- Excursions
- Gourmet Slovenija
Niko invites you to Bled and Bohinj
The most recognizable place in Slovenia is certainly Bled. The image of the island with the church enchants every visitor. The strong hands of a rower on traditional "Pletna" boat will take us to the island. Ring the wishing bell in the church and, according to the legend, your wish will come true.
More than two hundred and fifty years' old, »Pr´Dornk« farm boasts a rich collection of items used in the past. Also on display are handmade products created by Ms. Simona over the period of more than thirty years. There is also a rich collection of pottery and the installation of more than 150 different types of Christmas cribs. To keep us from getting hungry, they will also prepare a farm snack (cold plate) and serve us homemade drinks.
The recently deceased musician and composer Slavko Avsenik composed more than 1,000 songs. One of them "Na golici" is also in the Guinness Book of Records, as the most played and adapted instrumental composition. We will visit the museum and watch a film about the Avsenik brothers' ensemble.
Bohinj is a narrow valley, ending with an alpine lake surrounded by the high mountains of the Julian Alps. In addition to breathing in the fresh mountain air, we will also learn about the history of the valley and visit the Church of St. John the Baptist, which hides a lot of secrets.
Mateja greets you in Ljubljana
After breakfast we will go for a walk through the old part of the city, where the Cathedral of St. Nicholas and the Town Hall are located, cross some bridges: Šuštarski /the Cobblers', Mesarski/ the Butchers', Zmajski /the Dragon's, and the most famous one, Tromostovje /the Triple bridge. The morning is the perfect time to visit Ljubljana market and the arcades, designed by the great Slovenian architect Plečnik. Then time at leisure: for lunch, independent exploring and perhaps shopping.
After lunch, take the cable car to Ljubljana Castle. The view from the castle tower is magnificent: when the weather is clear, you can see as much as one third of Slovenia: from the Kamnik Alps, which border neighboring Austria, to the highest Slovenian peak of Triglav in the Julian Alps in the west. Towards the south there is a view of the beginning of the Dinaric Hills and Ljubljana Marshes Landscape Park. Then back to the old town.
To end the tour of the city, we will take a boat ride along the Ljubljanica. You will notice that the view of the city from a water perspective is just romantic.
Mateja recommends Postojna cave and village Goče
As much as one third of Slovenia is interspersed with karst world and beautiful underground karst caves. Let's go to visit the largest show cave in Europe- Postojna Cave. The adventure starts with a train ride and continues on foot. The trail is covered with anti-slip surface and there are no stairs.
After exploring the jungle of stalagmites and stalacitites we will enjoy lunch at a local slovenian inn.
In the afternoon we will visit the oldest Slovenian village Goče, known for its excellent wine producers and round up our trip with a candlelight wine tasting at the 700-year old wine cellar.
Mihaela welcomes you at the seaside
We drive to the Slovenian coast where sun and sea await us.
Piran is a picturesque medieval town on a peninsula and is considered one of the most beautiful coastal towns in Istria. Part of the old city wall has been preserved and there are charming squares, many churches and countless alleys with closely spaced houses. A guided walk through the old town will be followed by free time before heading to tourist farm for Istrian lunch.
Then on to Marezige, known for ist fountain and traditional Refosco festival. The village offers stunning views of the surrounding vineyards. Convenient location enables local winemakers to produce high-quality wines. For this reason Marezige is increasingly becoming the wine centre of Slovenian Istria. A special attraction is the new wine fountain with a beautiful view of the Bay of Koper. At the wine fountain we will taste some wines typical for this region before heading back.
Tanja surprises you in the region of Dolenjska
Your journey through Dolenjska will take you across a beautiful wine growing, hilly landscape with views of rivers, castles, churches and forests. During your tour you will visit the chocolatier and distillery. You will see how they make top quality essential oils, spirits, and intoxicating chocolate. At the end there will be time for tasting and the possibility of shopping. Then on to Novo Mesto, which is famous as the city of situlae. The city boasts extraordinary archaeological finds and compelling history. You will be thrilled to see still functioning Franciscan monastery with a visit to their library and tasting in the monastery cellar.
Then lunch at Otočec Castle, which is located on an island in the middle of the river Krka, followed by a short tour of the castle surroundings. After lunch we will visit popular pilgrimage church Zaplaz and Mary's well with healing waters.
Finally, we will make ourselves comfortable at Vesel Homestead and feel the pulse of the countryside. We will learn how people live nowadays and how they used to live. The animated tour also includes tasting of local delicacies and local wines. At the end, you will have a chance to prepare your own wine and keep it as a lovely souvenir.
Nina shows you Koroška and Savinja Valley
First we drive to Koroška region where we visit the zinc-lead mine in Mežica. An unforgettable experience
takes you into the world of miners and shows how closely the stories in this border region are interwoven.
An original miners train takes guests into the interior of the mountain, 600 meters underground.
An experienced guide accompanies you through the mine, which looks like it was abandoned
just yesterday. Afterwards, the mining museum is free to visit. At the end of the tour you can get
a tasty Slovenian miner's snack.
Our experience continues and we head to Savinja Valley. The Savinja Valley has been known for hops,
friendly and hospitable people, home-made food and drinks for over a century.
We will savour local specialities at a typical inn.
After lunch we head to Žalec known for its beer fountain. Taste various types of delicious beer from
the „Green Gold Fountain“.
After beer tasting it is time to sit back and relax as we make our way back to hotel.
Nina introduces you to the wine region of Styria
In the morning we visit Žiče Charterhouse, a mysterious beauty which caused admiration for centuries. In the 12th century, a French Charterhouse was built in the remote valley of St. John the Baptist. A place of serenity where one can find inner peace.
On a guided tour we learn about the life of monks and their contribution to the area and taste delicious spreads, herbal liqueurs and teas prepared by a couple of local organic farms.
Our day trip continues to Škalce wine region, the world of first-class wines from Zlati grič - Golden Hill. A tour of the modern wine cellar will be topped off with a glass of fine wine. A walk along the Wine Route is breathtaking in every season and offers stunning views of Pohorje Mountains, the town of Slovenske Konjice, and the Dravinja Valley.
After that we drive to Maribor - a proud wine town in the heart of Slovenian Styria. We walk past the main square with the town hall, the cathedral, the city castle, and to the Jewish synagogue into the enchanting district of Lent on the banks of the Drava River. Here, the "House of the Old Vine", the city’s landmark, proudly stands with the oldest vine in the world. The black velvet grapevine is officially recognized as being more than 400 years old. In the “House of Old Vine” we try a few more types of wine, typical for Styria wine region.
Nina lets you indulge in the region of Prekmurje
A guided walk through Ptuj will take you past ancient Roman monuments and magnificent medieval facades. Cobbled streets and squares will lead you to one of the most majestic castles in Slovenia which offers stunning views over the roof tiles of medieval monasteries and churches.
Then we board the coach and continue to Jeruzalem, a famous wine-growing village. The village is centred around the Church of the Sad Mother of God from 1652. We will start our culinary journey with a "šipon" – Furmint and a light traditional snack. The wine story continues as we drive to Radgona-Kapela Hills. The House of Sparkling Wine produces sparkling wine according to the traditional or classical method where fermentation takes place in bottles – the same way real champagne is made.
Our next stop is Šunkarna Kodila near Murska Sobote. Following their slogan “When you know what you are eating!” we will see the ham-making process. After traditional lunch we will continue to our last stop at Passero Chocolaterie to meet masters of chocolate art. A chance to treat your sweet tooth with handmade chocolates, pralines of homemade flavours and delicious dry pears topped with chocolate. With this sweet experience we leave Prekmurje and return to hotel.
Price: 0,00 €
Price includes:
- Guided tour by a regional tourist guide
- All of the admissions, lunches, tastings mentioned in the programme (unless stated otherwise)
- Overnight stay at the hotels with breakfast
- Baggage handling at the hotels
- Hotel taxes and service charges
Optional extras:
- Arrival and departure transfers
- Coach service during your stay
BookPhoto credits: Matevž Lenarčič, Mateja Kregar Gliha, Niko Rakovec, Marija Žvan, Tanja Vesel, Nina Tenko, Nina Buh, Jaka Ivančič, Nina Knez, Helena Senica, Miha Matavž Photo & Video, Miha Matavž Photo & Video – Dan Briški, Jure Kralj, Marko Petrej, Matej Vranič, Jošt Gantar, Tomo Jeseničnik, Nives Brelih.
