Slovenian sights and traditional food
Nataša, Maša, Lulu, Lisa, Jerneja, sono cinque studentesse dell’Istituto sloveno Srednja šola Josipa Jurčiča di Ivančna Gorica, che hanno svolto presso ETV EuroTreviso un periodo di tirocinio di due settimane nel quadro del programma Erasmus+. Durante questo periodo hanno realizzato brochure informative sul progetto Erasmus+ e hanno realizzato alcuni articoli per farci conoscere alcuni aspetti della cultura slovena.
SIGHTS IN SLOVENIA
The geographically diverse Slovenia is an attractive sight itself. The commitment to green and sustainable development earned it the title of green tourist destination as the first country in the world. Now we are going to list some of the most beautiful sights in Slovenia.
1. BLED – the image of paradise under the Alps
Bled and Lake Bled with the only natural island in Slovenia have been attracting seekers of special beauty for centuries. The island with the church, whose bell is a special tribute to love, is served by traditional boats – pletne. The castle on the cliff above the lake offers the most beautiful view of the lake with the island and the Alpine peaks around it. The beauty of Bled was also noticed by media giants Lonely Planet and Daily Mail, who ranked it among the top 10 destinations in the world.
2. POSTOJNA CAVE – the most visited world of underground wonders
Postojna Cave is considered the most visited tourist cave in the world, and not for nothing. The underground train takes you on the world’s first cave railway into the interior of the cave, among thousand-year-old stalactites, through large halls and past hidden tunnels. The 24-kilometer-long Postojna Cave is a place where you can meet live “baby dragons” (Proteus Anguinus). Near the cave there is a castle, which is the largest cave castle in the world, where the legend of the fearless robber knight Erasmus Predjamski lives.
3. PIRAN – The salty surprises of the Mediterranean
The salt pans of Piran, where both salt and high-quality salt flower are still produced today. The picturesque medieval town, fully protected as a cultural and historical monument, adjoins two landscape parks. In one of them, there is the highest cliff of the Adriatic Sea. Fun fact: Salt production was extremely important for the development of Piran city, the first mention of salt date back to 1274.
4. THE SOČA VALLEY – peaceful stories by the most beautiful river
The valley of the emerald, green Soča River, which is considered one of the most beautiful and best-preserved alpine rivers in Europe, preserves, in addition to countless natural beauties, the shocking legacy of the First World War. Here was the scene of the Soča Front, the largest mountain conflict in history. Above the valley with the Paths of Peace is the Triglav National Park, Slovenia’s largest protected nature area.
5. VELIKA PLANINA – a journey into the “living” shepherd tradition
At the end of spring, cowbells ring on Velika Planina, announcing the arrival of shepherds. The fairy-tale plateau with one of the largest shepherd settlements in Europe invites you to learn about the interesting life on the mountain and to refresh yourself with the dairy delicacies they prepare for you. Treat yourself to a walk among the greenery, a longer hike in the mountains or a mountain bike tour.
6. LOGAR VALLEY – alpine beauty
The Logar valley is one of the most beautiful alpine glacial valleys in Europe. The harmonious coexistence between tradition, man, and nature is truly breath-taking. You can take advantage of the rest in the peaceful environment of the landscape park for hiking, cycling, horse riding, photo hunting… For the successful management of the protected area, the park is the recipient of the CIPRA Future in the Alps award.
7. THE OLD VINE IN MARIBOR – the queen of all vines
In the central part of the city of Maribor, on Lent, there is the oldest vine in the world. It is more than 400 years old and is also the only plant with its own museum in the Old Vine House. In honour of the queen of the vines, Maribor hosts events throughout the year, such as the Cutting of the Old Vine, the Harvest Festival, Martinovanje and the Festival of the Old Vine. And – you won’t believe it – Stara trta also has its own anthem, which the people of Maribor love to sing.
8. LJUBLJANA – the lively green capital of Slovenia
Ljubljana is the green capital of a green country. In terms of the square footage of green public areas per inhabitant, it belongs to the very top of the world. The image of the city by the Ljubljanica river with its gorgeous bridges and market was designed by the famous architect Jože Plečnik. On the hill above the city centre there is a magnificent castle, where you can go on foot or by cable car. Unforgettable experiences, various events and top cuisine await you at the castle.
TRADITIONAL SLOVENIAN FOOD
The most famous Slovenian dishes include potica, žganci, gibanica, štruklji, žlikrofi and sauerkraut dishes. The specialty of Prekmurje cuisine is strong dishes, the most famous of which is gibanica, which is a layered pastry made from poppy seeds, walnuts, apples, raisins and quark fillings. A typical dish of Prekmurje cuisine is porridge, so far there are three types of porridge: buckwheat, millet, or barley.
Carinthians are masters of štrukli and noodles. Their specialties are also mavžlji, stuffed mutton roast and mezerli.
The most typical dish in Dolenjska is certainly štruklji. They are boiled, baked, and sometimes even fried, sweet or salty. Both sweet and salty štruklji are extremely delicious whether they are filled with cottage cheese or a sweet walnut filling.
In Idrija, you can’t miss the famous žlikrofs, while Gorenjska is home to walnut potica. Potica is a roll of rolled out yeast dough spread with various sweet or savoury fillings, with a hole in the middle, baked in a round earthenware, porcelain, or metal baking dish. There are 50 types of potica, but the most popular ones are: walnuts, walnuts with raisins and tarragon with cottage cheese.
