Experience Vipava valley through its captivating wonders and culinary mouth-watering treat

Planning to go on a trip to Slovenia? You should include Vipava valley on your bucket list.

Slovenia is known for its Lake Bled, Postojna cave, capital city Ljubljana and Piran town on the coastline. The Central Europe country is also known for its adrenaline sports in Soca valley and adventures in the Julian Alps. Food enthusiasts love to visit the Goriška brda region. But Slovenia offers more than what it is generally known. Are you ready for more experience?

Hit the road and experience the less travelled Vipava valley, which is a narrow valley in western Slovenia. Many visitors neglected the fantastic region due to its transit location on the crossroads. But it makes the valley even more unique and idyllic.

Reasons To Visit Vipava Valley

1. Breathtaking views and outstanding location

The Vipava valley is only an hour away by car. When reaching the Razdrto pass, the view on Vipava valley is outstanding with flourishing orchards, numberless vineyards, and steep slopes of Nanos and Trnovo plateau.

2. Bora wind

Burja or bora wind blows at a speed of around 180km/h in Vipava valley, making it the windiest region in Slovenia. Bora wind helps drying prosciutto and keeps fog and clouds away. However, visitors should take extra caution on house roofs as buildings have stones and rocks on roofs to avoid the tiles from being blown off.

3. Delicious local cuisine

Local tourist farms and restaurants offer sweet value meal deals on seasonal dishes, following the recipes of their grandmothers. These unique and yummy dishes include Nanos cheese; thick soup with potatoes, beans, and turnip; dumplings; celery soup; and prosciutto. Enjoy your meal!

4. Vaulted wine cellars and great-tasting wines

Winemaking in a hilly landscape, sufficient rain, bora wind, mild Mediterranean climate and fertile soil is just so perfect. Vipava valley is an excellent wine-growing region with around 2300ha of vineyards and family-run winemakers. Wine is produced in vaulted wine cellars where wine lovers can enjoy a wine tasting of autochthonous Pinela, Zelen, Klarnica grape varieties.

5. Hospitable and charming locals

Charming little towns and villages surround the Vipava valley, such as Goče, Podnanos, and Vipavski križ. Excellent stone cutting and architectural heritage are featured in clustered villages. Foreigners will never be alone in the region as locals like to interact with tourists. Extremely hospitable locals will make your experience in entering their wine cellars genuinely memorable.

6. Otliško okno

Outdoor lovers will also enjoy Vipava valley as the region offers several possibilities, such as the undemanding hike to the natural wonder Otlica natural window/Otliško okno. You can take an incredible selfie with Vipava valley at the back through the window.

7. Ajdovščina town

It is the biggest town in Vapava Valley that was built beside Hubelj river on the basis of Roman Castra. The roman Castra features 14 towers and thick walls from the roman times and the most preserved defence fortress in the country. To enjoy your short walk to Hubelj spring, make sure to visit Roman spas, Veno Pilon gallery.

8. Osmica

It is a traditional open-houses where visitors can taste home-made delicacies and local wines during autumn and spring. Wine growers are allowed eight days per year to sell their surplus of their wine last year without paying tax. In Slovenian language, eight means osem and from this word delivers osmica. Wine growers can empty their wine barrels for the upcoming year in this way. Get yourself a real culinary mouth-watering treat with live music during the weekends.

9. Grape harvesting

Are you wondering how it feels like harvesting grapes with your hands? Experience this joyful activity every September in Vipava valley. Wine production involves grape harvesting, so why not be part of it? This month of the year, vineyards are full of hand-pickers. After your hard work in the vineyard, you can relax and have lunch with a local family. 

10. Lanthieri manor house in Vipava

The Lanthieri manor house was built in the 17th century. See for yourself the outside of Lanthieri and its lavish interior. The manor house hosts College of Enology and Viticulture students during the week. After walking around the Lanthieri manor house, you can enjoy the pleasant breeze beside Vipava river, the only river with deltoid spring in entire Europe. There is an English-style park with a beautifully designed fountain in front of the Lanthieri manor house.

Those are my ten reasons why you should experience Vipava valley. You won’t have a dull moment in Vipava valley because there is much more to do and see in the region.