RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

SIGHTSEEING

As you travel through Slovenia, scenic sights will unfold along the road: the snow-capped Alps, the blue Adriatic, white chapels (cerkev) dominating the hilltops, the traditional hayricks (kozolec) in the fields and meadows, and here and there an ancient castle (grad). Especially popular with tourists is the Castle of Bled (Blejski grad), on a bluff overlooking the lake. The Castle of Ljubljana (Grad), with a magnificent view of Ljubljana and the surrounding mountains, can be reached by car or by following a pedestrian path from Gornji trg in the old town section. World-famous is the Cave of Postojna (Postojnska jama). A train will take you through the miles-long cave. You will see giant stalactites and stalagmites, the underground Pivka River, a natural concert hall, and the so-called human fish (človeška ribica), which lives only in this cave. Maybe even more breathtaking are the adjacent Caves of Škocjan (Škocjanske jame). While in Postojna you can also visit Predjamski grad. This unusual fourteenth-century castle seals the entrance to a huge cave through which supplies could be brought during siege. To the west of Postojna is the stud farm of Lipica, the original home of Lippizaner horses. Watch the white stallions grazing in the open or as they perform in a daily scheduled show. Horseback riding is also available. One-day bus tours to Postojna and Lipica are scheduled out of Bled and Portorož during the summer. From Portorož one can also take a one-day trip to Venice (Benetke) by hydrofoil (gliser). On a clear summer day a bus excursion out of Bled across the Vršič Pass (1,611 m / 5,285 ft.) to the Soča Valley is recommended. For a view of Lake Bohinj and the surrounding Julian Alps take the cable car to Vogel (5,052 ft.) from Bohinj. There is a hotel and restaurant at the top. Halfway between Ljubljana and Zagreb, on the Krka River near Novo mesto, lies Otočec, a thirteenth-century castle, now hotel and restaurant. A road from Celje through Ljubno brings you to Logarska dolina, a beautiful Alpine valley. Along the road, under a rock formation called Igla (Slov. for needle), you will see a source with intermittent flow,caused by an underground siphon releasing the water every three minutes. On a larger scale, Lake Cerknica (Cerkniško jezero), 30 miles out of Ljubljana disappears and reappears seasonally, also through siphons. An impressive waterfall is that of Savica, which flows through Lake Bohinj. Savica Waterfall (Slap Savica) is one of the two sources of the Sava River. The other one is near Kranjska Gora. A trip by train from Ljubljana to Koper offers scenic views, especially as you descend to the Adriatic Sea (Jadransko morje). After the last tunnel, watch for the Romanesque church of Hrastovlje surrounded by stone walls. Its fourteenth-century frescos are worth a special trip. If you happen to be in Maribor, take the cable car to the wooded Pohorje Mountains, where you can pick wild blueberries in July. Here are a few other places with panoramic views, reachable by car or by cable car (gondola) where specified. The nearest town is given first.

CHURCHES, CASTLES, OTHER MONUMENTS

Some of the chapels that dot the Slovenian countryside contain medieval frescos that have been discovered during recent restorations. Churches that now have a baroque appearance may contain earlier Gothic or even Romanesque elements. A good many of them have richly sculptured wooden baroque altars, reliefs, and statues. Under restoration are many old pipe organs (orgle), works of art in themselves. In chapels which are subordinate to a parish church, services are held only on the day of the patron saint or on the following Sunday, joint by popular festivities called žegnanje. Should you want to visit a chapel, ask in one of the nearby houses for the sacristan (mežnar), who has the key (ključ). Although contemplative orders have been disolved during the reign of Joseph II in the eighteenth century, a few old monasteries (samostan) still serve their original purpose, e.g. the twelfth-century Cistercian Abbey of Stična near Trebnje. The equally old Charterhouse of Žiče is now in ruins, but Carthusian monks occupy the younger Charterhouse of Pleterje near Šentjernej. The Bistra Charterhouse at Vrhnika is now a museum, and the Kostanjevica monastery an art gallery. Many castles were set afire during the Revolution in World War II. Some have been, or are being, restored. A few serve as hotels: Otočec (Novo mesto) and Mokrice (Brežice), both on the Ljubljana-Zagreb highway, Podvin near Radovljica, and Štatenberg near Ptuj, some as museums. Finally, note the beautiful facades of the burgher residences in the old sections of Ljubljana, Maribor, Ptuj, Novo mesto, Kranj, Kamnik, Radovljica, Tržič. Reminiscent of Venice are the old patrician residences in Koper, Izola, and Piran. A select list of other monuments follows. The nearest town comes first.

Brežice: Brežiški grad, Grad Olimje (Podčetrtek), Grad Podsreda, Bizeljski grad, Kunšperk.

Celje: Celjski grad.

Kamnik: Grad Zaprice.

Koper: Socerb. Panoramic view of Trst/Trieste.

Litija: Grad Bogenšperk. Witchcraft museum.

Ljubljana: Ljubljanski grad, Grad Turjak (Velike Lašče), Grad Goričane (Medvode).

Murska Sobota: Grad na Goričkem

Novo mesto: Grad Hmelnik.

Ptuj: Ptujski grad, Grad Borl, Dornava.

Stari trg: Grad Snežnik.

Škofja Loka: Škofjeloški grad.

Velenje: Velenjski grad.

Bled: Church on the island, reachable by typical boats called pletnja.

Bohinj: Sv. Janez (Sv. = Sveti, Saint).

Celje: Sv. Rok in Šmarje near Jelše.

Djekše/Diex (Austria).

Kamnik: Sv. Primož.

Koper: Cathedral.

Kranj: Sv. Kacijan.

Ljubljana: Cathedral, Šmarna gora, Dvor (Polhov Gradec).

Maribor: Spodnja Muta (rustic 12 c. chapel).

Mežica: Leše.

Murska Sobota: Romanesque round chapel in Selo na Goričkem, modern church by Plečnik in Bogojina.

Piran: Cathedral and baptistery.

Ptuj: Dominican church, Ptujska gora.

Ribnica: Nova Štifta.

Škofja Loka: Sv. Janez na Suhi, Crngrob.

Cerkno: Bolnica Franja (World War II partisan hospital).

Celje: Roman cemetery in Šempeter.

Izola: Palazzo Beseghi degli Ughi, 1781.

Koper: Da Ponte Fountain, 1423; Loggia, 1464; Palazzo Lemrigone.

Ljubljana: Seminary Library, 1725; Robba's Fountain in Mestni trg (allegoric figures representing Carniolan rivers Sava, Ljubljanica, Krka); National and University Library designed by Jože Plečnik.

Sežana: Štanjel (picturesque Karst village).

Vipava: Vipavski Križ (15 c. hilltop town).

MUSEUM

For information folders on places you plan to visit, write to the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism, Hotels and Restaurants Association (Dimčeva 13, SI-1000 Ljubljana). There are almost 200 museums in Slovenia. The museum of the Isonzo Front (Soška bitka), the greatest highland battle during the World War I, in Kobarid is especially recommended.

CONCERTS, OPERA, FOLKLORE EVENTS

Ljubljana and Maribor both have resident opera companies and symphony orchestras (filharmonija), several playhouses, and a puppet theater (lutkovno gledališče). Concerts and many other cultural events are scheduled in the performing arts center Cankarjev dom, named after the Slovenian novelist and playwright Ivan Cankar (1876-1918). The center opened in 1982. A large bronze cube stands at the entrance. On one of its lammelate sides Cankar's portrait has been etched with the aid of a computer, creating an unusual effect. You can take a guided tour of Cankarjev dom. The pipe organ in its main concert hall rises three stories high. It was built by Karl Schuke of Berlin. Its four manuals and 73 stops were conceived by the Slovenian master-organist Hubert Bergant.

In July, during the Ljubljana Festival (Ljubljanski festival), concerts, ballet, and opera are scheduled in the open-air theater Križanke. The theater is sheltered on one side by the walls of ancient Emona, the Roman settlement which existed on the site of modern Ljubljana. A series of chamber concerts held in the Franciscan cloister of Piran is called Piran Evenings (piranski večeri). Veselica, a popular outdoor festivity, is sponsored by local volunteer organizations. Refreshments are sold and a polka band provides music for dancing. Among large-scale events of this kind are kravji bal in Bohinj, celebrating the return of the cows from the Alps, portoroška noč in Portorož, and ribiški večer (fishermen's night) in Izola. Couples from different countries come to Ljubljana for kmečka ohcet, a folklore wedding ceremony, held every July. Ask for a schedule of above and other events in the local tourist office.

GOLF, TENNIS, BOWLING, HORSERIDING, CYCLING

There is an 18-hole golf course in Bled, in a beautiful Alpine setting, another one in Lipica (Sežana), and the third one near castle Mokrice (Brežice).

Some inns have bowling alleys as well as courts for balinanje (boccie, or Italian lawn bowling), and tennis courts.

SWIMMING, SAILBOARDING, CANOEING ...

During the summer, swim in the Adriatic Sea, mountain lakes and streams or in swimming pools. Many hotels have indoor swimming pools which are open year around. There is a number of such swimming pools in Portorož, using heated seawater. A swimming cap is required. You can buy a plastic one from the pool attendant. Spas (Radenci, Čateške Toplice, Dolenjske Toplice, etc.) have indoor and outdoor pools for recreational swimming (see Spas). Instruction in sailboarding is available in Portorož. Canoeing and rafting are done in the rapids of the rivers Soča, Sava, Krka, and Kolpa. The campground Šobec serves as the point of departure for rafting on the Sava River.

SKIING, CURLING

Kranjska gora is the largest Slovenian ski resort. The nearby Planica is known for international competitions in ski jumping. Close to Ljubljana are the ski slopes of Krvavec and Velika Planina. From the outskirts of Maribor you can take a cable car to the ski slopes of Pohorje. Rogla ski resort is accessible from Celje. During the spring you can still ski beneath the peak of Kanin (8,488 ft.), near Bovec, and on Vogel above Bohinj. In winter, the frozen surface of Lake Bled provides a picturesque setting for curling. Excellent skiing equipment is manufactured in Slovenia (see Sporting Goods).

CAMPING

For vacationers with campers or tents there are many attractive campgrounds. Large camping resorts, such as Šobec near Bled, rent cabins (bungalov). They have shower facilities, a restaurant or snack bar, and a minimarket. Campgrounds are located along the coast, in the vicinity of major cities, popular resorts, and spas. Ask for a folder at tourist offices or check this internet site.

European doctors often recommend warm mineral springs for ailments ranging from rheumatism and arthritis to heart and nervous conditions. Spas (toplice) have their own resident doctors, specialists in balneology. Since spas are beautifully situated, anyone can benefit from their relaxing atmosphere. You can enjoy recreational swimming, fitness trails (trim steza), tennis courts, concerts, good hotel accomodations and restaurants. The best known spas in Slovenia are Rogaška Slatina (near Celje) and Radenci (near Murska Sobota). Smaller spas are scattered through most of Styria (Štajerska) and Lower Carniola (Dolenjska). The establishment Terme in Portorož offers mud baths and thalassotherapy. A warm spring supplies water for the indoor swimming pool of the Grand Hotel Toplice in Bled. Here is the listing of other spas, with the nearest larger town given first.

Celje: Dobrna, Podčetrtek, Rimske Toplice, Laško.

Novo mesto: Dolenjske Toplice, Šmarješke Toplice.

Brežice: Čateške Toplice.

Murska Sobota: Moravske Toplice, Banovci.

Velenje: Topolščica.

Ptuj: Ptujske Toplice.

A folder on spas will be mailed to you if you write to Slovenian Natural Spas' Association (Ljubljanska cesta 14, SI-3000 Celje, tel. +(03) 544-21-11, fax +(03) 544-28-19).

HIKING AND MOUNTAINEERING

The rolling hills of Slovenia are perfect for hiking. On Sundays and holidays entire families take advantage of well marked and maintained trails. Many hikers combine hiking with mushroom, berry, and wild flower picking. From the Tivoli Park in downtown Ljubljana trails lead to the Rožnik Hill, topped by a baroque chapel. There is one gostilna at the beginning and one at the end of the trail. In July you can pick blueberries along the trails of Golovec, on the southeastern outskirts of Ljubljana. By following one of these trails you will reach Orle, a village known for its cherries (early June). Hiking trails as well as mountain trails are marked with white spots circled in red (so called Knafelj markings), painted on rocks and trees along the trail. At starting points and crossings, signs will direct you to your destination, with distances given in hours and minutes of walking. Red circled yellow spots mark the Slovenian part of the European Hiking Trail (evropska pešpot), crossing Slovenia from Šentilj near Maribor to the Adriatic coast. During the summer many mountain peaks, including Triglav (9,396 ft.)—Slovenia's highest—are accessible without special equipment, except mountain boots. The trails are secured with metal wires and wedges where required by the terrain. A warm sweater and waterproof jacket are recommended. The Slovene Alpine Association (Planinska zveza Slovenije) maintains 170 mountain lodges (dom/koča) throughout Slovenia. Most of them are open only during the summer and are crowded on holidays. Lodging varies from dormitories to private rooms. Food and drink are available. Kredarica Lodge (Dom na Kredarici, 8,251 ft.) beneath Triglav was remodeled and enlarged in 1983. Mountaineers mark postcards and alpine-club itinerary cards at lodges and mountain tops with rubber stamps showing the location and altitude. A metal box on the summit holds the stamp, pad, and visitors' book. Do not forget to inscribe your name and the direction of your trip in it. In emergencies, help is provided by the Mountain Rescue Service (Gorska reševalna služba—GRS), a volunteer organization of experienced mountain climbers. Before deciding on a mountain trip contact Planinska zveza Slovenije (Dvoržakova 9, SI-1000 Ljubljana, tel. +(01) 434-30-22, fax +(01) 432-21-40) for maps, information on lodges, and availability of professional guides. Brochures on Triglav National Park (Triglavski narodni park) can be obtained in its headquarters at Kidričeva 2, SI-4260 Bled (tel. +(04) 574-11-88, fax +(04) 574-35-68).

Terms you are likely to find on a map

VACATIONING ON THE FARM

Room and board are available to tourists on more than 100 family farms in the most scenic parts of Slovenia, mainly around Lake Bohinj, in the Upper Savinja Valley (Savinjska dolina), and in the area around Slovenj Gradec. For information check the Association of Tourist Farms of Slovenia (Trnoveljska cesta 1, 3000 Celje, tel. +(03) 491-64-80, fax +(03) 491-64-80).

ON WEATHER

Some vocabulary

FISHING

Alpine streams and lakes of Slovenia offer the sportsman good fishing opportunities. Fishing licenses for all fishing districts of Slovenia can be purchased at Zavod za ribištvo (Fisheries Administration, Župančičeva 9, SI-1000 Ljubljana, tel. +(01) 426-20-19, fax +(01) 425-51-85) weekdays between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. One-day fishing licenses are sold at hotels and tourist offices of the resorts below.

Fly fishing with a barbless hooks is the only allowed way of fishing. As an exception, spinning, whitebait and natural bait fishing is permitted in Cerkniško, Bohinjsko and Krnsko jezero and in part of the Unec River. In Sava-Ljubljanica district whitebait is allowed in addition to fly fishing.

Here are a few terms:

Should you plan to go hunting, contact Lovska zveza Slovenije (Slovene Hunting Association, Župančičeva 9, SI-1000 Ljubljana, tel. +(01) 241-09-10, fax +(01) 241-09-26). They will provide you with a hunting guide or include you in a hunting party. In addition to a daily fee you will be charged a fee for each animal or bird killed. At the point of entry into Slovenia ask the immigration officer checking your passport to issue a permit for your sporting gun. Borovlje/Ferlach, a town in Slovenian Carinthia on the Austrian side of the Ljubelj / Loibl Pass, is known worldwide for its gunsmiths. It's worth a visit. The hunting season for different kinds of game is as follows:

Red deer (jelen): Aug. 1 to Dec. 31.
Fallow deer (damjak): Sept. 1 to Dec. 31.
Roe deer (srnjak): May 16 to Oct. 10.
Chamois (gams): Aug. 1 to Dec. 31.
Mouflon (muflon): Aug. 1 to Dec. 31.
Wild boar (merjasec): April 4 to Feb. 15.
Black grouse (ruševec): May 1 to June 15.
Hazel grouse (jereb): Sept. 1 to Nov. 30.
Hare (zajec): Oct. 1 to Nov. 30.
Pheasant (fazan): Sept. 1 to Jan. 15.
Partridge (jerebica): Sept. 1 to Nov. 30.
Mallard (divja raca): Aug. 15 to Jan. 15.
Dove (divji golob): Aug. 1 to Dec. 31.
European snipe (kljunač): Aug. 1 to Jan. 15.
Wildcat (divja mačka): Nov. 1 to Feb. 15.
Beech marten (kuna belica), pine marten (kuna zlatica): Nov. 1 to Feb. 15.
Badger (jazbec): Aug. 1 to Jan. 31.