Dinosaurs and Active vacations in Slovenia

POSTOJNA CAVE: DINOSAURS – THE BIGGEST, THE SMALLEST
Slovenia’s most visited karst landmark, Postojna Cave, is hosting an exhibition of Cretaceous fossils and dinosaur skeleton replicas, which will be on display until 3 May. Skeletons of the mamenchisaurus, the biggest animal to ever tread Eurasia, and the psittacosaurus, one of the world’s smallest dinosaurs, bear testimony to the ancient history of the subterranean karst world.

Apart from dinosaur skeletons, the spectacular setting of this famous karst cave also features a moulded nest with dinosaur eggs, a mould of the largest known seashell, and numerous fossils from the Cretaceous period unearthed in the area of Nanos and HruГ…ВЎica, two karst plateaus above Postojna.

Despite the fact that the formation of the Karst took place at a time when dinosaurs already started to face extinction, these exciting artefacts from ancient history speak volumes about the remarkable history of the cave. Ice Age mammoth hunters inhabited the cave as early as 10,000 years ago. Signatures dating from the 13th century found on the cave walls tell of the first visits to the cave. The development of the cave for tourism purposes dates back to the 19th century, when the first electric lighting system in the country and railway tracks were put in place inside. The cave, with a near-200-year tourism tradition, has so far been visited by more than 32 million visitors from around the globe.

More on Postojna Cave: www.postojnska-jama.si

ACTIVE HOLIDAYS: NEXT EXIT TO THE HEART OF SLOVENIA
Heart of Slovenia (Srce Slovenije) is a new destination brand drawing visitors to explore the heartland of Slovenia. The area between the country’s biggest river, the Sava, and the KamniГ…ВЎka Bistrica River, dominated by the scenic Posavje Hills, was until recently detached from the main tourist routes. Boasting well-preserved distinctive natural and cultural attractions, the sights in this area are incorporated into what is known as the Amber Route, one of the six byways featured in the Next Exit project.

The area is included in the dedicated Amber Route map. In early spring, when high-altitude spots are difficult to reach, this area is particularly interesting for hiking: the Slovenian stretch of European Walking Route E6 runs there, which is presented in more detail in the new Hiking in Slovenia catalogue. The catalogue also features two easy hiking trails running through the centre of Slovenia to Kum, the highest peak in the Posavje Hills.

The area referred to as the Heart of Slovenia is perfect for early spring hikes, recreational cycling, horseback riding and a variety of other adventures, which are incorporated into personalised tours and excursions taking one or several days. These include the geometric centre of the country, Slovenija GEOSS, in the village of Vače, an important archaeological site where the Vače situla, the oldest Venetic artefact, dating from the turn of the 6th century B.C., was discovered; BogenГ…ВЎperk Castle, where you can visit the working quarters of the renowned polymath Janez Vajkard Valvazor, and other castles and mansions; the Zasavje region, where traditional miners’ dwellings were set up in the form of a museum; Terme Snovik, a natural health resort, the first Slovenian tourism business to win the EU Daisy eco-label for providing environmentally friendly accommodation; and many other interesting places.

Official website of the HEART OF SLOVENIA destination: www.srceslovenije.si
To learn more about the Amber Route, visit the Next Exit section at www.slovenia.info
To learn more about hiking in Slovenia, visit the Active Holidays section at www.slovenia.info Visit the Ordering Publications section to download the HIKING IN SLOVENIA catalogue.

March 10, 2009   Posted in: Slovenia