Getting to know Slovenia
(just a bit better)
An
introduction for the curious traveler
by wes eichenwald, march 2007
Where is the true
crossroads of Europe? Although nearly every country on the Old
Continent, from Belgium to Romania, has laid claim to that most
enduring of tourist clichés, “the heart of Europe”
(the actual geographic center is in Lithuania), you could make a
particularly good case for Slovenia as the quintessential place where
many different cultures blend into a congenial, low-key whole. 
In Slovenia, East meets
West, South meets North, and capitalism has long mixed with socialism
(Tito’s legacy endures in many non-obvious ways). The
Mediterranean, Slavic and Germanic peoples who border this land have
occasionally butted heads, but have usually maintained a more or less
peaceful existence. Despite – or perhaps because of – its
being at the meeting point of diverse cultures, languages and
worldviews, Slovenia has developed its own distinct culture and, for
want of a better word, vibe, that can’t really be compared to
any other place on earth.
Tell any of this to
typical Slovenes and they would probably be flattered, but also
wonder why you’ve taken such an interest in their homeland.
Slovenia's place in Europe might be compared to that of the youngest,
overlooked child in a large family, who, while his siblings noisily
quarrel over their share of the blankets, quietly puts together his
own bed. Slovenia’s culture of self-reliance, industriousness
and individualism has served it well – it has earned the
reputation of being the best-off and most westernized of the “new
European states,” a/k/a “countries in transition,”
to be accepted into the European Union and NATO. Given a choice,
Slovenes would always prefer to tend their own garden (literally and
metaphorically) than get handouts as part of someone else’s big
party, but +they also know when it’s best to be pragmatic.
Even as Slovenia
settles into its new status as a full-fledged member of the Eurozone,
its citizens continue to enjoy the best of both worlds – they
have economic and military security, but their cultural traditions,
private enjoyments and secret corners abide, even considering the
occasional encroachments of Brussels, the distractions of the modern
world, and the problems that humans invariably bring upon one
another. Travelers from Europe and elsewhere in the world are also
busy putting Slovenia on their personal “been there, done that”
maps – not so much that the country still doesn’t get
confused with Slovakia, or even a war zone, but not as much as it
used to.
Since Slovenia is such
a diverse country for its size, and offers so many diversions and
discoveries within its 20,273 square kilometers, it’s
impossible to cover everything within the scope of one magazine
article. And since you can read about the best-known tourist
attractions, such as Bled and Postojna Caves, elsewhere, we’ll
devote more attention to spots usually overlooked by travel writers
and casual tourists – which actually includes pretty much the
entire eastern half of the country.
The capital and largest
city can hardly be ignored, however, and it’s as good a
starting point as any.
Ljubljana
How many more media
moments does Ljubljana get before it becomes an Officially Discovered
Place, a go-there-and-do-that stopover on anyone’s European
itinerary in the fashion of London, Paris, Vienna or Prague? (As this
magazine has previously illustrated, calling Ljubljana the “next
Prague,” however inaccurate that phrase actually is, has been a
lazy travel writer’s cliché for at least a decade now.)
Ljubljana has had
several media closeups since Slovenia’s independence 16 years
ago. US president Clinton visited in June 1999, giving a memorable
speech in a torrential downpour in Republic Square; almost exactly
two years later, George W. Bush first met his counterpart Vladimir
Putin at nearby Brdo Castle (which isn’t in Ljubljana, but the
international press stuck around and nosed about for a bit). Both
occasions, especially the latter, resulted in numerous articles about
Slovenia in the world press, extolling the beauty of Ljubljana and
the unspoiled Alpine charms of the countryside, making sure to
mention Bled, the island in the middle of the lake, the bell in the
church on the island, and the cream cakes. Some stories also
mentioned the creative genius of architect Jože Plečnik, who
remade the Slovene capital with his neoclassical stone equivalents of
France Prešeren’s poetry, in an impressive output that
ceased only with his death half a century ago.
Four hours by fast
train from Venice, Ljubljana (“l’yoo-BLAH-nah”) –
just call it LJ – also shares the gorgeous Baroque and Art
Nouveau architecture that lures visitors to places like Prague and
Salzburg, but still lacks the mass tourism those cities draw (though
things are picking up fast). Travelers who come expecting drab
post-Communist stereotypes, ethnic costumes and polka music can find
them in LJ, if they look hard enough. But they’ll also
encounter leading-edge design (in architecture, interiors and
fashion), techno clubs, and an educated, worldly, multilingual
populace that enjoys an astoundingly rich cultural life for a city of
300,000. Check the latest issue of Ljubljana Life, or the
tourist information center, for info on current exhibits and shows in
the many museums, concert halls and clubs of the self-proclaimed
“city of culture.”
Even with recent
Euro-inflation, the best things in LJ remain free, or close to it.
Ljubljana’s old town is one of Europe’s most delightful
places for a stroll. Sample excellent local wine at Movia Vinoteka
(Mestni trg 2) and espresso at an elegant coffee bar like the Café
Antico (Stari trg 2), or savor a genuine Turkish coffee at the
high-ceilinged café/cabaret at the Grand Hotel Union.
Experience “Ljubljana’s stomach” at the central
food markets, both enclosed (under those glorious Plečnik
columns) or outdoors. And yes, the castle is worth a look (although
up close, it’s not exactly the last word in historically
accurate renovations). And the Sunday antiques market by the river is
still a kick.
Bled and Bohinj
Slovenia’s “Lake
District” consists of exactly two lakes, but their Alpine
beauty is enough to get anyone’s heart soaring. As mentioned
above, Bled is a major tourist destination within Slovenia and its
charms need no repeating here. Although it’s hardly
undiscovered, Bohinj is a place the Slovenes largely keep to
themselves, more by default than design. Outdoor sports are king
here, including boating, swimming, fishing, mountain biking,
paragliding, horseback riding, and mountaineering (many hikers base
themselves here for their two-day ascension of Triglav, Slovenia’s
iconic three-headed mountain).
The Caves
As home of the original
region scientists named “The Karst” (other karst regions
get only a small “k”), southwestern Slovenia boasts some
of the most impressive caves in the world, no kidding. In the
spelunking world, Škocjan Caves (a UNESCO World Heritage site)
plays Bohinj to Postojna’s Bled: it’s the less touristed,
more difficult to get to, but ultimately more impressive and
memorable place. When you get home, you’ll thank yourself for
having taken the time to experience the wonders of Škocjan,
The Coast
Unless you’re an
aficionado of overbuilt, unremarkable beach towns, you won’t be
missing much if you avoid Portorož. Head instead for Piran, a sort of
miniature Slovene Venice (even the campanile is a copy of the one in
St. Mark’s Square) whose old town narrows to a point at the end
of a peninsula. Piran has a somewhat comic-opera feel, especially
around Tartini Square (named for a native-son composer whose statue
overlooks the scene). Izola and Koper are less touristed and are good
towns to visit to get a feel for what daily life is like in the
northernmost reaches of the Mediterranean basin, or, more
specifically, the northernmost part of Istria, the fascinating
peninsula that has swapped minders over the past century from the
Hapsburgs to Italy to Yugoslavia, and now belongs mainly to Croatia –
but the distinct way of life there is perhaps best described as
Istrian.
Maribor
Maribor, located at a
picturesque meeting point of mountain ranges, hills and valleys, is
Slovenia’s second city, but attracts far less tourism than
Ljubljana, and in truth, most of the important sites here can be
covered in an afternoon. (Even the city’s official tourist
website [www.maribor-tourism.si]
includes a section for busy visitors titled “Maribor in Two
Hours.”) Maribor does feel like a city whose primary business
is business rather than pleasure; this may be a legacy of its
proximity to Austria and the fact that a century ago, 80 percent of
its citizens were ethnic Germans (something that’s definitely
no longer the case).
That said, don’t
get the impression that you can’t have a good time in Maribor.
For one thing, the city is literally at the edge of wine country,
with some of Slovenia’s best white wine produced a short
distance away – if you can, try to arrange to tour a vineyard
or three. (Maribor also claims bragging rights to the world’s
oldest grapevine; it’s over 400 years old and yes, wine is
still made from it.) Maribor’s old town, which the locals call
Lent, hugs the River Drava and several fine old medieval structures
still stand; intrepid travelers can also find much evidence of the
lively culture of any college town (in this case, Univerza v
Mariboru).
For many visitors,
however, Maribor will prove most useful as a base for exploring the
fascinating and historic towns and villages nearby, with their
masterful handicrafts, thriving folk culture and old-fashioned small
farms, and timeless, uncontrived beauty.
Celje
Slovenia is filled with
places that were once more important than they are now; eddies off of
the main currents of history, which have somehow preserved vestigial
memories of past greatness. It’s very Central European –
producing a historically minded tourist’s delight, even if
things do get a bit weird at times.
Nowhere is this truer
than in Celje. Similar to Ljubljana, Slovenia’s third-largest
city feels more like an overgrown small town than a metropolis, but
in Celje’s case the accent is definitely on “small town.”
Celje wears its proud history (going back to its days as the Roman
settlement of Celeia) like a threadbare but still serviceable
overcoat. If you go, do visit the Celje Regional Museum, where you
can read all about the purple passions and Machiavellian intrigues of
the Counts of Celje, a bunch of aristocratic rascals who flourished
between the 12th and 15th centuries; 18 of
their skulls remain on display at the museum. (“When the count
croaks,” a friend of mine back in the US once asked when I told
her of this, “do they cut off his head for a souvenir?”)
Ptuj
One of Slovenia’s
oldest towns, Ptuj is a charmer that feels more remote from the
modern world, or even modern Slovenia, than it actually is. (In fact,
it’s just a half-hour or so from Maribor.) If you make time for
only one city in eastern Slovenia, make it Ptuj – its history
dates back to the Late Stone Age and Iron Age, and shrines to Mithras
from the days of the Roman Empire can still be seen here, along with
two monasteries, a huge wine cellar, and one of the most atmospheric
Central European old towns you’ll ever come across. Ptuj and
its surroundings are a great place to experience Slovene folk culture
at its liveliest, especially the Kurentovanje festival at
Carnival time, with its famous Kurent characters roaming the streets
as harbingers of spring, tongues down to their waists and mischief at
the ready.
Prekmurje
Many Slovenes consider
their country’s remote northeast corner to be the back of
beyond (or in the local idiom, “behind God’s back”),
but the Pannonian plain just west of the Hungarian border is a place
of much poetry, mystery and even grace, if you’re inclined to
look for it. Along with the southeastern corner of the country (near
Črnomelj), Prekmurje is one of the primary hearths and
incubators of Slovenia’s folk traditions, and people from here
may be even more individualistic than other Slovenes. Like the small
villages of New England in the USA, or Scotland in the UK, maybe it
has to do with growing up in a hardscrabble area where nothing is
taken for granted; perhaps it’s something in the soil. Two of
the most prominent Slovenes of modern times hail from small Prekmurje
villages – Milan Kučan, who shepherded Slovenia to
independence as its first president, and Vlado Kreslin, the
internationally celebrated balladeer and poet.
Murska Sobota, the
small regional capital, is, frankly, a rather depressing place, but
it’s worth a visit for the excellent Regional Museum
(Pokrajnski muzej), where you’ll learn a great deal
about the history in this neglected corner of the world, including
the chilling chronicle of World War II, when the area was ceded to
Hungarian control for a time.
If you visit Prekmurje,
spend time in the villages. Sit on a bench inside the small
cylindrical Romanesque Chapel of St. Nicholas, which has stood in the
remote village of Selo na Goričkem since the 13th
century, and you’ll practically feel the chilly breath of the
Middle Ages on your cheeks.
Wine Tourism and the
Wine Roads
The history of
Slovenia’s wine industry, and the variety of Slovene wines
available, is a topic more suitable to an entire article (or a book:
I recommend Wines of Slovenia, by Dr Julij Nemanič and Dr
Janez Bogataj). Suffice it to say that there are three main wine
regions, 14 subdivisions of same, and 20 “wine roads”
promoted by the tourist authorities. The wines vary greatly in style
and quality, and much of it is very good (and fortunately, there’s
not a whole lot that’s really awful). The Maribor area isn’t
the only place to go; for the most concentration of vineyards in one
place, and a quasi-Italian atmosphere to boot, head for Goriška
Brda in the western borderlands.
Health Spas and Hot
Springs
There are 15 health
spas in Slovenia, running the gamut from ultramodern to old-world
charm (Rogaška Slatina, the oldest and most celebrated, is a
blend of both). Hydrotherapy is very popular at all of them, whether
it’s imbibing from the mineral-laden hot springs or swimming in
various extravagantly designed pools and soaking in jetted tubs. They
tend to be laid-back, even soporific places, but that’s sort of
the point (people come here to relax, you know). They are also
terrific bargains when compared to their counterparts in Western
Europe and the US.
Tourist Farms
As Slovenia modernizes
along with the rest of the world, people naturally strive to return
to the land now and then to experience life as their
great-grandparents did – a few anachronistic comforts
notwithstanding. You can find farms all over Slovenia whose owners
supplement their income by opening their doors to visitors, who can
get up close and personal with all sorts of local traditions and
handicrafts, along with the abundant flora and fauna. The hosts are
friendly, and the meals are usually pretty good, at the least.
For more information on
all things relating to travel in Slovenia, see www.slovenia.info
on the web.
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