The Very Best of Slovenia

Visit the Soline Salt Pans to see salt produced in a traditional way based on a 700-year-old method that harmonises man and nature. Over the centuries, a unique habitat has formed for halophytic plants and animals and migrating birds.

The old seaport of Piran, a charming port town on the Adriatic, lies at the end of the Piran peninsula. The town has preserved the medieval layout with narrow streets and compact houses, as well as grander buildings dating back to it’s golden age as part of the Venetian Republic, all of which rise in steps from the coastal lowland into the hills. A delicious seafood dinner will finish off this wonderful day.

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.

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 adorned with beautiful frescoes and a bell tower that was once part of a fortification tower.

Enjoy a private Slovenian wine degustation followed by gourmet dinner at the amazing Gredic Castle.

En route to Lower Carniola, enjoy a hike in stunning virgin forest of Snežnik-Ždrocle.The forest consists of ancient beech trees with sections of primeval forest. Like Krokar, it lies within a large forest complex that is included in the Natura 2000 network. Snežnik is a large karstic mountain and a mixing zone between the Continental and Mediterranean climates. Evidence of heavy snow loads have caused ‘saber trees’, bent near the ground on steep slopes. While the mountain peak itself was covered by ice, relic species were maintained with beech forests re-established 8,000 years ago.

Explore the incredible Skocjan Caves, one of the largest and most striking cave systems in Europe. Located in Slovenia’s picturesque Karst system, the Reka River has carved out a sublime subterranean route thousands of kilometers long. Following the river, you’ll see incredible stalactites and stalagmites, enter vast chambers and cross gorges on both man-made and natural bridges.

Kostanjevica na Krki is Slovenia’s smallest town and sits upon a tiny island in the middle of the Krka River. During frequent floods the only way to get around is by boat, so the town has became known as the ‘Venice of Lower Carniola’. Here you can take the opportunity to experience some artistic heritage such as the Božidar Jakac Gallery and the Forma Viva sculpture garden, at the Lamut Art Salon or at the Gorjup Gallery.

Enjoy lunch in the old town restaurant before a free afternoon to explore the city. Perhaps visit one of the many galleries such as the Visconti Fine Art Gallery, the biggest privately own art gallery in Slovenia. Owned by former London residents, this family owned collection was moved back to the Slovene capital and includes works by Warhol and other pop artists.

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 bubbly in hand.