… OF UNTOUCHED NATURE … RICH HISTORY and LONG TRADITION

Ljubljana is the capital and largest city of Slovenia and its only centre of international importance. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. With approximately 272,000 inhabitants, it classifies as the only Slovenian large city. Throughout its history, it has been influenced by its geographic position at the crossroads of the Slavic world with the Germanic and Latin cultures. For centuries, Ljubljana was the capital of the historical region of Carniola. Now it is the cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative centre of Slovenia, independent since 1991.Its transport connections, concentration of industry, scientific and research institutions and cultural tradition are contributing factors to its leading position.

In Slovenia, you come across different historical eras at every turn. Truly old items are preserved primarily in museums, but archaeological finds can also be seen in their natural setting. Slovenia's natural diversity further emphasizes the attraction of important buildings. Slovenian castles are amazing, and the many rural hilltop churches are charming. Cultural-historical monuments and architectural masterpieces can be found in most Slovenian towns.

Nature has been generous to Slovenia. The varied green landscape is mostly covered in forests, while grape vines are grown on the sunny slopes of hills in many areas. For those heading back to nature there are numerous natural parks, while Triglav National Park encompasses Slovenia’s most beautiful mountains, the Julian Alps. The stunning waterfalls and the busy rivers, full of things to do, will awaken a genuine experience of nature. There are also treasures hidden underground, in the magnificent caves of the Karst.

Slovenia has a rich cultural heritage, and is proudly nurturing it and preserving it. You can learn countless details of all historical forms of creativity at one of Slovenia’s well-kept museums. All the major periods of human history are preserved in Slovenia in the precious form of archaeological findings, with new ones being discovered quite frequently. In an area where once stood plenty of castles, a good number has been preserved, of which four are major tourist destinations.

Slovenia's rich architectural heritage can be seen in both town and countryside. Well-preserved medieval town‘s centres and more modern public buildings in various famous architectural styles will delight you. The special features of rural architecture vary from region to region, and are gathered together in open-air museums. Castles, manor houses and palaces are certainly an important part of the heritage. Most of them can be explored from the inside.

As you enjoy Slovenian food and wine, the circumstances that resulted in the Slovenian proverb that love comes through the stomach will become clear. The delights of Slovenian cooking, hidden in old recipes, are now available at almost every turn. Food with tradition can be seen in family inns, special events called osmice and rural experiences. Its faithful companions are the excellent Slovenian wines. Almost everywhere you go in Slovenia you can find tasty and varied dishes, and Slovenian wines can enthuse even the most demanding wine connoisseur. Slovenia's varied cuisine developed at the meeting place of influences from the cuisines of the Mediterranean, the Pannonian plain, the Alps and the Balkans. You can discover its specialities in 24 different culinary regions. To help you learn about Slovenian cuisine, most places have good inns, while many villages have visitor and tourist farms.