This lesser-known ‘wine-obsessed’ region is Tuscany on a budget — with flights for just £18

While it’s no secret that Slovenia is home to breathtaking landscapes, charming culture, and food so good you’ll be thinking about it for years to come, it’s keeping a secret from us: the Vipava Valley.

Home to awe-inspiring architecture, wineries, and an array of outdoor activities, the valley is simply stunning, so much so that it’s dubbed ‘Tuscany in Slovenia’.

Nestled in between the village of Podnanos and the Italian border the area has two main towns, Vipava and Ajdovščina.

Located just a short distance away from each other, they have a shared population of just over 8000 people, and locals are known for making their visitors feel like family. As Lonely Planet explained: ‘In this wine-obsessed, welcoming community, sharing a bottle of your own-grown best with strangers is standard.’

Still need to be convincing? The area was also named in the top 10 of Lonely Planet’s Best in Europe in 2018, yet it’s still firmly under the radar for most European travellers, with it’s more famous Italian cousin still far more popular.

Here’s everything to know about this hidden gem…

One of the best ways to reach Vipava Valley from the UK is to fly to Ljubljana and then travel via bus for 57 minutes to Ajdovščina at a cost of £9 per person.

You can also fly into Trieste and take the bus to the valley for a cost of £10, which takes 37 minutes.

You can also of course hire a car in each major city and drive to the valley.

The Vipava Valley’s location makes for a mostly warm climate. Summers are hot, winters are mild, and spring usually comes early.

And thanks to the north-eastern wind known as Burja, which scatters the clouds, the valley sees an average of 2100 hours of sun each year, a lovely change from London who sees an average of 1403 hours each year.

Like many European destinations, early June to mid-September is the best time to visit with the temperature reaching highs of 28°C.

With such a small population, your accommodation options are few and far between, but that’s not to say there aren’t some great choices to help you live your countryside dream.

While most summer hot spots see a rise in price across June, July and August and lower prices in the shoulder season, Booking.com prices for Ajdovščina appear to stay consistent throughout shoulder and peak season.

The town’s three-star hotel has prices starting at £118 per night, while small holiday houses and apartments start at £49.

If you’re basing yourself in Ajdovščina, it would only make sense to spend a good day or two exploring the second-largest town in the valley.

While it may seem sleepy at first, the town is full of hidden beauties, including the Castrum Ad Fluvium Frigidum, also known as the ‘Fortress by the Cold River’, which served as an important military centre for the Roman Empire.

It remains one of the most intact Roman walls in Europe and is right beside the museum, which is full of archaeological finds.

For the adrenaline junkies in your travel group, if it’s windy enough (but not too windy), the Vipava Valley is the ideal spot to try out paragliding and hand gliding as it provides some jaw-dropping scenes.

Hiking and mountain biking as well as horse riding are also popular activities in the area, and you can also try your hand at kayaking down the river.

With so much to do, it’s worth looking into tours run by the locals. They often include packages that allow you to do multiple activities over a couple of days.

As for events in the region, it is home to the annual Vipava Valley Rally which usually takes place in May and sees rally driver experts race their way along the steep slopes with hairpin turns of the local roads.

Attracting thousands of bystanders, it is certainly a calendar highlight, as is the Ultra Trail Vipava Valley. As one of the toughest endurance challenges around, it takes place in April each year and attracts mountain runners and mountain bikers from all over the world.

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If you’re looking to embrace the beautiful sights of the valley but don’t want to race anyone, Hiking in the Footsteps of Matija Vertovec is the biggest group hike in the area and takes place on the first Sunday after the feast of St. Martin (around mid-November).

For those looking for a slower pace, take in the beautiful scenes and enjoy some food and wine, by visiting one of the many wineries in the valley, admire the art galleries, and enjoy plenty of serene walks.

There are hundreds of family owned wineries and vineyards. If you’re not sure where to start, Vipava 1894 in Vipava town, is a cooperative that’s been running since 1894. It brings together wines from 350 winemakers, and you can sip some as you have a tour and tasting. A tasting with five samples of wine, prosciutto, cheese and bread costs just €20, with just €5 extra for a cellar tour.

In the valley itself, Burja Estate and Cejkotova Domačija are both popular choices.

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