Picturesque Views of Slovenia

We begin our journey in the medieval town of Ptuj, the oldest recorded city in Slovenia. Its strategic location at the crossing of river Drava helped it become an important regional hub until the construction of the Vienna-Trieste railway.

The scenic veduta of Ptuj as seen from the chapel of Saint Roch is a perfect background for a quick break in the shadow.

During the Middle Ages, the Ptuj Castle was the regional seat of the Archdiocese of Salzburg, home of the Lords of Ptuj and an important defensive point against Hungarian invasions.

Manor Legen near Slovenj Gradec with mountains Peca and Uršlja gora in the background is one of the sights that unfortunately do not exist anymore. The manor has changed owners many times until it was finally abandoned and demolished before the Second World War.

Our next stop is Dobrna, the hometown of the oldest spa in Slovenia. Its first mention dates back to year 1403; however, the ancient Romans were probably the first to enjoy the healing power of Dobrna's thermal waters.

We are greeted by a couple of morning strollers and an excited dog.

Novo Celje mansion is one of the most beautiful examples of baroque architecture in Slovenia. In 1752, count Anton Gaisruck bought and demolished the old castle Plumberk and built in its place a luxurious mansion, inspired by the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna.

Fany Hausmann, one of the first Slovenian female poets, lived in this mansion for a few years, until her father ran into financial difficulties and was forced to sell the estate.

Uh-oh! The wind and rain are getting stronger and our poor umbrella has just met its end. We need to find ourselves some shelter.

The abandoned ruins of the Ojstrica Castle might be a good place to weather the ominous storm. Centuries ago, it was home to the ruthless count Feliks Šratenbah, who finally had to escape the rebelling peasants in a barrel. Count Frederick II. of Celje and his famous wife Veronika of Desenice were allegedly imprisoned here, after Frederick's father Hermann II. accused her of witchcraft. Despite being acquitted by the court in the first recorded witch-hunt in Slovenia, Hermann ordered his soldiers to murder Veronika by drowning her in a bathtub.

You don't believe in ghosts, right?

The line of luxurious hotels with a classical park and the steep peak of Donačka gora mountain in the background leave no doubt as to where we are.

Rogaška Slatina is home to Slovenia's most famous thermal spa. In the mid-19th century, it grew into a luxurious resort and a fashionable gathering point for the Austro-Hungarian elite.

Thermal water is not the only attraction of Rogaška Slatina. Here we joined a group of guests on a short day-trip to a nearby hill to enjoy the beautiful nature and scenery.

Continuing with our "spa hopping", we arrive in Rimske Toplice (Roman Spa), another thermal attraction with a long and interesting history.

As you can see, there is no lack of guests here either - and the carriage is just bringing in some new ones from the railway station. The gentleman in the bottom right had to hide behind a bush to find some peace!

One quick stop before arriving to Ljubljana - its picturesque castle can already be seen in the distance. Fužine Castle was built in the mid-16th century and named after the iron works located in its surroundings. Today, it is home of the Museum of Architecture and Design.

And since we are here, we must allow ourselves a few moments to meet the author of this beautiful lithograph, Joseph Wagner, also known as the "Valvasor of the 19th century". Wagner traveled throughout the land in the 1840s and published an album with 30 depictions of various Slovenian towns.

Cerknica and its intermittent lake were made famous by the research of polymath Janez Vajkard Valvasor. For his first scientific description of the lake, he was awarded a membership in the prestigious Royal Society in London.

A woman is praying in front of a small chapel, while a traveler is discussing directions with a merchant of woodenware, traditional trade commodity from Ribnica and Kočevje.

The name Vipava has roots in old Celtic language and literally means "the valley under the rocks".

But because of its many springs and 25 bridges, it is more often referred to as the "Slovenian Venice".

The beautiful Piran is a jewel of Venetian Gothic architecture. As the Lonely Planet guide rightfully says, it is "everyone's favorite town on the Slovenian coast", with one of the best-preserved mazes of old, narrow streets on the Adriatic Coast.

And if you are tired of history, people-watching from one of the local restaurants is always a fun - and tasty - experience.

There are few places to rest and to cool your feet after a tiring hike like the shoreline of Lake Bled, one of Slovenia's most famous attractions.

"There is no other place in Carniola more beautiful than this one with its surroundings, a piece of paradise," wrote France Prešeren, Slovenian national poet. One can hardly disagree.

The old town of Radovljica dates back to 14th century and is a protected historical monument. Its church of St.Peter is more than 750 years old.

We can see a mother walking with her daughter while a man and a woman are engaged in exchanging gossip.

The town of Kamnik is nested at the foot of the Kamnik Alps and built around two castles.

The Small (Lower) Castle with the Romanesque chapel is particularly attractive.

The origins of the small town Višnja Gora date back the Ilyric and Celtic tribes. In the Middle Ages, its old castle was home to one of the most important noble families in Slovenia, the Counts of the Weichselburg.

The symbol of Višnja Gora is a snail on a golden chain. As one version of the legend goes, Sofija, the daughter of the Count of Višnja gora, stumbled upon the wounded son of the Venetian Doge. She took care of him until he finally recovered and revealed his identity. Among the treasures, sent to the Count by the knight's thankful mother, was a golden snail shell with diamonds. It was kept in the City Hall until ending up lost - in time and stories.

Next is the majestic Otočec Castle, the only preserved water castle in Slovenia, built on one of the many small islands on the Krka river. Today, it hosts one of the most famous and luxurious hotels in the country.

The proverbially generous and open-hearted locals are always happy to offer a taste of their homemade and traditionally popular Cviček wine. Maybe just a sip, for health and good fortune. But not too much. We still have a few more miles to go.

And finally, Krško - the last destination on our itinerary. It was a short, but beautiful journey, made possible by the brilliant, traveling artists such as Wagner, Kuwaseg, Sandmann and others. Their vedutas not only offer a glimpse of the 19th century Slovenia, a country in the process of its national awakening - they capture a romantic vision of a time just before the technological and industrial development started to leave its irreversible mark.

For that opportunity, we can only be grateful.

Good luck and bon voyage!