Slovenia: Europe’s Best-Kept Secret

Angie Brandt is the president of Both Worlds Travel, specializing in creating BOld adventures for all retirees. Reach her at [email protected] or 919-787-0380.

Church bells echo through a flower-strewn mountain valley, while you sip wine under terraced vines at the golden hour, or cycle through numerous alpine villages fueled by curiosity and hearty dishes served by master mountain hut keepers. This is Slovenia, where breathtaking landscapes, world-class cuisine, and immersive experiences come together in a way that feels both deeply invigorating and entirely within reach.

Tucked between Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia, Slovenia feels like Europe distilled. This country is unspoiled, poetic and full of contrasts. One moment, you’re standing at the edge of Lake Bled watching mist curl off the water, the next, you’re winding through wine country or feeling sea spray on your face along the Adriatic. Slovenia is small but diverse enough to keep your spirit stirred.

On the Adriatic coast sits the resort town Portorož. Here, the daily catch is transformed at Ribja Kantina Santa Lucia into simple yet exquisite dishes. Try the Adriatic Prawns in the buzara sauce or the smoky grilled calamari with chard, a glass of Malvasia and a touch of the sea breeze. Inland, the soft hills of Goriška Brda welcome you into a world of honey-colored villages and rolling vineyards. Here, you can taste crisp Rebula, fermented from the white wine grapes grown locally, and meet winemakers who speak of soil with the intensity of young love. Visitors stay at the 400-year old Castelletto Gredič and worship sparkling wine in their Champagne Temple; finishing their day with dinner at the Michelin-rated Restaurant Gredič. Try the Polnjen file soške postrvi, Soča River trout filled with ricotta, almonds and spinach, smoked potato cream.

Photo Credit:  Tomo Jesenicnik  www.slovenia.info

In the Julian Alps, reward a morning hike with warm apple strudel at the inn and restaurant Gostilna Štrud’l. The pastries are as beloved as the expansive mountain views. Follow the Slovenia Green Gourmet Route on wheels and stop at farms, foraged feasts and family-run kitchens. Visit the Velika Planina, a centuries-old, high-elevation settlement of herders’ dwellings on the karst Big Pasture Plateau. You can breathe in the fresh air and scenic views.

Photo Credit:  Jošt Gantar  www.slovenia.info

With Slovenia’s excellent road infrastructure, English widely spoken, and a landscape no larger than New Jersey, exploring feels almost effortless. In a morning, you can drive from the steamy thermal springs of the far eastern Pannonian region to the sun-kissed shores of the Adriatic in the Mediterranean and Karst region — where olive groves, sea breezes and salt pans shape everyday life. For those craving adrenaline with meaning, Slovenia delivers: canyoning through narrow gorges, cycling from village to vineyard or hiking beneath ancient trees.

Photo Credit:  Aleš Frelih Zavod  www.slovenia.info

Slovenia invites you to linger; to sip a glass of wine as the sun melts over the Brda hills; to share stories with a winemaker who still harvests by hand; to taste fresh-from-the-oven strudel in a mountainside hut or breathe in the hush of a shepherd’s village where time seems to pause. In Slovenia, small moments often become precious and etched in memory. Slovenia offers active adults and retirees an exploration to match your dreams. And, Sssh! Even though it’s Europe’s best-kept secret, feel free to brag all you want!

Photo Credit:  Jošt Gantar  www.slovenia.info

Travel With Intention

At Both Worlds Travel, I specialize in journeys that feel deeply personal — where every moment is curated with care and your trip reflects who you are and how you want to live the next chapter. As a Slovenia specialist, I’ll help you experience this remarkable country in a way that stirs your soul, feeds your curiosity, and leaves you changed in the best way possible.

Go there.