45 Exceptional Landscape, Cityscape and Nature Pictures from around Slovenia by Jure Kralj

About The Photographer

Jure Kralj is an incredibly talented photographer based in Slovenia’s second largest city Maribor, who combines his love for travelling around the world with his love for landscape and cityscape photography. He is an enthusiastic observer of the surrounding world. When possible, he is looking for the best light, for the right angle at the right moment to capture a compelling image. But Jure is not trying to just photograph a record of a location, he’s always striving to create a beautiful image that reveals something of the character and atmosphere of the place. Jure concurs with Elliot Erwitt’s view that “photography is an art of observation. It is about finding something interesting in an ordinary place. It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them”. And Jure’s work brilliantly encapsulates this perspective on the essence of photography.

In 2014, Jure launched his own line of postcards featuring some of his most beautiful shots of his hometown, Maribor. Large, small, innovative, dynamic, colorful and simply beautiful, the postcards quickly became a hit among visitors to Maribor and have already been sent to many different parts of the world.

Collage of places to stay in Slovenia

The picture gallery below features a selection of photographs taken by Jure Kralj in a variety of locations around Slovenia. If you want to see more of his stunning landscape and cityscape photos, you can visit his Facebook page JK Photography and his official website Jure Kralj, where you can also purchase high quality prints of some of Jure’s best photographs.

Photo Gallery

A beautiful picture gallery containing 45 exceptional landscape, cityscape and nature photos from around Slovenia by Jure Kralj.

Maribor, the capital of the Styria region of Slovenia, lies on the Drava river
As the capital of the Styria region, Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia. The town lies on the Drava river and is one of Slovenia’s most beautiful cities.

Lent lies along River Drava and is the oldest part of the city of Maribor, Slovenia
Maribor oozes charm thanks to its lovely Old Town along the Drava River, also known as Lent.

Lent and Old Bridge across the Drava river on sunny summer day, Maribor, Slovenia
Maribor lies on both sides of the Drava river, connected with three bridges, of which the Old Bridge is the oldest (built built between the years 1906 and 1912). It connects the historic city centre on the left side of the river with the new city core that lies on the right side.

Main Square is Maribor, Slovenia, with the Plague Column monument and the Town Hall
The Main Square is the largest of Maribor’s squares and is lined with buildings with interesting facades and architectural ornamentations. The Plague Column is the centerpiece of this Square. The column was erected in 1681 in grateful appreciation of the cessation of the plague epidemic, which had decimated almost a third of Maribor’s inhabitants. A lot of narrow streets with lots of bars, boutiques and small gift shops can be found here.

Liberty Square is Maribor, Slovenia with the National Liberation Monument that dominates the square
The Liberty Square is Maribor’s favourite hang-out spot. It is used for outdoor meetings, cultural events, and memorials, when it is not being used as an open-air market. The square is built on the protective ditch that once surrounded the Castle. The National Liberation Monument dominates the square. Sculpted by Slavko Tihec in 1975, this bronze monument bears the facial images of heroes of the city of Maribor. On its base, the monument has an engraved announcement of the shooting of the 667 hostages and partisan fighters by the German occupation forces during the Second World War. The locals call the monument Kojak, since it reminds them of the bald-headed detective Kojak, of the very popular American TV series from the 70’s.

Pedestrianised central streets in Maribor, Slovenia, decorated with Christmas lights during the festive season in December
Pedestrianised central streets in Maribor buzz with well-priced cafes and small restaurants. Every December, during the festive season, the streets are beautifully decorated with Christmas lights and decorations.

Places to stay in Slovenia's capital Ljubljana

Panorama of the seaside town of Piran, Slovenia
Piran is a small, super charming medieval preserved seaside town. It’s very different to the mostly-Alpine scenery of Slovenia and is very Mediterranean with pretty squares and narrow alleys.

Slovenia's capital Ljubljana with the Triple Bridge over the Ljubljanica river
Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana exudes a charming elegance. In the late 19th century, the city was pretty much leveled by an earthquake, which brought the architecture and colors that exist today. Buildings are gorgeous with different colors and ornaments. The Ljubljanica River runs right through the middle. The whole area is a pedestrian zone and strolling through the streets of Ljubljana is a real treat, they are as charming as any European city you can imagine.

Triple Bridge in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia with the pink Franciscan church in the background
Triple Bridge that crosses the Ljubljanica River is picturesque and an important landmark in Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana. It is a very lively spot that leads into Ljubljana’s Old Town, located right next to the main Preseren square and the pink Franciscan church. The Bridge was designed by Joze Plecnik and has a Venetian look to it. It was opened on 25 September 1842 and the essentials of the bridge have been preserved until today, which is evidenced by the inscribed dedication to the archduke above its central pier, reading in Latin ‘ARCHIDVCI. FRANCISCO. CAROLO. MDCCCXLII. CIVITAS.’, which means ‘To Archduke Franz Karl in 1842 by the Town’.

Christmas lights in Slovenia's capital Ljubljana celebrate science with geometric forms, math equations, galaxies, and planets
Ljubljana’s incredible Christmas lights celebrate science with fancy geometric forms, math equations, galaxies, planets, comets and shooting stars!

Church of the Immaculate Conception with its bell tower in Kamnik, Slovenia
One of the main attractions in the town of Kamnik is the beautiful Church of the Immaculate Conception with its bell tower. It was erected in the mid-18th century but with a detached belfry that shows an earlier church’s Gothic origins.

Lake Bohinj, Slovenia with the Church of St John the Baptist
Lake Bohinj may be the lesser-known lake in the Upper Carniola region of Slovenia, when compared to Lake Bled. However, Bohinj is just as beautiful and much more tranquil than its neighbor. The Church of St John the Baptist sits on the southeast side of lake right by the stone bridge.

Places to stay in Bled, Slovenia

On the shore of Lake Bohinj, Slovenia stands the statue of the Golden Horn (Goldenhorn / Zlatorog)
Slovenia is a country full of Myths and Legends. On the shore of Lake Bohinj stands the slender, dark bronze statue of the Golden Horn (Goldenhorn / Zlatorog) – the magical stag believed to guard the ridges around Lake Bohinj.

lake-bled-island-castle
Lake Bled is a must to visit if you are in Slovenia. It’s a charming glacial lake, surrounded by a ring of mountains of the Slovenian Alps. An attractive medieval castle sits atop a high rocky outcrop. And in the middle of the lake, there’s a tiny island with a church.

A Pletna boat on Lake Bled with Bled Island in the background
To reach the island in the middle of Lake Bled you take a trip with a Pletna boat – the traditional boat unique to Lake Bled which is operated by the Pletna oarsman who rows standing up.

Lake Slivnisko Jezero near the town of Sentjur, Slovenia
Lake Slivnisko Jezero is a lovely lake located in the eastern part of Slovenia near the town of Sentjur. It is a wonderful spot for fishing, various water activities and picnics.

Lake Pernica in the Styria region of Slovenia
Lake Pernica is an artificial lake located between the villages of Vosek and Vukovje in the Styria region of Slovenia. Because of its natural beauty, Pernica provides great opportunities for hiking, cycling and fishing.

The beautiful Lake Pernica, Slovenia
An extremely scenic spot rich with natural beauty, Lake Pernica is very popular among Slovenian landscape photographers.

A sailboat on the Drava River near Maribor, Slovenia
The Drava River offers water sports enthusiasts many recreational activities including sailing, rowing, sail and surfing.

One of more than 50 dams on the Kolpa river in Slovenia
River Kolpa represents the border between Slovenia and Croatia. It’s less known but extremely beautiful and relatively clean river with more than 50 small dams.

Places to stay in Piran, Slovenia

Velika planina is the most beautiful alpine pasture with many wooden shepherd's huts in Slovenia
The Velika planina, loosely translated as Great Highlands, is one of the highest plateaus in Slovenia, with an average elevation of around 1,665 meters. It is considered to be the most beautiful alpine pasture in Slovenia, where traditional dairy farmers graze their cattle between June and September, and the pastures are scattered with around 60 traditional shepherds’ huts which are unique to the area. Velika planina can be reached either on foot or by cable car, which operates all year round.

The beautiful Logar Valley in Slovenia
Located in the heart of the Kamnik Savinja Alps (very close to the border with Austria), the Logar valley is one of the most beautiful and most frequently portrayed Alpine glacial valleys in Europe. The entrance into the valley itself is breathtaking, as you drive past meadows on a winding road with stunning views of the majestic mountains of the Kamnik Savinja Alps. The valley was declared a Landscape Park in 1987.

Maribor, Slovenia is lodged between the wine growing hills and the Pohorje mountain range
Slovenia’s second largest city Maribor is lodged in the wonderful nature of wine growing hills on the one side and the Pohorje mountain range on the other, with the river Drava wending its way through it.

Stunning view of the city of Maribor, Slovenia
Another beautiful view of the city of Maribor.

City Park in Maribor, the capital of the Styria region of Slovenia
Maribor’s City Park is considered to be one of the most beautiful city parks in Europe. It’s a lovely place to take a stroll, or just relax and enjoy the calm nature. It’s especially picturesque in the autumn.

A countryside road leading to the Recica Ob Savinji village in the Styria region of Slovenia
The beautiful countryside road leading to the village of Recica Ob Savinji in the Styria region of Slovenia. Since traffic is light, most village roads in Slovenia are very pleasant for cycling.

The Ljutomer Ormoz
 wine region of Slovenia
The region of Ljutomer – Ormoz
 is one of the most important wine regions in Slovenia and provides perfect conditions for growing grapes.

Places to stay in Bohinj, Slovenia

The beautiful vineyard landscape of the Slovene Hills in northeast Slovenia near the Spicnik village
The Slovene Hills or Slovene Vineyards are the largest hilly region in the northeastern part of Slovenia (bordering with Austria). As the name suggests, this is the land of wine, vineyards and wine cellars.

Klopotec or wind rattle in the vineyards of Slovene Hills in Spicnik, Slovenia
When the wind blows, a very unusual sound can be heard over the Slovene Hills vineyards. The persistent rattling comes from small windmill-like contraptions on tall wooden polls, which have become a symbol of that part of Slovenia.

Pyramid Hill vineyards above the city of Maribor, Slovenia lit up with Christmas lights
The Pyramid hill vineyard above the city of Maribor beautifully lit up with Christmas lights.

Ceremonial harvesting of the Old Vine in Maribor, Slovenia
Maribor is the wine capital of Slovenia and the home of the Old Vine, the oldest grapevine on Earth, as certified by Guinness World Records. At 440 years old, the Old Vine has survived war, fire and pestilence, and still produces fat bunches of red Zametovka grapes. Among the most colorful ceremonies in Maribor is the harvesting of the Old Vine. It produces between 35 and 55 kg of grapes per vintage. This is enough fruit to make around 25 liters of wine that gets bottled in small 250 ml bottles and given by the city council of Maribor as ceremonial gifts to dignitaries (popes, presidents, emperors, etc).

Ceremonial grape harvest of the Old Vine, the highlight of the Old Vine Festival in Maribor, Slovenia
The Old Vine grows on the Old Vine House in Lent, the oldest part of Maribor, Slovenia’s wine-loving second city, in the north-east of the country. The vine is given a lot of tourist promotional protocol events – the most famous and most popular is definitely the Vine’s grape harvest – the highlight of the traditional Old Vine Festival which is held every year at the end of September.

Vinag Wine Cellar in Maribor, Slovenia
Hidden underneath the centre of Maribor, the Vinag wine cellar is one of the biggest classical wine cellars in Europe. It was build in the middle of 19th century and stretches some 2,5 kilometres underground. The oldest bottle comes from the year 1946, everything earlier was drank during the World War II.

Interesting architecture of the Railway Bridge in Maribor, Slovenia
The interesting architecture of the Railway Bridge in Maribor.

Places to stay in Maribor, Slovenia

Ljudski Vrt stadium in Maribor, the capital of the Styria region of Slovenia
The Maribor stadium is considered as one of the most beautiful smaller stadiums in Europe.

Exterior of the University of Maribor, Slovenia
The historic building of the University of Maribor, which is the second biggest and the second oldest university in Slovenia.

A field of sunflowers somewhere in the Styria region of Slovenia
A field of sunflowers can brighten anyone’s day!

There are a lot of bees in Slovenia
Slovenia is one of the smallest countries in Europe, but it’s the only European Union member state to have protected its native bee, the Carniolan bee. It has good conditions for beekeeping and a great beekeeping tradition. Bees are still evenly populated across the entire territory of Slovenia and thus help to maintain the balance in nature.

A cow on a dairy pasture with the Slovenian Alps in the background
In the spring, farmers in the Alpine Mountain Region of Slovenia bring their cows to the pastures, where the cows graze in fresh mountain air, eating a nutrient-rich grasses and enjoying more free space.

A horse grazing on a pasture at dawn somewhere in Slovenia
Beautiful horses grazing on green pastures are a common sight that a traveler through Slovenia is sure to notice.

Landscape of the Loznica Hills and the Andraz nad Polzelo village with the St. Andrew's Church
View of the beautiful landscape of the Loznica Hills and the village of Andraz nad Polzelo. The local parish church is dedicated to Saint Andrew and was first mentioned in written documents dating to 1229. The core of the current church is Gothic and dates to around 1400.

Places to stay in Portoroz, Slovenia

Kamnica village and its surrounding countryside near Maribor, Slovenia
An absolutely breathtaking view of the Kamnica village and its St. Urban’s church on a misty morning.

The church of the Holy Spirit in the village of Podolseva, Slovenia
A beautiful winter landscape with the church of the Holy Spirit in Podolseva, one of the highest mountain villages in Slovenia that stretches under Mount Olseva, a ridge mountain in the eastern part of the Karawanks near the border with Austria.

The Kamnik Savinja Alps as seen near the entrance of the Potocka Zijalka cave
The Kamnik Savinja Alps as seen on a hike to the Olseva mountain near the entrance of the Potocka Zijalka cave.

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75 thoughts on “45 Exceptional Landscape, Cityscape and Nature Pictures from around Slovenia by Jure Kralj”

  1. I love Slovenia, it is definitely one of the most beautiful countries that I have ever visited! These are stunning photos!

  2. WOW! LOVE LOVE LOVE all these photos! The colors are just so beautiful! I never really thought of going to Slovenia, but after seeing these photos, I may need to make a quick trip over there when I’m in Europe

  3. Visually stunning reminders that I need to return to Slovenia and spend more than a day and a half there. Truly magnificent.

  4. Vedno se vprasam zakaj se prodajajo tako grde razglednice ko pa obstajate fotografi in take fotke. Krasne!

  5. I am planning to go to Slovenia next summer and i am from the Netherlands. Thanks for sharing the pic gallery.

  6. I have two great friends from Slovenia, who are currently residing in the U.S. So I think I will share this gallery with them!

  7. These pictures are gorgeous. Currently I am living in Italy for the next three years, I am hoping to visit up that way before I return to the US.

  8. All I can say is Wow! My grandparents were from Slovenia, they came here during the World War II. I have always had a fascination but never an opportunity to visit. My grandparents never spoke of it and rarely spoke the language once arriving in America. I think that’s really a shame because it looks like I’ve missed out on a rich cultural heritage. At least I now know where my love of color comes from

    1. All I can say is Wow! My grandparents were from Slovenia, they came here during the World War II. I have always had a fascination but never an opportunity to visit. My grandparents never spoke of it and rarely spoke the language once arriving in America. I think that’s really a shame because it looks like I’ve missed out on a rich cultural heritage. At least I now know where my love of color comes from

      Thank you for wowing hehe. Really? so nice to hear that!. Please come and see it for yourself where is beauty home. Yeah this is too bad but there you have so much nice places aswell. My dream is to visit Rocky Mountains and many places.I’ve already been in New York and it is like concrete jungle heh. Never forget this.! Cheers

  9. Beautiful pictures, full of lovely colours! I started to think to travel to Slovenia, it must be amazing journey. The only country in Europe I’ve ever visited is Italy, and I found nice experience there.

  10. Very beautiful photographs. I like looking at these galleries. Other parts of the world are right here at my fingertips on the Internet.

  11. I plan to travel to Europe and explore most of the countries there; I always though Slovenia is a country that I probably wouldn’t visit because it’s not as popular as the other countries but thanks to this gallery I plan on going to Slovenia now. Amazing pictures.

    1. Please come and enjoy the best of the country. Many people think that way and we want to promote it from ouir pics and show the world what we are. You will be very suprised what you will find here. I am very happy that I can show you beauty of Slovenia and convince you to came here. Good luck on your journey.

      1. Such awesome photos! Very well composed and with such contrast and color! Thank you for sharing them. Love it!

      2. I’m from Maribor, and as someone mentioned in one of the earlier comments, I haven’t seen Slovenia portrayed more beautifully before! Such vivid colours, amazing… Thanks for sharing such a great image of my country with the others!

        1. Thank you Marjan! I wish I could bring fresness in our beautiful city with pictures and something new. We have to be proud of our city and where we live.! 😀

  12. Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos. I have roots in Slovenia, but have never seen it portrayed so colorfully.

    1. Thank you to take time and comment my small portfolio of pictures. Im glad that you have roots here so you have to come to visit our green country!

  13. Jure’s pictures are fantastic! There is so much spirit and color in Slovenia – I had no idea! Thank you for sharing and giving us all look into this beautiful country.

    1. Thank you so much 😀 I dont think so that is too exspensive. Its one of the cheapest to travel I think .. Because is no such travelers and tourists here beside Ljubljana (capital city).

  14. Great photos…I went to Slovenia a few years ago during the summer and it was awesome. I didn’t know what to expect, Lake Bled was my favorite.

    1. Heh nice to hear that you like it here! Slovenia have great stuff to offer you have to be prepared to explore and also you need time to see all beautiful places.

  15. OUTSTANDING pictures! My relatives on my dad’s side are from Slovenia, and I’ve never been there. This was a great way to see a bit of my history. Thank you for sharing. I now know where my love of colors comes from!

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