From Budapest, it takes about 5 hours or less by drive to Ljubljana, Slovenia. In the heart of Europe and faces the Pannonian plains, this country has ski slopes, alpine lakes, caves, rivers and best of all, an unspoiled natural environment that is ever so beautiful and serene.
We did not see the Karstic caves (yet :)), but the visit to Maribor was a sight to remember.
To Europeans, Slovenia is a small country with 2 million people. Even the Slovenians describe their country as 'small': locals and taxi drivers emphasized that their country is 'small' and it is rather an adorable lovely place with every thing in place.
Alps. Lakes. This place is such a wonderful place for leisure and recreation. Since they declared their independence in 1991, Slovenia has became and ranked as a safe country. They entered the EU in 2004 and it has probably been a good move for them, since now that they have a stable GDP growth.
It feels really great to be in a place where most of the people speak good English. The local Slovenians are mostly friendly and warm up easily. They are still trying to adapt to their acceptance of the Euro as their national currency since 2006. Over five years and generally Slovenians are still facing inflation with not much increase in their salaries.
Ljubljana is a place with an Eastern chic yet slightly western. There are pleasant and friendly atmospheres of a small town all in a city. One of its beauty is the river banks of the Ljubljanica River and the old part of the towns. That is where the nightlife is where you can enjoy a relaxing atmosphere within this beautiful country with strong evidences of the large influenced of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
