Exploring Slovenia's diverse coastline

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Love and marriage may be the ultimate gift, but just beyond those cherished vows and celebratory toasts comes the unforgettable honeymoon. Unlike the nuptials themselves, the honeymoon is intimate; a private dessert for two. It’s chapter one of a love story. Better still, it’s the newlyweds’ first chance to voyage together in wedded harmony. For LGBTQ+ couples, planning a romantic honeymoon comes with familiar choices—beach or city, resort or B&B, adventure or light recreation—plus considerations about feeling welcome as well as safe.

Best for: learning about textiles

The 26-country no-border-control Schengen area is in danger of collapsing under the migration threat. Presumably, the new border controls will be for no more than two years. But for now, you have to figure on reverting to the bad old days of mind-numbing border hassles within the area.

You’ve probably never heard of apitourism, or even considered “bee tourism” to be a thing. But it is, and it’s a travel trend swarming all over Slovenia.

Central and Eastern Europe are among the culturally diverse parts of the world, preserving a plethora of deep-rooted traditions. What’s more, large tracts of the area remain off the mass-tourism radar, ensuring that there is still a great deal to explore. The following ten suggestions will ensure you get the best out of this huge, compelling and endlessly surprising region.

If there is one European city that seems particularly focused on the World War I centenary then it is the Austrian capital Vienna , where a host of war-themed exhibitions will be opening over the course of the year. Such attention may come as something as a surprise when one considers that the Austro-Hungarian Empire was one of the powers brought crashing to its knees by the conflict. Few other European nations would find their own decline and fall quite so engrossing.

This week, pictures have emerged of Italians enjoying al-fresco meals in pizzerias, sun-baked Greeks heading to the beach, and hikers taking to the wide-open expanses of the USA’s national parks. This is not business as usual – social-distancing measures and other hygiene regulations are strict – but there’s a thrill in seeing life creep back into cities and towns around the world. Of course, for those of us still under lockdown, it’s bittersweet watching the world resume some semblance of normality (we’re craving our turn), but here at Rough Guides, it’s provided one thing in bucket loads: hope.

With the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of Europe in the final years of WWII in 2019–2020, Rough Guides is releasing a new, comprehensive and inspirational guidebook: Travel the Liberation Route Europe. Rough Guides editor Helen Fanthorpe introduces the book and explains what it’s all about.

In the final part of our four seasons in Slovenia series, we meet the orange winemakers of the Goriška region, and discover why autumn is one of the best times to visit the country. Eleanor Aldridge went to find out more.

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised by Slovenia's recent popularity — it's one of Europe's most fought-over countries, after all. The country was once part of the Roman Empire, then the German Holy Roman Empire, then under the rule of the Habsburgs of Austria, and even Napoleon for a brief period. It became part of Yugoslavia in the 1920s, until 1991, when it finally achieved independence. Although Lake Bled currently ranks as the country's most popular spot for tourists, growing numbers of visitors are taking time to explore Slovenia's beautiful capital, so we've put together a guide to Ljubljana so you can make the most of this enthralling city.

The famous poet and author of the Slovene national anthem France Prešeren once wrote this about the famous Lake Bled: