2011 - homecoming Slovenia

Highlights of Slovenia tour

10 - 17 May 2011
Included features:
• Selected class hotels, rooms with private facilities
• Service charges and hotel taxes
• Breakfast daily
• 5 Dinners as per program
• 1 Lunch as per program
• 2 Light Lunches as per program
• 2 Wine tasting as per program
• Touring by modern air-conditioned motor coach
• Professional English speaking tour director throughout
• Sightseeing tours as per itinerary
• Included entrances when indicated in bold letters: Bled castle, Pletna
boat ride, St. Mary church, Alpine Diary Museum, Cable car to Mt. Vogel,
Preseren’s birth house, the Avsenik museum, Happy Johnny bus, Boat
ride on the Ljubljanica River, a carriage “lojtrnik” drive, the Postojna
caves, Lipica stud farm, Maribor Cathedral, Ptuj castle, Blacksmith mu-
seum, Floating Mill on the Mura River, straw works, ham making, pot-
tery museum, Rogatec Open-Air Museum, Repnica
• Luggage handling in hotels (one piece per person in/out)
*Note:
Arrival and departure transfers not included. If needed, transfers can be provided on request.
Hotels:
• BLED: Hotel Park (or similar)
• LJUBLJANA: Hotel Union/Lev (or similar)
• PTUJ: Hotel Primus (or similar)
• SMARJESKE TOPLICE: Hotel Vitarium (or similar)
Itinerary:
Day 01, 10 MAY 2011
ARRIVAL TO BLED
Upon arrival to the airport transfer on your own to your hotel at Bled.
The rest of the day at leisure. Dinner in your hotel. (D)
Day 02, 11 MAY 2011
THE GORENJSKA REGION
Breakfast in hotel
Today we explore the beauties of Slovenian Alpine region, the home of the
Triglav Mountain and the biggest Slovenian poet France Preseren.
Start the day with sightseeing tour of the pearl of the region, Bled. We will take
you to imposing Bled Castle, perched on a cliff high above the lake. We will take
a pletna boat ride to the island in the middle of the lake. Once we reach the
island we’ll visit a small church on the island and ring a whishing bell. Driving
through picturesque Alpine valleys we stop to visit the Alpine Diary Museum. It
is located at Stara Fužina in the abandoned village cheese-dairy, first opened in
1971 where the cheese masters looked after large cheeses brought down from
the mountains by the carriers in the summer time. From here we continue with
cable car to Mt. Vogel from where you will enjoy the beauty of this Alpine area
with high mountains, valleys and lakes. Light lunch on top of Mt Vogel before we
take the cable car down to the valley. On the way to Begunje we make a stop
at Vrba, the birth place of the Slovenian greatest poet France Preseren. We will
visit Preseren’s birth house, now a museum. After the tour we drive to Begunje
and visit the Avsenik’s museum that comprehensively represents the greatness
of Avsenik music. You will see the documentary about the beginning of Slavko
Avsenik’s music career and later his worldwide success. From here, our path will
take us to Radovljica, the smallest medieval city, where we will enjoy dinner,
accompanied by the sounds of accordion. Overnight at Bled. (B, L, D)

Day 03, 12 MAY 2011

THE NOTRANJSKA AND THE KARST REGION WITH THE CAPITAL
Breakfast in hotel
This morning enjoy the beauties of Slovenian capital city of Ljubljana. Enjoy
the ride on the “Happy Johnny” bus. “Happy Johnny” will take you past
the Roman wall, through Ljubljana’s diplomatic quarter, past the greatest
Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik’s majestic Žale cemetery and the new Stožice
stadium to Jože Plečnik’s famous St. Michael Church in the village
of Črna Vas. From there continue past Ljubljana Castle, the suburb of Trnovo
back to Ljubljana centre. Continue with sightseeing tour on foot and visit
the most significant sights of the old city centre: the picturesque Central
open-air Market and the Three Bridges, both designed by famous architect
Joze Plecnik, the Baroque Town Hall and the Robba’s Fountain. To make the
tour even more interesting, a boat ride on the Ljubljanica River with sounds
of accordion. Lunch at local “gostilna” in Ljubljana. After lunch journey to the
Cerknica Lake, an intermittent lake near the town of Cerknica. When full, it
is the largest lake in the country. Its surface can reach up to 38 km² and the
surface level varies from 546 to 551 meters above sea level. It is also an
important wildlife resort, especially as a nesting place for many bird species.
You will be able to enjoy the sites during your typical local carriage “lojtrnik”
drive that will take you around the lake. You will also taste local “Šnops” and
pastry. End the day in Ljubljana. (B, L)
Day 04, 13 MAY 2011
THE PRIMORSKA REGION
Breakfast in hotel
After breakfast drive to nearby Postojna, home of one of the largest caves
in Europe. It has taken millions of years for clear waters of the Pivka River to
create these 21km of underground labyrinth of passages, caverns and great
halls, decorated with dripstones, translucent curtains and pillars of fascinating
shapes and colors. After an unforgettable underground train ride to the heart
of the cave system, experienced guides will accompany you on a walk through
the subtly lit fairy-tale like underground world. You will glimpse a million years
in one moment, admiring delicate spaghetti-like stalactites, massive pillars
and other geological wonders. From here our trip will take us to Karst where
we will toast with wine, enjoy the taste of famous Kraski prsut (air dried ham
– prosciutto) while visiting one of the wine cellars. We continue south. The
Lipica Stud Farm is the place where the breeding of the magnificent white
horses called Lipizzaner started over 400 years ago. Lipizzaner is an indigenous
Karst horse. Nowadays, the stud farm is recognized as a cultural monument
and we will walk around the estate – the stables, green pastures, the church
and, of course, the marvelous horses of all ages and specializations. Lipizzaner
are born dark and turn into noble white beauties when they mature. These
fast and smart animals are trained in the art of Spanish Riding School and can
perform amazing shows. Drive to medieval Piran, the gem of the Slovenian
coast, tucked in between the sea and the mighty town walls. Strong links with
Venice in the past are still reflected in the town’s present appearance. The
central square boasts of eminent historical palaces, the birth house of maestro
Tartini, his monument and his name. We will walk up to the imposing Church
of St. George with its Venetian-like bell tower to admire the view over the
wonderful mosaic of roofs, streets and squares with the stunning backdrop of
the bay. You will have time to discover the hidden corners of the town wander
along the promenade and taste some savory Mediterranean cuisine. Return to
Ljubljana in the evening. (B, WT)
Our first stop today in this exciting region will be Prlekija. Prlekija is a beautiful
area with a lot of low hills and small valleys where old traditions are still kept.
Our first stop will be in the Blacksmith museum where we will learn a little bit
about the craft in blacksmith workshop. Our second stop will be the Pomurje
area. This is the area by the Mura River. We will visit the Floating Mill on the
Mura River, the Island of Love and cross the Mura River on a ford where we
will taste a typical light dish “Burjaska malica” – on fire toasted brown bread
and brandy. From here we continue with our return to traditional crafts and
observe demonstration of straw works, traditional ham making, and visit tra-
ditional pottery museum. End the day with delicious dinner at a Tourist farm
before returning to Ptuj. (B, D)
Day 07, 16 MAY 2011
SOUTHEASTERN REGION
Breakfast in hotel
Today we start with Rogatec, the largest open air-museum in Slovenia. The
museum presents the life and work of farmers and craftsmen at the end of the
19th and the beginning of the 20th century in the Rogatec area. Fifteen differ-
ent relocated or reconstructed buildings and associated functional elements
make up the museum space separated into three sections. The homestead sec-
tion includes the house where poet Jože Šmit was born, with an enclosed gar-
den, an outbuilding with manure pile and an outside toilet, a beehive, pigsties
and a traditional Slovene hayrack (kozolec). The commercial area introduces the
loden, originally a market shop with assorted goods, today also functioning as a
museum shop and administrative premises. The third section is the eating area
with a wine cellar functioning as a pušenšank (a traditional way of allowing
farmers to sell their wines directly) and characterized by planted vines. After
the tour we will participate in three ethnological workshops: baking of bread at
the Šmit’s House, a dancing workshop and beekeeping workshop. From Rogatec
we travel to Bizeljsko region and visit one of local Repnica where we will taste
local dishes and wines. Afternoon at leisure to prepare for the farewell dinner
at local “zidanica” with traditional accordion music. (B, L, D)
Day 08, 17MAY 2011
OUT
Breakfast in hotel
Transfer on own to Ljubljana airport. (B)

Day 05, 14 MAY 2011

THE ŠTAJERSKA REGION
Breakfast in hotel
This morning travel to the Štajerska region and visit its most significant cities
of Maribor and Ptuj. First stop today will be in the second biggest Slovenian
city, nestled at the foothills of Pohorje. Spontaneous and relaxed, the attrac-
tive city of Maribor has a lot to offer. We visit the majestic Gothic Cathedral,
the lively Main Square and discover the legends of the Franciscan Church. We
will make our way over to the picturesque Town Square and visit the romantic
Lent river bank to see the Old Vine House, with the oldest vine in the world. To
make the visit complete, we enjoy a light meal and taste the wines in one of
the renowned wine cellars. Continue on the Drava Plain, surrounded by ther- Price:
mal springs, flourishing fields and vineyards, where Ptuj, the oldest Slovenian 1,147 $ per person in DBL/TWIN room
town, lies. It was mentioned already as Roman Poetovio in 69 BC. Numerous 1,306 $ per person in SGL room
archaeological remains tell of those days, while its lovely present appearance
originates from the Middle Ages, when Ptuj flourished for the second time. The
medieval castle dominates a panoramic hill above Ptuj - it houses exceptional To find out all about these tours,
collections, illustrating the traditions and history of the region. Enchanted by breaks and packages, please
the heritage of the past, we continue down the pretty streets, admiring the contact your local agent:
Provost Church, the poignant Orpheus’ Pillar and the flamboyant Town Hall.
Enjoy dinner with accordion music at a local “Gostilna” before ending the day
in Ptuj. (B, WT, D)

Day 06, 15 MAY 2011

THE PREKMURJE REGION
Breakfast in hotel.
Prekmurje is an undisturbed iridescent plain country where the sun and the
wind hold in high esteem the diligence of human hands and the soil repays to
good people the gratitude with different goods.