Slovenia and Croatia
Rick Steves' Europe: Episode #112
We discover that Dubrovnik is still the "jewel of the Adriatic" while nearby villages decorate their dreamy archipelago with small-town Venetian charm. Ljubljana is like Salzburg without tourists. The Julian Alps glisten with pristine lakes as Lipizzaner stallions are eager to strut their stuff.
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Travel Details
Plitvice National Park
Plitvice is one of Europe's most spectacular natural wonders. Imagine Niagara Falls diced and sprinkled over a heavily forested Grand Canyon. There's nothing like this lush valley of 16 terraced lakes, laced together by waterfalls and miles of pleasant plank walks. Countless cascades and water that's both strangely clear and full of vibrant colors make this park a misty natural wonderland (two hours by car or bus south of Zagreb on National Road #1).
Lipica Stud Farm
The Lipica Stud Farm, a 10-minute drive from the Škocjan Caves, was founded in 1580 to provide horses for the Hapsburg court in Vienna. Today you can tour the Lipizzaner stables to visit the magnificent animals, whose stalls are labeled with purebred bloodlines. Unlike in Vienna, it's cheap and easy to get tickets to see the horses perform (in Slovenia's southwest corner; a stone's throw from Trieste, Italy; by car, exit the A-1 expressway at Divaca and follow brown Lipica signs, tel. 05/739-1580).
For up-to-date specifics, see the latest edition of the Rick Steves' Croatia & Slovenia travel guide or the Rick Steves Eastern Europe travel guide — or join us on one of our free-spirited Eastern Europe tours.