Slovenia It is a small country located in the south of central Europe, bordering Hungary, Italy, Croatia, Austria and the Adriatic Sea.
Is it beautiful? Of course, and we are lucky, the younger ones, because today we can visit it, get to know it and enjoy it. Let's see today the best national parks in Slovenia.
Slovenia
We said that we younger people are lucky because the truth is that For much of the 20th century, Slovenia was in the hands of the Soviet Union. in that group of nations then called, Yugoslavia.
Tito, the most important local political figure, who even broke relations with Stalin, made the country something a little different from the rest of the socialist republics of the group, but at his death in 1980. Things got complicated and the first chords of democratization of the System.
At the end of the decade, with the historic Fall of the Berlin Wall and the domino effect it had on the Soviet world, Slovenia experienced winds of change that ended in democratic elections, a name change and de facto independence in 1991.
Slovenia is the third most forested and greenest country in Europe. It is therefore a wonderful paradise for nature lovers. It is often somewhat overshadowed by its famous neighbours, but it is a marvel, a biodiversity treasure, with protected areas covering a third of its surface.
Let's see Slovenia's seven best national parks.
Triglav National Park
This park has a total size of 880 square kilometers and it's in Upper Carniola. It is the only "official" national park in the country. Here is the Mount Triglav, the highest in the countryand the one that gives the park its name.
It houses the same Alpine valleys, high mountains, turquoise lakes and forests crisscrossed by hundreds of kilometers to travel. Among them the best known is the Slovenian Mountain Trail which covers 617 kilometers in total.
It also houses the The longest stone arch bridge in the country and the beautiful Church of St. Catherine. And if you like climbing instead of walking, you can do so on Mount Triglav itself, which is not without its complications, so it is advisable to hire the services of a licensed guide.
Strunjan Park
This park in Slovenia is in the area of Strunjan and has a total of 4.28 square kilometers. Admission is free. This is one of the smallest national parks, but the smallest in the country, but super complete: it has landscapes and cultural and historical treasures, trails and even a beautiful coast.
There is a trail you can do with children, known as A portrait by the sea, with a beach included for taking a dip, and a series of strategically located benches to enjoy the views and cultural treasures.
There is the Saltpan Residence, open every day including weekends, with many exhibits and even a video about the park itself. Strunjan is known for its salt factories so you can learn how it was made by hand.
If you want to stay overnight, you can do so just one kilometer away, in Villa Yadranka.
Goricko Nature Park
This park It is located in Grad and has a size of 461.3 square kilometers in area.It's great, great for those who like anthropology and history and also for nature lovers.
There are prehistoric sites, old medieval mills, greenery everywhere, farms and many activities that can be done outdoors such as hiking or climbing the Pomurje mountain.
The terrain of the park is mountainous and with rolling hills so it has a diverse ecosystem: forests, swamps, meanders… There are a total of 170 bird species, otters, and even very rare bats. And, castle lovers, pay attention: here is the oldest castle in Slovenia.
El Lake Bukovnik It is a reservoir located southeast of Goricko, surrounded by a dense walnut forest, it is great for resting or soaking in the healing waters of the Santa Vida spring. There are also some farms around that provide food for travelers, and if you have your documents you can even cross the border and take a trip through neighboring Hungary and Austria.
Notranjska Regional Park
Continuing with our list of The best national parks in Slovenia It's your turn Notranjska Regional Park. It has 222 square kilometers of surface and is located in Cernica. Summer is the best time to visit, but it really offers activities all year round.
The real treasure of the park is the fantastic Krizna Cave, with its underground lakess that, you can visit aboard a boat. There are 22 lakes In total, and since it is a super popular activity, it is always advisable to make a reservation.
There are a couple of options for these boat rides, short ones and longer ones. The latter take you all the way to Crystal Mountain and are expertly driven as there are rapids, low ceilings and narrow passages in the underground cave network.
And there is no shortage of them either archaeological treasures with ceramics that are 5 years old. And besides the cave and its boats and lakes, the park also has much more: forests and swamps, el Skocjan Canyon and its ruins, the Cerknica Lake, one of the largest in the country (which also appears once every eight months and dries up completely until the next wet season), bears, wolves and lynxes.
Kozjansko Regional Park
El park It is located in Podsreda and has an area of 206 square kilometers.. Admission is free and is located along the border with Croatia. It is one of the oldest national parks in the country. It is a park with a biodiversity very important and, and also with cultural treasures. It is a site Biosphere Reserve and NATURA 2000 park.
The park is known for the medieval castle from the 10th century, built to defend the area. Today it is in ruins but can still be explored. It also has a well-marked network of trails of different levels, Podsreda Trail, for example, which connects the best of the park: old roads, forests, rivers and streams.
Another popular trail is the Geology Educational Trail which starts near the now abandoned Olimje mine. It covers 20 places of interest, each with its own information board.
Zelenci Reserve
Small but beautiful: Only 0.5 km away in Kranjsa Gora and free entrance. It is a park that is both beautiful in summer and winter. The park It is in the Slovenian Alps So in winter all the typical winter activities can be done here. It is a small reserve, one of the smallest in the country, but very complete for the visitor.
In 1992 it was declared a nature reserve.. The heart is the emerald green lake containing, Zelenci, "green" in Slovenian. It is a volcanic lake so it has mini lava volcanoes in its depths. Several trails open from its shores.
As the Zelenci Reserve is on the northern border of the Triglav National Park, you can visit both in one or two days.