The last two stages of Slovenia Green Wellness Route presented to the international media

On October 7-8, Visit GoodPlace, a responsible tourism operator based in Ljubljana, took a group of seven international travel operators and journalists along two cycling stages of the newly launched Slovenia Green Wellness Route. The visiting travel professionals were in Slovenia to attend Transcend 2022, a gathering of Transformational Travel Council members being held in Europe for the first time.

On the first day of the two-day familiarization (or study) tour, the group pedaled from Novo Mesto to platinum-certified Laško with a midday lunch of magnificently combined local ingredients at the Michelin-plated Gostilna Repovž in Šentjanž. The visitors were treated to an overnight stay with massages and spa treatment at Thermana Laško. In the evening, the guests attended a cooking class and meal at the newly opened Hiša Laško in the historic city center, where they learned how to prepare and enjoy local dishes, wines, and, of course, Laško beer.

The second day took the operators — who create responsible trips for travelers across the planet — and the journalists — who write for publications such as Bicycling, Outside, Lonely Planet, Conde Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, BBC, and National Geographic — first to Celje, where they visited the castle for a dramatic history lesson acted out by sword-dueling knights with the queen and her court. The visit was accompanied by a castle-top meal, with wine pairings, prepared by chef Marko Pavčnik, who has restaurants in both Laško, Pavus, and Bistro Lalu in Celje. The tour ended in Žalec, with a visit to the one-of-a-kind beer fountain in the town’s center.

“The cycle route, the landscape, the food, and the hospitality make Slovenia a top destination to both visit and write about,” said one of the journalists from the United States. “I can’t wait to share what we’ve experienced with readers around the world.”