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)

Slovenia has ranked 20th out of 133 countries in the Social Progress Index compiled by the Social Progress Imperative with the support of international consulting firm Deloitte, as stated in a new report published by the company. This puts Slovenia in the first place among the Central and Southeast European countries.

The index was prepared on the basis of 53 different indicators including the level of health care, education, access to housing, protection of rights and tolerance.

Ljubljana (photo: Luka Esenko)

The idyllic Alpine gem Bled, famous for its gorgeous lake with an enchanting island and mysterious cliff-top castle, tops the list of Europe’s 15 most breathtakingly beautiful villages, according to Thrillist.

The travel portal notes that “nothing speaks more to the notion of serenity and quaintness than rural Europe. Think Lord of the Rings-style English villages, with relics dating back to a pre-industrial age, thatched-roof cottages, windmills, and market squares. Yes, these places still do exist, and they are what give modern Europe its rustic charm. And what’s more, Europe’s rich cultural diversity provides the modern traveler with a veritable mix of locations and cultures to select from — all replete with forts, castles, and local delicacies.”

It describes Bled as follows: “You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more picturesque setting than Bled, in Northern Slovenia near the border with Austria. It’s picture perfect in every sense. The Julian Alps dominate the background, while in the foreground, a 17th-century Baroque church sits on a remote island, adrift in the middle of a glacial lake. It’s the stuff of fairytales. With waterfalls, castles, and remote caves all within the area, it makes for a vivid and character-filled landscape.”

The complete list of the 15 most picturesque villages that are worth going out of your way to visit when you’re in Europe includes:
1. Bled (Slovenia)
2. Quedlinburg (Germany)
3. Zermatt (Switzerland))
4. Aigu?ze (France)
5. Lacock (UK)
6. Reine (Norway)
7. Procida (Italy)
8. Sintra (Portugal)
9. Korčula (Croatia)
10. Bickensohl (Germany)
11. Vejer de la Frontera (Spain)
12. Hallstatt (Austria)
13. La Roque-Gageac (France)
14. Portree (Scotland)
15. Oia (Santorini)

Lake Bled (photo: Bojan Kolman)

So, how much do Europeans in different countries know about the EU? According to a new survey carried by the VoxEurop, Slovenians are the most informed when it comes to the European Union, while the British are the least informed.

A map showing how knowledgeable Europeans are about the EU

Countries ranking by the population’s knowledge of EU key facts and institutions. 100 = best knowledge

Source: voxeurop.eu

25 years ago on June 25th, the Slovenian Assembly adopted three key independence documents, on the basis of which Slovenia became an independent and sovereign country.

Image by Andrej Jakobčič / CC BY-SA 3.0

The Huffington Post has just published a ranking of the world’s most extraordinary national parks and Slovenia’s Triglav National Park was included in this exquisite company. “Located just outside of Bled, Slovenia’s only national park seems plucked from a fairy tale. With the picturesque Lake Bohinj ripe for exploration by canoe or kayak, plenty of hiking trails and quaint wooden houses lining the lake, it’s a glorious respite from the popular destination of Bled,” the Huffington Post substantiated their decision.

The other national parks included on the list are the USA’s Yellowstone National Park, Mexico’s Palenque National Park, Canada’s Pacific Rim National Park, Colombia’s Tayrona National Park, Argentina’s Parque Nacional Los Glacieres, Brazil’s Pantanal Matogrossense National Park, Japan’s Hakone National Park, Thailand’s Khao Yai National Park, Vietnam’s Cat Ba National Park, Namibia’s Etosha National Park, Kenya’s Nairobi National Park, Morocco’s Toubkal National Park, Sweden’s Sarek National Park, Spain’s Timanfaya National Park, Tasmania’s Freycinet National Park and New South Wales’s Jervis Bay National Park.

Read the Huffington Post article: 17 of the World’s Most Extraordinary National Parks

Alpine lakes, majestic mountains, green valleys, beautiful rivers, spectacular waterfalls, attractive gorges, sweeping vistas and more, the Triglav National Park has it all. Image by chensiyuan / GFDL

The tragic events of the Paris and Brussels attacks and political instability in many countries has some travelers re-evaluating their upcoming travel plans. The British Foreign Office has rated much of Europe as having a general threat from terrorism. However there are still some countries with a low terrorism threat in Europe and Slovenia is one of them. If you’d like to have peace of mind on your vacation, Slovenia is the perfect destination.

Slovenia has been listed by the British Foreign Office as a country with the lowest risk of terror attacks.

In the wake of the attacks, the British Foreign Office released a list of terror threat ratings by country, and the surprising part is that more than 10 countries in Europe are currently sitting at a threat level of ‘high’. Vacation favorites like Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom all have a level 4 (high) rating, putting them alongside countries like Syria, Iraq and Nigeria.

The Huffington Post has just published a ranking of 10 beautiful European cities that are often mistakenly overlooked. The coastal town of Piran was included in this exquisite company. The list includes the following cities: Belfast (Ireland), Ghent (Belgium), Helsinki (Finland), Leeds (England), Lyon (France), Malmö (Sweden), Mantua (Italy), Piran (Slovenia), Valencia (Spain), and Wroclaw (Poland).

The Huffington Post was founded in May 2005 by journalist Arianna Huffington and entrepreneur Kenneth Lerer. At first, it served as a blog to share your comments with other people, but over time it has developed into a very popular internet journal providing information on politics, business, entertainment and the environment.

Piran was influenced by the architecture of Venice. (photo: Luka Esenko)

According to the 2016 Environmental Performance Index, which ranks 180 countries on how they protect human health and ecosystems, Slovenia is the 5th most environmentally friendly country on Earth.

The annual Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is compiled by researchers from the US-based Yale University and Columbia University. The index ranks how well countries perform on high-priority environmental issues in two broad policy areas: protection of human health from environmental harm and the protection of ecosystems.

According to the report, the greenest country on Earth is Finland, followed by Iceland and Sweden. Slovenia earned a very respectable 5th position, while its neighbours Croatia, Austria, Hungary and Italy are placed on 15, 18, 28 and 29 position respectively.

World’s top 10 most environmentally friendly countries (with their scores):
1. Finland (90.68)
2. Iceland (90.51)
3. Sweden (90.43)
4. Denmark (89.21)
5. Slovenia (88.98)
6. Spain (88.91)
7. Portugal (88.63)
8. Estonia (88.59)
9. Malta (88.48)
10. France (88.20)
…
15. Croatia (86.98)
18. Austria (86.64)
28. Hungary (84.60)
29. Italy (84.48)

(photo: Peter Zajfrid)