Slovenia - Care, Relaxation, and Fun in the Green of Nature

Slovenia is a small European country bordering on Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia. Despite being territorially not very extensive, it presents a unique environmental diversity and landscape of rare beauty. It is the only country in Europe that unites the Alps and the Mediterranean region, the Pannonian Plain and the Karst. In each of the twelve regions, you can enjoy the beneficial effects of thermal water, favorable climatic conditions, and the uncontaminated natural environment: there are an alpine, lagoon, and marine areas. Slovenia is the second greenest country in Europe, after Finland. Over a third of the territory includes protected areas and over half is occupied by woods. The climate is equally varied.

In recent years, the country has been investing heavily in the development of spas, in particular in the modernization of the thermal structures that become the flagship of the thermal tourism offer. The number of tourists attracted each year is growing, not only for its natural beauty and for its equipped spas, but also for its excellent value for money (source: Tourism in Numbers 2016, I Feel Slovenia).

Slovenia is famous for its thermal and mineral healing waters. It possesses as many as 87 springs of thermal waters and minerals scattered all over the territory, which are distinguished by the various properties that serve to treat as many different diseases, for example. Cardiovascular diseases, of the osteoarticular apparatus, of the gastrointestinal system and so on. Among the natural Slovenian healing resources, we can also include the mother water (highly concentrated seawater), seawater, mud and the mid-mountain marine, Pannonian, and pre-Alpine microclimate.

Slovenia offers wellness and relaxation at 360 °: here everyone can find the Spa and the hotel suitable for their needs. The country has a wide range of spas that, although different from one another, can be summarized in three distinctive features: nature, the centenary traditions of care and the most modern approaches to medicine. They are suitable for those who travel for therapeutic purposes, for those who want to prevent diseases or to preserve their health (medical wellness), and finally, for those in search of wellness and relaxation. The concept of wellness closely linked to the surrounding natural environment: the alpine landscape chosen for a healthy climate, the forest environment inspires relaxation, the lakes linked to meditation, the sea connected to relaxation and fun.

Here the opportunities for sport and entertainment are indeed numerous. Almost all the spas are home to water playgrounds and thermal theme parks. It is no coincidence that families often choose the thermal baths of Slovenia with children, for whom numerous services and facilities dedicated. At the Slovenian thermal baths, you can practice sports all year round: for example, in winter you can combine skiing in the Alps with a spa vacation, in summer the spa resorts offer various water sports, during spring and autumn you can take advantage of the cycle and trekking tracks. Furthermore, there are numerous golf courses, mini-golf, tennis, bowls. In some places, you can practice rowing, hunting, fishing, or horse riding.

Slovenia is the land, where according to the legend Jason would have led his golden fleece. But the first pieces of evidence dating back to the Paleolithic age: the c.d. The neanderthal flute is the oldest instrument in the world and comes from the archaeological site of Divje babe. Today it is exhibited in the National Museum of Slovenia. The country enjoys a cultural richness that is affected by Slavic, Mediterranean, and Germanic influence in all cultural forms: architecture, cultural traditions, music, food, and wine. The latter is very different in every region; there are 170 typical Slovenian dishes, very the production of wines is widespread, in particular in the area of Maribor you can taste the wine made from the grapes of the most long-lived vine in the world. The country boasts a large number of museums, and there is no shortage of archaeological sites, the most famous being that of the Roman Baths. Slovenia hosts many festivals; each location boasts at least one. There are film and music festivals with musicians of international standing, folklore, performing arts and food and wine. The Carnival period is trendy, the best known are the current processions registered on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List, and you can meet them at the traditional Kurentovanje festival in Ptuj. Lovers of classical music can attend a concert by one of the oldest musical institutions in the world - the Slovenian Philharmonic in the Stanovsko Theater in the capital city Ljubljana. You will find the most famous opera and ballet theaters in Ljubljana and Maribor.