Slovenia, in the heart of Europe, is a lush and picturesque nation renowned for its cultural and biological diversity. Bordering Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Croatia to the south and southeast and Hungary to the northeast, Slovenia covers 7,827 square miles. Tucked within Slovenia’s remarkable landscapes are over 4,300 miles of hiking trails and 84 square miles of vineyards. Travellers enjoying Nature Expeditions International’s newest destination can look forward to days filled with exploring Slovenia’s famous architecture, castles, gastronomy and soft adventure activities.
Formed in 1991 after the dissolution of Yugloslavia, Slovenia is still a new state and relatively unknown even to sophisticated travelers. In our minds, however, Slovenia has too many superb attributes to remain a touristic backwater for long. Whether it is the scenery, biodiversity, architecture, culture or opportunities for “soft” adventure, this country excels way beyond what might be expected by a tiny country. It is a veritable gem!
Slovenia is a nature-lover’s paradise. The Alpine scenery is outstanding with over 400 mountains topping 6,500 feet. Sixty percent of Slovenia is covered with forest, and fully one third of its territory is protected as national parks or conservation reserves. The country is also one of the most biologically diverse in the world, boasting over 24,000 different animal species. The glacial lakes, such as Bled and Bohinj, are postcard-perfect. Triglav National Park and the Soca River Valley offer truly stunning scenery along with easy, world-class whitewater rafting down an emerald river so pristine that many people drink (safely) out of it! In Slovenia, there are countless opportunities for scenic driving, hiking, kayaking, canyoning, caving, bicycling and horseback riding excursions amidst spectacular settings.
Slovenia also has a refined, diverse culture that reflects Austro-Hungarian influences but which underlies a distinct Slovenian identity. Slovenia is perhaps the only country in the world that celebrates a day of culture as a national holiday. Not only does Slovenia have numerous well-preserved Baroque castles, buildings and monuments, but it has a rich tradition of poetry, classical music, theatre, dance and literature: more books are published per capita in Slovenia than anywhere else in Europe. And wine connoisseurs may be surprised to learn that 1% of Slovenian territory consists of vineyards, many of them producing high quality wines!