Tourist attractions of Slovenia: what to see

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Slovenia is a small nation, but rich in diversity and tourist attractions. In this small territory there are karst landscapes of great suggestion, such as those of the caves of Postojna (Postumia) and Skocjan. But also the alpine lakes, such as those of Bled and Bohinj. Or the pristine alpine peaks like Mount Triglav in the Julian Alps. Nature is the main tourist attraction of Slovenia.

From the artistic point of view, the Habsburg influence in the historical centers of the interior is clear, such as, for example, in the cities of Ljubljana and Maribor. While the Venetian influence is marked in the countries along the coast of Istria, as in the historical centers of Koper (Capodistria) and Piran.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF SLOVENIA: THE HISTORICAL CENTERS

The capital Ljubljana is a concentrate of Baroque palaces and buildings, museums and cultural centers, theaters and art galleries, the influence of the Habsburg domination is still perceptible in the capital. This influence is also visible in other cities of Slovenia, such as in the second city of the country, Maribor, which in Austrian times was called Marburg, and in the nearby city of Ptuj, which preserves a valuable historical center.

Around Ljubljana there are other interesting historic towns such as Škofja Loka and Kamnik. While south-east of Ljubljana, in the direction of Zagreb and the Croatian border, there is the small historic town of Kostanjevica na Krki with a beautiful Cistercian monastery.

Along the Istrian coast of Slovenia there are three beautiful medieval towns, Koper (Koper), Piran (Piran) and Istria (Izola). Here the influence of Venice is clearly visible in art, architecture and language. In these three towns, the Italian language is an official language alongside Slovenian. In the interior in the small village of Cristoglie (Hrastovlje), a few kilometers from Koper, in the Romanesque church of Holy Trinity there is a wonderful cycle of 15th century frescoes.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: NATURE

The natural wonders of the Slovenian Karst, in particular the spectacular caves of Postojna and Skocjan. The latter have been included by UNESCO in the world heritage site. Karst caves are among the most visited tourist attractions of Slovenia. The Triglav National Park (Triglavski narodni park) is another place where nature is spectacular. The park is centered on the highest mountain in the Julian Alps, Mount Triglav. It encompasses alpine lakes of glacial origin, including the beautiful Bohinj lake and the valley of the seven lakes, majestic limestone peaks and mountains, rivers and waterfalls like those of Savica, all in an unspoiled natural setting.

All around the Triglav park are some of Slovenia’s best-known tourist destinations such as the Lake Bled, an alpine lake, with a small island in the center. The winter sports center of Kranjska Gora, and the beautiful medieval town of Radovljica. In this area there are also places made famous by the First World War such as the small town of Caporetto (Kobarid).

Those who love horses and horse riding must definitely visit Lipizza (Lipica), a small town very close to the border with Italy. This place is famous in the world for being the place where the Habsburgs had, since the 16th century, raised Lipizzaner horses, a selected breed of show horses. Lipizza horse breeding is always active and it is possible to visit it.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: THERMAL BATHS

The spa resorts are another tourist attractions of Slovenia. South of Maribor, on the border with Croatia, there is the best known and most famous spa in Slovenia, the town of Rogaška Slatina. Further south is the spa center of Šmarješke Toplice. At the northeastern end, on the border with Austria, is another well-known spa resort, Radenci. Slovenia is also a destination for gamblers, in fact the country has numerous casinos intensely frequented by gambling enthusiasts.

For those who are fond of archeology, the small center of Šempeter v Savinjski dolini, located between Ljubljana and Maribor, is worth visiting. Here are the remains of an important Roman necropolis with remains of tombs and altars. For fans of industrial archeology and mining architecture the mining town of Idrija is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Official Slovenia tourism page.