The country with LOVE in the midst of greenery

The only country with the word love in the heart of its name offers countless places for couples. Slovenia provides astonishing natural backdrops where you can either soothe your spirit or make your heart race. Here you can encounter lively urban atmospheres that are enhanced by the excitement of cultural events and discovery. Slovenia also hides remote spots and havens from the world’s fast pace, where you can enjoy carefree pampering. Travel on heart-shaped paths between the Alps, the Mediterranean, and the Pannonian world, speak to the goddess of love, and exchange small local tokens of affection. Slovenia awakens all the senses and is forever imprinted on the hearts of those who visit, just like love itself.

Locked love in Ljubljana

Global and local features are vibrantly intertwined in Ljubljana. A walk through the centre of the old town reveals beautiful works by the greatest Slovenian architect, Jože Plečnik. The streets are ruled by pedestrians and cyclists as motorised traffic was banned from the town centre years ago. Moments of quiet bliss for lovers, who seal their love with a padlock at the Butchers’ Bridge, are accompanied by street musicians and the lively buzz of nearby cafés. Ljubljana truly is as beloved as its name suggests. Tivoli Park is a good place for a relaxing outdoor picnic, and a hike up Rožnik Hill is a popular recreational activity among Ljubljana’s residents. Evenings are lively in the town centre and the suburbs. The Kino Šiška Centre of Urban Culture frequently hosts concerts, exhibitions or other events. Just a stone’s throw away from the capital to the east is the geometrical centre of Slovenia. In Vače, the heart of Slovenia, you can sleep in a hammock between treetops under the endless starry sky. Nature can also lull you to sleep at glamping sites in Bela Krajina, the dreamy world of white birches and ferns, only an hour’s drive from Ljubljana to the south where the Kolpa River meanders.

Wishing bell of the Gorenjska’s goddess of love

If you avoid the motorway on your way from Ljubljana to Gorenjska, you will be rewarded with charming sites at every turn. The journey may take you through the colourful streets of medieval Škofja Loka at the confluence of two rivers. The Poljane Valley is the home of Cvetje v jeseni (Flowers in Autumn), one of Slovenia’s most iconic literary and cinematic love stories. The trail across the Sorica plateau reveals the scenic mountain motifs that inspired the great Slovenian painter Grohar, before descending to Lake Bohinj. Many romantic hiking paths can be found where the snowy peaks of the Julian Alps catch their reflection on the blue surface of the largest Slovenian lake. Local gondoliers or so-called pletnarji take visitors on their traditional pletna boats to the charming little island on Lake Bled. A temple to Živa, the Slavic goddess of love and life, once stood here. Nowadays, visitors to the island can ring a wishing bell in the Baroque church, which was established on the island as a token of eternal love. When a wedding is held on the island, the groom carries the bride up all the hundred steps to the church. In neighbouring Radovljica, the quaint little medieval town at the foot of the Alps, the tradition of honey and chocolate is very much alive. Lovers can exchange traditional red honeybread hearts decorated with their personal messages. Kranj, the Slovenian town of culture, is teeming with cultural events. Warm summer nights are ideal for outdoor events in the summer theatre of Khislstein Castle.

Accelerated heartbeat in the Soča River Valley

Travel from Gorenjska over the peaks of the Julian Alps, dominated by the highest Slovenian mountain, Triglav, and you will arrive in the green embrace of the valley of the Soča River. The pristine nature of Triglav Natural Park, with Mt Triglav at its heart, is safeguarded by the mystical Goldenhorn. 

A visit to the western bank of the Soča River enriches every soul. The character of the Soča River, which gave its name to the region, is already evident at its spring. Steel wires in the Zadnja Trenta Valley lead into the rocky embrace of the narrow gorge. On its way into the valley, the emerald Soča rushes in a lively dance from the underground lake in a long waterfall and a series of rapids that get the hearts of rafters and kayakers pumping. When ascending mountain peaks or paragliding, you will be treated to the best vistas. Lovers can find their nests for two "high above the daily routine" at luxury Nebesa Chalets offering magnificent views over the valley, whose architecture resembles a modern and boutique shepherds’ village fittingly called heaven (nebesa). 

Find the paradise hidden among the meadows in a contemporarily renovated shepherds’ home of Astra Montana Eco Chalet, and enjoy a romantic dinner at Hiša Franko, the restaurant owned and run by the World's Best Female Chef 2017, Ana Roš. 

Best pampering for couples

Wine is best enjoyed in the company of two. Enjoy the tasting of supreme wines in the area surrounding Maribor, where the world’s grapevine is growing. A heart-shaped road with scenic views meanders among the vineyards of Špičnik. The Chateau Ramšak Glamping Resort combines tasting with a romantic stay. A visit to the Ptuj Wine Cellar in the oldest Slovenian town will reveal dusty bottles of the oldest vintage in Slovenia. "The Golden Vine" was bottled here more than a century ago. Crusader knights found their piece of paradise in Jeruzalem in Prlekija. While on their way to the Holy Land, they were so fascinated by the vine-growing hills that they gave them a new name and did not continue with their journey to the actual Jerusalem. The view from the Vinarium Panoramic Tower in Prekmurje reaches as far as four wine-producing areas. The surrounding vineyard cottages also provide accommodation. A true treat for lovers is a visit to the Island of Love and the floating mill on the Mura River. Eastern Slovenia is known for its many natural health resorts. Swimming pools in Terme Olimia create a special romantic atmosphere for couples. Their Wellness Orhidelia has been selected as the best Slovenian wellness spot every year for almost a decade. 

Warm embrace of the Adriatic

All true hedonists visit the Slovenian coast. A walk along the tallest cliffs on the Adriatic Sea in the Strunjan Landscape Park is accompanied with a grand view over the sea and its coves and cliffs. Water in the romantic Moon Bay is cleanest for swimming. Footpaths between the pools of the Sečovlje Salina Natural Park create an intimate feature for a lovers’ walk. The view of one of the oldest salt pans in the Adriatic is even more relaxing after a sea mud massage at the outdoor Lepa Vida Spa. The possibilities for pampering in numerous wellness centres in nearby Portorož are limitless. The historical streets of Koper and Piran are soul food for the inquisitive spirit. The most magnificent sunset over the sea can be savoured when ascending the medieval town wall of Piran. 

Genuine Karst character

Numerous stone villages are hidden in the hinterland of the Slovenian coast, which showcase the true soul of the Karst. The charming Štanjel inspires with its water features in the Ferrari Garden of the magical Karst landscape where the rock has a soft heart that was carved out by water over millions of years to create Karst caves. 

The stamping hooves of the Lipizzaner horses found in Lipica, one of the oldest European stud farms with a tradition of continuously breeding these noble animals, is also a symbol of Slovenian tradition. When descending into the Škocjan Caves, you will get a glimpse of the underground world where a Karst river roars through the depths of the largest underground canyon in Europe. Silk-thin slices of local prosciutto will melt in your mouth. The strong character of Karst Teran, a ruby-red wine that contains the flavour of the limestone landscape, will awaken your passion. 

In Slovenia, romantics by heart and duty discover many places that enrapture their hearts.