A hour-by-hour plan to guide your trip.
Meet your guide at your hotel or at a designated point. We will pick you up with one of our comfortable, air-conditioned 8-seats mini-vans and we'll take you to one of the most renowned wine region of Slovenia. During the drive to reach the region you'll be able to sit back and enjoy the ride while we introduce you to the area.
With only a 20 minute comfortable van ride, we will start off the day with a visit to the ancient Vinakoper cellar. Constructed from the characteristic rock of the Slovene Istria - sandstone - which was transported during the building of the cellar from vineyards then under construction. Once there, a wine expert will welcome you and take you for the cellar visit, still used today for wine ageing. The expert guide will explain the sophisticated techniques of wine making and teach you to distinguish the different and various scents and flavors that each wine presents.
We proceed towards a small and peaceful village near Koper, in the heart of Slovenian Istria, where numerous vineyards and olive orchards extend. We'll pay a visit to a winegrower that has got great scores even from Robert Parker, the number one wine critic in the world.
At the winery we'll have a walk into the vineyards and learn about the grapes of the area and of the techniques used for growing the grapes. The visit will then continue through the beautiful cellars under the villa. We will see and learn about the different barrels used for the wine making. Finally it'll be time to taste the delicious wines.
It's hard to leave such a lovely winery, but it'll be time to move on to our next stop - the Kostabona village.
We'll slowly drive through the Dragonja Valley, where you can relax and enjoy the ride. You will "feel" the well-preserved, almost untouched ecosystem and will encounter numerous natural sights on the way. With its numerous waterfalls and constantly eroding meanders, the Dragonja river is a natural attraction. This area is a true challenge for all lovers of untouched, wild nature.
When we finally reach Kostabona - a typical small Istrian village - you'll be able to admire the characteristic beautiful countryside with its vines, olives and a hilly area - typical of Slovenian Istra. After a short stroll in the village we'll move to a boutique family estate where they will be expecting us with a local lunch prepared for us. Lunch will be accompanied by the tasting of Refosko and Malvasia, both red & white wines that are typical of the area.
Many say that Padna is one of the most beautiful villages of Slovenian Istria. It is surrounded by olive plantations, where some trees are more than 300 years old. Locals have always been farmers and they used to sell their crops and products in seaside towns. They were well known because of their excellent and healing olive oil, fruits, milk, home-baked bread and vegetables.
Among all they were especially known because of their chard, which was extremely well sold. The selling of winter and summer chard was so good, that the locals could build in 1885 the tower of the village`s church St. Blaz.
Salt SPA is a great experience after some exhausting adventure activity that will remove all the stress and will make you feel reborn. In a totaly natural environment amidst the salt pans and in the lee of the salt fields, the unique outdoor spa centre awaits for us.
You will be carried by an electric vehicle directly to the middle of the salt fields, where you can make use of the sea water pool and the Kneipp pools. Please note: any individual SPA treatment out of the sea water pool and the Kneipp pools is available at a supplement.
We'll return home with full bellies, a happy heart and great memories, just in time for dinner. After a wonderful day of sightseeing, you will be dropped off at your hotel or at your pick up point.
Please Note: All scheduled times are an approximation and can vary slightly based on situations out of our control (traffic, weather, etc.)