Remind Me Where Slovenia Is

Rachel and I spent a lovely Easter week in Slovenia. I’m not sure how we decided on Slovenia, some friends had visited a while ago, but I suspect it was part of Rachel’s quest to visit all of the countries during her European sojourn. Remind me where Slovenia is, was the most common comment when we told folks we were heading to Slovenia.

Slovenia is tucked into the north-eastern corner of the Adriatic Sea bordered by Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. Slovenia is the 38th largest country in Europe and the only one shaped like a chicken.

History of Slovenia

Slovenia had been inhabited since prehistoric times and claims to have the oldest musical instrument in the world, a 60,000-year-old flute made of the femur of a cave bear.

Slovenia was inhabited by the Celts until being captured by the Romans in the first century BC. In the 4th Century the barbarians destroyed most of the infrastructure and in the 6th Century the Slavs from current day Austria and Hungary moved in to form the start of current day Slovenian heritage.

The coastal region of Slovenia was under the rule of Venice from 1283-1797. The coastal city of Piran has a distinctly Venetian design.

The remainder of Slovenia was part of the Habsburg dynasty from the 14th century until the end of WWI. In 1797, Napolean took the Venetian land and gave it to the Habsburgs. Slovenia became a frequent battleground between the Habsburgs and the Ottoman empire causing widespread damage to their cities.

The Slovenian language for many centuries was considered a peasant language but the growth of industry, culture and few peasant revolutions thrown in strengthened Slovenian solidarity in the 1800s.

As part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, Slovenia was drawn into the First World War on the side of the Axis. Italy was initially neutral and an ally of Austria-Hungary but a secret deal with the French and British to give Italy large portions of the Slovenian/Croatian coastline convinced the Italians to join the Allies. I didn’t know much about the battles in this area, but they are fascinating and will be part of the next post.

The lands, particularly along the coast got passed back and forth several times. It is a bit complicated, but the map below shows the transitions, read the legend to crack the code.

After the collapse of the Austria-Hungarian empire at the end of WWI, the National Council of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs was formed, and the country of Yugoslavia was formed in 1929 consisting of modern-day Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina and Montenegro.

Slovenia became the most prosperous and industrialized region in Yugoslavia.

Yugoslavia became the Socialist Federalist Republic of Yugoslavia in 1943 under communist rule. After the Second World War, Italy ceded the lands south of Trieste to Yugoslavia, with Piran returning to Slovenia and the remainder of the land to Croatia.

In 1948, President Tito, the leader of Yugoslavia, broke with Stalinism of the USSR due to heavy political persecution and became an open country, the only one who would permit access to both the Soviets and the West. This bridging led to further industrialization in Slovenia in the 1950s continuing to improve its prosperity.

Many Slovenes refer to Tito as a Benevolent Dictator, they nationalized industries and took many political prisoners, but the citizens had full employment and more freedoms than the Soviet countries. In the 1960’s Self Management took place with the workers gaining access to profit sharing and reduced central government. After Tito’s death in 1980, grass roots independence movements began. In 1990 free elections were held and in December 1990 a referendum was held where 88% of Slovenians voted for independence from Yugoslavia.

On 25 June 1991, Slovenia declared independence and successfully fought off Yugoslavian troops in a 10-day war to secure the independence. This led to the breakup of Yugoslavia and a number of bloody wars in the Balkans. At the same time the collapse of the Soviet Union led to the independence of the Baltic countries Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, and Georgia, Ukraine, and Belarus and the reunification of Germany.

Slovenia quickly aligned their trade with the West and former communist countries and became the most prosperous of the former Yugoslavian nations. They joined the EU and NATO in 2004. Today, Slovenia's economy is diversified, with strong performances in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and logistics. Tourism also plays a vital role, contributing significantly to GDP and employment. While traditional industries like forestry and food processing remain important, sectors like energy are evolving to incorporate more renewable sources. Slovenia’s population is currently 2.1 million.

All this to say, with the constant occupation of the country, it is remarkable that the Slovenian language has survived and thrived. Virtually all of the citizens also speak English so that made it very easy to travel the country. Due to the location of the country many citizens also speak Italian and German. At one restaurant we were chatting with the waitress about wine and travelling Slovenia. It was amazing to see her go to the next table, flip into Italian, then German and Slovene carrying on the conversation with ease.

Piran

Our first stop after landing in Ljubljana was to head directly to Piran the medieval city located on a peninsula on the southern part Slovenia’s scant 45km of coastline. Koper is the main port in Slovenia and handles the bulk of the country’s shipping.

The walls around the city date back to 700 AD. As mentioned above the coastal region of Slovenia was under the rule of Venice for more than 500 years so Piran has a distinctly Venetian design. When Piran was given back to Yugoslavia, many of the Italian residents chose to move back to Italy so the permanent population is less than 4,000. It is a major tourist destination, so cars are parked outside the main city in two giant carparks and small busses are used to move people around the narrow streets.

We were in Piran over Easter weekend and the sun was shining so the place was packed. From the walkway around the outer edge of the city, you can see Croatia to the south and Italy to the north.

A few people were enjoying a dip, but many more were enjoying a drink on one of the many waterfront bars.

I had come directly from Ottawa to Amsterdam then hopped the flight to Ljubljana, so it was soon time for some seaside seafood and the first of our many excellent glasses of Slovenian wine.

The main square is named for Guiseppe Tartini violinist and composer who was born in Piran.

As with most cities in Europe, the squares are lined with bars and restaurants.

We stayed in a boutique hotel in the heart of Piran, the Hotel Zara, a great place for turing the city. The hotel had a roof top patio that is open in high season and has water, fruit juice and wine on hand all year around for emergency use.

As it was Easter Weekend, there was a Regatta going on with different classes of sailboats providing entertainment.

The lighthouse standing watch. 

There are no sandy beaches in Piran, either cobblestone or concrete pads, but the locals told us in the high season they will be packed wall to wall.

Postojna Caves/Predjama Castle

The Postojna Cave System is the most popular tourist attraction in Slovenia, with over 1 million Visitors a year. The cave system was discovered in the 17th century although it had been in use since medieval times. A tour was given to Archduke Ferdinand in 1819, not the Franz Ferdinand whose assassination was the 12th reason for WWI (according to a museum in Vienna) and soon became an official tourist destination. In 1872 rails were added to the cave system, but the cars were pushed by hand, Electric lights were added in the 1880s before they were added to the capital city of Ljubljana.

The caves were formed millions of years ago by the Pivka River and are over 24 km long. Entrance to the caves is via a 3.5km train and only about 5km are assessable to the general public. Special tours of the other areas are available for adventurous and agile visitors.

The visitor infrastructure is very well developed, with a huge parking area and a coordinated marshalling system to get people onto the trains. There are several other activities on site and a collection of restaurants to service the crowds. We opted for the audio tour; a guide leads the gaggle, and you listen to the language of your choice.

I was looking forward to being pulled in my private rail car, but these days they have electric trains that bring a couple hundred passengers at a time into the caves.

There are many signs to remain seated and keep your arms in, then some very tight tunnels to help you remember.

Rachel really enjoyed the ride.

The cave system is very well laid out. There are walkways throughout, and you go on a circular route so despite the numbers it is not crowded. The caves are spectacular, with a tremendous variety of stalactites and stalagmites. A stalactite hangs like an icicle from the ceiling or sides of a cavern. A stalagmite appears like an inverted stalactite, rising from the floor of a cavern.

The rainwater seeps through the soil, becomes acidic and absorbs particulate from the limestone (or other soluble minerals) then deposits the material. Whether is becomes a stalactite or stalagmite depends on drip rate, cave conditions and minerals in the water. The average growth rate is about 1mm per year so it can take 1,000 years to grow a 1 m structure.

It is fascinating to see the differences in the structure for each individual cave. Some areas have mostly stalactites and others mostly stalagmites.

The two formations can join together and create spectacular columns.

One area is called the Ice Cave due to the colour of the structures.

Certain conditions give rise to formations called curtains.

Other conditions lead to thin hollow tubes knows as spaghetti.

The biggest cave in the system is called the Concert Hall which is 15 m high, 50 m wide and 80 m long. They frequently host concerts here with room for 10,000 spectators.

There is also a lively animal environment in the caves. The most famous is the Olm, a cave dwelling amphibian which grows to 20-30 cm, is nearly transparent, has both gills and lungs, lays eggs once every 10 years and can live up to 100 years. Nature is fascinating how it adapts to its environment. These guys are definitely built for the long haul.

Predjama Castle

Predjama Castle, built in a cave was first constructed in the 12th century. The current castle was built in 1570 after an earthquake destroyed the original building. Building the castle in a cave limits the amount of the area to defended but also has a secondary benefit. The cave contains many secret tunnels so the inhabitants can sneak out for more supplies and therefore endure any siege.

You can see a hole further up the cave wall, it is an observation post. The stream that runs below the castle leads to another cave system.

The entrance to the castle.

The castle was quite chilly and only the main bedroom had a stove. The chapel was connected to the main bedroom, so the master could watch the service from the warmth of his bedroom sitting on his bench away from the riffraff.

The main tower had a number of firing ports to defend the gate, plus a handy pot of boiling oil that could be dumped out of special vents onto unwanted guests.

Postojna Caves and the Predjama castle are about 10km apart and well worth the combo ticket visit.

Lake Bled

If you have seen one photograph of Slovenia, it was likely of Lake Bled. Bled is a pristine glacial lake in the Julian Alps with a small island in the middle hosting the Assumption of Mary church at the top of a 92-step staircase. The legend maintains that if you get married and carry your bride up the steps and ring the church bell three times you will have good luck. No brides on the day we visited, but lots of people ringing the bell three times.

The lake is surrounded by mountains so there are spectacular views everywhere you look.

All of Slovenia prides itself on being green, no where more so than Lake Bled. There is a pathway all around the lake and no power boats are permitted.

 There is a rowing club that has produced many Olympians.

The traditional method of transportation on Lake Bled is the Pletna, a wooden flat-bottomed boat that is propelled by a single, standing rower. Back in the 1740s Maria Theresa Empress of the Habsburg Empire granted rights to 22 families to use the Pletna on the lake. The tradition is passed down through the generations so many of the rowers are descendants of the initial families. The boats are built by hand by the families and the design has changed little over the centuries. The boats are about 7 m long and hold up to 20 passengers. The stern is slanted up to match the sloped docks.

The standing rower propels the boat very efficiently.

Bled Castle overlooks the town. There has been a castle on this site since at least 1011, making it the oldest castle in Slovenia. The castle was home for Bishops for eight centuries. The castle was renovated to its current footprint in 1700.

A view of the castle from the Lake.

The castle is also spectacular at night.

View of the lake from the castle.

An Austrian aristocrat built a luxury villa on Lake Bled in the 1880’s that was bought in 1922 by Alexander, king of the newly formed Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. After Alexander’s death the villa was torn down and the current building started, but its construction was interrupted by the Second World War. The building was completed in 1947 and became the summer home of President Tito, one of his 32 official residences.

The building is now the luxury hotel Vila Bled.

Lake Bled is another must see Slovenian attraction.

Velika Planina

The coolest place we stayed was on Velika Planina, in an alpine cottage above 5,000 ft. We accessed the cottage by a cable car and a little hike.

The chalet is based on the design of the herders’ cottages just over the hill, but with all of the conveniences. The farmers move their cows to the alpine meadows of Velika Planina for the summer.

The chalets are used for all outdoor activities including a ski run just outside the door. The chalet was beautifully finished in wood throughout.

The chalet was all controlled with an iPad and featured a fireplace and a glass sauna so you could watch TV or the fire while sweating it out.

The best feature was the stocked basement with food, snacks, beer and wine. Rachel on a beer run.

The view of course was magnificent.

The book is the story of a guy who visits Slovenia, loves it and moves there.

The next day we took a chairlift to the top to see the Alpine village.

We were too early for the cows, but in season you can buy milk and cheese from the farmers who spend their summers up here.

The farmer’s cottages are a bit more rustic but a very pleasant way to spend the summer.

The views are spectacular.

Rachel on the peak, just before our death defying decent.

A few of the mountain crocuses covering the fields.

Ljubljana

Ljubljana is the capital and largest city in Slovenia with a population of just under 300,000. It was on the trade route from the Adriatic to the Danube so has been occupied since prehistoric times. To celebrate making it to the capital, we did a wine tasting to figure out why we enjoyed the Slovenian wines so much.

Slovenia has a thriving wine culture with over 28,000 wineries for a population of 2.1M people. The vast majority are family wineries producing for local consumption. Slovenians are amongst the largest consumers of wine, so only 7 percent of their wine is exported. About 70% of the wine produced is white as was evident in the restaurants we visited. Even the smallest restaurant would have a page of white wines and a few reds. Every restaurant has either exclusively or a majority of Slovenian wines on their list, a tribute to their quality.

At the tasting we tried seven different wines. They were all tasty, but the winners were the Modra Frankinja and the Sivi Pinot Orange Wine. Orange wine is made by using white grapes but fermenting the wine with the skins and seeds for days or months depending on the style. This adds the orange colour, flavors and tannins usually present in reds.

We had discovered Modra Frankinja by accident. At Lake Bled we went to the Old Cellar Bled and when I pointed out a red wine on the menu, the waiter looked at my selection and said oh you mean the Modra Frankinja which was about 10 lines lower. I took that as a sign and of course he was correct. We got props from a waitress a few nights later when we ordered another Modra Frankinja. The one we tried at the tasting was not the one listed but was also awesome.

We did the blind taste test for the Orange wine. Somebody said it sounded like a white being poured, but it tasted like a red with a very nice finish. We hadn’t had it before but would definitely try it again.

We did a walking tour of Ljubljana. We find it is a great way to get the lay of the land and get some insider information to cool things. We stayed right downtown at the Eurostar Hotel, a great location as most of the downtown is car free making for a lovely stroll.

Ljubljana is located on the Ljubljanica River, and the riverbanks are crammed with bars, restaurants, shops and walkways. The architecture is medieval Baroque, with Austro-

Hungarian and Venetian Influences. The city hall dates from the 15th Century with 17th Century Venetian additions.

The Dragon’s Bridge was built in 1901 as one of the first reinforced concrete bridges. It was built while Ljubljana was still part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. In case the design was faulty, the collapse would have less impact than if the bridge were built in Vienna.

There are four Dragons on the bridge, symbols of strength, courage and might. Legend has it that if a virgin crosses the bridge, the Dragons wag their tails. We didn’t see any wagging during our tour.

Joze Plecnik was a Slovenian architect who had a major impact on the modern architecture of Vienna, Prague and Ljubljana. He designed several key landmarks in Ljubljana including the Triple Bridge and the Central Market.

The Central Market is now a collection of bars and restaurants.

Ljubljana Castle overlooks the city and is accessible by hiking or funicular. The heights have been occupied since prehistoric times, with the first fortress built in the 11th century. Most of the buildings date from the 16th and 17th centuries.

For most of its history, the castle was not a residence, so it served as a military garrison, armoury, prison and low-income housing before being converted to a cultural centre. 

These days the castle has a main square used for events, four excellent restaurants, a museum and a very creepy puppet museum. This is the best use of a castle that we have seen, the city has done an excellent job making it a destination that can be visited repeatedly.

We’re not sure if Slovenians in general, or the museum curator in particular, likes puppets, but the museum dedicates a lot of space to them.

The castle tower has a unique dual spiral staircase to avoid the usual traffic jams and tight spaces typical of scaling these structures.

By contrast, we visited the Celje Castle on the way to wine country in Maribor. Built in the 14th century, Celje Castle was the most important castle in the Eastern Alps and the Counts of Celje ruled the area as part of the Habsburg empire. The castle lost importance in the 1680s and was abandoned in 1795. The Celje museum society took over the site in 1872 and renovations continue to this day.

Some of the original walls of the castle.

The castle dominates the town and controls the Savinja river.

Our final stop was in Maribor, wine country in Northeast Slovenia. After an unsuccessful attempt to visit a winery, we headed into the city for lunch and a visit to the oldest vine in the world. The vine is over 400 years old and still produces enough grapes for a few bottles of wine.

In honour of Wine Bob, the museum had a cross-section of the ground that supports the oldest vine. The vine is located on the banks of the Darva River and has survived flooding, earthquakes and disease to last this long.

Slovenia is an amazing country, and our only regret is not being able to spend more time there. The scenery is spectacular from the Adriatic to the Alps, the people friendly, food and drink outstanding. If you are a cyclist or hiker there are awesome trails to visit. For you hardcore folks, the Walk of Peace follows the Soca River for a 200 km, 13-day hike with 5600 m of elevation change, visiting 19 outdoor museums covering many of the battlefields of the 12 Battles of Isonzo. We had a hard enough time driving this route, so it will be a good challenge for you.

We definitely recommend looking at Slovenia for your next adventure.