Slovenia is among ’13 surprisingly easy countries for English speakers to travel in’, according to Thrillist, a popular US-based online lifestyle publication with over 3 million subscribers.

Slovenia definitely deserves to be on this list as 59% of Slovenians (and virtually all young people) speak English at a conversational level. lf the first person you meet isn’t able to understand and help you, then the second one most certainly will be.

‘A tiny European country of 2 million strong, nearly squeezed off the continent and into the Adriatic by Croatia, Hungary, Austria, and Italy. Slovenian culture blends all these neighboring influences, so it’s no surprise Slovenians love language. Over-the-top friendly locals who speak impeccable English make Slovenia the stuff of road trip and hitchhiking dreams. Asking for directions might turn into 30 minutes of shooting the bull about attractions and Slovenian history, which might carry into drinks at the bar or even an invitation for a home-cooked meal,’ the Thrillist substantiated their decision.

And what does the Thrillist recommend to see in Slovenia? ‘The capital Ljubljana (which looks impossible to pronounce, but actually comes out rather naturally in a native English accent) is just a two-hour drive from Venice and about a four- to five-hour drive from Vienna, Budapest, and Split. It’s easy to sneak Slovenia into a Eurotrip itinerary and you should definitely do it — if for no other reason than the greenery and sidewalk cafes of Ljubljana or the breathtakingly blue waters and open skies of Lakes Bled and Bohinj.’

The complete list of ’13 surprisingly easy countries for English speakers to travel in’ includes Tanzania, Germany, The Philippines, Slovenia, Nepal, Cuba, Japan, Armenia, India, Belize, Pakistan, Singapore, and Malta.

Thrillist’s full article can be found here!

Lake Bled is one of the most popular tourist destination in Slovenia. (photo: Jure Korber and Tjasa Borsnak)

Slovenia has become the first country in the European Union to include the right to drinking water in its constitution. There were 64 votes in favour and none against the new law. ‘Everyone has the right to drinkable water,’ Slovenia’s constitution now says. ‘Water resources represent a public good that is managed by the state. Water resources are primary and durably used to supply citizens with potable water and households with water and, in this sense, are not a market commodity.’

Being able to drink tap water around Slovenia should not be taken for granted. It is a huge privilege that we must preserve for us and generations after us.

Slovenia’s parliament has declared in a constitutional amendment that the country’s water belongs to all its citizens. (photo: Daniel Tomanovic)

International SOS and Control Risks, two of the world’s leading security and medical specialists, have just launched the industry leading Travel Risk Map for 2017. We are very pleased to report that Slovenia has been put in the group of insignificant-risk travel destinations. The map is published to help organisations better understand the risks in the markets where they operate and travel.

According to the research, the safest countries in the world are Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Switzerland and Slovenia. The most dangerous countries include Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Darfur, Somalia, Yemen, and South Sudan.

The Travel Security Risks map is based on a range of mitigating factors that could pose a threat to travellers. These include: political violence (includes terrorism, insurgency etc.), social unrest and violent and petty crimes. Other factors are considered when they are of sufficient magnitude to have effect on the overall risks affecting travellers; these vary from a country’s likelihood of a natural disaster to the efficiency and capabilities of a country’s security and emergency services.

Travel Security Risks map for 2017. Slovenia is colored in green, a color code applied to the destinations where violent crime rates are very low and there is no significant political violence or civil unrest and little sectarian, communal, racial or targeted violence against foreigners. Security and emergency services are effective and infrastructure is sound. Transport services are of a high standard with good safety records and only occasional travel disruption. Industrial action affecting essential services is rare.

Lake Bled is the top tourist destination in Slovenia. (photo: Jernej Leben)

According to the 2016 Prosperity Index by the London based think-tank Legatum Institute, Slovenia is the 20th most prosperous country on Earth. The index reflects not just a nation’s wealth and economic growth but also the main factors reflecting the well-being, quality of life and life-satisfaction of its citizens.

The most prosperous country in the world is New Zealand, followed by Norway and Finland, while Afghanistan, Yemen and the Central African Republic rank lowest.

The index looked at the 149 countries in the world that have the most available data. The complete list of the 25 richest, healthiest, happiest, and most advanced countries in the world includes:
1. New Zealand
2. Norway
3. Finland
4. Switzerland
5. Canada
6. Australia
7. Netherlands
8. Sweden
9. Denmark
10. United Kingdom
11. Germany
12. Luxembourg
13. Ireland
14. Iceland
15. Austria
16. Belgium
17. United States
18. France
19. Singapore
20. Slovenia
21. Spain
22. Japan
23. Hong Kong
24. Malta
25. Portugal

Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana. (photo: Jakob Noc)

From November 7th to November 9th, London once more hosted the annual WTM (World Travel Market) tourism fair. We are absolutely delighted to report that this year Bled has emerged as the winner in the Sports Destination category. The success for Slovenian tourism was even greater as the expert jury placed Kranjska Gora in third.

The Slovenian Tourist Board successfully presented Slovenia as a green destination ideal for active, outdoor-oriented tourists.

Bled is possibly the most popular tourist destination in Slovenia. (photo: Jure Korber and Tjasa Borsnak)

Interestingly, the Wall Street Journal recently put Slovenia on top of the list of the world’s most buzzy, unpredictable travel destinations to visit next year.

The business-focused, English-language international newspaper describes Slovenia as ‘a good choice if you’re looking for a chic, unlikely hideout since plenty of people don’t know where it is.’

The complete list of the WSJ’s top 10 buzzy and unpredictable destinations in the world includes:
1. Slovenia
2. Chengdu, China
3. Rwanda
4. Finland
5. The Canadian Arctic
6. Luang Prabang, Laos
7. Greenville, S.C., U.S.A.
8. Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
9. St. Kitts
10. Tangier, Morocco

Here’s a link to the article: Buzzy, Newly Accessible Destinations, From the Canadian Arctic to Chengdu, China

Lake Bled in Slovenia. (photo: Masa Vodenik)

Halloween time has come around again and you know what that means — time to be reading about monsters, murders, and haunted castles. So it’s not a big surprise that the online newspaper Huffington Post has compiled a list of the 5 most haunted castles around the world. But guess what, Slovenia’s Predjama Castle was put on top of this scary list.

‘Built within a cave in the middle of a towering cliff, Predjama, which dates back to 1274, is imposing by most standards. Add in local legend and you’ll be hard pressed not to get spooked: Once the residence of knight Erazem Lueger, Predjama has hidden passageways and was reputedly a site of torture and treachery. Lueger was betrayed by his servants and killed in the castle, and is said to still haunt it,’ the Huffington Post substantiated their decision.

The other castles included on the list are Scotland’s Castle Fraser, Germany’s Burg Eltz, England’s Chillingham Castle, and the Czech Republic’s Houska Castle.

Read more about the remarkable Predjama Castle:
– All You Need To Know To Visit the Predjama Castle
– 10 Beautiful Predjama Castle Photos

The Renaissance-style Predjama Castle has the reputation of being one of the most haunted castles in Europe. It sits nestled in the mouth of a cave and is set within a 123-metre-tall rock face. (photo: Daniel Tomanovic)

Slovenia is becoming known in the international tourism community as a beautiful little country which is taking big steps in sustainable tourism. After the country’s capital Ljubljana has won the European Green Capital Award for 2016, Slovenia has earned another prestigious award in the field of sustainable tourism. This time, Slovenia became the first country on the planet to be designated as a Green Destination. This important recognition came from the Netherlands-based organisation Green Destinations, which provides support and encouragement for more sustainable tourism. The title was presented at a ceremony at Ljubljana Castle as part of the two-day Global Green Destinations Day conference.

Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana. (photo: Domen Dolenc)

Celica Hostel, a renowned hostel in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana, has received another award – it has been named by the British newspaper The Guardian as one of the best luxury hostels in Europe.

The hostel is located in the most unlikely of buildings: a former military prison that has been converted into a quirky hostel. Dating back to 1883, the jailhouse was originally used as a military prison of the Austro-Hungarian army. Later on, as Yugoslavia was formed, the prison came into the hands of Yugoslav Federal Army. It was abandoned in 1991 when Slovenia gained independence and the Yugoslav National Army left the country. Thanks to a creative facelift, there are now 20 cells which guests can stay in and each is unique in layout, materials and colors, except they all have their original cell bars on the doors and windows.

“It’s hard to think of a better use for an ex-prison than what the team behind Celica Hostel in Slovenia have come up with. After more than a decade of persistance from a group of artists from the city, the prison building, which ceased use in 2001 and was almost demolished by the authorities, was reopened as a hotel, founded on the idea of the potential of creative spirit. Over 80 artists from around the world collaborated to help with the conversion, with each room (or cell) redesigned by them – one room features original work by Antony Gormley. Now it’s a buzzing place to stay, with its own art gallery, great cafe and restaurant area, and alternative venues found in the old warehouse buildings just behind it,” the Guardian substantiated their decision.

But this isn’t the first award for the Celica Hostel. Lonely Planet proclaimed it as the world’s Hippest hostel #1. Rough Guides included it into the world’s ultimate 25 places to stay. The hostel has also received the Gold Travelife certificate, a prestigious recognition awarded by the international organisation for the promotion of sustainable operation in the field of tourism.

The hostel opened its doors in 2003 and has been designed to be bright and quirky- a world away from the prison’s former grey decor. Every cell is designed by various artists from all over the world and available for between 18 and 35 Euros per night. You can read our review of the Celica Hostel HERE, or book your stay HERE!

The Guardian submitted a list of the best hostels in Europe to demonstrate the possibility to enjoy a budget city break without compromising on comfort and facilities. The list also includes Les Piaules (Paris), Generator (Venice), ClinkNoord (Amsterdam), Circus Hostel (Berlin), LaBanda Rooftop (Sevilla), Soul Kitchen Junior (St. Petersburg), Sir Toby’siz (Prague), Tattva Design (Porto), and The Yellow (Rome).

Hostel Celica in Ljubljana was once a former prison. (photo: Hostel Celica)

The Global Peace Index 2016 was recently published by the think tank Institute for Economics and Peace, revealing the safest and most dangerous countries in the world. The 10th annual edition of the report ranked 163 countries based on their levels of peace. Every country was issued a peace score out of 5 (the lower the score, the higher the level of peace), determined by analysis of 23 factors under three categories: the level of safety and security in society, domestic and international conflict, and militarisation.

Of the 11 nations deemed to have a very high level of peace by the Global Peace Index, 8 are in Europe, while New Zealand (named the 4th safest), Canada (8th) and Japan (9th) also make an appearance.

The complete list of the 11 safest countries on Earth, along with their respective peace scores includes:
1. Iceland (1.192)
2. Denmark (1.246)
3. Austria (1.278)
4. New Zealand (1.287)
5. Portugal (1.356)
6. Czech Republic (1.36)
7. Switzerland (1.37)
8. Canada (1.388)
9. Japan (1.395)
10. Slovenia (1.408)
11. Finland (1.429)

On the other hand, Syria has been named as the least peaceful, followed by South Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.

The complete list of the 11 most dangerous countries in the world, along with their respective peace scores includes:
1. Syria (3.806)
2. South Sudan (3.593)
3. Iraq (3.57)
4. Afghanistan (3.538)
5. Somalia (3.414)
6. Yemen (3.399)
7. Central African Republic (3.354)
8. Ukraine (3.287)
9. Sudan (3.269)
10. Libya (3.2)
11. Pakistan (3.145)

A picturesque landscape in Bled in Slovenia, one of the most peaceful countries in the world. (photo: Dejan Hudoletnjak)