In Maribor Lent is the name of the city’s historic old quarter on the northern bank of the Drava, and a two week arts festival held every year around the end of May/beginning of June, of which the majority of events are held in that…Read More

In Maribor Lent is the name of the city’s historic old quarter on the northern bank of the Drava, and a two week arts festival held every year around the end of May/beginning of June, of which the majority of events are held in that part of the city. Many of Maribor’s oldest buildings were either lost or extensively damaged in World War Two so the historic quarter is quite small but gradually the buildings that can be restored are getting a new lease of life.

Lent covers an area between the Stari most (the old bridge) and the new market place about half a mile to the west along the Drava and from the river to Koroska cesta and Glavni trg. The best know attraction is the celebrated "Stara Trta" – the old vine (see my review in this journal) which is claimed to be, at over four hundred years old, the world’s oldest. The house on which the vine grows is also an outpost of the Maribor tourist information office and plays host to regular exhibitions on different aspects of Maribor history and Stajerska life. There are also frequent wine tasting events held here in the House of the Old Vine, as it is known.

Apart from a small handful of bars and clubs, you’ll find the Maribor pub scene very democratic with a mixed crowd at most of the cafes along the river front and on the little pedestrian lane that runs from the bottom of the stairs that drop down by the old casino building on the northern end of the Stari Most (the Old Bridge). Verdi (look for the sign with the three rats) does reasonable pizzas while Gril Ranca is the place to go for cevapcici and pljeskavica – nothing else is sold here.

Lent is slowly being regenerated but there are still many buildings in a poor state of repair. This part of town should be buzzing with gallery spaces and organic cafes but progress is slow. Some of the buildings look a bit run down but are actually used for events such as the international arts festival, also called Lent and held here at various locations on the north bank of the Drava over two weeks every year in May/June. Likewise there are a number of bars known as "Lent bars" which operate only during those two weeks.

A few buildings such as the old water tower and the Jews Tower have been fully restored and serve a number of purposes. The water tower is a part time wine bar and is an excellent place to try some of the finest wines produced in this part of the country. This sixteenth century tower was built to resist Turkish raiders. Just across the road, looking down on the water tower is the Jews Tower. At the other end of Lent is the circular Judgment Tower (Sodni stolp) dating from the 14th century. It was here that sentences were passed down to women found guilty of witchcraft.

Behind the Judgment Tower, looking onto the old marketplace is the Minorite Monastery and the Church of Mary’s Assumption. The monastery, built in the thirteenth century pre-dates the church. In 1747 people started to make pilgrimages to this church to see its statue of Mary but Emperor Joseph II abolished the monastery in the 1780s and the building was used instead as a military barracks, a purpose it retained until the late 1920s. In 2010 the Maribor Puppet Theatre moved into redeveloped building of the monastery giving it a much needed new lease of life.

The oldest streets in Lent formed the ‘Jewish ghetto’; Dravska ulica, Usnjarska ulica (the name means Leather Street – this was where Maribor’s renowned leather workers were situated) and Ključavničarska ulica (Locksmiths’ Street) are wonderful narrow lanes where you can lean from the windows and shake hands with the people across the way.

It is sad that Maribor lost so much of its old town as a result of the Second World War, even more so that it was not better protected in the years thereafter but there is certainly a lot being done to restore and protect what remains.
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I took an overnight train from Zurich's Hauptbahnhof (Main Train Station) to Ljubljana. It was an 11-hour train ride, and it cost me CHF146. Arriving the next morning, I called the hostel to have someone picked me up at Železniška postage (Main Train Station). The…Read More

I took an overnight train from Zurich's Hauptbahnhof (Main Train Station) to Ljubljana. It was an 11-hour train ride, and it cost me CHF146. Arriving the next morning, I called the hostel to have someone picked me up at Železniška postage (Main Train Station). The hostel is about 20 minutes bus ride to the Old Town Square.

Squeezed between the castle hill and Ljubljanica River, the Old Town has two squares, the Mestni Trg (City Square) with the Robba fountain and the city hall behind it, and, farther on, the Gornji Trg (Upper Square). Well-preserved medieval buildings now house local designer shops, and several popular cafes and restaurants. Although they may look creepy, the perfectly safe narrow lanes can lead to charming little squares and buildings in Baroque style.

This compact riverside city offers the romantic delight and hip underground vitality of Prague, without the crowds. Summer in Ljubljana can be pretty nice. I did not waste anytime since I had plan to stay for only two days, and my first point of interest was to Saint Nicholas Cathedral. Easily identifiable due to its green dome and twin towers, it is located nearby Ljubljana Central Market and the Ljubljana Town Hall. Triple Bridge (Tromostovje) which is just a stone throw away from the cathedral, consists of three separate picturesque bridges located next to one another. They do provide a majestic entrance to the Old Town. If you are not in a hurry, just sit by any cafe for tea or ice-cream, and watch the world go by. The water from Ljubljanka River does give a very nice relaxing feeling, with tour boats creating small water waves as they slowly move back and forth. Further down from the river, there's the Dragon Bridge. Completed in 1901, it is guarded by four detailed dragon statues from the city's coat-of-arms. One has to be careful around this area, as traffic can be heavy, and being a tourist you might get inattentive to your surrounding. I almost slipped and fell admiring the dragons.

Between these two famous bridges, is Ljubljana Open Market. There is a flower market, fish and dried fruit on one level, bakery, dairy and meat on another level. There are also stalls selling herbs, spices, and local handicrafts such as baskets, and embroideries.

Ljubljana has some pretty interesting architectures. Two buildings really stand-out - Ljubljana Town Hall and the National and University Library. The Town Hall is close to St Nicholas Cathedral. It has a combination of Baroque and Classicist style. It has a nice courtyard, and there is a small gallery showcasing its local arts and crafts. The Robba fountain originally located outside the Town Hall was renovated and moved into the National Gallery in 2006. What stands today in its previous site is just a replica. The National and University Library is designed by Jože Plečnik, a famous Slovenia architect. The central staircase which leads to a reading room, set between colonnades of dark stone, is characteristic to his design style. Surrounding the walls outside the reading room, are pictures of famous political figures and inventors. They are the ones who shaped the world as we know today. There is a souvenir shop by the entrance, and I couldn't help but got myself three printed art pieces.

I took a bus to Postojna Cave the next morning. The bus station is just outside the Main Train Station. One way ticket is €6 and it is less than 2 hours trip. The cave is amazing. It is one of the top tourists sites in Slovenia. However, be prepared to pay €19 for the entrance. It is home to the blind endemic olm, the largest trogloditic amphibian in the world. Going into the caves through the tunnel is a 10-minute electric train ride from the cave railway station. Tour starts at the Conference Hall, which is large enough to host meetings and concerts.

As I was planning to go to Zagreb later the next day, I took the opportunity to visit the Ljubljana Castle. Entrance to the Castle Courtyard, Chapel and Gift shop is free although you have to pay for the funicular railway ride up the hill, and there is a charge for access to the tower. The tower has magnificent views all over the city. After some time relaxing in the Courtyard with a cup of tea, I went back down and head to the Outdoor Market again.

I had a tomato and mozzarella cheese salad for lunch before my departure. I noticed that the waiters were allowed to smoke while on the job. This was not going to happen in America. It was really nice to be able to see Ljubljana. It came as a surprise to me that for such a small city, there was no deficiency compared to the bigger cities in any way except for its size.
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If you want to sample the excellent Rizlings, beautifully sweet Rumeni Muskat and the sparkling sipon, then you really have to come to Podravska. Ormož (pronounced "Or-mohj") is the main hub of the wine making industry in this part of Slovenia. It’s a small town…Read More

If you want to sample the excellent Rizlings, beautifully sweet Rumeni Muskat and the sparkling sipon, then you really have to come to Podravska.

Ormož (pronounced "Or-mohj") is the main hub of the wine making industry in this part of Slovenia. It’s a small town right on the border with Croatia but it doesn’t have the coming and going buzz that many border towns have. Instead, it’s rather quiet for most of the year, sitting just below the Slovenske Gorice hills and just overlooking the Drava River which winds through the Pannonian Plain.

Ormož is a sociable town that is based around the handsome main square; it has a small number of shops, a few bars and a large hotel that has a large restaurant that is open to non-residents. Historically Ormož was situated where several important trading routes crossed (the train across central Europe to Budapest still passes this way) and so it became quite a wealthy and significant settlement but over the centuries it was, at various times, attacked by the Turks, Hungarian rebels and the Kruci, and ravaged by fire on several occasions.

The castle does survive but at the time of our visit it was closed to visitors due to restoration works. Although the castle is practically in what is now Ormož’s town centre, it was originally separated from the rest of the town by high walls. The original castle was built towards the end of the thirteenth century and, like most of the castles in this part of Europe, it was partially destroyed then added to over the centuries. Looking at the ownership of the castle the usual names appear – the Herbesteins, the Szekleys and so on. The castle museum contains and exhibition on the history and cultural traditions of Ormož, and some classicist frescoes which are regarded as among the best in Slovenia. The castle is usually open to visitors on weeks until three and on Saturday mornings, but not on Sundays. However, I have been told that if you contact the tourist information centre for Ormož which is based in the castle, you may be able to arrange a private visit at other times.

If you aren’t able to gain access to the castle you can still enjoy the castle park which is said to contain 140 species of trees, some of them quite exotic ; there's a 'tulip tree' from North America and a 'gingko' tree which is described in local tourist literature as a "living fossil" as it is supposedly the oldest tree in the world. There’s a lovely alley of lime trees which leads to the family vault of the Wurmbrands, the last family to own the castle. You can also take a look at the monuments around the castle; just near the entrance there’s a row of plinths, each one holding a head and shoulders bust of an important local figure – writers, philosphers, architects and theologians among them. There’s also a striking monument commemorating Ormož’s victims of the Second World War.

Another monument to Ormož and its traditions can be seen just across the carpark in front of a petrol station, but only in late summer. It's a little decorative wind rattle (in Slovene a 'klopotec') which may look insignificant but it's an important cultural icon in this part of the country. Wind rattles are erected usually in mid August when the grapes are almost ripe; the loud clattering noise it makes scares off birds looking for sweet grapes. Traditionally the wind rattles are believed to have special powers and the most traditional and ornate ones are made so that each of the four paddles is made from a different wood.

Winemaking is at the heart of Ormož life and the slopes of the Slovenske Gorcice are covered in vines. If you enjoy touring holidays and wine, this is a great place to holiday; however, it should be noted that Slovenia now operates a zero tolerance policy when it comes to drink driving so you'll have to either put on those walking shoes, or take turns as the designated driver if you want to get out to the countryside vineyards.Fortunately, there are quite a few you can get to within reasonable walking distance of Ormoz but if you don't have much time you could always visit the Jeruzalem Ormož wine cellar in the town where you can have a guided tour and tasting session.

Another Slovenian tradition that is common in this region is that of the "turisticni kmetiji" or tourist farm. You can stay overnight at some of them, but the main point of such a concern is that you can go there to sample traditional cuisine made with local ingredients; if you are really interested in the traditional fare of a region, you need to visit a tourist farm, you won't find any conventional restaurants offering such authentic food. You can just roll up and take a chance but it's better to contact the farm in advance, or liaise with the local tourist office who know most of the farmers personally and can advise you on which are currently open.

A small factory situated by the River Drava, that presses pumpkin seeds to make oil, is an unusual but worthwhile diversion. Slovenians - particularly in the eastern part of the country - love pumpkin seed oil and at this factory (or 'oljarna' as it is known) you can learn about the process, taste some oils and buy some to take home.

Due to the flat or just gently rolling landscape this is a popular area for walkers and cyclists and there are plenty of designted walking and cycling routes. Such is the passion of Slovenians for the great outdoors that this region even boasts the world first specially designted hiking path for disabled people all fifteen kilometres of which are suitable for wheelchair users, while the several of the farms on the route that offer accommodation and refreshments, also have appropriately adapted toilet facilites. What's particularly lovely about this part of Slovenia is that you only have to walk a minute or two from the town centre to be in the countryside with only the sound of crickets and the occasional clatter of wind rattles to break the silence.

One of the best places to walk around Ormož is the Ormož lake; it's situated about two kilometres to the east of the town. The lake is surrounded by a combination of marshy woods, reed beds and squelchy bog and its unspoilt nature makes it a popular winter migration destination and migration stopover place for a wide variety of birdlife. To give an idea of the importance of Ormož lake in the bird world, a mind boggling statistic is that up to five thousand geese at a time can overnight at Ormož lake , though around two thousand is more usual. The season starts around late October and the birds stay until mid to late February. When we went in late September there were some birds, but we were too early to see the lake at its busiest. A good time to visit Ormož is mid November as you can see the birds but also get to enjoy the celebrations for Martinovanje or St. Martin's Day, which is when the fermenting wine can officially be called "wine". The celebrations in Ormož are, understandly, particularly fervent.
If you are only passing through the area and don't have time to go walking or wine tasting, Ormož still makes an pleasant and scenic place to stretch your legs and perhaps stop for a glass of wine (not for drivers, remember!) at one of the cafes on the main square (if you have time you should also buy an ice cream from the excellent slascicarna, or ice cream parlour on the square).

There's not a huge number of sights in the town itself but the solid looking church of St. Jakob just behind the main square is worth a quick look.It was originally built in the early thirteenth century but there have been many alterations and aditions since then. Usually you have to contact the museum in the castle if you want to see inside the church but we were fortunate to see a lady going into the church with some flowers and asked to go inside to see the frescoes, which were painted in the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Although Ormož is a relatively small place it is well connected and easily accessible although you will need a car or willing legs to explore the beautiful surrounding countryside. Ormož can be reached by train from Maribor and Murska Sobota (and trains from Hungary heading for Slovenia, Italy and beyond), or by local bus from Ptuj.

While you probably wouldn't make a special trip just to see Ormož, it's well worth stopping off if you are in the region and is a real treat for those who like the great outdoors and for gourmets and wine enthusiasts.    Close

In Slovene "trg" means "square" or "place", the equivalent of a Spanish "plaza" or an Italian "piazza"; it’s pronounced "turg". Rotovški trg (in Slovene the second word of a name is not capitalised) is basically the "town hall square" although the "front" of the…Read More

In Slovene "trg" means "square" or "place", the equivalent of a Spanish "plaza" or an Italian "piazza"; it’s pronounced "turg".

Rotovški trg (in Slovene the second word of a name is not capitalised) is basically the "town hall square" although the "front" of the old town hall is actually on the more impressive Glavni trg ("Main square" – except that, really, Trg Svobode, or "Liberty Square" is the biggest and most central of Maribor’s many squares). The name derives from the old German name Rathaushof, literally the courtyard of the town hall and this eventually morphed into the Slovene Rotovški. The first town hall was built in 1515 and before this time this area was the site of a market, sometimes referred to as the "Mehlplatz", the "flour market". The courtyard of the town hall, now known as Rotovški trg was used from time to time in the eighteenth century as a place for bull-fighting!

In the geography of Maribor, Rotovški trg links Glavni trg with Slomsek trg, which is where you’ll find Maribor’s cathedral and the impressive main post office. It’s pedestrian only except for access and unless you’re taking a short cut you’d be pretty unlikely to need to be in Rotovški trg at all. However, because it links two squares that tourists do visit, and especially because of the enticing vaulted passageway that links Glavni trg with Rotovski trg, many visitors do stray into the square to have a look.

At the Glavni trg end of the square, the rear of the town hall, the architecture is quite interesting with a two floors of arcaded walkway. At the other end of the square is the handsome Neobaroque building of the "Pioneer’s Library" with its twin balconies.
In the cellar of the town hall is the restaurant "Toti rotovž thanks to a less than glowing mention in Lonely Planet we’ve never eaten here. Apparently the restaurant boasts an eclectic international menu which doesn’t work too well. If you are looking for somewhere good to eat in this part of town I can make a couple of suggestions. For special occasions try Rožmarin which serves modern Mediterranean food; it’s one of Maribor’s most stylish restaurants and its food is excellent. Alternatively, for cheap eats head to Cevapcicarna Hadzija which is in the street that runs parallel to Rotovški trg and runs off Glavni trg north towards Slomsek trg; this place is a cosy little place serving authentic Bosnian cevapcici (spicy little sausages made of minced veal served in a special bread bun). It’s not all bad news, though, because Toti rotovž does have an outdoor summer terrace in the square and you can just have a drink there if you want, and not feel obliged to eat.

In guidebooks much is made of Maribor’s Puppet Theatre but this is another place I have yet to visit; I am sorry to say that in the three years I have been part-time resident in Maribor, I have never been able to coincide a stay with a performance. However, I do know that it’s very highly regarded and stages mostly entertainment for children; it is known for adapting classic and modern stories from all over the world to make them work as puppet shows. An international festival is held over July, August and September every year and many of the festival performances take place in the open air in the square.

So far I’ve not been able to give any compelling reasons to persuade anyone to make a point of seeing Rotovški trg; the truth is there aren’t any. Maybe you’re looking for somewhere to access the internet and think of using the library? Yes, that’s possible. You could try that but there aren’t many terminals and you’d probably be directed to the internet café on Glavni trg; if that happens, head instead for the one in the Narodni dom (standing on Glavni trg with the town hall behind you, turn left, walk past Elektro Maribor and the line of bus stops and turn left at the next corner. The building across the road is the Narodni dom, an art space that also has an internet café, the cheapest in Maribor).

The "Top Five Things about Rotovški trg":

1. Sometimes you get people playing didgeridoos in the archway between Glavni trg and Rotovški trg. That’s pretty cool.

2. As you get to the northern end of Rotovški trg you can catch the delicious aromas emanating from the (primarily) seafood restaurant Novi Svet Pri Stolnici on Slomsek trg.
3. If it’s raining or snowing you can get some temporary shelter by walking under the arcade rather than getting wet going by any other route.

4. If you’re around on a Saturday you might be able to see some wedding groups posing for photographs.

5. It’s quite nice to look at (but there are many more interesting things to see in Maribor)


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Initially I didn't even consider Slovenska Bistrica to be a place at all because when the train between Maribor and Ljubljana stopped there all I could see were small groups of cottages on the mountains of the Pohorje Massif. Perhaps I was sitting on the…Read More

Initially I didn't even consider Slovenska Bistrica to be a place at all because when the train between Maribor and Ljubljana stopped there all I could see were small groups of cottages on the mountains of the Pohorje Massif. Perhaps I was sitting on the wrong side of the train but there didn't seem to be a town at all. I assumed that the station must have been built there so that all the local hamlets could have access to the train line - the line is an important one historically because it links Zagreb and Vienna, two very important cities of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Sometime later while browsing the country's official tourism website I noticed something about Slovenska Bistrica and this is how I learned that it really is a "proper town" and not just the Slovenian version of "Alfreton Parkway". Having said that, I travelled there by bus and didn't see a single sign for the train station so perhaps it is situated some distance from the town centre.

The bus station is situated a minutes walk from the historic centre of Bistrica (as I shall now refer to it as this is what the locals call it). The only sign for the Tourist Information office was a big blue "I" right outside the office - it isn't signposted from any other part of town. The tiny office is staffed by one very friendly but not very helpful young woman who recommended a visit to the Botanical Gardens - not open until May and impossible to get to without your own car. It was February and we had told her we'd come by bus. We did leave, however, with a mountain of useful and interesting leaflets about all the villages in the Pohorje Massif and we intend to visit some of them by bike in September. She did not actually recommend the castle until I asked her directly about it; odd as it is the chief site of Bistrica.

The castle is in the heart of the town and this is quite notable because it stands on flat ground rather than taking advantage of a hillside location which would strategically have made more sense. It's a castle in the central European style so British people might think it looks more like a large stately home than a castle. The castle is open daily but you need a guide to visit it. The young man in reception sprang to attention and asked what parts of the castle we would like to visit. As we had not been before we couldn't say but this was not a problem. He phoned a colleague, picked up some keys and asked us to follow him. Our personal tour lasted an hour which was just right to get a quick view of all the collections and learn about the history of the castle. I intend to review the experience in more detail but will mention briefly here some of the exhibits. The highlight is the Knights Hall with its wonderful frescoes and painted ceiling. Other points of interest (for me) were a fabulous collection of costume dolls from all over the world which was donated to the museum by a local woman who traveled the world meeting all kinds of important people. Colonel Gaddaffi himself had heard about her collection before she arrived in Libya and presented her with a magnificent doll. There are some fine prints of castles all over Slovenia made from old engravings and a room in which is displayed a collection of flags from the days of the Partisans.

After our tour of the museum we took a stroll around Castle Park, now a shadow of its former self as large sections were chipped away in the post-war period for the building of schools and other public buildings. Now less than a quarter of the original is still a park but it's nicely planted in the French style and is worth a look.

Bistrica was known by the Germans as "Windisch-Feistritz" and, walking around, it's easy to see that this town was once under German control. Slovenska Bistrica has been struck by serious fires on three occasions and the handful of public buildings that remain are very much in the German style. So strong was the German government of the town that Slovenians were not allowed to live in the town itself and lived in the villages clustered in the hills surrounding the town.

At first glance it looks like Bistrica is the perfect place for a day out but the truth is that in the town itself, except for the castle all you can do is look from the outside. The town has several attractive churches but they were all locked up so we could only admire them from outside. We had seen a photograph of a magnificent altar inside one church but that one was perched on a steep hill outside the town and we suspected it would not be open if we made the trek.

After lunch (which was not easy to find as Bistrica has a distinct lack of town centre eating places) we remembered we had seen a wine barrel by the side of the road as we entered the town and so we took a walk to find out whether we could tour the winery. First we passed a gostilna which we assumed would be serving food and selling the wines from the winery but we wanted to see the cellars and find out a bit about the wines from this region. We walked all round the main building but we couldn't find a visitors' entrance. Finally we went to the only door that was open and went in; there was nobody to be seen and a tentative "Dober dan" failed to raise any attention so we went to the gostilna instead. It was a large and fairly modern inn but it was homely and the staff were welcoming. We asked to try some local wine - I asked for white, himself asked for red. Despite mine being a yellow muscat and supposedly semi-sweet it was very good indeed but not anywhere near as good as the red - as we found out when the bill came, the hefty 8 Euro tag on the glass of wine proved what good taste we have!

If you happen to be in this part of Slovenia I would certainly recommend spending half a day in Bistrica, perhaps a whole day if you can take part in a guided tour or can gain access to some of the churches. However it seems that the handsome buildings and old world charm of Bistrica offer false promises. Touristy it may appear but the truth is that Bistrica is a town in decline as the number of empty shops indicates. Bistrica is the sort of attractive old market town that is crying out for some craft shops, perhaps some nice coffee shops and definitely a good market; Bistrica grew around the fact that it was an important market town but we couldn't see any sign of a market these days.

Despite appearance Bistrica is not worth making a special trip for. However, a stop at the scenic town centre along with exploring the outlying villages would be a nice way to pass a couple of days if you are in Slovenia. Nearby Mount Boc is popular with walkers and provides good skiing in winter. Also nearby is Ancnik , a Roman fort - this is one for summer only obviously as there is nothing to see when it is covered in snow like in February when we visited Bistrica.

If only the local council realised what a gem they have here; it shouldn't be difficult to find places to eat or to gain access to interesting buildings. I'm sure a little thought into how to make Bistrica more tourist-friendly would pay dividends and see a rejuvenation of the town. As it is the town is visually appealing but needs to do so much more to help tourists get more out of their visit.
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Velenje’s free bus service is the only one of its kind in Slovenia, and, as the helpful and friendly assistant in the Tourist Information Office there told me, everyone is very proud of it. There are four bus routes, each one designated with a different…Read More

Velenje’s free bus service is the only one of its kind in Slovenia, and, as the helpful and friendly assistant in the Tourist Information Office there told me, everyone is very proud of it.

There are four bus routes, each one designated with a different colour and between them the whole of the town is covered. Apparently the service is funded by the council but considering the fact that all supermarkets, retail parks and places of major employment (for example the Gorenje factory which makes domestic electrical appliances) I did wonder whether some of these businesses make a contribution other than through their business taxes.

The routes take in the residential areas (very useful for those people living up the hill), schools and colleges and leisure areas such as the lake and tennis centre. We were delighted to learn that the red bus stops directly outside the coalmine, where the Slovenian Museum of Coalmining is located.

When we travelled to Velenje we did so by train rather than by bus as originally planned. However, I had jotted down directions to our accommodation from the bus station, not the train station so we needed some help to get back in track. When a local man heard where we were staying he said we should take the bus. Now, people often tell you to get the bus when, in reality it’s not that far to walk, so we stood firm and said we were walking. Now, my Slovene is still at "beginners" level so we didn’t understand when the man told us that the bus was free. He tried German next "Ein Geschenk!" he said, excitedly. I was so embarrassed "Oh my God" I muttered to my partner "He wants to pay for us on the bus". After a few minutes trying to persuade us to take the bus the man eventually pointed us in the right direction.

It wasn’t until later on, having checked into our accommodation and heading back to town to explore, that we found out that the buses were free. We were waiting at a bus stop, chatting (in a vague version of Slovene) to a lady who, it turned out, wasn’t queuing for the bus at all but just wanted to find out who the foreigners were) and when the bus was in sight I got a few coins out of my pocket. The lady shook her head and told me in Slovene that the bus cost "No Euro". So now we know why there’s a middle aged Velenje man telling everyone the story of the two crazy Brits who didn’t want to ride the free bus on a cold and snowy January day.

Information on the bus routes is shown on every bus shelter so you can see not only which areas each route covers, but also the best places to change onto another route. Services operate daily until mid evening.

Even if you have driven to Velenje, I would recommend using the free bus service – and not just because it is free; it will save you looking for a parking space in the centre of town and it also saves driving round in circles – like many new towns, Velenje is not always easy to navigate.
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Velenje is a frustratingly difficult place to get to; in fact, when travelling by train, you must change to a slow train at Celje. In the end it took us about two hours to travel by train from Maribor and I guess from the…Read More

Velenje is a frustratingly difficult place to get to; in fact, when travelling by train, you must change to a slow train at Celje. In the end it took us about two hours to travel by train from Maribor and I guess from the capital Ljubljana it would be something similar.

Getting around is simple and the local buses are free of charge (see separate review)

There didn't seem to be any obvious centre and as a result we got a brief tour of the town and its environs, eventually getting off at the train station because it was a familiar point for us. We were looking for somewhere to have lunch but we decided aginst the only obvious place because we thought we might have to eat there that evening if we didn't find anywhere else. We scoured the streets looking for the centre, passing one high rise apartment building after another. Most have shops on the ground floor but there didn't seem to be anywhere to eat. In the end we bought prepacked sandwiches in the supermarket and ate them in a dark corner of a bar.

Our next port of call was the tourist information office which is situated in the "Rdeca dvorana", a large indoor sports arena. The area around the hall is being redeveloped (as of January 2010) and access is confusing but we eventually located the office. The assistant in the tourist information office spoke excellent English and furnished us with a number of leaflets for various attractions as well as a useful map of the city.

Velenje is, by Slovene standards, a "new town". Although there had been a small community there before the war, it really expanded in the post-war years. A coalmine (the biggest in Slovenia) had been opened at the end of the nineteenth century to exploit the large deposits in the area. Visitors to Velenje will probably notice two green pipes from Šoštanj reaching to and then circling Velenje. These pipes carry a bi-product of the power generation plant which means that the people of Velenje enjoy the cheapest heating bills in the country.

During the first few decades, the miners lived in terrible conditions but gradually some improvements were made. The communists wished to develop Velenje as a shining example of what could be done as part of a great Socialist scheme. The main residential part of Velenje comprises large apartment blocks built initially for miners and their families. The individual flats tend to be more spacious than in older blocks because the idea was to give the families homes they would look after and be proud to live in. Rather than have a vast town centre, shops and services were housed in units on the ground floors of the buildings: while this is quite odd for visitors, it does give a certain feeling of community in each area. Unfortunately the apartment blocks tend to be high-rises and some are not in the best condition which can make Velenje look quite grim in parts.

After a few minutes we stumbled on the main square where the statue of Tito is displayed. While the statue is by no means small, it is somewhat dwarfed because the square is quite big. There are lawns and some well established trees on the square but the highlights of the square were, for me, not the statue of my hero but two 1960s buildings, one housing a gallery and another a cultural centre. There’s also a statue of Nestl Zgank who became the managing director of the coalmine in the late 1950s and, after his retirement, became mayor of Velenje, becoming heavily involved in the planning of the new town.

As well as a higher standard of housing, the citizens of Velenje enjoyed – and still do – lots of cultural and athletic pursuits. Right beside the castle is a ski jump – "plastic" a local man told us – and as I’ve already mentioned the tourist information office is housed in the Red Hall, a multi-sports indoor arena. There are numerous signposted walking trails, a velodrome, a large open air tennis centre (the Velenje Open is an annual international event) and indoor and outdoor football pitches at the NK Rudar (Velenje’s football team) site. Two large lakes have been created as a result of the mining around Velenje and these formed a focal point of the original plans for the new town with bathing beaches and holiday parks, boating centres and separate swimming areas for children.

Sadly Velenje doesn’t have much of an old town and two old villages were submerged under one of the lakes (the villagers were informed in advance, rehoused and compensated of course). During this process an old church and some quaint cottages were lost. In town we followed the signs to "Staro Velenje" – Old Velenje – which is in fact just half a street of old houses at the foot of the hill on which the castle stands. There wasn’t much to see but those houses that have been so far restored are really quite pretty, painted in pastel shades so that the whole terrace is like a gentle rainbow of colour.

The castle is built around a small courtyard which you must enter to reach the ticket office which is housed in a room that contains the furniture and fittings from a 1920s shop. The castle museum is covered more fully in a separate review so I shall just say that the castle contains a superb series of exhibitions including the work of Slovenian artists, a collection of wooden artefacts that was amassed by a collector who spend many years traveling in Africa, a sculpture exhibition presenting a good selection of the work of Ciril Cesar, a mock up of a 1920s gostilna (a traditional Slovenian inn) and an exhibition based around the partial skeleton of a mastodon that was found in the region. The whole visit was fascinating and we got a private tour with the English-speaking guide; at only €2.50 each this was excellent value.

The castle visit alone would have justified a trip to Velenje but the coal mining museum is also excellent and well worth a visit. It’s situated on the outskirts of town but the free bus stops right outside it. We were advised that we should have booked in advance but the staff kindly arranged for us to take a tour. In the meantime we were able to look around the excellent exhibition about the history of the mine and mining in Slovenia in general. (See separate review)

Alas the gallery was closed when we tried to visit – yet another place that is closed on Mondays. We did sample a few of Velenje’s drinking places, such as the excellent Pivnica Zorro and Titovo Pub. (See separate reviews)

A leaflet that can be picked up from the tourist office lists the events and festivals that take place in Velenje each year. These events are a big part of Velenje life and almost everyone takes part. One that appealed to me was the "Jumping over the Hide" which developed from an initiation ceremony for apprentices in the mines. Nowadays those taking part are high school graduates but the whole town comes to watch and enjoy the festivities. There are festivals all year round (would you believe the ski jumping competition takes place in the middle of summer!!) but it may be better to come in summer in order to better enjoy the outdoor activities and summer events. We visited in January and it was really too cold to spend much time outdoors so we weren’t able to spend much time at all by the lake which had looked quite scenic in photographs.

Velenje may not be an obvious tourist destination but it is a great place to learn about how the country developed under the Communist regime. It may look on the surface like a menacing mass of concrete but if you look more closely there is much to admire and enjoy.

Today Velenje is still growing - in spite of large scale redunancies in the coalmine and associated places of employment. In spite of the concrete and the industry I can see why people still wish to live in Velenje. It seems to offer a healthy balance between comfort, culture and practicality that makes you see past it's ugliness. Everyone we met was friendly and helpful, even if people couldn't speak English they made an effort and smiled politely when we replied in our slowly improving Slovene. Although we were clearly a curiosity we were made to feel welcome everywhere we went, not only in obviously touristy places.
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However much of a linguistic cliché this might be (the word Ljubljana is very close to the word for love in many Slavic languages), Ljubljana is lovely indeed. A city on a human scale, at about 300,000 inhabitants and with the role of the country…Read More

However much of a linguistic cliché this might be (the word Ljubljana is very close to the word for love in many Slavic languages), Ljubljana is lovely indeed. A city on a human scale, at about 300,000 inhabitants and with the role of the country capital, it is large enough to offer all the advantages of city life without producing an overwhelming monster.

But it's not just the handy size and civilised, educated, friendly, youthful inhabitants (the tourist information claims that 20% of the population are students) that make Ljubljana so attractive. It has funky bars and fancy restaurants, it has thriving culture with active theatre, art and music scenes. It is also, rather simply, a beautiful place to behold: a compact, largely pedestrianised old centre with distinctly Central European architecture spreads on the banks of slowly meandering, green river spanned by several bridges and dominated by the steep hill with a castle at the top. Ljubljana charms with its pretty Baroque and Art Nouveaux architecture, attractive parks and lively riverside promenades.

It's a Sunday when we first venture out to explore Ljubljana, so the city is quiet. Slovenia is largely Catholic, and we can hear ringing bells and locals on the way to church among the tourists. We approach the old town via Miklosiceva Cesta, adorned with some attractive Art Nouveaux buildings, including one decorated with striking, colourful geometric patterns.

Pink walls and flowing, sensuous lines of the Franciscan Church dominate the Presernov Trg (Preseren Square), named after France Preseren, Slovene 19th century national bard. His statue stands in the centre of the square, reminding me of Polish statues of romantic poets and composers. The square opens onto the Triple Bridge, an unusual construction whose name is self-explanatory, but whose existence requires explanation: why build three bridges within metres of each other?

The goal was clearly aesthetic. Architect Joze Plecnik left his mark all over Ljubljana and it was his idea to add the extra bridges to the original one in 1931 to achieve this landmark feature.

The Three Bridges lead to the other side of Ljubljanica river and we turn left along the riverside promenade, walking along craft stalls and bric a brac tables in the Plecnik's colonnade, adjacent to Plecnik's covered market, an imposing and a bit austere but strangely attractive structure facing the river.

To our left rise the white towers and green domes of the baroque cathedral of St Nicholas whose ornate interior we glance at but not explore as a service is about to start. We walk towards the bridge guarded by imposing dragons (dragon is something of a Ljubljana mascot) but instead of crossing back to the other side we turn left towards the castle hill, attempting to locate the bottom station of the funicular. Somehow we manage to miss it altogether and end up climbing all the way up: it's steep but shaded and despite huffing and puffing even I manage to drag myself up, prompted by glimpses of city views from between the leaves and branches of the wooded hill. We arrive at the back of the castle but the walk to the gate is on level ground and we are rewarded by fantastic views of Ljubljana itself, its surrounding green hills and high peaks of the Julian Alps on the horizon.

The castle is less of a consistently attractive historical structure kept as a monument and more of a public space defined by the castle ramparts, towers and dungeons. A family ticket costs less than 5 Euro and allows admission to all parts , so we happily potter around the battlements, peek into a Renaissance underground chapel decorated with colourful (and, strangely for a religious structure, secular) frescoes and venture into a modern art gallery whose rather grim and brutally expressionist content seems at odds with the gentle beauty of the city. We also climb the strange double-spiral red stairs to the top of the clock tower: more huffing and puffing and even better views.

We leave the castle via the funicular: the station is in the basement of the castle and its access hall in the base of the castle incorporates chunks of natural rock the little one proceeds to climb with gusto despite all the other climbing he's done today.

The funicular is very steep, more of an outdoor glass lift than a tram with cogs and gears I expected. More views before we descend to Vodnikovy Trg, normally a site of a street market which doesn't function on Sundays to sit down to well earned late lunch. We tuck into rich game dishes at the outdoor tables of Vinoteka Sokol: there are roadworks directly in front of the restaurant and the tables have been relocated to Mestni Trg, next to the pretty Renaissance Town Hall and directly in front of Ljubljana's landmark baroque Robba fountain, on which three bearded figures represent three major rivers of Slovenia.

The children attempt to scale the high base and dive into the basin, so to avoid cracked bones we drag ourselves away from our beers and venture back towards the Triple Bridge.

High above our heads wooden easels with drawings and paintings swing gently, suspended from wires between the buildings: art is in the air of Ljubljana.

We walk along more picturesque streets to Tivoli gardens, the main large public park of Ljubljana. And underpass allows for safe crossing of a busy road and its walls are adorned with industrial-looking, rusting iron mesh. A closer look reveals patterns of tree trunks and branches created by different shades of brown and red. Is this a creative use of real rust? Or paint made to look like one? I am not sure but it works, a fusion of urban and bucolic, industrial and artistic that fits the location perfectly.

The concrete supports of the underpass have circular openings which have been lined with thick, warm blocks of solid wood and must exert a strong pull as the little one immediately climbs into one to lounge while a pair of snogging teenagers occupies the other.

The cultivated part of Tivoli contains an extensive playground where the children can be let loose for a while. It's still very hot, so the drinking fountain thoughtfully placed in the play park is a welcome blessing.

As the day draws towards the late afternoon, more families appear: it's clear that, not only architectonically but demographically too, Slovenia belongs firmly in Central Europe. The people could easily be Austrian, Czech or Polish – there is a sprinkling of natural blonde hair and even the tanned bodies don't reach the chocolate brown that we have seen frequently in Greece, Southern Italy or, more recently, Croatia.

Tivoli park contains several attractions including a stately home, a zoo, swimming pool and other sports facilities. Its further reaches stretch to nearby countryside and provide walking and cycling grounds for the locals and visitors. But the day is drawing to a close and we are tired with heat, walking and sightseeing so we schlep back with a beer-and-juice stop at an outdoor jazz cafe. We sip our drinks while the children discover and use two hammocks hanging among the trees. The stage is empty at this relatively early hour, but recorded music does the place's name justice, enveloping us in mellow sounds.

The next day most of the morning is taken by planning the next stage of our journey, but in the afternoon we go for a boat rip along Ljubljanica river. It's an hour-long ride abroad smallish tour-boat and our skipper-cum-guide points out interesting features of the architecture and shares informative facts about Ljubljana waterways in fluent German and English.

We go up the river first and within 15 minutes of the slow ride the urban landscape gives way to country cottages, high stone waterfront is replaced by reeds and weeping willows.

Ljubljana lies on Ljubljanica river which is connected by a canal to Sava, a tributary of Danube. This connection to both the Black Sea and the grand cities of former Austrian Empire reminds me again of how much geographical, historical and cultural influences combine in this place. Food and landscape, culture and peoples range from Slavic to Germanic, Balkan to Alpine, Mediterranean to Central European. Slovenia is a true crossroads.    Close

Run by the irrepressible Mojca, Laguna is a private holiday letting agency based in the centre of the Slovenian coastal town of Izola. We found Laguna while searching online for a private room or small apartment for a few nights in September 2008; we didn’t…Read More

Run by the irrepressible Mojca, Laguna is a private holiday letting agency based in the centre of the Slovenian coastal town of Izola. We found Laguna while searching online for a private room or small apartment for a few nights in September 2008; we didn’t want to spend much money and Laguna’s website categorized properties by price so we were able to identify a few properties that suited us and made an email enquiry.

Mojca replied promptly and told us the room was available. We paid a deposit by credit card (30%) and arranged that we would meet at the office when we arrived in Izola. The office is easy to find, not far from where the buses drop off and pick up (Izola does not have a bus station as such). An A-board pointed out the narrow pedestrian lane where we would find the office just off the road in front of the marina. It’s a small office but we were made comfortable while Mojca completed the necessary paperwork. She showed us a map of the town and circled the location of the apartment; it was easier to see on paper just how far it was from the centre of town and while we don’t mind walking, it didn’t take much persuading from Mojca to consider places nearer the centre, although Mojca did say she would drive us to the original room if we still wanted to stay there.

She then started to telephone other owners to see what they had available. As most people who have rooms to let advertise through a number of agencies and also have signs outside their homes, Mojca isn’t always able to have up to date details on availability. The service really depends on people updating her regularly. After a few calls she found somewhere with availability very near the office and explained what we’d get – a double room with en suite bathroom and small kitchenette. We’d be able to use the house’s two terraces too. She showed us the property on the website – one we’d liked the look of but thought too expensive. Fortunately Mojca had negotiated a cheaper rate than the one advertised.

We paid the balance in cash to Mojca – we must have trusted her as we usually ask to see the room first, even if we’ve seen photographs of it. Mojca gave us a receipt, a voucher for a free drink at the newly opened casino and some paperwork to give to the owner. The house was just off the main road almost opposite the casino (not as glamorous as it seems – the casino is tiny). Our room was small but adequate for our short stay. The kitchen was a small alcove in the room with a sink, two electric rings and a fridge as well as a little cupboard space. There were a handful of basic cooking utensils – it was more than adequate for us.

In the main part of the room there was a double bed, bedside tables and a small dining table. A TV hung from a wall bracket. Round the corner beside the bathroom there was a small wardrobe and a hanging area. The bathroom was fine, spotlessly clean with a modern shower and good lighting.

Just up a half floor was one small terrace with a table and chairs, and somewhere to hang wet clothes to dry. On the next full floor up was another terrace. Something we liked about the place was that the rooms were clustered in small groups off the landings which minimised the noise from traffic on the stairs and landings. Only people in your section would need to walk past your door.

I don’t want to say too much about the actual accommodation as Laguna has all kinds of properties on its books and Laguna is just the agent. It's not just Izola, though and the business has expanded to take in properties on other parts of the Slovenian coast.

There's also a link for excursions and Mojca can book these for you if you wish.

I would wholeheartedly recommend Laguna if you want to organise some private accommodation in advance. Summer on the Slovenian coast is extremely busy and making reservations is advisable, if you can plan ahead. However, if you arrive without a reservation, do drop in at Laguna as Mojca will take the hard slog out of finding somewhere for you.

Istrska vrata 7
Izola

http://www.laguna-sp.si/index-en_GB.htm

Tel 00 386 (0)5 640 0278

Website is in English, Slovene, German and Italian   Close

People from other countries may know of the town of Postojna by its German name - Adelsberg - or it's Italian name - Postumia - both of which were used extensively in the past but today the town is most definitely just Postojna. Postojna is…Read More

People from other countries may know of the town of Postojna by its German name - Adelsberg - or it's Italian name - Postumia - both of which were used extensively in the past but today the town is most definitely just Postojna.

Postojna is situated roughly halfway between the capital, Ljubljana, and the coast. Most visitors come only for the day - usually a half day - on coach trips from Ljubljana or the area around Lake Bled in the Julian Alps, or from the coastal resorts of Croatian Istria. They tend not to go into the town itself and, other than the price they pay to see the caves and perhaps buy some tawdry souvenirs, they don't contribute much to the local economy. As well as the caves there is nearby Predjama Castle and some day trips combine the two attractions. But is the town worth visiting in its own right and what is there for independent visitors who don't come on organised trips?

We stopped in Postojna for one night having traveled up from the coast by bus. The bus station is situated about five minutes walk from the centre of town. When we got off the bus the driver pointed out the direction for the caves; we were planning to visit them that day but first we were going to find our accommodation which we had booked in advance not wanting to spend what little time we had there tramping the streets looking for a room. Postojna has a few hotels, most notably a concrete monolith in the post-Soviet style situated within the caves complex park. However we had found a list of private rooms on the local council website and had secured a night's stay in a family home only a short walk from the caves.

The main square was blighted by road-works and a giant crane so it was difficult to get our bearings and find street names. We spotted the familiar blue "I" beside an office and went in to ask if they had any maps of the town. It turned out to be the offices of a political party and judging by the looks on the faces of the people working there our request was the first of its kind they had ever had. I resisted the temptation to drag them outside, point to the sign and ask why they would have it if there was no information to be had.


We set off immediately and made for the caves. I have reviewed the Postojna jama (jama is the Slovene word for cave) previously for this website so will only mention it briefly now). The caves are just a short walk from town and from the residential area where most of the houses offering private accommodation can be found. The route is well signposted and you can just follow the legions of coaches bound for the caves. There are lots of places to eat or get a drink which is useful because you may find yourself with a wait until the next tour departs. As well as the caves, there is an exhibition on the "human fish" a bizarre pigmentless creature that only lives in carst caves in this part of Europe. We bought a combined ticket to both attractions though I probably only recommend the cave tour unless you have a particular interest in obscure cave life.

The tourist train was standing outside the cave entrance but when we asked we were told that the train only operates "in summer". It was the first week in September and the caves were teeming with visitors but I guess most people come on an organised trip and have no need for any other transport. As a visit to the castle would entail several miles walk there and back we decided against a visit although himself did see the castle from the outside on a foggy February day in 2004. The castle is built into the carst which almost gives the impression of it growing out of the rock. I understand it's not the most interesting of Slovenia's castle in terms of history or exhibits but it certainly does look like a fairy tale castle and is worth a visit for the visual effect alone. We'll definitely try again another time but on this visit it was impossible.

In town we looked to get a bite to eat. Like all Slovene towns and cities there are plenty of café-bars but there aren't many places serving food too.

The town itself has little to get excited about but it's a pleasant place to stroll around. It's not a shopping paradise as the town centre shops are quite utilitarian and a small new complex on the edge of town has a handful of Slovenian and German chain stores - the same ones you get at any out of town in Slovenia.

There's an attractive church behind the main square but we weren't able to look inside. The streets around the church could hardly be described as the "old town" but they are quite narrow and full of attractive houses painted in pastel shades, and adorned with well-tended window boxes. There are some nice buildings to look at, but only that because they are now used for local government offices or commercial premises for professions such as notaries and the like.

If you are fond of outdoor activities such as riding or climbing you may find Postojna has more to offer you as a base. At just over 1200 metres, Mount Javornik is more of strenuous stroll than a real "climb" but that and several other similar sized peaks in the area draw lots of walkers. In winter this is a popular skiing area.

To get to the best eating places you usually need a car as Slovenians tend to eat locally rather than in town and are happy to drive to a remote village to get to their favourite restaurants.
In town we found only one restaurant open and clearly everyone else visiting Postojna as an independent tourist had found it the only place open too as the only Slovene spoken was by the staff.

At not quite ten o'clock we went into a bar; himself fancied a beer, I wanted a coffee. Alas the coffee machine had been cleaned down for the night even though the place was due to be open another hour. This seemed quite typical of our encounters with a lot of people working in shops and bars in the town. Tourists weren't made a fuss of and, if I'm honest weren't treated very well at all. I wonder if it's because most tourists rarely use the facilities in town?

Perhaps I would have enjoyed Postojna more had we visited at some other time? The "Zmaj 'ma mlade Festival" (the name means "The dragon has young" ) takes place throughout August and sees the town host a variety of outdoor concerts and stage performances. Postojna also hosts a popular blues festival which brings noted international performers but surely the most intriguing of all must be "Krompirjeva noc" - translated as "Potato night" a traditional event held in one of the nearby villages. You can rest assured I'll be writing about that one when I get there!
I did enjoy the brief visit we made to Postojna though this was partly due to the fact that we had left the coast and the horrible mosquitoes there that tend to make straight for me even in the presence of a few hundred other people! However, you have to be quite versatile and independent to stay here as there are limited facilities and services for tourists. If all you want to do is visit the castle or the caves I would suggest taking a day trip from the capital if you are staying there or, if you are travelling independently, stop off to see what you want then head to the capital straight after. Had I known what I now know I'd probably not have stayed the night as I could easily have reached Maribor, in the north east of the country, in a couple of hours.

My verdict? See the castle and the caves but don't linger any longer in Postojna.

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