Ljubljana is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. Around 50 BC, the Romans built a military encampment that later became a permanent settlement called Iulia Aemona. Ljubljana itself was first mentioned in the first half of the 12th century. In the 15th century, Ljubljana became recognised for its art, particularly painting and sculpture. The Roman Rite Catholic Diocese of Ljubljana was established in 1461 and the Church of St. Nicholas became the diocesan cathedral. Situated at the middle of a trade route between the northern Adriatic Sea and the Danube region, it was under Habsburg rule from the Middle Ages until the dissolution of the Austrian Empire in 1918. Ljubljana's climate is an oceanic climate, bordering on a humid subtropical climate zone characterized by warm-to-hot summers and chilly winters.

Main points of interest to visit:

Preseren Square

Ljubljana Castle

St. Nicholas Cathedral

Tivoli City Park

A variety of galleries and art museums

Piran - Pirano is one of the three major towns of Slovenian Istria. It is renowned for its medieval architecture, with narrow streets and compact houses. The Piran peninsula was incorporated into the Roman Empire in 178 and 177 BC and settled in the following years with villae rusticae. From 1283 to 1797, the town became part of the Republic of Venice, where it was governed semi-autonomously, with a council of local noblemen assisting the Venetian delegate. The town was annexed to the Austrian Empire in 1797 but during the years from 1806 to 1814, when it was ceded to the Napoleonic Empire. After the First World War, together with Trieste and all Istria, the town was ceded to Italy. It is the birthplace of the composer and violinist Giuseppe Tartini, who played an important role in shaping its cultural heritage. Piran has a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and cool rainy winters.

Main sights and points of interest to visit:

Tartini Square

San Giorgio Cathedral

Bell Tower

May 1 Square / Piazza Primo di Maggio

15th Century Gothic Venetian House

Sergej Masera Maritime Museum

Bled is a small town on Lake Bled in northwestern Slovenia. The town The town was first attested in written sources as Ueldes in 1004. German King Henry II ceded ownership of the area in 1004 to Albuin, Bishop of Brixen/Bressanone as a sign of gratitude for the assistance the Church was giving to the king in his attempt to strengthen imperial rule in that part of northern Italy. In 1011, Henry II signed another deed of donation that added the castle and an area of land the size of thirty king's farms. The bishops very seldom visited their remote possession 300 km away. Initially, the lordship was administered by ministeriales (bonded knights), castellans, and castle staff in accordance with feudal practices, but in the middle of the 14th century the prince-bishops decided instead to lease the estate. Under one of the 16th-century lessees, Bled Castle became a Protestant stronghold for a time. When the leasehold era came to an end, the prince-bishops began to appoint governors to manage their distant lordship. Until the middle of the 18th century, those administrators were exclusively aristocratic, but later they included non-nobles. In 1803, Brixen/Bressanone's rule came to an end when the prince-bishopric was secularized in the course of the German mediation. Bled then came under Austrian sovereignty but in 1808, along with Carniola, it was included in the Napoleonic Illyrian Provinces. It returned under Austrian sovereignty in 1813, and in 1838 the Austrian Emperor returned Bled to the bishops of Brixen as a private estate. With the abolition of the feudal system in 1848, Bled ceased to have the characteristics of a feudal economy and from then on it experienced several changes in ownership.

Bled is known for the glacial Lake Bled, which makes it a major tourist attraction. Perched on a rock overlooking the lake is the iconic Bled Castle. A small island in the middle of the lake is home to Assumption of Mary Pilgrimage Church; visitors frequently ring its bell for good luck. Human traces from prehistory have been found on the island.

Main sights and points of interest to visit:

Lake Bled and the island

Bled Castle

Straza

Vintgar Gorge

Triglav National Park

Soca Valley

The Gorizia Hills is a hilly microregion in western Slovenia and northeastern Italy situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean and the Alps. The region is predominately a white wine producer with Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia Istriana, Chardonnay, Pinot bianco, Pinot grigio and Sauvignon blanc being the leading varietals. This secluded almost hidden corner of Western Slovenia is often referred to as the "Tuscany of Slovenia" due to its hilltop villages, orchards, cypress trees and of course, its rolling hillsides lined with vines. Due to the advantageous climatic conditions, wine-growing in this region originated in pre-Roman times. During Roman times, Brda was part of the tenth region, named “Venetia et Histria,” and called Colles or, In Collibus.

Since 181 B.C., the region was influenced by nearby Aquileia . Numerous amphoras found in this area testify to the importance of the town and its surroundings as a centre of viticulture. The border between the Venetian Republic and Austria cut across the Gorizia Hills (i.e. Brda/Collio) wine-growing district until the 19th century when, after the unification of Italy and the establishment of the Austro-Hungarian empire, it became the border between these new states. The fine quality of wines from the region was known and appreciated also at the Vienna court. French grape varieties were introduced to the region during the second half of the 19th century, especially Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

Main sights and points of interest to visit:

Dobrovo / Castel Dobra

Krcnik and Kotline

Smartno / San Martino del Collio medieval village

Villa Vipolze