ACTIVITIES
There is a wide range of good skiing resorts including those in Bled, Bohinj, Bovec Pohorje, Cerkno, Kranjska Gora, Krvavec, Rogla and Vogel. Health gurus tend to flock to some of Slovenia’s 15 natural spas. In particular, Radenci spa is renowned for its ‘three hearts’ mineral water, said to have been served at the imperial court in Vienna and the papal court in the Vatican. Mountaineering is a traditional Slovene sport – the Julian and Kamnik Alps are particularly popular. The Slovene Mountaineering Association organizes adventure holidays (tel: (1) 231 2553; Slovenia’s location south of the Alps means sport parachuting, paragliding and ballooning are popular. Hunting is available. Sailing is popular along the coast. Berths and boats can be hired at all ports. Permits are needed for boats brought into the country. The Idrijca, Kolpa, Sava, Sava Bohinjka and Dolinka, Savinja and Soca rivers are all ideal for kayaking, canoeing and rafting. Several specialist agencies can make arrangements and provide equipment; contact the Slovenian Tourist Board for a list of addresses. Cycling along bicycle trails, in special mountain bike parks, along the alps and through the spa regions, is becoming an increasingly popular and exciting way of seeing the country. Tours and routes for trekking in these regions are also widely available: there are around 7000km of marked trails. For more details, contact the Slovenian Tourist Board. Fishing permits are available from hotels or local authorities. Fishing on the Adriatic coast is unrestricted, but freshwater angling and fishing with equipment require a permit. ‘Fish-linking’ with a local small craft owner is popular. Basketball is very popular.
Golf
There are 10 golf clubs in Slovenia. Membership is sometimes open to visitors. For further information, contact the Golf Association of Slovenia, Dunajska 51, 51-1000, Ljubljana (tel: (1) 585 4801).
Thoroughbred horses
Lipica in the west of Slovenia is home to the lippizaner horse, bred by the Austro-Hungarian aristocracy of the 18th century. There are currently only 3000 of these horses left in the world. Visitors can take tours of the stud farm, watch performances of classical riding or even ride the horses themselves.
Wine trails
These popular routes for the dedicated connoisseur pass through the three wine regions of Slovenia, where various award-winning wines can be sampled. Contact the Slovenian Tourist Board for further information (see General Info section). |
Travel Tips