Top Holiday Destinations For July – Slovenia

With July just around the corner, and many of us realising we’re up for a well-deserved, last-minute holiday, where are the best places to go on a budget? The recession has shaken the tourism world up in the past year and although it may not be quite as easy as previously to find cheap flights and budget breaks, there is still a wealth of choice out there and some surprising deals.

Some of the best places to head off to in July are not destinations you would immediately think of, but this is part of their charm. While the rest of the world jets off to the typical tourist areas, you will be able to enjoy your little piece of heaven in relative peace!

In part two of this five-part series, I will show you some of the hottest holiday destinations for July.

Slovenia

One of the Croatia’s neighbours, Slovenia shares its beauty. Popular with tourists from Germany, Austria and Italy, but still relatively quiet, Slovenia is a sprawling land of mountains, lakes, forest and stunning countryside. The capital city is Ljubljana (not as hard to say as it looks!), setting of Paulo Coehlo’s best-selling book Veronika Decides to Die. In July, tourists can enjoy warm weather in the mid 20s (about 76 celcius). Like many historical capital cities, Ljubljana consists of an old town and a new town. In the old town, the beautifully-preserved buildings display a mix of architectural styles – most prominently Baroque and Art Nouveau.

Ljubljana Castle, built in the 12th century, dominates the hill over the river Ljubljanica. The city is also famed for its stunning Cathedral, St. Peter’s Church, the Franciscan Church of the Annuncation, the Triple Bridge and the Dragon Bridge and Robba’s Fountain. Culturally, the city is blooming and has to date over 15 museums, 40 art galleries and 10 theatres. In July, you can also enjoy the Ljubljana Summer Festival, which attracts notable opera stars, as well as ballet and theatre performers and international jazz and rock musicians.

If you fancy getting out of the city, there is almost no end to what you can do. You could head into the Julian Alps, or West towards the Adriatic Coast. In the Winter, the Alps are fantastic for winter sports, but are no less stunning in the summer months. One of the top destinations in the area is the Triglav National Park, named after Mount Triglav. The landscape combines tumbling rivers and waterfalls with impressive rocky plateaus and mountains and deep virgin forests. Typical park animals are the chamois, ibex, red deer, brown bear, lynx, eagle, numerous bird and reptile species, and the endemic Marble trout.

One of the country’s most popular regions is Savinjska, famous for its thermal waters, the glacial valley of Logarska dolina and the breathtaking Snezna jama cave. Activities available range from walking, hiking, mountain biking, swimming, cycling and climbing and the area also boasts numerous health spas, as well as hundreds of charming villages.