Slovenia

Slovenia is a young European country in Central Europe. It is a member of the European Union since 1^st of May 2004. First settlements were found dating in 6^th century and the country got independent after a turbulent history.

The country developed fast through the history and kept pace with the most developed western European countries. It is one of the 30 most developed countries in the world, judging by the Gross domestic product per capita.

Slovenia is an attractive tourist destination, visited by a great number of tourists from all over the world, especially from Western Europe, but more and more tourists from other countries visit Slovenia. It is nothing special to see a tourist from China, Russia or USA on the streets of Slovenia.

Numerous of different tourist attractions make Slovenia a popular tourist place around the year. Beautiful mountains, and more than half of the country is covered with forests, so every tourist departs from Slovenia with wonderful memories and praising the local food and wine.

Postojnska cave is the most popular tourist attraction, where tourists can see what nature is able to produce in hundreds of thousands of years, and travel through the cave with a train. Right next to the castle there is a wonderful cave castle, where a knights tournament takes place every year at the end of the summer.

Architecture is a main attraction in the capital city, astonishing architecture by Jože Plečnik, who worked in Rome, Prague, Vienna and other European countries. A short walk away is the Ljubljana castle, and for those who don't want to walk, there is a lift waiting to take you to the top of the hill. Everyone says, that the view from the hill or the castle tower is worth the short walk on the hill.

Tourists enjoy the Slovenian seaside, most of them visit the old town Piran with its own old city center and remaining of a defense wall. Others visit Portorož, the town with the best Hotels and Spa's, the wonderful Palace Hotel build just next to the promenade. A short trip away are the Škocjanske caves known by the biggest underground canyon, protected by UNESCO since 1986.

Slovenia is known for its ski slopes in the North West, but the biggest ski slopes are located in the East part of the country on the Maribor Pohorje where you can enjoy 250 hectare or 60 kilometers of ski slopes, 27 kilometers of cross-country skiing trails and a great ski stadium. Tourists that come to Slovenia enjoy active holidays at the mountains or just relax in one of many Spa's in Slovenia.

Slovenia hosts the best skiing and ski jumping World cup competitions in Krajnska Gora and near by Planica, that is open for tourists the whole year around to see the biggest ski jumping and ski flying slope. If you are more a romantic kind of a person, you will enjoy Bled, that is just a short car drive away.