The Republic of Slovenia lies at the heart of Europe where the Alps and the Mediterranean meet the Pannonia plains and the mysterious Karst. Slovenia has a population of 2 million and its capital city is Ljubljana. The country’s official language is Slovenian. Apart from the singular and plural it employs the dual, a very rare phenomenon in linguistics. In nationally-mixed regions Italian and Hungarian are also spoken.

In Slovenia, the sun shines approximately 2,000 hours per year. And yes, there is plenty of snow in winter. As a beautiful and picturesque country, Slovenia makes a great tourist destination. Mountains, lakes, waterfalls, forests, caves, hills, plains, rivers and the sea - you name it, you can find it all within the country’s modest 20,273 km2, as well as many natural and landscape parks. You can ski in the morning and surrender yourself to the luxury of the Adriatic Sea in the afternoon. The highest mountain is called Triglav – the name means ‘three-heads’ – and it is 2,864m high. The mountain is a true national symbol and is featured on the national coat of arms and the flag. Last but not least, Slovenia has 15 natural spas at which you can take care of your health with the help of their thermal mineral waters.

Slovenia proclaimed its Constitution in December 1991 and its constitutional system is a parliamentary democracy. Slovenia is one of the most successful countries in the transition from socialism to a market economy. It boasts stable GDP growth and ranks among those countries with the lowest degree of risk. The already completed privatization process and many other measures are adding to its competitiveness. Slovenia joined the EU on May 1, 2004.

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The visitor’s first impression of Ljubljana is that it is an exceptionally young city because over its 50,000 students lend it a special young feeling. Many scientists come to Ljubljana because of its university and institutes with solid international reputations.

Ljubljana has some 276,000 inhabitants and is considered a city that suits both its residents and many visitors. Even though it is a middle-sized European city, it maintains the friendliness of a small town and simultaneously possesses the characteristics of a metropolis. Here, at the meeting point of the cultures of east and west the old comes together in harmony with the new. In Ljubljana, the remainders of all five millenniums of its history are preserved, including the legacy of the Roman town of Emona and the Old Town with its medieval castle, and Renaissance and Baroque facades with ornamented portals and uneven roofs. The mosaic is complemented with the bridges over the Ljubljanica River and the vast Tivoli Park, which extends into the very center of the city. Ljubljana’s present image mainly generated by the Italian Baroque and partly by the Secession period of two hundred years before, is reflected in the style of the many buildings erected immediately after the earthquake of 1895. In the first half of the 20th century the world famous architect Jože Plečnik left his distinctive personal stamp on his native city while also taking European standards into consideration. The city's image was later shaped by his more liberal disciples and the Art Nouveau creations of other renowned young Slovenian architects.

Ljubljana is a city of culture. It is home to numerous theaters, museums and galleries and boasts one of the oldest philharmonic orchestras in the world. For the people of Ljubljana culture is a way of living and thinking and is very much a part of their everyday life. The first music society in Slovenia, the Academia philharmonicorum labacensis, was founded in 1701. Its honorary members have included such renowned composers as Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Johannes Brahms, and distinguished musicians such as the violinist Paganini. Between 1881 and 1882, at the very start of his career, Gustav Mahler was the resident conductor. Over 10,000 cultural events take place in the city every year, including 10 international festivals. These events allow both the inhabitants of Ljubljana and visitors to enjoy artists from the different fields of music, theater and fine arts through to the alternative and avant-garde.

Famous artists from around the world visit the city for its creative spirit, economists come for the many business meetings and fairs, and international experts visit to attend the many conferences. Ljubljana is a city to which people often travel for business or return due to their pleasant memories of their previous visit. Given its geographical position, Ljubljana also represents an ideal starting point to discover the amazingly diverse features and beauty of Slovenia. The Ljubljana Tourist Board and its Tourist Information Office can offer you information regarding accommodation, sightseeing tours and conference facilities in the city and will gladly provide general promotional brochures and travel offers.

A long time ago, the Greek hero Jason and his companions from the ship Argo stole the Golden Fleece from the Colchian king. In an effort to escape their pursuers the ship took a wrong turn and, instead of sailing south along the Aegean Sea, found its way to the mouth of the river Danube. As there was no way back for them, they continued up the Danube, the Sava and, eventually, the Ljubljanica. At the source of the Ljubljanica they stopped, took the ship apart, put the pieces on their shoulders and literally carried the ship over to the Adriatic sea where they reassembled it and continued on their way home. Between the present-day Vrhnika and Ljubljana the Argonauts found a big lake surrounded by a marsh. It was here that Jason came across a terrible marsh monster, which he fought and killed. This monster was the Ljubljana dragon, which today finds its permanent home on top of the castle tower in Ljubljana’s coat of arms.

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Bled

Its natural beauty, points of historical interest and an advantageous geographical location on the sunny side of the Alps, make Bled an ideal place for tourism. The image of Bled with the castle, the lake and the island in the middle of the lake, are sights by which Bled is known all over the world.


In the middle of the lake lies the island with the Church of the Assumption. The island and the church have a rich history. Inside the church there is the wishing bell from 1534.


There are 99 steps leading up to the church. After young couples get married there is the tradition that the groom carries the bride up these steps. If the groom survives this difficult feat then the couple can go into the church, ring the bell and wish for a happy life together.




The best way to get to the island is by the traditional Bled covered boat called the “pletna”, while coachmen called the “fijakarji” can take visitors for a ride around the lake and to the Bled Castle and other attractive places like the Vintgar Gorge, the Pokljuka Mountain, or the golf course, the Šobec Camp and picturesque villages near Bled.

History of the Bled Castle

The Bled Castle, a silent witness to its former power, resolute and proud on a high rock above the lake, stands watch over the town.

In 1004, when the German Emperor Henrik II gave the Bled estate to Bishop Albuin of Brixen as a gift, only a Romanesque tower stood in the place of the present day castle, protected by walls facing the gentle slope of the castle hill. In the late Middle Ages more towers were built and the fortifications were improved. The most interesting of all the preserved buildings is the chapel on the upper courtyard, which was consecrated to the Bishops St. Albuin and St. Ingenium. It was built in the 16th century, and around 1700 it was renovated into the Baroque style and painted with illusionist frescoes. The castle is now arranged as an exhibition area. The display rooms near the chapel, the most interesting building, present the ancient history of Bled from the first excavations and the castle in individual stages of its historical development with furniture characteristic of those times.

Cream cakes

Cream cakes, known for a few decades, are the symbol of Bled cuisine. You can buy them elsewhere, but those from Bled are the best. What is the secret? In fact, there is no secret - only experience matters, and the cooks from Bled have plenty of experience: over the last 40 years they have sold as many as 13 million cream cakes.