10 Reasons You Must Visit Slovenia

3. Hidden Gems Within A Hidden Gem

In this photo taken Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015, shows Lake Bled in Slovenia with a island and the Church of Our Lady on it. Tucked in the southwestern corner of Slovenia, between Austria and Italy, stands a spectacular landscape: a lush tiny island in the mid
John Bills

Despite being something of a hidden gem itself, Slovenia of course has a whole variety of wonderful sights within its borders that many Slovenes themselves aren't hugely aware of. Pictured above is the Božidar Jakac Gallery in Kostanjevica na Krki, a former monastery that is now one of the finest arts spaces I've ever come across. Every exhibition found within is designed to fit the surroundings, making for a unique combination of venue and creativity. The surrounding countryside is glorious too, the sorts of landscape that demands to be stared at until all the ills of the world move into the back of your brain. 

Every corner of the country is hiding something. My personal favourite is the little village of Bloke, in the Karst area to the south. Slovenia's Tibet, when visiting the local tour guide greeted me with the phrase 'welcome to Bloke, where for six months of the year it is cold, and for six months of the year it is winter'. He wasn't joking either, but don't let the chill put you off. This is an unspoiled land where people still use skis to get from A to B, where nature most definitely takes charge and the schnapps flows like something that flows freely. 

Wine cellars made out of flint stone, hop growing museums, towers growing out of lush green surroundings and more, you can't really travel too far in Slovenia without discovering something splendid to impress your friends with.

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Born in the middle of Wales in the middle of the 1980's, John can't quite remember when he started watching wrestling but he has a terrible feeling that Dino Bravo was involved. Now living in Prague, John spends most of his time trying to work out how Tomohiro Ishii still stands upright. His favourite wrestler of all time is Dean Malenko, but really it is Repo Man. He is the author of 'An Illustrated History of Slavic Misery', the best book about the Slavic people that you haven't yet read. You can get that and others from www.poshlostbooks.com.