EJ Latitudes 1/08.qxd - Frontiers Elegant Journeys

Call Frontiers 1-800-245-1950 • +44 (0) 1285 741340 in the UK • www.frontiersej.com
Lake Bled
Fall in Love with sLOVEnia
By Kirsten Gardner
I never imagined that one of the best culinary experiences in my
young (but gastronomically sophisticated) existence would occur
in tiny Slovenia, in the alpine town of Kobarid mentioned by
Hemingway in A Farewell to Arms. Called Caporetto by the
Italians, he described Kobarid as “a little white town with a campanile
in a valley . . . a clean little town and there was a fine
fountain in the square.” Unfortunately for Ernest, about 65 years
prevented him from savoring one of the town’s main attractions
today, the fantastic Topli Val restaurant and arguably the finest
cuisine in the country (think trout pate, Normandy oysters, etc.)
paired with delicious Slovenian wines. As I indulged in the signature
sorbet, it occurred to me that this unexpectedly wonderful
dining experience, in a town noted as one of WWI’s monumental
battles, is exactly what delights first-time visitors to this central
European gem; diverse Slovenia is infused with enough flavor to
appease every palate.
Slovenia
The rolling Brda Hills
A rainbow trout from
the Sava River
If you haven’t heard of Slovenia, you’re
in for a treat. When declaring independence
from Yugoslavia in 1991, a quick
secession allowed the economically
strong fledgling country to quickly find its
feet, join the United Nations and gain
admittance to NATO and the European
Union. Touted by the tourist board as the
“Sunny Side of the Alps,” Slovenia is situated
between the Julian Alps and the
Adriatic and borrows cultural and culinary
pages from its neighbors (Italy,
Austria, Croatia and Hungary) while penning
its own intriguing story. Similar in size to Connecticut, 5-7 days
allows for an exploration of the western half of the country with its
varied topography starting with magnificent Mt. Triglav, featured on
the national flag. In the southwest, you have the brief (46 miles
total) but picturesque Mediterranean-style coastline, the intriguing
Karst, home of the UNESCO World Heritage Škocjan Caves and the
Brda and Vipava wine regions. The capital city of Ljubljana lies
smack in the middle. Eastern Slovenia has its share of appeals
(darling medieval Ptuj, delicious white wines from the Podravje, to
name but a few), but the true standout is the West, and first-time
visitors are wise to spend most of their time “left” of Ljubljana.
The Wild, Wonderful West
If the great outdoors is your forte, consider a few nights in the
Lake Bled area. The cerulean blue water, ringed with alpine
peaks and punctuated with a church-topped island, is one of the
most beautiful scenes in central Europe. Lay your head at the
lakefront Grand Hotel Toplice or the slightly removed Vila Bled,
former summer home of the late but still much revered Josef
Broz Tito. Spend the day strolling around the lake, visiting the
Church of the Assumption via pletna (Bled’s version of the gondola),
and hiking up to explore Bled Castle. A second day allows
22