With just two million people, tiny Slovenia is one of Europe’s most overlooked yet unexpectedly delightful destinations. Located where the Germanic, Mediterranean, and Slavic worlds come together, Slovenia has an intimate capital city, eerie caverns, breathtaking mountains, historic villas, and a unique tradition at a lake that prompts grooms to hit the gym and build some muscle.
For centuries, Slovenia existed as a backwater of the Germanic world—first as a holding of the Holy Roman Empire, and later of the Habsburg Empire. In the aftermath of World War I, Slovenia became one of six republics that formed Yugoslavia. After helping defeat the Nazis in World War II, Yugoslavia emerged under the leadership of Communist Party president and war hero Josip Broz (known as Tito). In the early 1990s, Yugoslavia broke up into separate countries, and Slovenia became independent.
