Slovenia In A Week

Yellow is the colour of the sun that strokes the picturesque Mediterranean towns on the Adriatic coast. Its rays are infatuated with the beauty of the Karst region planted with olive groves and vineyards, with peach orchards and cherry trees. Some of the most beautiful underground worlds of our planet lie below their roots. There are more than six thousand karst caves and sinkholes in Slovenia, and ten of these treasuries of limestone masterpieces created by disappearing karst rivers have been adapted and opened for tourists.

Every kilometer of the Slovene coast is a new surprise. Here is a natural reserve with a rich fund of marl and sandstone and the unique, eighty-meter Strunjan cliff, the highest flysch wall on the Adriatic coast. Here are the SeÄ?ovlje saltworks, first mentioned in the 13th century, and the nearby is a sanctuary for more than 150 bird species. Here the towns of Piran, Izola, and Koper draw visitors with their medieval cores, while Portorož, though mentioned as early as 1251, offers numerous modern hotels with congress halls, a fully equipped marina, a sport airport, thermal baths, a casino, and a varied offer of summer cultural, entertainment, and sport events. Not far from the coast, the beauties of Slovene Istria with its picturesque villages await for you. Among them, for example, is Hrastovlje with its Holy Trinity church decorated with narrative late Gothic frescoes including a marvelously preserved Danse Macabre.

Behind the Slovene coast is the Karst region. In the cellars of the stone houses excellent wines are poured and sold, and in the attics excellent prÅ¡ut is cured in the bora wind. This gourmets’ paradise is also a heaven for lovers of the beauties of the karst underworld. Postojna Cave, first mentioned in 1231, is the most popular cave in Europe with more than twenty-six million visitors so far. The Å kocjan Caves, which are on UNESCO’s list of natural and cultural world heritage sites, boast the 1400-meter long and 150-meter deep underground canyon of the Reka River.

Ljubljana–Mokrice–Olimlje–Rogaska Slatina–Bled–Kranjska Gora–Nova Gorica–Skocjan Caves–Piran–Portoroz–Ljubljana

7 days / 6 nights

Inclusions:

* 6 nights accommodation in hotel category of your choice

* Meals as specified

* Transportation by air-conditioned coach

* Sightseeing as specified conducted in English language only

* Tour escort throughout

Day 1: Sat: Ljubljana to Mokrice

Depart Ljubljana at noon (12:00) for Otocec–an island in the River Krka. After lunch (optional) continue to Kostanjevica to visit the castle and on to Mokrice Castle Hotel for a candlelight dinner. Overnight Catez Spa. D

Day 2: Sun: Mokrice to Olimlje & Rogaska Slatina

After breakfast drive north through the Bizeljsko wine region and enjoy a wine tasting at one of the numerous wineries. In Olimlje visit one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe and the open-air heritage museum in Rogatec. Dinner and overnight Rogaska Slatina. BD

Day 3: Mon: Rogaska Slatina to Ptuj & Zrece

Morning free to enjoy the lovely parks of this health resort. (Optional medical check-up available if reserved in advance.) Midday departure for Ptuj, the oldest town in Slovenia. Visit the well preserved Old Town and its medieval castle. Dinner and overnight at the health resort of Zrece at the foot of the Pohorje mountain range. BD

Day 4: Tue: Zrece to Bled & Kranjska Gora

Morning drive to the Logar Valley, a national park. Visit Rinka waterfall and continue through the picturesque valley of Tuhinje to Kamnik, a romantic little town surrounded by the Alps. Afternoon arrival Bled, pearl of the Alpine region. Dinner and overnight Kranjska Gora, a ski resort, near the Italian border. BD

Day 5: Wed: Kranjska Gora to Vrsic & Nova Gorica

After breakfast drive over the Vrsic Pass (1611 m) into the Trenta Valley. Dinner accompanied by local wines in the wine district of Goriska Brda. Overnight Nova Gorica. BD

Day 6: Thu: Nova Gorica to Stanjel, Skocjan Caves, Lipica, Piran & Portoroz

This morning is reserved for the Karst region. Take a walk through the typical Karst village of Stanjel. Visit a farm to see how the famous prosciutto is prepared and sample the regional wine–Teran. Continue to Lipica to visit the stud farm, then on to Skocjan caves, the wonder of the Karst underworld. Afternoon drive to the coast. Walk through the narrow streets of Piran – a picturesque town with a strong Venetian influence. Dinner at a local fish restaurant. Overnight Portoroz. BD

Day 7: Fri: Portoroz

After breakfast tour services end. Transfer back to Ljubljana or Bled or extend your stay in Portoroz or Piran. B