Slovenia has made its way to a list of top international spots to visit next year. It was listed on National Geographic’s “25 breathtaking places and experiences for 2023,″ which was released on Wednesday. Slovenia was among the few from Europe to make the list.

Slovenia makes National Geographic’s ‘Best of the World’ list in the ‘Nature’ category. (photo: Jure Korber and Tjasa Borsnak)

We Slovenians knew it, but it seems the rest of the world is tuning in. National Geographic magazine named Slovenia as one of the best destinations to visit in 2023. “Widely recognized as a leader in sustainable tourism, Slovenia has already cooked up a number of eco-friendly tours under its seven-year-old, countrywide Green Scheme,” the list by National Geographic staff says. “Now it’s added a new item to the menu: the Slovenia Green Gourmet Route. This 11-day, 10-destination food trail is intended specifically for bicyclists.”

Every year, National Geographic makes its annual list of the 25 breathtaking places and experiences to help travelers get a jump on planning for the year ahead. For 2023, National Geographic’s Best of the World is themed around travel destinations and experiences that leverage the benefits of tourism to strengthen their local communities and environments, both natural and built. We are very proud Slovenia made the prestigious 2023 list in the Nature category!

National Geographic’s full article can be found here!

If you love nature, Triglav National Park is the place for you in Slovenia. (photo: Iztok Medja, Slovenia.info)

Jeruzalem is located in the northeastern part of the country and is known for its scenic vineyards, super good wine and lush hills. (photo: Andrej Tarfila, Slovenia.info)

Along the Slovenian coast, there are many beautiful towns and also some beautiful beaches to discover. (photo: Drazen Stader, Produkcija Studio, Slovenia.info)

From February 19th it is possible to travel to Slovenia from anywhere in the world without showing a Covid vaccine pass or negative test.

As of February 19th restrictions due to Covid-19 no longer apply when entering Slovenia. This means that the RVT (recovered/vaccinated/tested) condition no longer has to be met on the Slovenian borders and travellers will no longer be ordered to quarantine at home. (photo: Jacob Riglin, Beautiful Destinations, Slovenia.info)

The Slovenian government at an extraordinary meeting on Saturday decided to remove all entry restrictions on February 19th, the same day it also scrapped nearly all of its domestic Covid rules and recommendations.

The lifting of the entry restrictions is a great relief for many travellers, not least for those living and working in Austria and Italy. This decision also reduces the burden on the Slovenian Police Authority, which no longer needs to set aside staff to check Covid-19 certificates at the border.

We’re extremely proud to announce that Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana has been crowned European Best Destination 2022 out of more than 400 destinations. It trumped other popular European cities, including London (UK), Rome (Italy) and Vienna (Austria), ​​which finished 7th, 13th and 17th respectively.

Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana tops the list of 20 European Best Destinations for 2022, picked out of 400 destinations by a special jury based on previous successes. (photo: Blaz Pogacnik, visitljubljana.com)

Travellers from around the world voted for their favourites between January 20th and February 10th. 92% of the votes for Ljubljana came from other countries, mostly from the US, Italy, Germany, Austria and Croatia. No other destination since 2009 has won such a high proportion of the vote from other countries. More than half a million people from 182 countries voted, with 75,642 picking Ljubljana as their favourite.

The Slovenian capital is described as a ‘city for curious and adventurous souls’ and a ‘treasure trove of exciting secrets and natural joys’. It’s being recommended to those who love nature, city break, foodies, culture lovers, Instagrammers, lovers and families.

The complete list of the top 20 European Best Destinations for 2022 includes:
1. Ljubljana (Slovenia)
2. Marbella (Spain)
3. Amiens (France)
4. Plovdiv (Bulgaria)
5. Leuven (Belgium)
6. Oradea (Romania)
7. London (UK)
8. Nijmegen (Netherlands)
9. Lahti Region – Finland)
10. Istanbul (Turkey)
11. Amalfi Coast (Italy)
12. Prague (Czech Republic)
13. Rome (Italy)
14. Bavaria (Germany)
15. Athens (Greece)
16. Clonakilty (Ireland)
17. Vienna (Austria)
18. Lucerne (Switzerland)
19. Graz (Austria)
20. Crete (Greece)

For more information visit europeanbestdestinations.com.

Ljubljana with its hilltop castle as seen from the Neboticnik skyscraper. (photo: Jacob Riglin, Beautiful Destinations, Slovenia.info)

Triple Bridge connects Ljubljana’s historic Old Town on one bank and the modern part of the city on the other. (photo: Dunja Wedam, visitljubljana.com)

Ljubljana and its hilltop castle. (photo: Andrej Tarfila, Slovenia.info)

The cobblestone Stari Trg Square in the heart of Ljubljana’s Old Town. (photo: Blaz Pogacnik, visitljubljana.com)

The electric train Urban encircles Ljubljana’s Old Town every two hours, four times a day. (photo: Andrej Tarfila, Slovenia.info)

Several centimetres of snow covered sidewalks, roads, and backyards in Slovenia. Even if you’re not a big fan of cold weather, it’s hard not to love a gorgeous snow-covered landscape.

Winter doesn’t officially begin for another couple of weeks, but here in Slovenia, we’ve already had the first big snowstorm – most of the country got about 15 to 40 centimetres of beautiful powdery white snow.

Enjoy these photos of the first snow of the season in Slovenia.

It’s the beginning of December but the charming small alpine village of Kranjska Gora already has almost half a meter of new snow on the ground. (photo: Ida Kristan)

Amazing aerial photo of the Bled island covered with a white blanket of fresh new snow. (photo: Lara Muhic, imprinti.si)

A majority of the snow fell in northwestern Slovenia. (photo: Niko Turk)

Despite some restrictions related to the Covid-19 epidemic, skiing season is starting in Slovenia. Skiers are required to meet the recovered-vaccinated-tested (PCT) condition. Wearing surgical or FFP2 face masks is mandatory in enclosed facilities and also in outdoor facilities if distancing is not ensured. Also, ski lifts must be operated in accordance with recommendations from the National Institute of Public Health.

Krvavec is one of the most popular ski resorts in Slovenia and is best known for being the nearest ski resort to an international airport in Europe. (photo: Iztok Medja, Slovenia.info)

The ski season in Slovenia generally runs from December through to March. Bordering the Austrian and Italian Alps, Slovenia lives and breathes winter sports. Skiing is never going to be a budget holiday, but compared to the big four in the European skiing scene (France, Austria, Switzerland and Italy) Slovenia is a bargain.

Vogel is a lovely unspoiled ski resort with some of the most magnificent views in the world. (photo: Iztok Medja, Slovenia.info)

Kranjska Gora is the most well-known Slovenian ski resort. (photo: Kranjska Gora Tourist Board)

The best places for skiing in Slovenia: Best Ski Resorts In Slovenia

Lonely Planet, one of the world’s most renowned travel guide producers, has unveiled its top 10 countries to visit in 2022 with Slovenia named in its top five. Slovenia is described as a green destination, and together with Norway are the only two European countries on the list, which is topped by the Cook Islands in the South Pacific. As they wrote in the travel guide, Slovenia is a mixture of the Balkans, Mediterranean and Alps and offers travelers numerous possibilities of active experiences. Lonely Planet also placed great emphasis on culinary experiences, which Slovenia offers to both local and foreign visitors.

Lonely Planet has again selected ten travel destinations for the year ahead. Among them is Slovenia, the hidden pearl of Central Europe. (photo: Jure Korber and Tjasa Borsnak)

Lonely Planet, which has been providing inspiring and trustworthy information for travellers since 1973, published its annual Best in Travel list on Thursday, October 28th. This highly anticipated list shares Lonely Planet’s expertise on the most desirable destinations and travel experiences for the next year 2022.

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel list takes into consideration dozens of recommended destinations from all around the world, from which a shortlist is then selected by the guide’s panel of 5 travel experts and enthusiasts. In the 2022 edition, the top 10 counties are each chosen for their topicality and readiness to welcome visitors in the year ahead, their offering of unique experiences and ‘wow’ factor and additionally their commitment to sustainable practices in tourism. This edition places particular emphasis on the best sustainable travel experiences and reveals how tourists can have a positive impact on the world by providing practical advice on sustainable travel choices and informing readers how they can support local communities and celebrate inclusivity.

According to Lonely Planet’s Vice President of Experience, Tom Hall, the release of Lonely Planet’s annual “hot list” of destinations and travel experiences could not be more timely. “After an enforced hiatus, it’s time to take those long-postponed travel plans off the shelf and make them a reality.” Hall also asserted: “The lists celebrate the world in all its wonderful enticing variety, from the lagoons and forests of the Cook Islands to the waterfalls and mountains of Iceland’s Westfjords, via Auckland’s natural and urban delights.”

The Top 10 Countries category was one of four categories in the list which also included Top 10 Regions, Top 10 Cities and Top 10 Best Value Destinations.

The complete list of Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Countries to visit in 2022 includes Cook Islands, Norway, Mauritius, Belize, Slovenia, Anguilla, Oman, Nepal, Malawi and Egypt.

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2022 book is now on sale.

With a thriving culinary scene, range of outdoor pursuits and highly regarded green credentials, Slovenia has been named 5th in the top 10 countries to visit in 2022, according to world-leading travel publisher Lonely Planet. (photo: Jacob Riglin, Beautiful Destinations, Slovenia.info)

The picturesque Lake Bled tops the list of the 10 best half-term holidays in Europe, according to the well-known British newspaper The Guardian.

Lake Bled in Slovenia is one of the best destinations in Europe to visit in the fall season. (photo: Ales Krivec)

Here’s what The Guardian’s article says about Lake Bled: ‘Slovenia is cooling down in October, but it is a spectacular time to see Lake Bled’s woody fringes burst into flames of colour. Hilltop Bled Castle towers over its northern shore, and children will love the cruise to the fairytale island in the middle of the lake, as well as the Indiana-Jones-style walkway at sheer-sided Bled Gorge’.

The complete list of The Guardian’s top 10 half-term holidays in Europe includes Lake Bled, South-east Sicily, Val de Bagnes in the Swiss Alps, Canal du Midi, Eastern Algarve, Romania, Rhodes, Hamburg, Amsterdam, and Normandy.

The article is available here!

Bled Island looks even more picturesque when the colors of the leaves change into warm yellow and orange hues. (photo: Bojan Kolman)

Despite the warmer temperatures, the fall is here and the nature in the Lake Bled area is changing its colors to the hues of fall with dazzling yellow, orange, red, and brown.

Early Fall is a great time to visit Lake Bled, following the departure of the large summer crowds. (photo: Jana Bozic)

Bled Island is changing its colors from green to yellow and orange. (photo: Jana Bozic)

It’s hard to imagine a more romantic place for a launch than at Lake Bled. (photo: Jana Bozic)

Lake Bled gets so calm in the fall. (photo: Jana Bozic)

In the early fall trees are beginning to change from green to yellow, orange, red and brown. (photo: Jana Bozic)

Golica is a mountain in the Karavanke range in northwestern Slovenia known for its white daffodils which, every year in May and June, cover parts of the mountain appearing like a white snow-like carpet. This year, the daffodils bloomed quite late thanks to the cold spring and now is the perfect time to see them as within a week or two they will be past their best.

Thousands of white daffodils are blooming on the slopes of Mount Golica. (photo taken on June 9th, 2021 by Leon Vidic)

The slopes of Mount Golica are again covered in a beautiful white blanket of daffodils. (photo taken on June 9th, 2021 by Leon Vidic)

Paragliding above Slovenia’s largest Lake Bohinj is one of those activities that should definitely be high up on your bucket list.

Bohinj is known as the best place in Slovenia to go paragliding. The valley is beautiful all year round and offers different scenery depending on the season.

Tandem paragliding is the safest way to fly. The passenger does not need to have any previous experience. The instructor will give you some very simple instructions for takeoff and landing.

The Bohinj area is known as the best place in Slovenia to go paragliding. (photo: Kumulus Paragliding, kumulusparagliding.com)

Tandem paragliding is a great way to get a taste of paragliding, have some fun, without undertaking extensive training or spending lots of money of gear. (photo: Kumulus Paragliding, kumulusparagliding.com)

Tandem paragliding is not extreme thrill-seeking activity. Many people experienced it as a relaxing and peaceful because you fly like a bird without the noise of the engine, feel the high altitude, uninterrupted panoramic view of mountains and the surroundings of the world around you. (photo: Kumulus Paragliding, kumulusparagliding.com)