"Country on the sunny side of the Alps..." Slovenia by lukec

Slovenia Travel Guide: 7,885 reviews and 20,096 photos

Lake Bled and the surrounding mountains - Slovenia

The Toast (Slovene national anthem)

God's blessing on all nations,
Who long and work for that bright day,
When o'er earth's habitations
No war, no strife shall hold its sway;
Who long to see
That all men free
No more shall foes, but neighbours be.

(F. Preseren)

The lines above are Slovene national anthem, written by our great romantic poet France Preseren (1800-1849). I put them here because they are words of optimism and hope for humanity that should be embraced by this world. They convey a message of peace, that I think is especially relevant in the times of new wars and divisions in the world. As long as people cherish our similarities and respect the differences that result from colorful development of human society in the past, the words of France Preseren are not hollow.

Slovenia is my home. Despite its smallness it has much to offer and many people who visited this country regard it as a green jewel of Europe. I don't want to sound biased since I'm a native, so I'll let you make your own judgements after you go through this page. Slovenia is a relatively young country that only came into being in 1991, following the break up of former Yugoslavia. We were fortunate enough to more or less escape the bloodshed that followed (read my travelogue on the break up of former Yugoslavia for more details) and nowdays Slovenia is a prosperous country, scheduled to join the European Union on May 1st 2004.

If you have any questions regarding Slovenia, feel free to ask.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Nature, diversity, history
Cons:To tell you the truth, I don't know
In a nutshell:Small is beautiful

Intro Updated Aug 21, 2003
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Reviews (29)

Lake Bled Things to Do (11)

The lake has a picturesque island with a church in the middle and a castle standing on a cliff above the lake shores.... more travel advice

Lake Bohinj Things to Do (11)

This glacial lake is larger than lake Bled and looks far more untamed, wild and primal with high mountains surrounding... more travel advice

Maribor Things to Do (11)

The capital of Stajerska (Styria) region, one of the two major wine producing regions in Slovenia (the other being... more travel advice

Ptuj Things to Do (11)

The oldest inhabited town in Slovenia, dating back as far as 1800 B.C. with a well preserved Old Town core. In the... more travel advice

Travelogues (4)

1 - 4 of 4

Comments (160)

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Yubert Jan 24, 2007 at 3:51 AM

"Death of Yugoslavia" was very interesting and informative. Thanks!
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arasnosliw Dec 8, 2004 at 3:51 PM

i'd love to visit bled and hike triglav this year. beautiful pages, and i hope you have a wonderful birthday!!
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Maurizioago Nov 5, 2004 at 1:30 AM

Your tips are very useful!! I hope to go to Slovenia quite soon. Ciao!
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polardabar Aug 21, 2004 at 3:43 PM

hey, i love your photo of bled at night! i was just in ljubljana a couple of weeks ago - it's very nice. ciao, polar*
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bbsantic Aug 10, 2004 at 5:58 AM

Greetings on very neutral and detailed approach to happenings in former Yugoslavia.
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KristaB May 6, 2004 at 1:21 AM

Amazing pictures, especially the one of Prekmurje during solar eclipse! I didn't mind being brainwashed against hatred, too. Great page.
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JLBG Apr 18, 2004 at 11:21 PM

The spirit of Jugoslavia is living in you. The way you write on it's death is perfectly balanced and none is pinpointed as THE responsible. I have read lot of papers on the subject but your testimony tastes as the feeling of one that has been orphaned.
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lomi Apr 12, 2004 at 3:30 AM

What breathtaking scenery. It thrills the soul.
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joecooper Jan 29, 2004 at 4:16 PM

I've read it so many times but it never bores me! Your history of Yugoslavia is outstanding, a very comprehensive run down of events - many experienced first hand!
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AndreSTGT Dec 8, 2003 at 11:38 AM

Your 'Death of Yugoslavia' travelogue is a must-read for anyone traveling to this region. It's a personal, yet unbiased point of view and well written.