Slovenia among the finalists for Food and Travel magazine's ‘Short-Haul Destination of the Year’

The winners of the Food and Travel Reader Awards were unveiled on Thursday the 4th of March during a virtual awards ceremony. Food and Travel Magazine is a leading publication for culinary enthusiasts, emphasising the world’s best destinations for culinary adventures.

Voted for exclusively by readers, the awards are now in their ninth year and celebrate the businesses and destinations across the world that are leading the way in terms of gastronomic tourism. Italy was voted the best short-haul destination ahead of other top European culinary destinations including Slovenia, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

Last October, a special award was given to Slovenia and Slovenian gastronomy by the Italian edition of the Food and Travel Magazine. Slovenia was the only foreign country to receive recognition for excellence in the field of enogastronomy within the Food and Travel Italia 2020 Reader Awards; it was awarded the prestigious “Nation of the Year” award.

Slovenia has emerged as one of Europe’s culinary capitals in recent years. This year, the country has been named European Region of Gastronomy 2021. Last year also saw the unveiling of the first ever Michelin guide to Slovenia, in which six restaurants were awarded a total of seven Michelin stars - including Ana Ros’ Hisa Franko, which became Slovenia’s first double Michelin starred restaurant.

Six restaurants were also given the Michelin Sustainability Award for the implementation of sustainable practices such as the use of sustainable local ingredients and responsible waste management. This is part of a larger ‘zero waste’ movement continuing to grow not only in gastronomy but also many other areas of Slovenian life.

Slovenia is becoming an increasingly well-known and high-profile tourist destination. Already this year both The Financial Times and Guardian have selected Slovenia among the top places to visit in 2021. This is in addition to Conde Nast Traveler also naming Slovenia as their top destination to visit this year.

And while you may not be able to explore Slovenia in person at the moment, you can enjoy a true taste of what the country offers, from local producers to Michelin starred cuisine, by visiting Taste Slovenia.

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