Slovenia - you've heard of it, right? It hosted the recent summit between Presidents Bush and Putin. Maybe you noticed something in the newspapers at the end of June about its tenth anniversary. Or perhaps you just remember Slovenia as the gatecrashers who nearly ruined the party at the Euro 2000 football tournament.
Even so, maybe you still aren't sure where it is. Yet open up a map and there it is, right in the heart of Europe, dwarfed by its neighbours Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. You wonder how you missed it. Curiosity piqued, you go looking for a guidebook. There isn't much of a selection to choose from in the shop, but eventually you come across the excellent Lonely Planet.
You scan the cover, and note with interest that over half of Slovenia's total area is forested. You see Slovenia described as an "undiscovered jewel." You flick through the book and are captivated by the photographs of soaring Alpine vistas and quaint hamlets, of crystalline lakes and fairy-tale gothic castles. To paraphrase Talking Heads, you ask yourself: "How do I get there?" 
Well that was my experience at any rate, and lead me eventually to Slovenia's charming capital city, Ljubljana. There are direct flights there, but I chose the scenic route - a few days in Venice followed by a five-hour train ride, which includes (at least until the Nice Treaty is sorted out) a border check and a fresh stamp for the passport.
That may sound a bit on the pricey side, but with Ryanair offering fairly cheap flights to Treviso airport, just outside Venice, it works out okay. What's more, for every criminally overpriced pizza in the city of canals there are huge portions and mugs of beer to be had for Mcmoney in Slovenia.
I put the time on the train to good use by painstakingly learning off the few key phrases of Slovenian set out at the back of my Lonely Planet. "Ali govorite anglesko?" I enquired of the girl at the Information counter at Ljubljana station upon alighting - "Do you speak English?"
I was met with the sort of patient, indulgent smile that a doting mother usually reserves for an idiot child. It was a look to which I would grow ever more accustomed during my stay in a country where every citizen from train conductor to waitress seems to speak at least three languages flawlessly - usually English, German and Slovene. 
What's more, each and every one of them is only too willing to take time out from whatever they are doing to give you information, advice, directions, their daughter's hand in marriage...I exaggerate, but Slovenians truly are remarkably accommodating, and justifiably proud of their country.
In fact, the only place in Slovenia where I met anything short of unstinting patience and cheer was at Ljubljana's tourist information office on Mackova ulica. So if you want help in Slovenia, just grab a passerby.
Ljubljana has been described as "little Prague." If from that you take that it is overrun with franchise fast-food outlets and backpackers however, you couldn't be more wrong. While blessed with much of the same baroque charm, Ljubljana has thankfully not succumbed to the tourist-driven mentality of the Czech capital - at least not yet.
Even in the height of summer a stroll through Ljubljana's winding cobbled streets is just that - sedate and unharried. You can wander through the expansive market that runs between the disorienting Triple Bridge and the Dragon Bridge, passing a bewildering array of food stalls, each more colourful and succulent than the last.
If you are feeling a bit more energetic, you could venture up the short but steep path to the castle, which casts its regal eye over the entire city. Although the tower is a bit underwhelming, the views of the city are excellent and the courtyard bar offers beers of the strongly alcoholic variety. One "pivo" too many and you could come rolling back down the hill. 
When it comes to accommodation at an affordable price, Ljubljana does come up a little short. The tourist information people tend to direct anyone carrying a backpack to the unfeasibly ugly Hotel Park, a short walk from the train station.
If the gothic charm of the Old Town had lead you to forget that Slovenia was once a part of the Soviet Union, one glimpse of this concrete monstrosity is all the reminder you will need. A tip is to avoid the cheapest rooms - for a few tolars more you will be lifted from a gulag cell to a room fit for a tsar (at least it felt that way).
As for nightlife, Ljubljana has many fine bars, not to mention two jazz clubs, the Gajo and Flex. Perhaps the most pleasant way to pass an evening however is to relax at the outdoor bar on Presernov Trg, known locally as the Horse's Tail, and watch the world go by.
Restaurants are plentiful in the Old Town, but are a bit samey. Pizzas are popular, and come with a mind-boggling choice of toppings, but for a slightly different dining experience, you need to travel. 
Casa del Papa, located at the start of a motorway on the outskirts of the city, is based loosely on the life of Ernest Hemingway. And so you have an American Bar upstairs, a Cuban Club in the cellar, and in between a canopy-covered restaurant serving a vague mix of Spanish and African cuisine. Quite where the tiramisu fits is anyone's guess, but one taste and you won't be inclined to complain.
There is a lot more to Slovenia than its capital, of course. Buses north depart regularly from the train station, and the prices, as usual, are modest. A four-hour journey will take you to Lake Bohinj, a shimmering glacial lake, flanked by the jagged, snow-flecked peaks of the Julian Alps. Here you begin to appreciate why Slovenia is often described as "Europe in miniature." With its rolling alpine meadows and picturesque chalets, all that is needed is a singing nun and this could be Austria.
Cheap accommodation in Bohinj is hard to come by, and the best bet is probably to bring a tent and camp at the clean, efficient Zlatorag campsite. From here you can hike into the surrounding mountains, taking in the spectacular Savica Waterfall, hire a boat and paddle around the lake, or else stay in the campsite and watch large German tourists cook sausages. 
On the subject of food, there is a well-stocked supermarket nearby and fresh rolls are delivered to the campsite each morning. There are also one or two small restaurants serving "traditional" Slovenian food - in other words, lots of meat. But for those of you who like a little life in your nights, Bohinj is perhaps a bit too relaxing. Instead you should get off the bus at the equally impressive Lake Bled.
If you have seen only one photograph of Slovenia, chances are it was of Lake Bled -tiny island topped with a church in the foreground, brooding castle perched precariously on a cliff behind. Bled was a favourite holiday destination of Marshall Tito, former ruler of Yugoslavia, and has the appearance of a former playground of the Soviet glitterati. Ageing casinos and hotels despoil much of the eastern shore, but the remainder is relatively untouched.
Walks around its six-kilometre circumference are popular, but to really see the lake you can't beat a trip out to the island on one of the local boats, which resemble oversized gondolas. Once on Slovenia's only true island you can ring the bell, make a wish and enjoy the view until it is time to go back.
Bled has a wide range of hotels, restaurants, bars and an excellent campsite, which unfortunately is quite a walk from the town centre. The pick of the eateries is unquestionably Okarina, on Riklijeva Cesta, which is expensive only by Slovenian standards. From there it is a short walk around the corner to a small but lively Irish bar where I had the novel experience of Slovenian after-hours drinking.
If mountains and lakes are not your thing, you could head south towards Slovenia's short coastline (47 km) for a more Mediterranean atmosphere. Be warned, however - at peak season the area is thronged with both Slovenians and Italians, tempted over the border to towns like Piran and Portoroz by the lure of tax-free gambling. 
At the very least you should take in the spectacular Predjama Castle, located near the town of Postojna, but inexplicably difficult to reach by public transport. This 16th century fortress is an incredible sight, wedged into the maw of forbidding cave on the side of a mountain. It could have been taken right off the pages of a fairytale by the Brothers Grimm.
Slovenia is a pocket-sized bundle of charm, warmth and variety. Part of the thrill of going there, though, is that feeling of being in on the ground floor. It's a bit like that obscure band you always list among your favourites, just to watch people's reactions. Problem is, this particular gem won't stay undiscovered for much longer. So what are you waiting for?
Chris O'Connell
www.slovenia-tourism.si
www.ryanair.com
www.uefa.com
www.creativ.si/tourist/ |
