Slovenia

This new, thoroughly updated and significantly expanded third edition of Bradt's Slovenia offers expert travel advice about this engaging European country. Slovenia has emerged as a serious year-round tourist destination that combines captivating city breaks in the capital Ljubljana with stellar outdoor activities in varied, wildlife-rich landscapes. Widely renowned as a world leader in green tourism and sustainable development, Slovenia showcases many of Europe's finest elements in an area roughly the size of Wales. Here you can walk amid Alpine mountains or lush valleys, visit glacial lakes and charming Adriatic coastal towns, or admire a rich tapestry of architectural styles while delving into the country's captivating culture, diverse history or delicious cuisine. Ljubljana is a vibrant capital, so Bradt's Slovenia provides intimate detail on where to stay and eat, what to see and do, and how to get around. But this guide will also inspire and inform wider explorations in this impressively varied and conveniently compact country. Here you can ski in the Alps in the morning, eat a late lunch with world-class chefs in the hilly hinterland then savour an Adriatic sunset with a glass of locally produce fine wine. In a country where half the land is protected, you can hike in the Juliana mountains, go wild swimming in Lake Bled (one of Europe's finest glacial lakes), raft rivers in the Soca Valley, go bear-watching with a local operator, venture underground into UNESCO-listed caves such as Postojna and kocjan, or relax in thermal spas. Foodies will revel in a rich culinary larder blending influences from neighbouring Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Italy, while remaining distinctively Slovenian. Vinophiles will enjoy touring local vineyards, discovering world-class wines only available locally. Alongside an extensive update that sheds new light on old favourites, this new, longer edition contains more maps, explores more diverse locations, identifies the best places to eat and stay, and offers greater focus on cycling and family travel, spas and health resorts, craft beer, the growing foodie culture, ecotourism and wildlife-watching. The upshot is that Bradt's Slovenia serves as the perfect travelling companion to this compelling European destination. AUTHOR: Rudolf Abraham (rudolfabraham.com) is an award-winning travel writer, photographer and guidebook author specialising in Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Austria, France, Central and Eastern Europe. He writes about hiking and outdoor adventure, art and culture, family travel and sustainable tourism, and his work has taken him from the workshops of traditional craftsmen and craftswomen to some of the most remote mountain areas of Europe. He is the author of over a dozen travel guidebooks and has contributed to many more, writing for Bradt (for whom his books comprise Slovenia, Croatia, Croatia: Istria and Alpe-Adria Trail), Cicerone, DK Eyewitness and Rough Guides. His travel writing and photography are both published widely online and in publications including Family Traveller, BBC Countryfile, Geographical, Hidden Europe, The Guardian, The Independent, JRNY Magazine, Lonely Planet, National Geographic Traveller UK, The Telegraph, The Great Outdoors and Wanderlust. Rudolf is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers.