The best source for news on air travel in the region, Ex-Yu Aviation, has more good news for those still worried about holes in the schedule due to the collapse of the (perhaps soon to be revived) Adria Airways.

First, Turkish Airlines has announced plans to increase capacity for the summer season, starting late March 2020, by using a 178-seat Airbus A321 on its morning and evening services. Moreover, for the peak season – 3 May to 23 October – the second flight of the day will be served by a 289-seat Airbus A330-300, giving a total daily capacity of 467 seats each way from Ljubljana to Istanbul.

The website also reports that Air Serbia is boosting its schedule this summer, with 17 weekly flights planned between Ljubljana and Belgrade, up from 12 in summer 2019.

A lot of journalists, bloggers and “influencers” are helicoptered into Slovenia for a short trip and then go home and to spread the good news about their travels, with liberal use of the terms charming, green, hidden gem, best kept secret and so on. But not all of them, you may be surprised to hear, appear to be any great match for the trip they’re sent on, but that’s not the case with Owen Clarke, a writer for Outside Magazine.

This is a title that, as the name indicates, focuses on the great outdoors and the activities it affords, and is the publication that helped the launch the careers of, among others, Jon Krakauer and Sebastian Junger. So its writers, editors and readers know what’s what when it comes to hiking, biking, kayaking, climbing and more – the kind of activities that the Slovenian landscape really is world class in with regard to the opportunities it presents to get outside and have a good time.

The focus of Owen Clarke’s trip was the newly opened Juliana Trail, which is a 270-km long circular route in 16 stages, with the highlights including Triglav National Park, Bled and Bohinj Lakes, Soča River Valley, Radovljica, Kranjska Gora and Pokljuka Plateau.

Source: slovenia.info

Source: slovenia.info

We wrote about this before, but from the comfort of an armchair, in a dressing gown, while Clarke takes the more traditional approach and gets fully dressed, leaves the building – in that order, like a pro – and actually walks the route, staying overnight in unfamiliar beds, his diet at the mercy of whatever he carries or finds on the way, be it stale bread, restaurant food or, as his story opens, what an old woman in Log pod Mangartom offered him: a meal of “meat, cheese, bread, and sweet wine until my stomach ached”.

It’s a story that’s well worth reading to get a flavour of the trail, with lots of local colour and nice observations. For example, as Janko Humar, director of the Soča Valley Tourism Board and one the people who helped develop the route, tells Clarke: “The Julian Alps are an incredibly diverse region culturally. In the north, you will find communities which appear more Austrian, in the south, a style of life which is more Italian.” But, as befits a writer for Outside, Clarke doesn’t just talk to people and eat their cheese, but also notes the opportunities for climbing, canyoning and so on, and how the Juliana Trail can be used as stepping off point to other adventures – including historical as well sporting side trips.

It really is a great advertisement for Slovenia, and the Soča Valley area in particular, with Clarke concluding, in words to cheer the heart and encourage the more sedate armchair traveller; “The Juliana Trail won’t be the most challenging hike you’ve ever done, but you won’t find an experience quite like it anywhere else.”

Finally, since the trail is best experienced in spring and autumn, now’s the time to start planning a trip, if not to all 16 stages then at least to one or two. If you need more inspiration then you can read Owen Clarke’s full story here and learn more about what you can see and do on the way, while the official trail website is here.

STA, 9 January 2020 - The new operator of Bovec airport, a grass airfield in the Julian Alps, has decided to bring skiers from around Slovenia to the town of Bovec in the north-west by plane. The town hopes this service will help it stand out in Europe.

The airport's operator Aviofun intends to partner up with other smaller airfields around Slovenia in providing the full service to visitors of the Kanin-Sella Nevea ski slopes.

From Bovec, skiers will be taken to the ski slopes on Mt Kanin, the highest ski slopes in the country, by van.

The first flight took place on 2 January, and according to the Bovec municipality, which owns the airfield, the flight from the other part of Slovenia, Libeliče in the north, took 35 minutes.

"We want to offer something new to Bovec locals and visitors to the Soča Valley, so we'll also operate the route with small planes in the summer," Aviofun director Damjan Cehner told the STA.

The company expects to receive a licence to operate commercial passenger flights shortly, he added.

Aviofun was founded in 2005 and offers charter flights, panoramic flights, skydiving, maintenance, continuing airworthiness (CAMO) and aerial photography, according to its website. It operates Pilatus PC-6, Cessna Caravan C208 and Cessna C172 planes.

Cehnar believes flights will be a huge advantage for Bovec.

"Since we believe in the project we will shortly bring in another, bigger 15-seat plane with a special area for skiing equipment," he said when the first flight was organised.

The project was also welcomed by Mayor Valter Mlekuž, who hopes it would better connect the Kanin ski slopes and the municipality with the world.

More than 3,000 skiers skied on Kanin's ski slopes between 31 December and 2 January, with many also crossing onto the Slovenian side from Italy.

Several years ago a joint ski pass was introduced with the near-by Italian ski slope of Sella Nevea.

We’re used to seeing Slovenia appear in lists of up and coming destinations, but rarely does it make the top. True, “top” here means the first on the list and in the main image used, but since not everyone reads to the end of every listicle occupying such prime real estate on the page is important.

Along with a picture of Lake Bled there’s a short text by Jane Dunford that begins:

Slovenia’s landscape of mountains and lakes lends itself to outdoor adventure: nearly 60% of the country is covered in forests, and there are more than 40 parks and reserves. Some areas, such as Lake Bled, have seen an influx of tourists over recent years but much remains off the beaten track - and the government has a strategy for sustainable tourism growth.

Continuing in this theme, Dunford highlights the recently opened 270km Juliana Hiking Trail; and Bike Slovenia Green, with its multi-day cycling itinerary through the Julian Alps, around Lake Bohinj and Lake Bled and down to the Adriatic coast – a mini “Tour de Slovenia” where you can choose the colour of your shirt and take things at your own pace.

You can see what else she recommends, along with the other 19 destinations – all chosen because of their inspiring conservation and community projects – here.

The holidays are over and while the days are getting longer we’re still going into deeper winter, so it might be a good idea to focus on some of the more enjoyable public events ahead in the next three months and make a note in your calendar.

If we missed anything you think we should include, no matter how small, then please send details to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

January 23 – 26: The BMW IBU World Cup Biathlon Pokljuka – details and tickets.

January 24 – 26: The Snow Castles of King Matjaž in Črna na Koroškem is a three-day family-friendly event with a focus on building snow castle, accompanied by a full entertainment programme. Details.

January 25: Ice Trophy on Jasna Lake. On this day “amateur and ex-pro ice hockey players will fight on the ice lake for one goal - winning the ICE TROPHY. Experience a unique and authentic sport and nature. All adult recreational players are welcome. In addition to the hockey competition, there will be a very varied accompanying program for families”. More details here and note that the whole thing is free.

January 29: February 1 GASTexpo Fair – Ljubljana, “offers various exhibitions, tastings, workshops, and competitions. The event includes wine fair with domestic and international wine offer. More information can be found here.”

January 29 – February 1^st: Natour Alpe-Adria Fair, the main tourist fair in Slovenia which promotes green, active tourism is back for it’s 31^st edition – details.

January 31 –2 February 6^th: Festival AS at Festival Hall Bled: “The AS International Music Festival is a saxophone-themed event addressing a wide audience, amateurs and professionals alike, with a vision of becoming the central event of its type in this part of Europe. It is duly named after Belgian instrument inventor Adolphe Sax, whose most famous invention is the saxophone itself.” More details here.

February 2: Kurent - korant's jump, Ptuj, the start of the Carnival season. “Shortly before midnight, crackers announce the arrival of the kurents at the scene where a big bonfire awaits them. At midnight, they put on bells and dance their first year’s dance around the fire.” More here.

February 2 – 6: Winter Ljubljana Festival: “The fourth, now traditional, edition of the festival with the accompaniment of the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, will feature selected internationally renowned pianists and present the most beautiful piano and symphonic works from Beethoven's extensive music treasury.” Programme notes here.

February 3–9:  Winter Swimming World Championships, Lake Bled. Register or learn more here.

February 5 – 7: MENT, the international music showcase festival returns to Kino Šiška, with more details here.

February 15–25: The 60^th Kurentovanje Carnival starts and ends in  Ptuj, with the peak on the 23^rd and the International Carnival Parade.

February 15 – 16: Women's World Cup slalom and giant slalom races will be held at the 56th Golden Fox competition in Maribor. Tickets and times here.

February 22: Dragon Carnival in the Streets of Ljubljana “The Dragon carnival traditionally held in Ljubljana consists of a large Shrovetide carnival parade through the city's streets and a programme of entertainment held in the centrally located Kongresni trg square. The carnival parade includes, among others, a number of typical Slovenian carnival figures rooted in pagan tradition, such as 'kurent', 'laufar', 'morostar' and several others.”

February 22 – 23: FIS Ski Jumping World Cup Women will take place in Ljubno, with tickets here.

February 23: Carnival in Cerknica, home of witches, and also in Tržič and Bled and many other places, too.

February 25 Carnival in Kamnik (details).

24 February to 1 March the Festival of Mountain Film returns. The full programme will eventually be here (not at the time of writing).

March 7: The cutting of the oldest wine producing grape vine in the world will take place in Maribor, at 11am. Details.

March 11: St. Gregory's - Vuč u vodo, an event in which local children float their miniature houses down the Tržič Bistrica. The programme is enriched by an exhibition of the "gregorčki" houses lasting several days and numerous accompanying events.

March 14 – 15: Kranjska Gora will host the men's World Cup slalom and giant slalom races. Tickets.

March 20 – 21:  The International Chilli and Chocolate Festival in Maribor will bring sweetness and spice, with details here.

March 19–22: Perhaps the sporting event of the year for Slovenian viewers, the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup Finals, in Planica, Kranjska Gora. Tickets.

STA, 24 December 2019 - For years, Slovenia had been focussing on pushing tourism figures up, boasting new records year after year. Now, its main tourist destinations are slowly starting to take a step back. Acknowledging the grievances of local population and the environmental impact of mass tourism, their goals for the future are starting to change.

Ljubljana, where new hotels are popping up and old buildings in the city centre are being repurposed into accommodation facilities for rental on platforms such as Booking.com and AirBnB, has heard many complains from locals about the negative effects of tourism.

Bothered by the crowd and high prices, people have even started moving out of the city centre.

Ljubljana Tourism, the local tourism office, has taken notice and its vision for the future no longer speaks only of the city as a tourist destination but also of a city "with a high quality of living and a pleasant atmosphere for all its inhabitants, visitors and tourists".

It has also included questions about the negative effects of tourism in its regular surveys among the city's residents "because we believe visitors can only be happy here if the residents are happy."

Ljubljana will now be striving to "increase the added value of tourism, grow sustainably and offer high quality innovative products" to attract tourists in search of "green boutique destinations".

Even more far-reaching impacts of excessive tourism have also started to affect the lakeside resorts of Bled and Bohinj.

This summer, a press conference was called by the Environment Agency, the Triglav National Park, Turizem Bled and Turizem Bohinj to warn of excessive mass tourism and its effect on the quality of water in the lakes.

Since the 2016 tourism boom, the ecological status of Lake Bled - the status of water plants and animals - has deteriorated from good to moderate, the officials said. In Lake Bohinj too, analyses of microorganisms revealed a serious impact of swimmers on water quality.

Andrej Arih from the Triglav National Park said mountain lakes where swimming is not allowed were also affected by parking and camping in the area, while wild animals were being disturbed.

"We the tourism officials are aware of the value of our natural assets and we are becoming environmentalists ourselves," said Klemen Langus from Turizem Bohinj.

Both Bled and Bohinj are now restricting access to the lakes by car and introducing measures to improve the sewage system and waste collection.

Faced with the reality of a rapid tourism development, many other towns in Slovenia are staring to embrace the green concept of tourism as well, and are adjusting their services to attract high-end guests to slowly turn away from mass tourism.

As things stand, Slovenian tourism is in for another record year in terms of arrivals and nights by foreign tourists, although the pace is slowing down. Last year saw almost 6 million tourist arrivals and more than 15 million overnight stays.

A total of 5.2 million tourists were recorded in Slovenia in the first nine months, generating 13.2 million overnight stays, with the numbers going up 5.7% and 1.9%, respectively over the year before.

The number of foreign tourists was up by 7.1% and the number of overnight stays they generated by 3.5%.

Christmas is gone, but the lights are still up and the next party is coming fast, with the New Year bringing people out onto the streets of the capital to enjoy the last good excuse for mass public drinking, feasting and revelry this decade.

Weather permitting, you can have a great time just walking around and following your interests, be they food, drink, music or dancing. With regard to free and organised events the action takes place at four of the city’s main squares, all within easy walking distance, if walking is easy for you.

Here you’ll find stages and varied performers, with different genres in different places, and all shows lasting from 21:00 to 02:30. Eco-friendly fireworks will also be launched from the Castle, made of paper and biodegradable materials, and you can see for yourself what the effect is at just after midnight, as the capital enters 2020 with a bang, fizz and crackle.

Fireworks from last year, with good weather and a good vibe on the streets

With regard to the four squares and their musical offerings:

Kongresni trg / Congress Square, the one with the University building and Philharmonia, is the largest venue and the one aimed at the broadest audience, with the line-up headed by Kingston and Luka Basi.

Trg francoske revolucije / French Revolution Square, the one by Križanke, once again offers up alt-rock, this time in the form of stoner, sludge and metal bands such as Omega Sun, Alo! Dude, Srd and Niet.

Mestni trg / Town Square, the one with the Town Hall and the (genuine fake) Robba Fountain will present a programme of evergreen classics to remind you of the past as you move into the future, with the Špicikuc Orchestra and Neisha preparing to delight the audience.

Pogačarjev trg / Central Market Square, the one that hosts Open Kitchen and at this time of year is lined with stalls selling seasonal items, food and drink, is always fairly lively, attracting a crowd that enjoys the simple pleasures of beer and sausage and more beer, maybe with some Jaeger and mulled wine for your health. It’s here that you’ll be able to enjoy a live programme of Slovenian and Oberkrainer music, with the sounds being provided by the Ceglar Ensemble, Fredi Miller and the band Come Back.

If these events don’t appeal then you can always head to Metelkova, where alternative arrangements are being made and the party won't end till dawn. Some details, in Slovene, here.