Luxury Ljubljana and the Brda Wine Region

Slovenia’s largest city and capital since independence 1991, Ljubljana is the country’s cultural, educational, economic and political hub. Emblematic for Slovenia as a whole, it is an extremely pretty and easily manageable place with many wonderful attractions either in the historic centre or within easy reach by road.

There are plenty of picturesque parts of Ljubljana to discover, as well as a chance to enjoy soaking up the city’s rich history and vibrant cosmopolitan vibe. People watch with a glass of crisp local wine by the Ljubljanica river, duck into an art gallery, see the opera or head to Metelkova City, a converted military barracks that has become the creative centre of Slovene counterculture. Above all, Ljubljana is a place to be explored.

Spend your first afternoon at leisure in central Ljubljana getting to know the pedestrianised Old Town at your own pace before a welcome dinner at AS Aperitivo. This glamorous restaurant is famed for its beef, pasta and open-air terrace in the summer.

No trip to Ljubljana is complete without taking to the waters of the Ljubljanica. Pass under the city's famous bridges and enjoy views of most of the Old Town's major sights from a unique vantage point, by night, with a glass of wine in hand.

Meet your local guide for private guided walking tour of Ljubljana city. Ljubljana is one of those central European cities that grabs you with the eternal charm of its classic architecture, beautiful bridges, friendly locals and great food and wine. The architecture of Ljubljana is strongly influenced by the former Austro-Hungarian Empire and its beauty is omnipresent. Some of the famous sights are the Magistrat (Town Hall), the Baroque town mansion, the 18th-century cathedral, the Shoemaker Bridge and the Jewish quarter.

Take a funicular ride up to the city's most prominent landmark, Ljubljana Castle. This charming castle encapsulates the story of Ljubljana and offers a rich and dynamic history. In the company of a guide, you'll visit the Outlook Tower, the castle's prison, an exhibition on Slovenian History and see an early 19th century well, with a wooden tread wheel crane for hoisting water, which is still operational today. This is also a wonderful opportunity for photography enthusiasts, as the castle commands magnificent panoramic views of the area.

Perched high up in the archer's tower, Ljubljana Castle's restaurant overlooks the city from a grand position. Chef Igor Jagodic, one of the top chefs in Slovenia, and ethnology professor Dr. Janez Bogataj have worked together to create an menu that takes you on a journey through the city's history.

Bohinj is one of the most beautiful places in the heart of the Julian Alps and in Triglav National Park. Bohinj Lake has numerous inflows, the most important one is the Savica. Enjoy a walk around the lake's shores and a boat trip on its waters before taking a cable car to Vogel panoramic plateau. The upper Vogel cable car station, located at 1,535 meters (5,036 feet), greets visitors with spectacular panoramic views of Komna, the Triglav mountains and all the way to the Kamnik and Savinja Alps. Triglav (meaning three peaks) is the highest peak in Slovenia and is represented in the coat of arms of Slovenia.

Set amidst the snowcapped Julian Alps less than an hour from Ljubljana, the mirror emerald lake is small enough to walk around on foot. The beautiful Church of the Assumption, sitting on an islet, dates from 1698. According to local tradition, one who can ring the bell loudly enough will be granted a wish, meanwhile husbands who can carry their new bride the 99 steps up from the dock into the church are said to ensure a long and happy marriage. With the waters off limits for motorised craft, the island is reached on a pletna boat - a huge gondola type vessel - or by rowboat.

Watching over the lake is Bled Castle. The oldest part of this medieval castle is the Romanesque tower while other buildings were constructed in the Renaissance style during the the 17th century. If you want to get a glimpse of Bled's history, culture and people, visit the castle's museum.

Full of subterranean giants, 24 kilometres of underground passages and even baby dragons, a visit to Postojna Cave is a unique and fascinating experience. Carved out over millions of years, visitors can see five kilometres of the limestone cave's depths by jumping on the underground train. Keep your eyes peeled for the towering stalactites known as Giants and the cave-dwelling olms (a kind of salamander) that many early visitors to the cave suspected were baby dragons.

Visit Predjama Castle, one of the most picturesque buildings in the whole of Slovenia. The fortification reigns over the surrounding area, perched high up in a vertical cliff overlooking the idyllic village of Predjama. It was referred to in writing for the first time in 1202. The most famous of all the castle's inhabitants was the knight Erazem of Predjama, who rebelled against the imperial autocracy in the 15th century. Nowadays Erazem is the main protagonist of numerous legends, which on the one hand glorify him as a passionate, handsome, noble knight, while on the other hand he is described as a bandit and a robber baron.

The Goriška Brda Wine Region is a pastoral wonderland in the far east of Slovenia bordering Italy, patches of vineyards stretch across a verdant countryside, farmhouses reflecting a traditional architectural design that has many calling it the Tuscany of Slovenia. Upon the rolling hills are rows of fruit orchards, here and there cypress trees dispersed among small, charming villages.

Here you can bask beneath blue skies in the shade of garden trees and enjoy a wine tasting or two in one of the many boutique wineries that dot the area while feasting on seasonal dishes made from the finest local produce.

Start your private tour on the highest hill in the region, Sabotin on the Italian border. The site will offer a view of the Adriatic Sea and the other Julian Alps, the villages and vineyards between and the bright blue Soča river below. In addition to the scenic views Sabotin is also a village with turbulent history due to World War 1. Visit the WW1 open-air museum that honour the ones who suffered during the battles.

The tour will continue with another great view from the top of the view tower of Gonjače, a 23m high lookout with 144 stairs built in 1961 and representing the central point of Brda.

Explore the small town of Dobrovo, the center of the Brda wine-growing area, centred around a grand 17th century castle. It is an almost perfect square in plan with square turrets on each corner and houses an art gallery and museum.

This beautiful, small village is a living cultural heritage monument. The village looks out onto endless vineyards that cover all of Brda. Once a fortification on the Venetian-Austrian border, the village's roots date back to when it was used as a Roman stronghold. The Church of Saint Martin, the largest church in Brda, is adored with beautiful frescoes and a bell tower that was once part of a fortification tower.

Enjoy a privately guided tour of the cellars beneath the Simčič household, a family owned winery in the small village of Vipolže. Run by father-son duo Edi and Aleks, this initially unassuming winery is heralded by many as the finest and most forward thinking in Slovenia with its selection of whites and reds grown on small vineyards around the country. Learning about their work which is reinvigorating wine growing traditions and grapes of pre-Socialist Republic Slovenia while pushing forward into more experimental areas, you'll taste a number of their vintage wines accompanied by local cheese and olive oil.

Enjoy a private Slovenian wine degustation followed by gourmet dinner at the amazing 18th-century Gredic Castle overlooking a panorama of Brda. Mediterranean influences collide with continental tastes in this restaurant that serves up the finest fresh ingredients, combing these with modern technological knowledge and a deep respect for tradition.