Wine connoisseurs will find themselves at home in one of the many tasting cellars in Maribor (Getty/iStock)
Slovenia’s stately second city is no longer content to play second fiddle. It is home to the world’s oldest vine, though it seems you need to be royalty or the Pope to taste the fruits of the hallowed harvest. Mere mortals can enjoy a wine tasting in one of the wine cellars, then wander through the old town to the even older Lent quarter, exploring the patchwork of historical buildings. The Maribor Regional Museum takes a deep dive into the city’s heritage, while the vibrant and large student community imbues Maribor with energy.
Strolls along the River Drava are de rigueur, with a sprinkling of pavement cafes and restaurants to savour. The local cuisine may not be as eclectic as that found in Ljubljana, but paprika-tinged influences from Hungary across the border swirl deliciously in. There are Michelin-recommended gastronomic temples, too. In winter there is skiing right on the city’s fringes, in the country’s biggest ski resort, the Mariborsko Pohorje; it’s a mountain biking and hiking playground in summer.
Where to stay
The comfortable four-star Hotel City Maribor lies across the river, with great views back to the city, especially from the terrace restaurant.
Read more: Best romantic European city break destinations for couples
3. Bled
One of Europe’s most enchanting scenes, Lake Bled looks like it has been plucked out of a children’s fairytale (Getty/iStock)
You could say there is no Slovenian town more overshadowed by its setting than Bled, but that would be missing the point. Bled is inexorably bound to the landmark Lake Bled, one of Europe’s finest Alpine lakes, a picture-postcard wonder. You will spend a lot of your time just gazing at this improbable island-kissed, mountain-framed wonder, or puttering around on it in a rowing boat. Swimming in summer is glorious.
But Bled is about more than its lake. In winter, this resort town has its own ski run; in summer it’s a great base for hiking. Then there is the charm of its older buildings, which you can appreciate on the mandatory walk around the lake. And, of course, the sublime Bled Castle, which sets the scene for a town with a history beyond tourism. Inevitably, all things do come back to that lake in Bled, but that is no bad thing – especially if you’re savouring it with a slice of kremna rezina, the gorgeous cream cake that is Bled’s finest creation.
Where to stay
The luxurious Vila Bled once hosted Yugoslav dictator Tito. Enjoy the same epic views he would have gazed over from the lavish grounds.
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4. Piran
Piran is the place to be if you need a slow couple of days sauntering – from gallery to boutique, to bar, to waterfront restaurant (Getty/iStock)
Stroll under the vaulting campanile of St George’s Church with the ghosts of the Venetians around a chocolate-box-pretty town that spent half a millennium caressed by the architectural finesse of the Divine Republic. Piran swoons with all the orange-roofed, Adriatic-washed charm of the more celebrated Venetian towns next door in Croatia. The strains of celebrated local composer Giuseppe Tartini echo around his eponymous square in a town in which it’s hard not to feel romantic.
There is not an endless list of sights to work through, so just enjoy the bijou galleries, admire the views from the town walls, and hike that campanile to look out for St Mark’s across the water in Venice. Then ease into the crystal-clear waters for a dip, before enjoying a boat-fresh locally landed seafood platter in one of the waterfront restaurants that burst into life as the sun spectacularly melts into the Adriatic.
Where to stay
At Hotel Piran, choose a sea-facing room, where your balcony is wafted by an Adriatic breeze. It has a decent restaurant, too.
Read more: Inside Europe’s undiscovered gastronomic haven of £2 wine and low-cost food
5. Kranj
Capital of the Slovenian Alps, the smaller city of Kranj is bursting with cultural flair (Getty/iStock)
An easy day trip from Ljubljana, the city of Kranj – capital of and gateway to the mountainous Gorenjska region – is worth a wee trip in its own right. Mountains frame a city, cut through by the River Sava, that is blessed with lashings of history and culture. This unfurls in one of the most charming old towns in the country. It’s an easily navigable affair: you can wander the narrow lanes, which date back to medieval times, while the large student population ensures that the bars, cafes and restaurants remain more contemporary – and great value.
Kranj’s most famous former inhabitant is France Preseren, a seminal poet and the author of the Slovenian national anthem. He is to Slovenia what Robert Burns is to Scotland: a national icon and a breathless romantic whose life was bathed in tragedy and unfulfilled dreams. At the Preseren House, where he spent the last years of his life, delve deeper, then impress your new Slovenian friends with your knowledge of their national poet. The Preseren Theatre is another cultural hub dedicated to the poet.
Where to stay
Layer’s Art Residences is a handy central bolthole in a 19th-century building near all the sights.
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Publish date : 2025-02-19 01:36:00
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