Slovenia
When Czechoslovakia split up we suddenly had two new countries to link with. When Yugoslavia disintegrated we suddenly had a potential six! The most easily accessible and popular with our tour groups is the northernmost Republic of Slovenia, one of the smallest EU members yet with the largest range of scenery in such a small area passing from Alpine Mountain down to Adriatic coastline.
Groups usually fly to the capital Ljubljana - a small compact place, if they want to visit the mountain areas around Lake Bled and the Austrian border, but alternatively fly to the Italian City of Venice, which is only an hour or so from the Slovenian border. Heading past Trieste (although Italian, it's in fact the town with the largest Slovenian population) you reach the Istrian coast and the small port of Koper where we have links with the local schools and have taken many groups. Easy access to nearby Croatia or to the Postojna Caves, Koper is a comfortable little town with an ancient heart clashing the Italian and Slavic cultures in one easygoing mix.
An hour north is Ljubljana, and less than another hour away is the Gorenske Region, settled within the high Julian Alps.
The lakeside Town of Bled is a must for visitors with its Transylvanian style medieval castle perched high on a peak above a traditional middle European street scene from where Hollywood villagers surely picked up their flaming torches on many occasions to storm it. A boat ride away in the centre of the lake is the island. Noted for its ancient fertily ceremonies and still popular for weddings, there's at least a bell you lay on your back and can ring these days, which is much more relaxing.
Along from Bled is the small Town of Radovljica where we have contacts with the local school, and not far again is the Bohinj Valley where skiing and mountain walking is very popular. Through a big tunnel (or straight up and straight down via the mountains) you can get to Austria. Alternatively an hour or so across the eastern plains and you’re in Hungary.
Voice of the People in Slovenia (and Venice)
Each year Yvette Staelens and her community choir of naturist voices (sic) jet off to some interesting country, sing with a local choir and then come home. This year it was Slovenia where, thanks to the lovely Stasa Slapnik we found the lovely Tanja Jamnik and with the further help of the lovely Janez Medja we even got some lovely busses and hotels out of it. Read more...
YEOVIL CHILDCARE STUDENTS VISIT SLOVENIA
A small group of students from Yeovil College studying childcare have spent a few days before Easter comparing notes with their Slovenian counterparts and taking in the sights of Venice, Istria and the Julian Alps at the same time.
The group flew out to Venice where they spent a couple of days on the island of Giudecca at the famous Ostello Venezia. Travelling around the waterscaped city by Vaporetto the students also visited the Doges Palace and saw the catastrophe that was the total swamping of the famous Bridge of Sighs by a hundred square metre advertising hoarding for a Japanese car company....
SOMERSET STUDENTS IN SLOVENIA
Richard Huish College 'Health & Social Care' students have travelled with us to the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia over the past few years. This year they chose the increasingly popular Slovenia for their annual fact finding mission.
Flying from Bristol to Venice - a couple of hours and a lovely rooftop panorama of the Alps then a swoop over the Venetian islands, they were whisked away by a waiting Slovenian coast to the border town of Koper.
BRIDGWATER COLLEGE MEDIA STUDENTS VISIT LJUBLJANA
The 2011 Bridgwater International programme has kicked off with a visit by twenty-five Bridgwater College Film and Media students to the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana. Along with their three staff members the students visited the Slovenian TV & Radio buildings and the Slovenian VIBA Film studios.
The group also spent time in the small town of Radovljica where they showed their own works to the Media students of the High school there and took part in a 'Slovenian Quiz' which they past with flying colours having taken a great interest in the small EU border country during their four day stay.
SOMERSET STUDENTS IN CROATIA AND SLOVENIA
Somerset students from Tauntons Richard Huish College have visited the former Yugoslav Republics of Croatia and Slovenia on a comparative Sociology and Law study trip.
In Croatia the students stayed in the Port city of Pula where they linked up with the School of Art and Design and their progressive head teacher Davor Klimann. The thirty-six students and five staff stayed at the Luxury Hotel Pula, with its own private Adratic beach. Sadly however, uncharacteristic rain put a damper on their stay which also included visits to the 2000 year old Roman Amphitheatre, the Istrian archaelogical museum and the city fortifications which dated back to the time of Christ.
