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What was originally planned as a weekend visit as part of our #2laptops1suitcase digital nomad travel adventure, ended up being an entire month. After breaking my leg while hiking in Croatia's Velebit mountain range, our Slovenian friends suggested we stay with them while we decide what our next move would be -- continue with our travel plans or go back home to Canada. We arrived in Ljubljana after a seven-hour Flix bus ride broken, in pain, afraid, and filled with doubts. We left Slovenia one month later feeling grounded, safe, and healed, with our souls soothed.
In addition to winning the friend lottery with Kyle Dine from Kingston Ontario, his super-smart Slovenian wife, Masa-a law professor focusing on environmental protection, and their seven-year-old joyful, happy, helpful Zora, there is a lot to love about Slovenia.
Here is my top 10:
Multigenerational homes: Homes in Slovenia are big, with two levels for families to live together--parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren. It's all about families.
Sundays are for families: Retail stores are closed, it's quiet and instead of doing errands on Sundays, families go to mass and enjoy the outdoors and meals together.
Festivals, culture, and traditions: During our one-month stay, there were 3 festivals and holidays: Martinovo (a celebration of the grape harvest and wine production), Remembrance Day of the Dead, and Reformation day.
Accessibility: Slovenia is considered one of Europe's most accessible countries. While exploring the country from corner to corner, we noticed accessibility as a priority everywhere like integrated design built into public spaces like stairwells, wheelchair-friendly public washrooms, restaurants, and walkways.
Kindness: We found Slovenians very friendly. At one store I called the "Slovenian Winners", the cashier noticed our English accents and said, "Thank you for coming to Slovenia" in a genuine, friendly way. People are happy to see tourists and are very welcoming.
Easy: It's an easy place to visit. Most people speak English and the infrastructure is excellent. We drove to every corner of the country and the highways were new and well-signed. Slovenia is a small country with a population of 2 million. One day we had breakfast in the capital city Ljubljana, lunch in Trieste, Italy, watched the sunset over Croatia from Portoroz, and we were back by end of the day. Day trips to Vienna, Austria, Venice, Italy, and Budapest, Hungary are all do-able so Slovenia is the perfect home base
Mind-blowing natural beauty: You are surrounded by vineyards, the Alps, and the ocean to the south; forests, caves, rivers, and waterfalls are at every turn. It is a land filled with churches and castles on the edge of cliffs and on mountaintops.
Beverages: Their wines are world-class, particularly their whites, but you won't often find Slovenian wines exported due to their small production vineyards. So enjoy it while you visit as it is spectacular. We also enjoyed their blueberry liqueur known as Borovnica, a thick blue liqueur with whole blueberries. And for the non-alcohol options, I loved their wide range of teas (over 80 varieties) such as bebe tea (for children) and mountain tea. There’s a legend in Slovenia that certain teas are key to immortality and eternal health. The nation indulges its senses mostly with herbal and fruit-infused teas and most of the medicinal and aromatic herbs they use grow in the local foothills and valleys.
Food: Known for its honey, pastries, cheese, and meat, Slovenia is a paradise for carnivores as meat is central to every meal. As a vegetarian, there were many options available for me as well. Between us, we sampled many traditional foods like Matevž (beans and potatoes), krvavice (blood sausage), Bograc (goulash), and our favourite, Štruklji (cheese dumplings) to name a few. Michelin-star restaurants can be found across the country.
Healthcare: We did make a trip to the hospital for a follow-up for my broken leg. They took two X-rays and replaced my cast with a new and improved version. I saw an orthopedic specialist who prescribed pain medication and an anticoagulant. It was a good experience all around and the total bill was only 350 Euros. The wheelchair rental for the month was a whopping $1/day. In addition, residents with medical issues are sent to wellness spas to recover--covered by their health case system.
A female president: While we were there, a national election was underway and the new President Natasa Pirc Musar. The future is bright.
What does "flourishment" look like? This happy home in the small village of Jevnica, Slovenia is a home filled with music, singing, dancing, and fun. We are grateful for our Slovenian family hosts who helped us, healed us, and inspired us with their love and joyfulness. I leave as Slovenia's number 1 champion, cheerleader, and ambassador.
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