Boris Johnson and British media thoroughly recommended visiting Slovenia

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The Prime Minister said he ‘thoroughly recommended’ visiting Slovenia as he holidays (30.6.-4.7.2022) in the mountains to the north of the country.

The most important British media about Slovenia as an excellent destination for both active and romantic holidays. During these days, Slovenia was once again highlighted in important media as a destination worth visiting. The Telegraph, The Times and many other prominent British media highlighted Slovenia in articles as a hidden gem of Europe during the visit of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie. During these weeks, the Slovenian Tourist Organization (STO) also hosts numerous study trips for representatives of influential foreign media.

Slovenia received special attention from the British media during the visit of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie, who spent their honeymoon in Slovenia and stayed in Villa Planinka. Before leaving, the British Prime Minister gave a short statement to the press, which he began with the words “Good day”.

Boris Johnson thanked everyone who helped him and his wife during their visit. “We climbed mountains, swam in lakes and cycled. It was wonderful. I highly recommend visiting Slovenia, we saw incredible things: giant caves, human fish, Postojna Cave. Thank you to Slovenia, the only country that has the English word for love in its name ,” he said in a statement. He also thanked everyone who helped them during the visit.

The most important British media The Times, The Telegraph, Daily Mail, Independent, The Guardian and many others reported on Slovenia as an attractive tourist destination.

M.Sc. Maja Pak, Director of the WTO: “I am glad that the British Prime Minister and his wife were impressed by Slovenia, and above all by its unspoilt nature, the many opportunities for active and relaxing vacations and the genuine hospitality of the inhabitants. These days, Slovenia received additional attention from the most influential British media, who in recent years have repeatedly ranked Slovenia at the very top of recommended destinations to visit.

The intensive exposure of Slovenia in the British media in recent years is no coincidence. It is the result of carefully planned promotional and communication activities of the Slovenian Tourist Organization, which, in partnership with the Slovenian tourism industry and other key partners of Slovenian tourism, strengthens the visibility and reputation of Slovenia on the British market.

As part of study trips last year and this year, the Slovenian tourism organization hosted many influential media from the United Kingdom, such as The Guardian, The Times, The Telegraph, Daily Mail, The Sun, Nat Geo Traveller, Conde Nast Traveler and Easy Jet Traveller. In cooperation with the media giant National Geographic, in the new multi-channel content campaign “Geography of Adventures”, we highlight our country as an excellent destination for active experiences through top stories, photos and video presentations.

Starting next week, Slovenia will also be highlighted as a destination for excellent active experiences in the campaign, which is the result of the cooperation of the Slovenian Tourist Organization with the media giant Lonely Planet, which last year especially recommended Slovenia for a visit by placing it on the Best in Travel 2022 list.”

Throughout the year, STO hosts numerous study trips by foreign journalists, and interest in visiting the green and boutique Central European country is growing day by day. This is how the study trip of the American blogger Hayley Domin, who writes for the blog Hayley on Huatus, ended last week.

This week, journalist Emma Bowes, who will prepare an article about the Slovenian coast for the British The Times, and Scottish journalist Neil Geraghty, who will write in The Scotsman about his one-week study trip on the subject of cycling, are in a hurry in Slovenia. In the coming week, Slovenia will also host the American journalist Laura Mendez, who writes for the world-famous media Afar, Lonely Planet, The Telegraph and TravelAgeWest and writes her own blog.

The Guardian, a British media with more than 27 million monthly visits, singled out Slovenia as one of five countries worth visiting. The author of the article states that Slovenia will impress with its charming capital, spectacular Bled, Bohinj and Soča, authentic Maribor and Ptuj and charming Piran.

But The Guardian is not the only one who is enthusiastic about Piran, namely CNN, a media outlet that reaches more than 200 million visits per month, is talking about Piran, American journalist Julia Buckley highlighted Piran. You can read both articles in English at the following links: The Guardian and CNN. Slovenia also enchanted Jessica Reid, who wrote an extensive article for the British Wanderlust about a 16-day cycling tour for all wellness enthusiasts, the Slovenia Green Wellness Route.

Mr Johnson said ‘a massive thank you’ to the country for allowing he and Carrie to ‘honeymoon in peace and quiet’. He told local media: ‘I wanted to say, first of all, a big thank you to all the Slovenian media for allowing us to have a honeymoon in peace and quiet, over the last few days. 

‘We’ve had an absolutely wonderful time. I’m sorry, by the way, that my Slovenian is not very good. Dobar dan [good day]. ‘We’ve had a wonderful honeymoon, thank you to everybody who’s helped us. We’ve climbed every available mountain, we’ve jumped in the lakes, we’ve been on bicycles and we’ve had a wonderful time. 

The opening of the restaurant for “external” guests is a long-awaited response to the high demand for lovers of fine cuisine. “We have been intensively preparing the culinary story that we are experiencing today for one year,” said owner Marjan Batagelj at the opening. “Not only an excellent chef and sommelier are enough for high-quality cuisine! There is no high-quality cuisine without high-quality local ingredients and the finest selection of Slovenian wines!

‘I thoroughly recommend Slovenia. We’ve seen incredible things, huge caves and salamanders, the Postojnska caves I think I’m right in saying is the name of the caves. ‘I didn’t know about them. But you’ve got to go and see the Postojnska caves. Anyway, massive thank you to Slovenia, the only country that actually has love in the title of the country. 

‘Love is in the name of Slovenia, and we’ve had wonderful time. (Slovenian) Hvala [thank you], everybody, thank you very much.’ The resort, situated in a valley around half an hour from Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana, promises a soothing ‘balance of energies’ and where guests dine on bear prosciutto.

It also offers vegan toiletries and tap water with the ‘highest magnesium content in Slovenia’ – said to be good for the heart. Hotel owner Marjan Batagelj said: ‘The Prime Minister insisted we call him Boris. And he was sitting at tables that were empty. He had no special privileges here. 

‘He was not picky, it seems to me that many hotel guests made some contact with him, he was a guest like everyone else. ‘It was a pleasant surprise for us, he wasn’t asking us to amend the hotel services because of his presence here.’

Downing Street today confirmed Mr Johnson personally paid for the post-wedding party ‘mini-moon’ at an eco-hotel – having earlier been unable to clarify whether the Prime Minister footed the bill himself. Vila Planinka is a five-star boutique hotel where rooms cost from £242 to £542 a night.

The Stars from BBC at the opening of a new prestigious Slovenian restaurant at Vila Planinka

It emphasises its ‘wellness’ offering and says visitors will ‘slow down, harmonising your rhythm with your inner balance’ thanks to ‘four energy points’ that were discovered ‘centuries ago’ in its backyard’. None of the 23 rooms have wiring in the walls and Wi-Fi is available only in the lobby, while it is only set up in the rooms if you ask for it.

That is why they rely on local food producers at the Vila Planinka restaurant and adapt their menu to the season. Commitment to sustainability is a part of the story we write, our opening guests were introduced to this motto through the culinary “Symphony in the Seven Acts“, as chef Jakob Jerala named it.

Feeling is energy. And let this energy accompany you with your food, ”wished Batagelj to his guests. Batagelj also believes that the energy points, which were discovered by the locals in the garden of Vila Planinka centuries ago has a positive effect on the guests’ experience.

In Slovenia just to visit Vila Planinka

The starry sky above Vila Planinka glowed, even more, this time. This is also due to dance stars Janette Manrara and Aljaž Škorjanac, who presented the charms of Vila to the renowned international choreographer awarded with the prestigious BAFTA Award by Jason Gilkison. “Tired of our Vilan Planinka chants, he decided to check it out for himself and see what we have been so excited about!” Explains Škorjanec. “After three days of pampering in a cozy atmosphere and with the first-class cuisine that is not only ‘high’ but also really full of flavor, is something that people in the world can’t find on every step!

Many restaurants that stand out have a wine list from all over the world. “But we have a wine list of the whole of Slovenia!” Marjan Batagelj proudly emphasized. With top wine expert Mark Koren, they created the most comprehensive presentation of Slovenian wine-growing districts. Currently, their collection includes 125 wine labels, most of which are boutique, biodynamic and organic wines. They strive to complete Their collection so that they can offer their guests 200 quality Slovenian wines. They want this to be their identity. “And since the guests also feel that identity,” Batagelj explains, “they like to come back to visit us!”

A rising culinary star of special energies

At Vila Plninka they strongly believe in their work, so it did not surprise us that that they were assessed with as many as two Gault & Millau caps in the first year (14.5). At a time when Slovenia is becoming the European Gastronomic Region 2021, Vila Planinka can also become a great candidate for Bib Gourmand – “rising stars” or even have the potential to get the first Michelin star.

The ambition to win Michelin stars is no secret at Vila Planinka. Where they believe that the benefits of clean mountain air, the uniqueness of the healing spring drinking water and the special energy that surrounds the Vila Planinka restaurant will be recognized by Michelin Guide.

Source: Vila Planinka