Slovenia is one of the most untouched places in European ecotourism. Being part of Yugoslavia, until the 1990s, it retained the status of a little popular destination among tourists. As a result, the country managed to avoid the onslaught of tourism that “besieged” Europe in the post-war period. Slovenia gained its independence at a time when such terms as ecology and preservation of the environment were on everyone’s lips. In this regard, from the very beginning, efforts were made to organize eco-friendly tourism. This “green” approach to tourism, coupled with the virgin nature of the Slovenian Alps, led Slovenia to win the European Destinations of Excellence competition for 3 years, from 2008-2010. Full of diversity, Slovenia is a country of glaciers, waterfalls, caves, karst phenomena and Adriatic beaches. However, the small country of the former Yugoslavia is best known for its glacial lakes, and its No. 1 tourist attraction is Lake Bled. Lake Bled sits at the base of the towering Julian Alps. In its center is the small island of Blejski Otok, on which the Church of the Assumption and the medieval castle of Bled are built. There is eco-friendly transport on the lake, as well as a water taxi. Triglav National Park has a rich geological history. There are fossil deposits, above-ground karst formations, and more than 6000 underground limestone caves. Bordering the Italian Alps, this park offers eco-travellers one of the most spectacular views of mountainous Europe. High alpine meadows, beautiful spring flowers caress the eyes and harmonize even the most restless soul. Eagles, lynxes, chamois and ibex are only a part of the fauna that lives on mountain heights. For more affordable mountain hiking, the Logarska Dolina landscape park in the Kamnik-Savinsky Alps. The valley was established as a protected area in 1992 when local landowners formed a coalition to preserve the environment. is the destination of many hiking tourists. Hiking (hiking) is the best way to travel here because there are no roads, cars, and even bicycles are not allowed in the park. Many decide to conquer the waterfalls, of which there are 80. Rinka is the highest and most popular of them. Since 1986, the regional park “Skotsyan Caves” has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a “reserve of special importance.” In 1999, it was included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance as the world’s largest underground wetland. Many of the Slovenian caves are the result of the watershed of the River Reka, which flows underground for 34 km, making its way through limestone corridors, creating new passages and gorges. 11 Skocyan caves form a wide network of halls and waterways. These caves are home to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. Slovenia is flourishing, which gained momentum after the country gained independence. Since then, subsidies have been provided to farmers producing organic food through biodynamic practices. The Slovenian Tourist Board is an organization whose mission is to promote green tourism in the country.
2022-11-11