NEW MEGA-TRAILS // GASTRONOMY
HOTSPOT // CHOCOLATE-THEMED RETREATA mountain hiking route and multistage cycle trail give good
reason to visit the country in the run-up to its stint as next
year’s European Region for Gastronomy
Unveiled in late 2019, the JULIAN ALPS HIKING TRAIL
is a 170-mile walking route through the limestone
peaks that cover northwest Slovenia. Beginning on the
Italian border, it traces a iercely beautiful route that
incorporates many of the destination’s established
highlights — including, yes, the lovely Lake Bled — as
well as lesser-known parts of the country. The trail
incorporates plenty of overnight accommodation, too.
No less enticing is the BIKE SLOVENIA GREEN project,
a diverse, multistage cycle route which launched in
November. Stretching for around 150 miles, it links
together a series of regions around the country — from
alpine valleys to wine-growing areas — all of which
have been awarded Slovenia Green certiication for
sustainable practices.
And you won’t have to look far for a good meal.
Slovenia will spend 2021 as the oicial EUROPEAN REGION
FOR GASTRONOMY, in recognition of its quality local
produce. On which note, September saw the opening
a chocolate-themed glamping resort (yes, really):
CHOCOLATE VILLAGE, near Maribor, ofers chocolate
breakfasts, chocolate massages and more. BL
slovenia.info
WALES WAY ROAD TRIPS // HEART OF WALES
LINE HIKING TRAIL // COASTAL TRAILS APPThree new touring routes, a long-distance walking trail and
a family-friendly app for navigating the Wales Coast Path are
bringing the country’s many charms to the fore
For a small country, Wales packs in a thunderous
amount of good stuf: the soaring peaks of Snowdonia,
the Atlantic clifs of Pembrokeshire, ancient castles,
beaches, headlands and green hills. All told, it makes for
a spectacular road-trip destination, which is precisely
the thinking behind THE WALES WAY, the collective name
for a trio of new long-distance touring routes.
Between them, they cover three very diferent regions.
The shore-hugging, wildlife-rich Coastal Way runs from
the northern Llyn Peninsula down to Pembrokeshire,
while the North Wales Way takes in foodie hotspots
and Victorian resorts on its way from the English border
across to Anglesey. The longer Cambrian Way snakes
right through the heart of the country. All are intended
primarily as driving routes, but can also be done on foot.
Continuing this theme, 2019 also saw the oicial
opening of the HEART OF WALES LINE TRAIL, a 141-mile
hiking route that traces the path of the famously scenic
Heart of Wales rail line. The superb WALES COAST PATH,
meanwhile, has seen the launch of a dedicated family-
friendly app, complete with augmented reality (AR)
animations and handy itinerary suggestions. BL
visitwales.com5 SLOVENIA 6 WALES
IMAGES: GETTY; MIKE DELL — COFFEE ABROADHikers on Mount Triglav, Slovenia
OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
Beach, plate of grilled octopus
and guest with cocktail, all at
Isla Palenque, Panama74 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
THE COOL LIST