Ljubljana Opera House located at Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, is an opera house which also serves as the national opera building of the country. The renovation of such opera house was one of the investment priorities in 2006 by the Cultural Ministry however the renovation started on last March 2007 when the ensembles were planned to be moved by Spring of 2009. The Opera House is expected to open following its renovation on Autumn this year. Resident ensembles have been also expecting to return to the Opera Home after performing their productions in different locations for over four seasons.

The Opera House was built between 1890 and 1892 by Czech architects Jan V. Hrasky and Anton Hruby. Until the early 20th century, the building housed the German Theatre as well as the provincial theatre and opera. Following the World War II, a number of triumphant operas by the Slovenian authors were performed at the Opera House which as well gained honor world wide. In 1918, they got their first professional ballet ensemble wherein Ljubljana’s ballet-goers have witnessed a number of contemporary and classical presentations.

The 114 – year old Opera and Ballet House will not only feature their newly renovated building but an additional contemporary-looking wing which happens to be connected with the old building. While there will be lots of changes such as broadening of the stage, and increasing the height of the ceiling, some parts of the building will remain unchanged. This includes not expanding the main hall and no additional number of seats. An estimated amount of 278 million EUR was the total cost of the project which comprises the renovation cost as well as the fee for the architects Jurij Kobe and Marjan Zupan.

Bohinj Park Hotel, opened in June 2009, is a luxurious hotel which has been recently honored with its five star status according to the official hotel classification scheme, making it the highest quality hotel in Northwest Slovenia.

The Bohinj hotel is located at the edge of the Trigalv National Park in the heart of the Julian Alps near the Kobla, Vogel, Sorica and, Senožeta ski areas. Referred to as an oasis of peace, the hotel is surrounded with a splendid natural environment directly linked to the Bohinj Water Park making it a perfect venue for tourists, business travelers as well as conference guest. The hotel is referred to as an environment friendly facility since the hotel’s structure is primarily made from natural materials including timber, and stone, and contains a variety of unique energy saving solutions, including being heated and cooled by water from its own well.

The Bohinj Park hotel’s amenities includes exclusive wellness center, a cinema, a bowling alley, a wireless internet throughout the place, sunbathing terrace on the roof, climbing walls, and the Bohinj Park, with family friendly complex including a range of pools along with waterslides. Just within the vicinity of the hotel are the Bled golf course, the Sava Bohinjka river, the Straža nad Bledom ski resort and the Pokljuka ski area. The 102- room hotel also offers various accommodation options, including family rooms and rooms suited for disabled guests. In addition, the hotel also offers 8 state-of-the-art conference halls which make the hotel appropriate for business meetings.

For Sixth Annual “Places Rated” Destination done by The National Geographic traveler together with the National Geographic Society’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, Slovenia was ranked as the 5^th top world destination with 78 points. This honor given to deserving countries were based from a survey of the world’s most sought out travel destinations and magnificent tourism the country has to offer. Though one of the smallest countries in Europe, it never stopped Slovenia from getting the award. Here are the top 5 places in Slovenia which brought about its success as the 5^th top world destination.

1. Lake Bled

Lake Bled, a popular tourist attraction, is a glacial lake in northwestern Slovenia located in the Julian Alps. Its attractions include Bled Castle, Bled Island, churches, a variety of outdoor activities and natural sights, and more. Lake Bled itself is not large for an individual can possibly to walk around the perimeter of the lake in about three hours. Lake Bled has a breathtaking environment which happens to be surrounded by mountains and forest.

2. Soca Valley

Soca Valley is a hiking, kayaking, whitewater rafting, and fly-fishing haven for it is dominated by Europe’s most beautiful river, the Soca River. It is a 140 kilometer long river that runs from the western part of Slovenia to the northeastern part of Italy. The valley is full of wonderful colors, with pools, waterfalls, ravines and canyons. The emerald-colored water makes it know to be a “fairytale valley”. In the upper region of the Soca Valley, tourist could visit Bovec, town which offers world class adventure sports.

3. Julian Alps

If you’re an athlete who loves mountain biking, mountain hiking, or Nordic walking, you opt to go to Julian Alps. Julian Alps, carved with white limestone, is the highest mountain range in Slovenia which can be reached from three different directions, Dolina Sedmerih Jezer, Voje valley, or. Pokljuka. Its highest peak is Mount Triglav where the Triglav National Park protects the area. While traversing the Julian Alps, you can see the soaring peaks, rivers with clear water, thick forest, deep valleys, with meadows filled with flowers, and breathtaking waterfalls.

4. National Gallery (Narodna galerija)

The National Gallery of Slovenia is the main art museum which contains a lot of large visual collections. The building where the National Gallery can be located was constructed in 1896. It was also served as the city’s center for performances by numerous national societies because of its 160-seating capacity plus its basement contains a gymnasium. From 1918 upto the present time, the National Gallery has been the home of Slovenia art collections from the Middles ages upto the 20^th century. It is open from 10:00 – 18:00 Mondays, and admission is free on Saturdays after 14:00 and is closed during Holidays.

5. Saint Nicholas Church

Saint Nicholas Church located in Ljubljana, Slovenia was consecrated in 1707, 6 years after the construction of the building was started. The church was fashioned and dedicated to St. Nicholas by the boatmen and fishermen of Ljubljana. The interiors of the church are not remarkably huge however beautiful for it contains a lot of frescoes line which line the archways, with a vaulted ceiling above the altar. It has been a well-known tourist attraction for the ambiance within the church depicts 1,250 years of Christianity in Slovenia which brings excitement and amazement to its visitors.

Whitewater rafting or rafting is a challenging leisure activity wherein an inflatable raft is to be utilized to go through a river or other bodies of water. If you are a whitewater rafting enthusiast looking for adventure, excitement, and thrill, you would usually prefer to do it on whitewater or on different degrees of rough water. A lot of people have already been fanatics of whitewater rafting all over the globe, and if you are one of the them, one excellent choice whether gentle river rafting or the most intense rapids, Soca River in Slovenia might be one of your options.

Soca River located in Slovenia is a 140-kilomter river flowing from the Western part of Slovenia to the North Eastern part of Italy. It starts at Trenta Valley located at the Julian Alps and runs through a number of other cities such as Bovec, Nova Gorica, Kobarid, Tolmin, and Gorizia. It finally ends its track at the entrance to the Adriatic Sea. The Soca River has beautiful emerald waters coinciding with the recognition, “The Emerald Beauty”, given to the river valley around it. The Soca River is a paradise for whitewater rafter enthusiast for it has been one of the five most unspoiled rivers in the Alps. During the ride, rafters can see majestic waterfalls, fabulous river pools, exceptional and unique, hidden ravines, inexplicable springs, gorges and canyons, myriads of shapes the water has been carving. With the river’s amazing whitewater as well as rising waves, a rafter can get sufficient chances to utilize his rafting expertise on the waters. Some parts of the river are calm, while other parts have torrent waters but it doesn’t stop from considering Soca River as the best place for both beginners and expert rafters. So where else will you go if you’d like to experience and spend some unforgettable thrilling moments during a weekend? Soca River must be what you opt for, for one to get this once in a lifetime experience.

A biodegradable substance, a frequent remark said by environmentalist, is any product that should be able to be broken down naturally into raw materials of nature and vanish into the environment. This is any good that naturally comes from animals, plants, or minerals which will ultimately go back to nature with sufficient time. Fundamentally, these products are usually referred to as environmentally friendly materials for they facilitate in saving the environment. An example of which is the biodegradable lubricants by Panolin AG.

On May 2006, Boötanj plant located in southeastern Slovenia about 100 kilometers east from the capital Ljubljana initiated its operation. It was the first hydro facility in Slovenia and is owned by the Holding Slovenske Elektrarne (HSE). HSE, as the foremost power supplier in Slovenia has strongly justified that they could offer certified quality products, with good environmental management guarantying a secure and consistent supply at competitive values to the European Union and beyond. It has been the first hydro facility plant to recently use environmentally friendly hydraulic oil, a biodegradable lubricant from Panolin AG in the hydraulic system of five radial gates. Panolin has been the chief supplier of biodegradable lubricants and constantly conforms to environment compatible products. This hydro facility is anticipated to provide 6% of Slovenia’s annual power requirements through the creation of 720,000 megawatts-hours which noticeably plays a significant responsibility in supplying power to Slovenia. Since HSE strongly holds their principle on being environmentally friendly, they have decided to utilize biodegradable oil in their turbines for the radial gates’ hydraulic system. Plus, HSE desires to construct hydropower plants which are environmentally conscious of its effects as well as it will be capable to operate for 50 years or more.

Although this biodegradable oils are more costly than mineral oils, they opt to utilize it given that they consider that this cost will be much lesser than altering the entire system in the future. And in cases of accidents wherein the discharges leaks into the river, it would be less environmentally destructive than mineral oils.

Who would ever imagine that in the Slovenian coastline lays a very aged small medieval town where the magnificent blue waters of the Adriatic Sea splashes into? Piran, Slovenia situated at the tip of the peninsula is in the westernmost part of Slovenia. It was influenced by Italy which in turn was managed by the government of Venice for about 2000 years. The Italian influence can be depicted in the well-known Venetian Campanile sited at the peak of the hill. At the Venetian Campanile, you can be able to catch a glimpse of the 2 countries, Croatia and Italy.

However, the city has much to offer than just its history. Piran is an immense attraction for the tourist for its lazy fishing which hasn’t changed much over 400 years. The small fishing port which joins Portoroz Marina, the big resort and is also the starting point for numerous yacht cruises in the Adriatic Sea, dominates its little neighboring resorts. For a small value, vacationers can also take pleasure in net fishing with some of the men at the marina. Its Mediterranean-like seaside is calm, and relaxing compared to the coastline of Trieste, or Venice, Italy. The narrow streets are made with cobble stones wherein two people must stroll in a single line. Another famous attraction of Piran is the friendly and polite citizens residing at that locale. The place is also great for individuals who love outdoor activities for the city has a lot to recommend such as great entertainment, relaxation, beaches, hotels, restaurants, sports facilities, casino and cultural satisfaction for individuals from every age.

Piran is on great place for tourist especially for families. All age groups could enjoy all the amenities the city has to offer. It is as well a perfect example of a place which manages to preserve its extraordinary beauty even with its coastline so close to two neighboring countries.

In Europe, biking tours have been famous for bikers and tourist to explore and see the beautiful tourist attractions around the area. France and Italy were once of the most admired area for biking while Slovenia was kept hidden by a lot of bikers. It was a country with hidden natural beauty with magnificent spots such as the Julian Alps, the Adriatic coastline, as well as the limestone caves. At present, Slovenia is considered as the must-ride bike area in Europe for it offers a wide variety of landscapes and the distances which can be managed through bicycle. Cycling maps of Slovenia are accessible at the information centers in the cities and towns. These maps will guide through regional parks, health resorts as well as interesting areas in the Slovenian countryside. Here are some areas where you can go mountain biking within Slovenia:

1. Kranjska Gora
In Kranjska Gora, mountain bikers can be delighted with the hundreds of kilometers of trails, some reaching into Austria and Italy. A park called the Fun Bike park in the town offers a cableway to the hilltop for downhill riders, with tables, jumps, as well as swings for tricksters. Mountain Biking has been one of the foremost activities in the area and has been developed to become suitable for all levels. It also offers an asphalt bicycle trail for those less adventurous and active.

2. Around the Julian Alps
From Kranjska Gora via Bled, Bohinj, Tolmin, Kobarid, Bovec and Vršic back to Kranjska Gora takes about 232 kilometers cycle trip around the Julian Alps. The tour around the Julian Alps can be completed in five separate days. It became a popular setting for mountain biking for its white limestone peaks which are steep. It also has deep valleys, stream of clear water, with thick forest, plus meadows filled with wild flowers perfect for mountain biking as well as sight seeing.

3. Along the Adriatic Sea
Countries like Italy, Slovenia and Croatia joins the Health and Friendship Trail which is a 27-kilometer bike trail. Mountain Bikers can bike from the former railroad line between Trieste and Porec with panoramic views.

4. Through the Karavanske Mountains
This is where the Mountain Bike Park can be located wherein the track goes underground through the mountain. With the assistance of a guide along with lights, bikers can be able to see the abandoned mine shafts under Mount Peca.

Wellness is a condition of good physical and mental health, wherein there is internal balance and peace. It can also be achieved through proper diet, exercise, and habits for the well being of the body, soul, and spirit. During the recent holidays, people have been doing a lot of parties. Basically, this resulted to the tightening of your waistband wherein in this case, dieting won’t fix the problem right away. So do you wonder where you can get professional help to detoxify your system and get rid of the weight gained? A spa which specializes in detox, weight loss treatments, with significant prices? Great news waits as you visit Slovenia’s Vitarium Spa and Clinique found at Hotel Vitarium, Terme Smarjeske, Slovenia.

Vitarium Spa and Clinique Center is among the recommended weight-loss spas which is clean, bland, functional, and with modern facilities like cardiac rehabilitation center. It also offers operations of the locomotor system, as well as rehabilitation from sport injuries. It is center which offers a wide range of program and state-of-the-art services which are primarily intended assist the individual in overcoming some difficulties primarily associated to the problems encountered by modern men, stress, overweight, early ageing, dissatisfaction with external appearance plus it tends to strengthen your psychophysical abilities and health. The spa also offers the usual massages, facials, and exercise, thermal water baths, saunas (Finnish, Turkish, Roman and herbal), exfoliation, packs, medical diagnostics.

The Vitarium Spa and Clinique programs provide a path to good health, healthy appearance and an excellent state of mind, body and spirit. The programs have been made based on the natural procedures with measurable results.

Slovenia, Republika Slovenija (Republic of Slovenia) as its official name has Ljubljana as its largest and capital city. The country’s official language is Slovenian with an estimated population of about 2 million. Other languages are Hungarian and Italian. Slovenia is a small, mountainous country which can be located at the center of Europe, near the Alps together with the Dinaric area, the Pannonian plain and the Mediterranean region. The countries surrounding Slovenia are Italy on the west, the Adriatic Sea on the southwest, Croatia on the south and east, Hungary on the northeast, the Julian Alps on the northwest, and lastly, Austria, on the north. It has a square area of about 20,296 km² with Mount Triglav as the highest point which rises about 2,863 meters above sea level while the lowest point is found at the Adriatic Sea at sea level. Mountains make up much of Slovenia, and thick forests cover about half of the land. Hilly plains spread across the central and eastern parts of the country. In Slovenia, the sun only shines at about 2,000 hours per year which gives a lengthier time for snow in winter. It has an average temperature of -2°C in January and 21°C in July.

To get to Slovenia you can go by air, by car, by rail travel, by maritime travel or by bus. If you prefer to reach Slovenia via air travel, you can take Adria Airways, Slovenia’s national carrier, which offers a usual schedule of flights to a majority of European cities. If you favor car or bus travel, you can cross on the boarders of Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. If you want a convenient and cheaper travel, rail travel can be your option and you can get a direct line from Italy, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland and Serbia. If you desire maritime travel, the vessels can only dock at the international boarders in Koper, Piran and Izola.

Do you want to experience the thrill and the adrenaline rush? Are you a skier, a snowboarder, or even a tourist? Do you desire a new prospect for excitement, pleasure as well as adventure? Luckily, a number of Slovenia’s ski resort underwent development of their fresh amenities offering both athletes as well as tourists a better access to the country’s slopes. The latest ski resort, the first international ski center in the wider region as well as the first lift to cross the old iron curtain, links between Slovenia and Italy had its official opening on December 23, 2009 and had its official inauguration ceremony on January 5, 2010.

The Kanin-Sella Nevea ski center operates a single ski pass allowing access from the Slovenian Resort of Kanin in Bovec as well as the Italian resort of Sella Nevea. This ski center will allow skiing late in spring because of its high altitude of about 2300 meters. It also offers chairlift linking the Kanin Ski Center with the Bovec and Sella Nevea resorts, with 1600 person an hour capacity and costs at about €28 for adults (€18 for children) daily. Moreover, it gives access to pistes both on the borders of Slovenia and Italy along with a broader option of slopes for winter sports athletes and fanatics. Kanin’s 15 kilometer of slopes plus Sella Nevea’s 12 kilometer of slopes will produce a 27-kilometer of lift-linked pistes. The Doppelmayr Funifor 100P ropeway with two gondolas, appropriate for all levels from beginners to experts, carries the skiers from 1845 meters to 2133 meters in four minutes and 34 seconds.

Aside from this resort located in Slovenia, other resorts all over the country have made developments for this time of year. Kranjska Gora has just opened a free children’s outdoor play area with a new magic carpet lift, free of charge, plus it safely transports young skiers; Cerkno Snow Park suitable for acrobatic skiers, snowboarding, and freestyle skiing instructors willing to teach beginners; and lastly, Slovenia’s largest ski area, Mariborsko Pohorje, which developed a new gondola lift with a double capacity than the previous one.