WOMEN S WORLD CUP SLALOM & GIANT SLALOM COMPETITION (GOLDEN FOX), POHORJE mid-jan One of the world s major international ski events held only for women is staged on the ski slopes of Pohorje southwest of Maribor (www.pohorje.org). MEN S SLALOM & GIANT SLALOM VITRANC CUP COMPETITION, KRANJSKA GORA late Jan Number one downhill ski event of the year for men takes place in the Julian Alps (www.pokal -vitranc.com). FEBRUARY KURENTOVANJE, PTUJ late Feb/early Mar A rite of spring celebrated for 10 days up to Shrove Tuesday (February or early March) and the most popular Mardi Gras celebration in Slovenia (www.kurentovanje.net). MARCH SKI JUMPING WORLD CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS, PLANICA mid to late Mar Three days of high flying on skis near Kranjska Gora (www.planica.info). APRIL SPRING FLOWER SHOW & GARDENING FAIR, VOLČJI POTOK mid-apr Slovenia s largest flower and gardening show takes place at this arboretum near Kamnik (www.arboretum-vp.si). MAY DRUGA GODBA, LJUBLJANA mid-may/early Jun A festival of alternative and world music in the Križanke in the capital (http://festival.druga godba.si). JUNE INTERNATIONAL ROWING REGATTA, BLED mid-jun One of the country s most exciting (and fastest) sporting events is held over three days on the lake (www.veslaska-zveza.si). INTERNATIONAL BIENNIAL OF GRAPHIC ARTS, LJUBLJANA Jun/Sep Held at Ljubljana s International Centre of Graphic Arts and other venues over nine weeks in odd-numbered (ie 2011, 2013 etc) years (www.mglc-lj.si). IDRIJA LACE-MAKING FESTIVAL late Jun The red-letter annual event in Idrija in Primorska, with a contest at the end of up to 100 competitors. ANA DESETNICA INTERNATIONAL STREET THEATRE FESTIVAL, LJUBLJANA LATE Jun/early Jul One of the largest outdoor theatre festivals in Europe, held over a week in summer (www.anadesetnica.org). FESTIVAL LENT, MARIBOR late Jun/mid-Jul A two-week extravaganza of folklore and culture in Maribor s Old Town (http://lent.slovenija.net). SEVIQC BREŽICE late Jun/late Jul Month-long series of ancient music concerts in southeast Slovenia (www.seviqc-brezice.si). JULY PRIMORSKA SUMMER FESTIVAL late Jul/early Aug Concerts, theatre and dance events held in various venues in Ankaran, Izola, Koper, Pian and Portorož over four weeks (www.portoroz.si).
lonelyplanet.com EVENTS CALENDER Aug-Dec 21 ROCK OTOČEC, NEAR NOVO MESTO early Jul Three-day rock concert held at Prečna airfield, 5km northwest of Novo Mesto, and Slovenia s biggest open-air rock concert (www.rock-otocec.com). KLUŽE FESTIVAL, NEAR BOVEC early Jul/ mid-aug Increasingly well-attended theatre festival held in a 19th-century fortress in the Soča Valley (www.exponto.net). LJUBLJANA FESTIVAL early Jul/ late Aug The nation s premier festival of classical entertainment (music, theatre and dance) held in the capital (www.ljubljanafestival.si). ERAZEM KNIGHTS TOURNAMENT, PREDJAMA mid-jul Jousting and other medieval shenanigans below Slovenia s most beguiling castle (www.turizem -kras.si). AUGUST TRNFEST, LJUBLJANA Aug Probably the most popular annual festival in the capital, this month-long party at the KUD France Prešeren cultural centre in Trnovo showcases music, dance and theatre from around the world (www.kud-fp.si). OKARINA ETNO FESTIVAL, BLED late Jul/early Aug Week-long international festival of folk and world music in various venues in Bled (www.okarina.com). RADOVLJICA FESTIVAL early to late Aug One of the most important festivals of ancient classical music in Europe is staged in this Gorenjska town over 10 days (www.festival -radovljica.si). SEPTEMBER COWS BALL, BOHINJ mid-sep Zany weekend of folk dance, music, eating and drinking to mark the return of the cows from their high pastures to the valleys (www.bohinj.si). DORMOUSE NIGHT, CERKNICA late Sep A celebration and feast during the very short dormouse-hunting season in the forests around Snežnik Castle (www.mice.si). OCTOBER SLOVENIAN FILM FESTIVAL, PORTOROŽ early Oct Pivotal event in the Slovenian cinema world, this three-day festival sees screenings and awards (www.fsf.si). CITY OF WOMEN, LJUBLJANA mid-oct Two-week international festival focusing on contemporary arts and culture created by women (www.cityofwomen.org). LJUBLJANA MARATHON late Oct First run in 1996, this marathon draws an increasingly international field (www.ljubljanskimaraton.si). NOVEMBER ST MARTIN S DAY 11 Nov Nationwide celebration to mark the day when must (fermenting grape juice) officially becomes new wine (www.slovenia.info). DECEMBER CHRISTMAS CONCERTS early to mid-dec Held throughout Slovenia, especially Ljubljana, but the most famous are in Postojna Cave (www.postojna-cave.com), where you can also attend the Live Christmas Crib, a re-enactment of the Nativity with Christmas carols.
22 ITINERARIES CLASSIC ROUTES MOUNTAINS MAJESTY One day to a week / Gorenjska Round Trip What Slovenia has in spades is mountains, and they are just up the road from Ljubljana. From Ljubljana ( p69 ) head north on route 211. Just after Medvode, go west on route 413 through colourful Škofja Loka ( p110 ). Head north along route 210 to the historic town of Kranj ( p114 ) and continue northwest, passing through bee town Radovljica ( p118 ). Spend the night in picturesque Bled ( p123 ). From either place rejoin the highway, route E61, and make tracks for the ski centre Kranjska Gora ( p140 ) and the Vršič Pass ( p145 ) in Triglav National Park. The road down will deposit you in Primorska s Soča Valley ( p148 ). Following the Soča River will bring you to the activities centre of Bovec ( p148 ) and the WWI battlegrounds around Kobarid ( p152 ). From here follow route 102 through Tolmin to Idrija ( p159 ). Ljubljana, via Logatec and Vrhnika (route 409), is only 55km to the northeast. This unbelievably scenic, 330km circuit takes in some of the most attractive scenery in Slovenia: lakes, historic towns, mountain villages and the very peaks themselves. Although safe except in very inclement weather (when it is closed to traffic), the Vršič Pass is not for the faint-hearted. I T A L Y Bovec Kobarid Soøa Vršiø Pass Soøa Valley River Kranjska Gora Idrijca Triglav National Park Lake Bohinj River Bled Lake Bled Gorenjska A U S T R I A Radovljica Sava River Kranj Škofja Loka LJUBLJANA Idrija Vrhnika Logatec
lonelyplanet.com ITINERARIES Classic Routes 23 KARST & COAST Two days to a week / Ljubljana to Primorska This itinerary combines the best of two worlds: the evocative and sunbaked region of the Karst and the historic and fun-filled Slovenian coast. From Ljubljana ( p69 ), follow motorway A1 to Postojna ( p191 ). If you re not too caved-out after a visit, continue on to Divača (p167) and the awesome Škocjan Caves ( p167 ). By then you ll need to take some R&R at the bucolic oasis that is Lipica ( p168 ). The fastest way to get to the Slovenian coast from Lipica is through Italy, just south of Trieste. If you d rather stay on Slovenian soil, return to Divača and head south along the motorway to Koper ( p172 ), a cheaper place to stay on the coast than the other Venetian towns. Follow the coastal road to Izola ( p176 ), Piran ( p179 ), and eventually Portorož ( p184 ), with all types of accommodation for different budgets. To the south along the coast is Sečovlje ( p188 ) and its famous salt pans, a relaxing and very peaceful antidote to sometimes brash Portorož. A spur road just before the Croatian border crosses the Drnica River and links up to the east with route 11 heading back for Ljubljana. At the Rižana exit head south for the Karst village of Hrastovlje ( p170 ) and its wonderful church. Motorway A1, some 8km north of Hrastovlje, will take you back to the capital. I T A L Y Postojna LJUBLJANA This 310km itinerary takes you through the Karst region stopping at Slovenia s two most famous caves and carries on to the coast before looping back up through the Karst to the capital. Gulf of Trieste ADRIATIC SEA (JADRANSKO MORJE) Izola Koper Lipica Divaøa Škocjan Caves Primorska Piran PortoroÅ Hrastovlje Seøovlje C R O A T I A
24 lonelyplanet.com ITINERARIES Roads Less Travelled This gentle 290km drive is for those not wanting anything too demanding or dramatic: just sit back and watch the castles fly by. If you drive straight through, you could cover everything in two days or even less. Those who want to stop, stare and maybe even sleep in one of the castle hotels could turn it into a tour lasting up to a week. ROADS LESS TRAVELLED CASTLES IN THE SKY Two to seven days / Ljubljana to Posavje Wars and development over the centuries have taken care of most of Slovenia s 1000-odd castles, but a few remain, many in more remote (although easily accessible) areas of Dolenjska province. From Ljubljana ( p69 ), which has its own hilltop castle, follow motorway A2/E70 southeast to Ivančna Gorica and the Cistercian abbey at Stična ( p205 ). Although it may appear at first to be a castle too far, Bogenšperk ( p206 ) is the secular twin to Stična and is well worth the 20km up and 20km back. A gentle ride awaits, following the Krka River past Žužemberk ( p208 ) and Novo Mesto ( p211 ) to Otočec ob Krki ( p215 ), home to Slovenia s most unusual (and now poshest) castle hotel. The castle at Kostanjevica na Krki ( p218 ), now home to an excellent museum, is another 18km to the southeast via route 419. The castle at Brežice ( p221 ) contains an excellent regional museum and one of the finest ceiling frescoes in the land. But for something that screams castle with turrets, drawbridge, dry moat and central courtyard (not to mention a ghost that walks and wails) travel 10km to the southeast to Mokrice ( p224 ). You can return to the capital in no time back on the A2/E70. Sava LJUBLJANA River Bogenšperk Castle Stiøna Dolenjska BreÅice ÆuÅemberk Otoøec ob Krki Kostanjevica na Krki Mokrice Castle Krka River Novo Mesto C R O A T I A
Lonely Planet lonelyplanet.com ITINERARIES Tailored Trips 25 TAILORED TRIPS WINE & WATER MIX If you re like us, you know that a sauna and/or a soak is the perfect treatment for a little too much of the good life. So why not combine the two wine and water (thermal, that is) and detox as you indulge? The wine regions of Posavje and Podravje ( p50 ), running almost the full length of eastern Slovenia, are delightful areas to visit from both scenic and wine- tasting points of view. They also happen to be as awash with thermal water. A mere 18km beyond the charming Bizeljsko- Sremič ( p225 ) wine region, which effectively ends at Bizeljsko and is noted for its mediumdry whites and reds and for repnice (caves for storing wine), is the thermal spa of Terme Olimia ( p235 ). Its healing waters are full of magnesium and calcium, and its attractions lie in both its curative powers and its recreational appeal. However, if you prefer something a little less of-this-century, go the extra distance to Rogaška Slatina ( p240 ). Located some 15km further north, it overflows with magical olde worlde charm, not to mention its very own drinking cure (water this time). The Haloze ( p249 ) wine region, celebrated for its pinot blanc, sauvignon and riesling, begins a Posavje mere 18km southwest of Ptuj ( p243 ), where you ll find Terme Ptuj ( p246 ). The Jeruzalem-Ljutomer ( p249 ) wine district begins at Ormož, due east of Ptuj. Were you to travel some 25km northeast along routes 230 and 439, you d come to Terme Banovci ( p276 ), a spa with a camping ground partly reserved for naturists. But the shy and/or chilly may want to move on to the more reserved spa town of Radenci ( p278 ), a very modest 15km up the road. Radenci Ptuj Terme Ptuj Rogaška Slatina Terme Olimia Podravje Terme Banovci Jeruzalem-Ljutomer Haloze Bizeljsko-Sremiø Lonely Planet. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above - Do the right thing with our content.