Slovenia Books

I visited Slovenia this summer and this book was invaluable in my trip. Having done the trip I can now say that I could have used this book even more than I did (which was quite extensively).

Overall the guide does an excellent job of balancing interesting facts and background about the areas around Slovenia with useful traveler information about hotels, internet locations, laundry site, rail/bus schedules and prices. Although the guide was published in 2007, I found the prices to be accurate and the bus/train information to be invaluable (not so much in exact times but it prices and locations that could be reached from any one town or city). For example, I was able to find a free internet site in the capital during my day of site-seeing.

The biggest thing I got from this guide was flexibility. I was solo backpacking and this let me leave the trip to go where I wanted. I could look up any city. Find if it had connections to where I was, what prices its hotels were, etc. In this way, the guide is ideal for people backpacking or going on very flexible trips. However, it does not shy away from giving top notch hotels and places to stay.

The restaurant reviews in particular were great for this book. I only had one day in the capital and I tried the author's choice. The one thing I will note though, is that the name of the restaurant had changed since this book was published. It was still easy to find and the description left no doubt that I had found the right place. It was an amazing, memorable and affordable meal in a place that I would probably not have found in such a short time on my own.

I visited Kobarid and Ljubljana and found the sections on both of the these places to be extremely accurate and the maps to be very helpful. The reviews of the attractions at each of these places were spot on and helped me chose the best places to see in the time I had available.

This is a must have book, no mater what kind of traveling you are doing. I only hope that they come out with a more updated guide as the 2007 one is already becoming outdated in minor spots.

This guide has been very useful to see most of the country. The prices are not exact (now everything is a bit more expensive) and I miss the dance of the Lipizzaner Horses because of a mistake in the timetable, what a pity!!!! But, in general, the guide is excellent

Lots of news and helpful book to read if you are going to visit this country.
I reccomand it to everyone!

Slovenia review.

We traveled for two weeks in Slovenia in August 2004, one month after the publish date for this current edition. Lonely Planet putting a 2004 date on this book is egregious; most information was completely out of date. We found prices to be off by as much as 50%, some hotels and restaurants were non-existent, and tourist offices had moved. The amount of inaccuracies were far too great for a one-month-old book, even allowing for several months of "print time."

Additionally, the organization of the book was terrible. The chapters of the book were aligned to Slovenia's political jurisdictions instead of organizing the content by the country's regions that a visitor would be interested in. For example, the Julian Alps information was split into two chapters (nonconsecutive), each of which were not limited to the Julian Alps. The Karst region, likewise, was split across two unrelated chapters (one of which had some of the above Julian Alps information.) So using this book requires endless flipping back and forth, and scouring the insufficient index. Perhaps most frustrating was that Slovenia is best visited by private car (limited train service, decreasing bus routes), and while so many other Lonely Planet volumes are organized in a linear manner, as if driving, this one was not.

Slovenia has so many wonderful tourist information centers with great free booklets on accommodations and attractions, and the staff is unbelievably friendly. If the author had only updated his listings with this free information, this book would be more useful. However, armed with this knowledge, you can make good use of the information from these centers, and choose a guidebook with more colorful writing (such as Rough Guide) to take with you, passing on this poorly organized and outdated book.

I took this book with me on a trip to Slovenia in September-October 2004, when it was hot off the presses. My travels didn't cover the whole country, just the western half, so I can't speak for all of the book's recommendations. But, in general, I found it immensely helpful, both for planning my trip and for day-to-day guidance while traveling. Some comments:

1. Slovenia's currency hasn't stabilized yet, so expect prices to vary upward, especially now that the Euro is so high against the dollar. Big deal; it's still a comparatively inexpensive country. (I went to a rip-off-the-tourists but very good restaurant in Ljubljana, had a full dinner and a half-liter of wine -- and my total bill was $20!)
2. The famous disappearing Lake Cerknicka does indeed disappear for a large part of the year, so it's likely that all you'll see is a bumpy plain covered with grass. On a related subject, the Soca River valley is beautiful, but in the fall the water is low, so anyone expecting a kayaker's paradise would be disappointed.
3. Renting a car is expensive, and the train and bus system, while not perfect, is still very good. So I used this book to plan ahead: I took public transportation most of the time, then rented a car for one day to visit some areas that are difficult or impossible any other way (e.g., the church at Hrastovlje, which is amazing even if you're not a fan of medieval religious art).
4. The church of St. John the Baptist near Lake Bohinj, with the interesting medieval wall paintings, is closed for repairs, completion date uncertain. However, if you walk up the road to Stara Fuzina, the church there has some arguably medieval paintings in the front porch; it's a lovely walk, too, and you can continue on to Studor and admire the antique hayracks.
5. I totally agree with the book's description of the Skocjan Caves: I'm not a big fan of caves, but these were special, and fully worth the effort. (The tour requires considerable walking and step-climbing, so it's not for the weak or the faint-hearted.) The bus access to the site is poor, but some tour companies run day trips from Ljubljana, and the prices I saw were pretty reasonable.
6. The book's restaurant recommendations are generally excellent: Delfin, in Piran, has the best grilled squid on the planet, and the mussels aren't bad either.
7. Fall can be rainy: I encountered a couple of wet, chilly days that made me wish I'd brought waterproof shoes and a heavier raincoat. But, the rest of the time, it was warm enough that I wore sandals.
8. In the fall, many museums and other sights cut back their hours drastically, so be sure to check before you go, especially if a long trip is involved. (I arrived too late for the day's last tour of Sneznik Castle; on the other hand, I visited the Dormouse Museum -- which is utterly mad and not to be missed -- and hung out in the pub next door with the locals practicing their English on me, and that was way more fun than seeing some rich German family's old furniture!)

This was recommended to us by our librarian - and, I must admit, I wasn't very impressed. But, our 2-year old son absolutely *loves* this book! And, frankly, the more you read it, the more charming it becomes. I'm here searching for a copy to add to our permanent collection, given its popularity at our house. I agree with a previous poster that the illustrations are not very refined, but they do a good job of conveying facial expressions - particularly of the sun - and my child really enjoys identifying "sad" and "happy" and "grouchy" as we read.

I remember this book from when I was very young. It is such a great story for the imagination. A journey waiting to be read to an adventurous child!!!

A good story but in my opinion ther's nothing special about the pictures.

My mom bought a copy of this book...about 20 years ago. She got it because it reminded me of a sampler she had made depicting chicks in front of a blazing sun. It was one of my top fives as a kid. When I found it again here, I was beside myself. It arrived speedily, and in perfect shape at that. This virtual thrift shopping is a good substitue for the real thing!

This cookbook is very good; I am looking forward to trying several of the recipes. The information about the region the recipe comes from in additon to the history of the recipes themselves makes this book a keeper.

"Cuisines of the Alps" is a culinary journey filled with recipes and lore from France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy, Germany, Austria and Slovenia.

Kay Shaw Nelson shares her passion for food from the Alps in this book. She is a food writer and author of eighteen cookbooks.

Hippocrene Books is known for their cookbooks from exotic countries, such as, "Argentina Cooks!", "Icelandic Food and Cookery" and "Tastes of the Pyrenees". Here is yet another addition!

Nelson's introduction takes us on a mini-tour of the beautiful Alps! Her description of the region helps the reader envision such a lovely area with snow-capped mountain peaks, trees, people and homes. Her recipes are easy-to-follow and extremely tasty!

The chapters included in this book are: Appetizers; Soups; Eggs and Cheese Dishes; Fish; Meat, Poultry and Game; Vegetables and Salads; Pasta, Rice and Other Grains; Desserts; and Drinks and Wine. Some of the more delectable recipes are: goulash, linzer torte, Liechtenstein Corn-Bean Salad, walnut cake, Wine Cream, dumplings, Bavarian Beer Soup, and Fondue!

For people interested in a comprehensive cookbook on cookery in the Alps, Nelson really brings home the passion!

I haven't traveled yet, but it helped me to prepare my route.
The data seems to be very accurate.
I doubled check the internet and got same information.

Good summary and nice photos also

As a seasoned traveller, having an accurate and useful travel guide is an essential part of my kit. Recently I have grown tired of mainstream and established guides leaning more towards database listings of where to go and what to do. I want insight. I want to know about a place, its history, culture and the author's personal views. I want to feel inspired to visit a place by the writing. So it's refreshing to see that the Rough Guides still manage to maintain an acceptable balance between information and insight.

The Rough Guide to Slovenia is now in its second edition and there have been many improvements. The most obvious is the new glossy cover; a full page photo with a translucent band across help to make the book much more aesthetically appealing to the eye, which is a vast improvement from the bland cover of the previous edition.

The colour intro contains a useful quick reference guide to the country's highlights, and scattered throughout the book you'll also find two new colour inserts that help to give more emphasis on the two things the country is most famous for: caves and outdoor activities.

More importantly though, is the content. The author manages to maintain an easygoing style which almost makes you feel like he is actually talking to you. Whilst striving to provide accurate information he is also not afraid to give blatantly honest reviews of places and accommodation. His description of a place in Bled where I have personally stayed is right on the button:

"This popular lakeside place has a convivial atmosphere despite the rooms being dated and cramped."

It's for this kind of honesty that people buy a travel guide. If we just wanted a simple list of places to stay and go we would ask at the tourist office, or read the brochures. But independent travellers who want to plan their own itinerary want to know what the place is really like, so they can make an informed decision as to where to go and stay.

While boxed sections highlight special events or places of interest, the bulk of the information is neatly woven into sectioned paragraphs each written with a clarity and authority that is indicative of the author's thorough research and in-depth knowledge of the country. The second edition also contains more detailed maps than the previous edition and its map of the Triglav National Park is the best I've seen yet.

Extremely well written and packed with accurate and useful information, the Rough Guide to Slovenia is an essential aid to anyone planning a trip to this beautiful and diverse little country.

Reviewed by Ian Middleton: Travel Writer and photographer, and author of Mysterious World: Ireland.

Excellent map, easy to read and found it very helpful when travelling recently in Slovenia

I have not seen the other map referred to by the other reviewer, but I think that this is a bad Map. Croatia is an odd-shaped country who's primary recognizable feature is the Dalmatian coast, which is quite long, north to south. This map bisects the country at its center, disorienting those who are not intimately familiar with the country. I found it hard to find some of the most obvious places (e.g. hard to find Dubrovnik!). Bad map. Baaad, baaad map.

This map is much better than the Croatia Travel Map (Globetrotter Travel Map). This map is more detailed (1:500,000), shows more (includes Slovenia and parts of neighboring countries), shows the mountain ranges, and national parks, etc.

I bought this Pilot book for a charter in Croatia from Split to Dubrovnik. Since we basically organized a complete do-it-yourself charter (no real charter agency), this Guide was pretty useful for helping us plan our trip. We weren't sure what sort of charts/guidebooks would be available with our yacht and were glad that we had read the Pilot before setting out. It has good information on local winds (boras) and some of the customs. The sketch charts of the harbors and anchorages were also useful. The yacht actually was equipped with a second pilot book as well as charts (in English) - but it was nice to cross-reference between the books as we planned our trips. It was fantastic... Now, on to Montenegro someday...

My trip is not for another three weeks (May 07) - so i'll update this review after that. But flipping through it now -it looks good.

This is s recent edition - and i've been told the croatian coast is developing fast that older pilots arent as good.

It's in colour too - which is a lot nicer than another I bought that is all black and white. My girlfriend wishes it had restaurant reviews!! ha - a new area for pilots??!

I'll update this in april - but right now it looks great!

this was a good but at some times very confusing.

it starts off with a boy going to a book store. then he spots a book that is the owners. he steals it(it is very magical) then goes into his school attic (skipping school) then he starts to read it and is transported into the world of the never ending story. i am not going to give away what happens next on his adventures but then after a few adventures he is able to create his own world. more adventures then he has to bath in waters that no longer lets him go back. then he goes back to his father buys new clothes (extremly buff and much taller) and gives back the book he stole. then he becomes freinds with the book store owner who was also like him and went into that world. and then thats the end and i am sorry i could'nt give you more details i have not read it in a few years.

Certainly, "A Brief History of Slovenia" lives up to its name: the story takes us from pre-Roman settlement to potential EU/NATO membership in less than 250 pages. Each chapter clearly hits the high points, plus includes some details about the people who figured prominently in Slovenian (and to a lesser degree Yugoslavian) history. The translators did a great job overall, the narrative has pretty good flow. At times though, the book assumes the reader is already familiar with Slovenian notables, omitting some biographical detail and confusing the reader (well this reader at least). In other spots, there are almost Biblical lists of names-again without having some background, these names don't mean much. This book could be an additional text for a Balkan/Yugoslavian history course, or research for a tourist heading to that part of Europe.

Reviews

Synopsis
The Battle of Caporetto in October 1917 was almost a catastrophic event for Italy. Eighty years after the event, this work reconsiders the meaning of that event in the wider framework of World War I. Following the Central Powers' breakthrough on the Isonzo front, there followed a huge collapse of the Italian army, which lost over half its men and material. Having suffered such losses, Italy was on the brink of total collapse. Yet, by December 1917, Italy had overcome the crisis and remained in the conflict. How did it manage to do this? For Mario Morselli, the answer lies in the poor performance of the Central Empire's military leadership after the initial success of the offensive. In the weeks following the breakthrough, the Austro-Hungarian and German generals proved unable to surmount a series of strategic situations, which negated the value of the original breakthrough. Morselli notes that forcing a surrender was a secondary war aim for the German generals; the recall of German troops to the Western Front was crucial to Italy's survival.

I purchased this book mainly as a reference for Czech and Slovak women writers, attracted to its self-described need to "stress communality of experiences by countries shaped by similar historical and political processes." The editors claims the intent of the book is to reverse the neglect of women writers in central European countries and touts her own horn by telling us that "this is a pioneering work." It may be so, in that it is the first anthology containing the former Hapsburg-controlled lands, but at least as far as Czech and Slovak women writers are concerned, pretty much the same old material gets rehashed. The Czech section is thorough and is one of the longer chapters in the book; there is some new myth-killing info on Nemcova as it discusses the curious "cult of personality" that surrounded this author of Babicka. Biographical info on other Czech women is interesting (Svetla, Krasnahorska) and there is an interesting addition of a writer named Irma Geisslova. The Slovak section of the texzt is 18 pages in length. The first author discussed in detail is Lehocka, described as "an archetype of the Slovak women's movement" (hyperbole at its worst), for in the the next paragraph, Soltesova is branded as "a pioneer of Slovak women's literature and the women's movement" (yet, the author admits, Soltesova liked to emphasize 'woman's natural role'in daily life). The editors make the claim in the Introduction that "the text does not set out to give a feminist account of material covered" and yet seems eager to hang such titles on each different writer--with a decidedly feminist bent to them. About Podjavorinska: "(she) avoided radical feminism because she needed male writer's support." The disappointingly short blurb on Slovak writer Timrava grossly misjudges her work, calling it "banal" and "sanitized." Since this book hails from Britain and European editorship, though, the text is blessedly free of American academic pomo-jargon; there is little mumbo-jumbo. Ursula Philips, who authors the chapter on Polish writers, has a direct, powerful writing style. Some chapters in the book are frustratingly short (yet understandably so). The valuable bibliography lists all the authors who have works available in English translations.