Slovenia - an undiscovered jewel?

The opening up of new low-cost flight routes to Eastern Europe and the Balkan states now offers the business and leisure traveller a host of new destinations to choose from.

Slovenia is a relatively new country - but with a rich history. A recent visit to Ljubljana for a site visit has convinced us that here is a great place for conferences, incentive groups or simply as a short-break destination.

EasyJet flies to LJ on a regular basis and the city offers all the friendliness of a small town and at the same time everything that a capital should offer. Apart from the remains of the Romans, it boasts a medieval castle and numerous old city centre Baroque buildings with uneven roofs and richly decorated façades and portals. The mosaic of Ljubljana is completed by picturesque bridges across the Ljubljanica river and the vast Tivoli park, which extends to the very city centre.

Ljubljana is a city of culture, which, among other things, boasts one of the oldest philharmonic halls in the world. Every year it hosts more than 10,000 cultural events ranging from concerts, theatre performances and fine art exhibitions, to avant-garde events.

One of the delights of strolling through the city on an evening is the almost complete absence of hordes of British youths taking advantage of the low flight costs and cheap drink. In fact, eating, drinking and staying in Ljubljana is still much lower than almost all other European capitals - and that is despite its membership of the Euro.

Away from the capital, one must-visit place for your itinerary is Bled with its stunning lake and castle. A walk around the lake is a pleasnt way to spend an hour - and if you're feeling energetic then you can take a rowing boat to the island in the lake and visit the pretty chapel.

Hotel accommodation in Slovenia is comfortable and there are some great deals available on conference venues.

If you'd like more information on Ljubljana or Slovenia then contact Nice Work today.

Slovenia - a little jewel

The unification of Europe, both politically and economically, together with the explosion of cheap air travel has helped fuel a huge increase in air travel. And whilst visitor numbers to the traditional favourites such as Spain and France show no signs of abating, the opening up of the former Eastern Europe has presented some new and exciting locations for corporate and leisure travel.

Unfortunately the launch of EasyJet and Ryanair routes to new cities does tend to lead to a quick switch in favoured destinations for stag and hen parties and we have all seen the effects of the stag phenomena on Dublin, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Prague, Talinn et al.

Slovenia still remains a wonderful antidote to much of modern Europe's crowds and high prices - and on a recent visit there was a refreshing lack of gangs of young alcohol-fuelled Brits. Ljubljana is a wonderful city - a mix of Prague and Budapest - but without the hordes of tourists. It is fairly typical of the rest of the country - very green, very clean, very friendly and very reasonable! Indeed, Slovenia must be one of the few countries within the cursed Euro zone not to have signalled its introduction as a passport to riches. Hotels, travel, restaurants and socialising are all available without the need for wallet-busting budgets.

It makes such a refreshing change to eat out and enjoy superb food and wine - and still get a bargain to boot!

In addition to Ljubljana we also visited the stunning Lake Bled. It's a dangerous place mind you - it can be romantic! The small church on the island in the middle of the lake is reached either by Gondola-type boats or you can propel yourself by rowing boat. According to local tradition, a husband who can carry his newly married bride the 99 steps up from the dock into the church will be ensured a happy marriage, and ringing the bell in the church will make your dreams come true. From the lake, take a look around at the wonderful views of Bled Castle set against the backdrop of the Julian Alps. Bled is a popular destination for walkers, cyclists and for those just looking for a place to relax.

Slovenia, Ljubljana and Lake Bled are extremely cost-effective destinations for corporate visits - with incentives and conferences here likely to make less of an impact on your budget. Travel time to Ljubljana is less than 2 hours from London and there are a number of very good quality business hotels offering superb conference facilities.

Slovenia is well worth a visit - and if you'd like some ideas for your next business event, conference or incentive, why not contact us?