About
Slovenia
Slovenia lies on the sunny side
of the Alps, in the heart of Europe. More than half the country
is covered in forest, which makes Slovenia one of the greenest
countries in the world. It shares borders with Austria, Hungary,
Croatia and Italy and has approximately two million inhabitants;
the capital is Ljubljana. There is plenty of opportunity for
one-day excursions and for longer trips within Slovenian borders
as well as abroad (Trieste, Venice, Zagreb, Vienna, Budapest,
etc.). Slovenia is the perfect choice for those who like to stay
active during their holidays and plan to practice adrenalin
sports, trekking, cycling, mountaineering, climbing, or
exploring underground caves. If you wish a relaxing holiday, you
can choose one of many spas or seaside resorts. Slovenia has a
rich cultural history that you can admire in many attractive
museums and galleries. Get ready to feel Slovenia!
How to Reach
Slovenia
By car or bus: Slovenia
has a modern road infrastructure with good links to the
neighbouring countries. Groups coming to Slovenia with their own
transportation can be met by our guides at the border.
By train: the Railway
network allows train access from the neighbouring countries to
all major Slovenian towns. Upon arrival in Slovenia by train, we
can organize transfer from the railway station to your
accommodation.
By plane: The central
Slovenian international airport is Jože Pučnik Airport in
Ljubljana. To arrive in Slovenia, passengers and groups often
use airports, located outside Slovenia but near its borders
(Zagreb, Graz, Vienna, Trieste, Venice, Budapest, etc.). Sajko
Travel Agency can organize transfer from any airport to the
hotel or vice versa. Upon arrival at an airport in the area,
there is an opportunity to combine the visit to Slovenia with
visits to nearby towns, for example. Vienna, Venice, Budapest,
etc.
Regions of
Slovenia
Slovenia is a country of
great variety in many respects, which is not a surprise, since
it lies at the crossroads of four completely different
geographic regions: the Alps, the Mediterranean, the Pannonian
Plain, and the Dinaric Mountain Range. Individual Slovenian
regions have developed a diversity of dialects, different
lifestyles, gastronomic traditions, popular entertainment and
other aspects of everyday life. There are, however, features
typical of Slovenia as a whole – one of them is a traditional
cake roll called “potica”.
Gorenjska (Upper Carniola)
in the Northwest of Slovenia is mainly an Alpine region with
exceptional natural beauty. Here lies the Triglav National Park,
named after Triglav, Slovenia’s highest peak (2864 m, 9397 ft),
and established in 1924 – among the first in Europe. On a
typical Gorenjska menu, you will always find corn mush (žganci)
with pork crackling, but those with a sweet tooth should try a
“kremšnita”, the traditional cream slice of Bled. Honey and
honey products are also typical of the region.
Koroška (Carinthia) encompasses
the Mežica and upper Drava Valleys. Koroška is always
associated with the cradle of the Slovene nation, even though,
after the Carinthian Plebiscite in 1920, its major part remained
in Austria. Koroška is home to the rafters, who in the old days
used to float the wood down the Drava and on to the Danube.
Štajerska (Styria) and
the Prekmurje region in Eastern Slovenia are the
granary of the country; that’s why they are known for dishes
based on flour. Typical dishes include prekmurian layer cake
(prekmurska gibanica), yeast pastry (kvasenica), and cereal
based dishes, all of which are well complemented by quality
wines. This is also an important wine growing region. Wines such
as Italian and Rhine Riesling, Pinot Gris and Traminer originate
from the areas of Slovenske gorice, Radgonske gorice and Haloze,
where they age in traditional wine cellars. In Maribor, the
Styrian capital, we can admire the mother of all grape vines,
the Old Vine, which is more than 400 years old.
Primorska (the Littoral)
and the Karst region are located in the South-West of Slovenia.
The Mediterranean influence can be noticed in culture,
geographic characteristics and the cuisine. Te culinary range is
extremely rich, from seafood dishes to gnocchi, pasta, risotto,
stew (jota), Idrija dumplings and Soča trout. Apart from the
strong “burja” wind, the Karst is also known for the
prosciutto and Teran, a rich red vintage. Among red wines, you
can also choose Merlot, Refosco or Cabernet, but if you prefer
white wines, we offer Rebula, Pinela or Zelen.
Notranjska (Inner Carniola),
Dolenjska (Lower Carniola) and Bela krajina (White Carniola)
stretch South from Ljubljana to the Kolpa river on the Croatian
border. In this hilly vineyard-covered area, there are numerous
churches and castles. Typical local dishes include goose with
pasta tatters (mlinci) and red cabbage, mushroom dishes, lamb
and suckling pig. Dolenjska is known for its dark red wine (žametna
črnina), Blue Franc, and a typical local wine called cviček. |
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