Mini Journeys, Major Delights…

MICRO TOURISM

Here at The Europe Travel Guide, one of favorite things to do is bring focus to a part of Europe that many travelers may not be familiar with. These gems of Europe are part of the micro tourism movement, that provides visitors with the opportunity to connect with a people and a place in a way that’s simply not possible in larger, more famous destinations. And in many cases, there’s the added benefits of fewer crowds and your travel dollar going further.

 Slovenia: 

Nestled between Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia, Slovenia may be small, but it’s huge when it comes to things to experience. The heart of green Europe, Slovenia has it all.

For travelers who love outdoor activities, there’s hiking, walking, biking, skiing, paragliding, horseback riding and golf. If you’re looking for health and wellness opportunities, there’s a wide range of spas and thermal resorts available, offering everything from facials and massages to yoga. And let’s not forget endless culinary and wine experiences.

Here are some of our favorite things to see and do:

Spend time exploring the capital city of Ljubljana. The castle is a must and unlike many castles in Europe, it’s a living part of the city. The castle hosts art shows, interactive events, family outings, a wine trail and even a jazz club! A great way to get around the city is to hop on the Ubran Electric Train, which takes you to all of the main attractions in the city and is available in multiple languages. Ljubljana has some of the best wine tasting experiences in the country and the best way to have your own one of a kind tasting is with Wine Tasting Ljubljana. You’ll visit a 300 year old cellar, taste 7 wines and get to taste some local appetizers. To really connect to the city, check out Watermelon Ljubljana by Bike. They have a number of cycling tours available including a great family tour. Ljubljana has an emerging food scene and two of our favorites are Klobasarna, home to delicious, traditional Slovenian food-especially sausages (and very well priced) and Pops Burger Bar, a gastropub that’s super popular with locals offering the most creative and delicious burgers in town. And for our vegetarian friends, they offer a great veggie/quinoa burger and grilled Spanish peppers.

Venturing outside the city, you’ll want to give yourself at least a few days to explore and experience the country. Slovenia’s natural beauty is amazing and there’s lots to do, so don’t rush!

During our tour we visited a lot of places, including the famous Lake Bled and Postojna Cave. But since we can’t list them all here,  we’ve narrowed it down to our favorites and will list more in another post. We loved visiting the world’s oldest vine still producing fruit. It’s so famous, it even has its own museum! We also spent time in the breathtaking Logar Valley, one of the most beautiful Alpine valleys in the Europe. We had a great time hiking and cycling and the local cuisine, made from true farm to table elements, is amazing. We also visited one of Slovenia’s several Unesco World Heritage Sites, Skocjan Caves . The largest subterranean cave in Europe, including an underground waterfall, the experience here is truly magical. We ended our trip with a visit to the Mediterranean town of Piran. The town is a perfect place to unwind and enjoy the sea and since it’s home to some of the best salt pans in the world, the spas, and therapies here are perfect for your body and soul.

Slovakia

In the heart of Central Europe sits another country that is perfect for a micro tourism itinerary – Slovakia. The country has a rich cultural heritage, wonderful folk architecture, natural sites that are second to none and is home to one of our personal favorite cities, Bratislava.

Sitting on the banks of the Danube River at the foot of the Little Carpathian Mountains, Bratislava is a commanding and beautiful city. One of the youngest capitals in the world, the city is young, vibrant, and modern, without sacrificing its past. Palaces, museums, shopping, food and much more await visitors. Here are some of our top picks:

We’re museum nerds, so our first stop (in a city of many great museums) was the Slovak National Gallery.  Complete with a café, cinema, art history library and shop, the gallery offers a series of collections and exhibits located in four different buildings. Classical art, modern art, photography and special performances make this part of the cultural heart of the city. We also enjoyed Bratislava City Museum showing the unique history of the city since 1868. The museum displays archeological discoveries and other findings about the city’s cultural and social life. One of the great happenings – in any country – can be found at Bratislava’s monthly Street Food Park. Once a month the area outside Old Market Hall is becomes a street food festival, with awesome vendors making their delicious food available in one place. There’s also music and art, making this an event not to miss. While we’re not always big on discount cards, the Bratislava Card is packed with deals. You receive free public transportation, 23 free entrances, to sites across the city a free city tour plus tons of additional savings on everything from waterskiing to wine tasting! We rank this as one of the best city card deals in Europe.

One of Slovakia’s slogans is “Slovakia, What A Surprise” and they aren’t kidding! Getting outside of beautiful Bratislava, we wanted to visit some of Slovakia’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Our first stop was historic Banska Stivncia. The town is one of the most beautiful in the region and at one point was the mining heart of the Habsburg Empire. Today, with around 10,000 residents, the town is a picture perfect postcard village with lots to explore and enjoy. You may have seem images of the wooden houses and churches of Vikolinec, but up close, they are even more astounding. One of the best-preserved towns of this type of architecture, we had a great walking tour, followed by a stop for lunch and then a great bike ride on the well marked cyclist route. A perfect day.. Everything created here is done with attention to detail, only using the finest ingredients. And best of all, they package gift boxes, making it easy to bring home something sweet and special.