Lonely Planet lists Vipava Valley among Best in Europe

Ljubljana, 22 May 2018 – Today, Lonely Planet, the largest and one of the most influential media companies in the world in the field of travel publishing and travel guides, published a list of the top ten destinations in Europe, which it recommends to visitors this summer. The Vipava Valley also made it onto the list, and it was described as “an excellent example of a hidden treasure in the very heart of Europe.”

Lonely Planet, a media powerhouse in the world of travel, has been exploring the world in search of incredible experiences already for 45 years. Lonely Planet's Best in Europe is the sixth rendition of this project, within which travel experts select the most exciting, stand-out, and promising destinations that are far from the main tourist flows and are often wrongly underrated. This way, it wishes to point travellers to visit the hidden gems, as an alternative to overcrowded destinations.

Lonely Planet's Best in Europe 2018 Top 10 Destinations placed Vipava in 9th place, while the first three spots are taken by Emilia-Romagna in Italy, Cantabria in Spain, and Friesland in the Netherlands. The list also includes Kosovo, Provence (France), Dundee (Scotland), Little Cyclades (Greece), Vilnius (Lithuania), and Tirana (Albania). In the explanation, it is stated that the Vipava Valley earned its exposure as “an exceptional, undiscovered area, perfect for lovers of wine and adventures.” Lonely Planet recommends that this wonderful landscape and its stand-out wines are best explored on locally guided cycling tours, which take visitors on peaceful trails that include stops for tastings and chats with locals.

“The Vipava Valley is an excellent example of a hidden gem in the very heart of Europe. This is an attractive and charming area offering excellent culinary experiences, exciting adventures, and stunning landscape – all of this is just a short hop from Ljubljana. Considering what it has to offer, it is truly surprising that more travellers have not yet discovered the pleasures of this area,” wrote Jessica Cole, one of the editors at Lonely Planet.

“The exposure of Slovenia and its tourism with this influential publisher trusted by millions of travellers around the world is truly incredible. This raises its recognisability and improves its image as a destination and products that deserve the attention of modern travellers. It is our pleasure to see that two of our destinations have been placed on this eagerly awaited list in recent years: the Julian Alps as a top region last year and the Vipava Valley as a top destination this year. The success of the Vipava Valley is the result of the cooperation and efforts of various stakeholders who have been developing it as a joint tourist destination with developed infrastructure and interesting and diverse products. Lonely Planet managed to highlight a part of our country which was once overlooked by travellers due to its location between Slovenian Istria, the Karst, and the Brda Hills. Congratulations for being placed on this prestigious list, and we hope that you create even more unique tourist products for 5-star experiences,” said Maja Pak, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board upon the publishing of the list.

“Being placed among the top 10 places in Europe worth visiting this year is a confirmation of our focus and efforts to make tourism in the area of the Vipava Valley one of the most important branches of business. We were aware that we did not have the conditions for mass tourism and that our options and opportunities lay in being a different and a boutique destination. For this reason, the story of tourism development was built on three interconnected pillars: on the valley’s natural and historical features, world-class wine and culinary stories, and sports and adrenaline adventures allowing visitors to spend their free time in nature all year round. This recognition was given at just the right moment, at which the awareness of the opportunities in tourism has been significantly increasing among Slovenians, and it became clear that the key is in the integration of various tourist products of the Vipava Valley as a single destination. I hope that private initiative can follow the increased number of visitors, which is usually what happens after being placed on such lists,” said Tadej Beočanin, the Mayor of the Municipality of Ajdovščina, responding to the news.

Lonely Planet is a leading media company in the world in the field of travel publishing and travel guides. It has been providing inspiring and reliable information for all types of travellers since 1973. In the past few decades, it has published more than 145 million copies of guides and built a loyal group of followers around the world.

You can find out more about Lonely Planet's Best in Europe 2018 Top 10 Destinations at lonelyplanet.com/best-in-europe, where you can also see videos and photographs of the top ten destinations.

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