Slovenia sightseeing. Travel guide - attractions, sights, nature and touristic places

Slovenia has long become a favorite place of rest among fans of eco-tourism, alpine ski and interesting excursions. The country is so diverse that every vacation there will be unique and unforgettable.

Those, who want to get acquainted with culture and landmarks of the country, are recommended to start from prominent places of Ljubljana. In this city travelers will find several hundred medieval buildings, the most famous of which being the Ljubljana Castle. First mentions of the castle belong to the middle of the 12th century, but, according to historians, it was built way earlier. Initially, the castle was built as a protective facility. In the 17th century it was transformed into a hospital, and later - into a prison. Nowadays, the castle has become a museum complex, where travelers will find a picture gallery, the Museum of History and outlets with crafts made by local masters. In summer, the castle often becomes the venue for different musical performances and concerts.

The history of the Saint Nicolas Cathedral is very interesting and unusual. In the 12th century, a small wooden church stood on the site of the modern cathedral, but it was completely destroyed by fire. Two centuries later, the construction of a cathedral started on the same site, but it was not ended as the unfinished cathedral was also destroyed by fire. Only in the 18th century a beautiful cathedral was built on the square. This is the cathedral we can see now. Besides interesting architectural landmarks, there is a wonderful botanic garden in Ljubljana. It was founded yet in 1810 and since that time it has become the biggest botanic garden in the country. Here visitors will find more than 4,500 plants from different parts of the world, which make the garden an important object on international level. Not only tourists, but also scientists visit the garden to see and study rare plants from a professional point of view. Travelers with kids will be delighted to visit the local zoo, which has become home for more than 600 species of animals, birds and reptiles. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Do not forget to visit Novo Mesto, a wonderful city, the main symbol of which is Stari Grad (the Old Castle). The castle was built 7 centuries ago, and today its visitors are welcome to see its magnificent halls, walk in long corridors and enjoy panoramic views of the city from an observation deck, which is made in front of the castle. One more grandiose medieval castle is located in the city of Ptuj, which halls host galleries of modern art and inner yard has become a popular venue for different events.

History and Entertainment

The first settlements on the territory of present Slovenia were formed in the 6th century AD. Almost a hundred years later, they were unified into the first Slovene country named Carantania. This country had existed not for so long. In the first half of the 8th century, it was forced to become a Frankish protectorate. It fell under the Franks in 1180. In the years ahead, the territory of the country included several separate provinces that became parts of Austria-Hungary in the 14th century. Until the 18th century, the country had fallen into decline. Its economic and political development was shattered by the Thirty Years' War.

The industrial and agricultural production was improved only in the second half of the 18th century. That period in the history of the country is often called the Slovenian Revival. After the end of the First World Ward in 1918, Austria-Hungary fell and Slovenia came to Italy. Consequently, the country became a part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and gained independence from this in 1991.

At present, nothing reminds of the stressful past of the country and multiple military conflicts. Travelers come to Slovenia to enjoy its amazing unique atmosphere, relax on crystal clear Adriatic beaches, walk along mountainous areas and admire age-old forests.

The most popular beach resort in the country is Portoroz. Its sandy beach is often chosen by adherents of health tourism for their vacation. The point is that the sea water here is distinguished by various rare chemical compounds, so it has unique curative properties. It will be interesting for fans of beach recreation to have a vacation not only on the Adriatic coast. Excellent resorts are equipped even on some lakes. There are wonderful resorts on the shores of Bohinj and Bled.

In the first half of December, ski resorts of Slovenia start welcoming the guests. The most popular resort here is Bovec. There are ski routes suitable for skiers of different levels. The resort is characterized with a well-developed infrastructure and is targeted at families with children. There are also several special health resorts in the country. Radenci is notable for its healing mineral springs. The resort of Strunjan is located near the deposits of healing muds.