Eslovênia: o que fazer e visitar

Ljubljana, the capital, has a river lined with cafés, three linked bridges designed by Jože Plečnik, a castle on the hill and a car-free old centre. Bled, to the north-west, has a glacial lake with a church on an island, a cliff-top castle and the cream cake kremšnita.

Bovec, in the Soča Valley beneath the Julian Alps, is a base for rafting and kayaking on the emerald Soča River. On the coast, Piran is a Venetian-style town on a point of land, with Tartini Square and a bell tower, and Koper is a port with a medieval centre. The Postojna and Škocjan caves, with Predjama Castle built into a cave mouth, lie in the Karst.

Kranjska klobasa, a smoked pork sausage, štruklji, rolled dumplings, and potica, a nut roll, appear on the table, with pumpkin-seed oil, honey and local wines. Skiing runs from December to March, the Adriatic is warm in summer, and autumn colours the forests.