SMARJESKE TOPLICE - THERMAL SPA

Toplice =Therme = Thermal Spa

We spent a wonderful day at Smarjeske Toplice, only 50 minutes drive from our village.

Thermal Water is healthy warm or hot water that comes from deep in the earth - Hot Springs.

(Italian) Terme = (Slovenian)Toplice = Hot Springs Spa

Terme (Toplice) is the place where one can swim in the thermal water either in indoor or outdoor pools which belong to hotels or health centres.

Nowadays Slovenes use both words – either Terme or Toplice for swimming in pools with thermal water. Slovenes use the word Spa for heated outdoor or indoor swimmimg pools where massages and other cosmetic treatments are included.

The Dolenjska (Lower Carniola) region, the country of vineyard cottages has a rich tradition of thermalism and thermal waters. There are two Slovenian natural spas here: Dolenjske Thermal Spa (Dolenjske Toplice) and Smarjeske Thermal Spa (Smarjeske Toplice) south east of Ljubljana while the biggest thermal spa, Čatež Thermal Spa, is in the Posavje region bordering the Dolenjska region.

Check out all 15 Thermal Spas and Health Resorts

on the link below.

http://en.slovenia-terme.si/

Entrance to Thermal Spa Smarjeske Toplice

Map showing where everything is. Bright lights are reflection from nearby glass door and flash.

A map showing visitors trails for Nordic walking

Health benefits of Nordic walking.

You can choose trails describing distance, degree of difficulty and how long it takes so there really is a terrific choice and something for everybody!

At the entrance of the Spa we paid 7 Euros. We were given a plastic bracelet with a magnetic button which activated a barrier to let us in to lockers and change rooms. Button also opens and closes lockers. I was surprised men and women share the same change room but have separate bathrooms!!

Spotlessly clean indoor pool! So relaxing and just what I needed! The pool temperature was 30 C.

Lots of comfortable chairs.

I had a bit of trouble keeping my bracelet on when I was swimming, so took it off!

On my way out to the outdoor pools!

Lots of chairs and umbrellas and not too crowded.

Swimmers can also swim from the indoor pool exiting through the little house in the middle of the outdoor pool. The hotel is in the background.

Strong jets massaging back and neck. Heavenly!

Note the beautifully tiled deck.

More powerful jets for the whole body.

View from hotel terrace where we stopped for a sandwich and beer and enjoyed the lush forests which surround the spa.

What a wonderfully relaxing day! We definitely want to do this again and maybe try some of the treatments offered. The hotel includes a medical centre offering a variety of Wellness Programmes such as massages, body treatments, facial treatments, aromatherapy, analysis of physical state, bioenergetic and mental balance, weight loss, genetic analysis and much more!

SLOVENE COAST

Izola and Portoroz

I wanted to compare the Slovenian coast to the Croatian coast so we drove to the Primorska Region which is greatly influenced by Italy and is only one hour from Ljubljana.  There had been border problems with Italy starting after World War 2. It took 7 years and 4 treaties after World War 2 to finally decide whether the Slovene coast should belong to Italy or Slovenia. Signs are in Slovenian and Italian and Italian is also spoken but this region now belongs to Slovenia.

Arriving at the coast, the picturesque countryside changes again and is dotted with vineyards and olive groves stretching down to the Adriatic Sea. I found the drive down to the Slovenian coast much more beautiful than the Istrian coast in Croatia. I wonder why Slovenians prefer Croatian beaches.

There are many small resorts - hotels on the beaches such as Ankaran, Zusterna, Simonovov Zaliv, Strunjan, Fiesa, etc., but the largest and most popular resorts are Portoroz and Bernardin. The Venetian town Piran is only 3 kilometres from Portoroz. There are three beaches in Portoroz. We looked at the first two but they were too crowded so Joze suggested we go to the 5star Grand Hotel Bernardin which has two separate sections – one for hotel guests and one for the general public. We had to pay 30 Euros for 2 chairs and an umbrella but it was well worth it. Once again, the “beach” was not sandy but cement and rocky. You had to enter the water using stairs leading from the pier as you see in the photos below. There was also a bar with snacks and drinks. The other two beaches are more easily accessible to the water because you can just walk in from the beach. They also have grass and shady areas.

Olive trees and vineyards.

Town of Izola. Trieste, left, in the distance.

Marina in town of Izola.

Crystal clear Adriatic Sea.

Portoroz  resort – first beach we looked at.



Fish cantina in centre of Portoroz.

Grand Hotel Bernardin 5*- right on the beach.

Hotel Lobby. 

Grand Hotel Bernardin “beach”. Pier and stairs in the distance.

Rocks below! Comfortable chairs.

Enjoying a sandwich and beer! Massage room in the background.

Hotel overlooking the Adriatic.

POREC & BRIONI ISLANDS - ISTRIAN PENINSULA / CROATIA

August 23 - 25 2017

We wanted to visit the Croatian beaches Germans, Italians, Slovenes and others flock to in the thousands! Joze particularly wanted to visit the Brioni Islands so we drove to Porec one of the resorts an hour away from the Islands. When we arrived at our hotel in Porec we were a day late! Our reservation was for August 22! Nevertheless there was still a room available. We stayed at Jadran Residences owned by the Valamar Hotels. Our room had a balcony and a beautiful view of the Adriatic and Marina close by. It was a 2 hour drive from Slovenia.

The first small Croatian resort of Savudrija near the border with Slovenia. The photo shows how they lift boats from the water using pulleys attached to wooden poles to protect boats during high waves.

Slovenes say that the Croatian beaches are much nicer than their beaches. It is hard to see why. The beach above is rocky and cannot be very comfortable to lie on! No sandy beaches here.

Another view.

Jadran Residence.- our room on the first floor with balcony in the middle (second from the left) .

A delicious pizza with a cold beer for lunch! Strong Italian influence here.

A four minute boat taxi to the beach at another Valamar hotel across from us on an island. Joze took a look at the beach close to our hotel but it was too rocky so guests go to the hotel above which has a sandy beach.



A view of the Marina with boats and sail boats of all sizes from different countries.

This was the largest boat. People on board were served dinner by a waiter from a nearby restaurant! That’s sheer luxury!

Enjoying the view from our balcony and people watching!

Boats galore!

Dusk descends and the promenade is a hive of activity!

The Palace Hotel Casino, another Valamar hotel!

All restaurants along the sea were fully booked so we found one inside the old city where we were lucky to find a table.

Music played below our room.

Featuring an alto saxophone. Next morning we went to Fazana Seaside Resort just opposite Brioni Islands, nowadays a National Park. 

We wanted to take a tour there but it was expensive and meant 4 hours of walking and would have been too long. So we decided on a boat trip around the Islands instead which took one and half hours.

Before the boat trip left for the Brioni Islands we took a stroll to the Fazana beach nearby. Beaches here are always shaded by a large trees.

Even dogs have their own beach where they could swim! Hilary’s dog Bentley would love this!

The beach near the ferry boat marina.

This beach had small pebbles as above!

BRIONI ISLANDS

http://www.np-brijuni.hr/en/

for more info (Google) : Brioni Islands, Vanga Island - click Images

Marshal Tito’s private Paradise

During Tito's time all the islands were closed to the general public. More about him and his visitors as well as a description and history of Brioni Islands:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brijuni

The biggest island“Veliki Brijon Island” is the only one open to the public.  There is the Safari Park (Tito’s private zoo), a golf course, a few churches and one of Tito’s residences.Tito’s private residence was on small island of Vanga  (not seen from the boat), nowadays a Croatian government residence and is closed to the public.

Ferry boat marina.

Leaving marina of Fazana to circle all around the Brioni Islands.

A view from the boat

More islands.

Summer residence of No2 man in Tito's time a Slovene politician Edvard Kardelj.

Lighthouse on one of the islands.

You have to walk over rocks to get to the sea.

One of the few public beaches for the visitors on the biggest island of Veliki Brijun Island

A wonderful sea for sailing.

Approaching Fazana

Back on shore

Typical restaurant.

The morning of our departure, a photo taken from our balcony of  the catamaran, »Prince of Venice« owned by Kompas Travel Agency, made in Australia, just leaving for a day trip (from 8 am – 8 p.m) to Venice. It takes 2.5 hours one way and costs 130 Euros not including admission tickets which are optional.

Stuck in heavy traffic for 2 hours on the way home on Friday! Not a good idea to travel on Fridays and weekends during July and August! All in all it was an interesting 2 days. Next we plan to visit Portoroz Resort on the Slovenian coast.