The European Destinations of Excellence (EDEN) award was established in 2006 by the European Commission and is presented annually. When choosing the best travel destinations in Europe, the EDEN organisers draw attention to their values, diversity and common features. The core characteristic of the selected destinations is their commitment to social, cultural and environmental sustainability of tourism. Here is the list of most amazing destinations in Slovenia that managed to receive the EDEN award for the last ten years:
- Koper—the EDEN 2017 winner. Koper is the new European Destination of Excellence (EDEN) and the largest town on Slovenia’s Adriatic coast. Find more information about Koper here.
- Goriška Brda—the EDEN 2015 winner. The Goriška Brda region is best known for its excellent wines and the biggest annual cultural and tourism event dedicated to cherries—the Cherry Festival, which is held in June and includes different ethnological, cultural, sport and entertainment activities.
- Laško—the EDEN 2013 winner. This place is famous for its similarly named beer, which has been brewed there since 1825. Laško hosts the annual Beer and Flowers Festival being one of the largest events of any kind in Slovenia that gathers around 150,000 visitors each time.
- Idrija—the EDEN 2011 winner. The town of Idrija is not only the EDEN winner, but also one of Slovenia’s three UNESCO heritage sites. Thousands of tourists come here in June to visit the annual Idrija Lace Festival, highlighted by competitions, fashion shows, workshops and other events. More information can be found here.
- The Kolpa River—the EDEN 2010 winner. The Kolpa River runs between the lush green mountains separating Slovenia from Croatia at the southern border. It passes through a number of friendly and welcoming towns of the region.
- Solčavsko—the EDEN 2009 winner. This secluded mountain region is composed of three stunning Alpine valleys. Any visit here will be rewarded with some of the most stunning natural views offered by Slovenia.
- The Soča River—the EDEN 2008 winner. This river is included into the lists of the most beautiful rivers both in Europe and around the world. It is famous for its deep emerald colour and breath-taking landscapes of the Triglav National Park. More information can be found here.
