In this captivating Feel Slovenia podcast episode titled "Kamnik, the National Costume Parade and Noah's Hometown", Dr. Noah Charney takes you on a journey through the heart of Kamnik, Slovenia—a town bursting with history, tradition, and vibrant culture – and also his adopted hometown. Join Ksenija Mravlja, who runs the popular Beer Way Tasting Tour, as she shares her love for local flavours and the unique experiences Kamnik has to offer. You'll also hear from Luka Svetec, the head of the Ka...

In this light-hearted summer special of "Feel Slovenia the Podcast," Dr. Noah Charney takes you on an entertaining journey through Slovenian humour. He delves into what makes Slovenians laugh by engaging with three of the country’s top comedians – Boštjan Gorenc, Gašper Bergant and Perica Jerković.Charney reflects on his own experiences, including the amusing challenge of keeping pace with Slovenian audiences and understanding their unique sense of humour. He contrasts Slovenian comedy with A...

In this special episode to celebrate July 4, America’s Independence Day, Dr. Noah Charney spoke with Jamie Lindler Harpootlian, the US Ambassador to Slovenia. What does the ambassador love about Slovenia?Harpootlian admires for Slovenia’s breathtaking landscapes, warm hospitality and unparalleled safety. She also shines a spotlight on Slovenia’s impressive strengths in science and technology, showcasing the country’s potential in cutting-edge fields. She is impressed by Slovenia’s rich a...

In this episode, Dr. Noah Charney talks about festivals in Slovenia. In fact, he claims that Slovenia is a land of festivals and that he had heard this from everyone he had interviewed for this episode . Listeners are treated to an exploration of this festival landscape through engaging conversations with key figures behind some of Slovenia's most iconic cultural events.One of the festivals highlighted is the Lent Festival in Maribor, expertly described by Vladimir Rukavina, its longtime dire...

Slovenia has numerous fascinating art museums, but none that are household names abroad, so they remain very pleasant surprises for visitors who discover them. In this episode, Dr. Noah Charney explores some of his favourite art museums in Slovenia, with a focus on those outside of Ljubljana. To cover some of those in Ljubljana, Dr. Noah Charney asked a few art world friends – Marko Jenko, a curator at the forthcoming Lah Museum, Matthew McQuarrie, a gallery owner and an American architect li...

This time, Feel Slovenia the Podcast explores Triglav National Park, Slovenia's only national park. The episode celebrates the park's 100th anniversary, highlighting its significance as a protected landscape under UNESCO. The focus is on responsible and sustainable tourism, with emphasis on Mount Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak. Various guests share their experiences and insights, including climbers, comedians, authors, and tourism directors, discussing the symbolism of Triglav and the...

You can’t spell Slovenia without the word “love”. It’s tucked right in there between Sl and Nia. It’s a cute tourism slogan, but it’s also much more than that. Slovenia is a wonderfully romantic place to visit as, for so many guests, it feels like a secret that only a select few know about. It’s obvious to spend a romantic weekend in Venice or Paris. But Slovenia? That’s extra cool.  In this episode, Dr. Noah Charney spoke with Svetlana Slapšak, an expert on ancient traditions and a retired...

Slovenia is a nation full of amazing women. Dr. Noah Charney should know—he married one. It’s also a country that celebrates Women’s Day on March 8, which makes for a great opportunity to look at some of the most remarkable Slovenian women in history. In his captivating podcast, Charney embarks on a mission to unveil some of the most influential Slovenian women. Beginning his exploration, Charney engages in a conversation with Svetlana Slapšak, a trailblazing anthropologist and writer...

Nova Gorica was chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2025, a role it will share with its sister town, on the other side of the seamless border between Italy and Slovenia, Gorizia. In this episode, we’ll take a look at what the town has to offer for tourists all year round, and what to expect when it proudly carries the title of European Capital of Culture 2025. Search in TripAdvisor for what to do in Nova Gorica, and the site will recommend that you visit Bled—ninety minutes away....

At the Slovenian pavilion as part of the famous World Travel Market in London, the star attraction in 2023 was an enormous, old-fashioned mechanical printing press. Alongside it was shelving full of all the analogue tools of the trade a printer would need: shelf upon shelf of letters cast in lead in various fonts and sizes, inks—altogether around three tons of material that had been transported by truck from Ljubljana. Guests could come to the pavilion and take home a beautiful souvenir...

This episode is all about Jože Plečnik, Slovenia’s greatest architect and, according to the host of Feel Slovenia the podcast, Dr. Noah Charney, Slovenia's greatest artist in any medium. Plečnik is the darling of architectural historians but he is not a household name the way his contemporaries, Antoni Gaudi, Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright, are. That is largely because he chose to do most of his work in his hometown of Ljubljana, away from the grand artistic centers of Modernism. To...

In this festive episode, Dr. Noah Charney takes us on an exciting journey through the enchanting Christmas traditions of Slovenia, unveiling the rich tapestry of customs that define this magical season. As he explores the stories of three gift-bringing bearded men who delight children every December, we embark on a journey into the heart of Slovenian holiday spirit. Two of these figures may be familiar, while the third remains a hidden gem, particularly for those unacquainted with the...

Na zdravje! That’s "cheers" in Slovenian, and it’s an apt opening for this episode, which is all about Slovenian wine.  Join us as we uncork the rich tapestry of Slovenia's wine traditions, exploring the vast landscapes of vineyards and hearing from some top experts who guide us through the nuanced art of wine appreciation. Let's see what they recommend drinking when you’re in the terroir. White, red, orange or gold—Slovenia’s wines are award-winning, world class, and each glass tells the...

In this special episode, our host Dr. Noah Charney reports from the front lines of the Frankfurt Book Fair. In 2023, Slovenia is the guest of honour at this world’s largest book fair. What is it like to be there and how is Slovenia presenting its literary output to the world? Along with exclusive interviews with Katja Stergar, director of the national Slovenian Book Agency, and Miha Kovac, Slovenia’s program director for the book fair, Noah will be your insider guide. The Frankfurt Book...

Traveling responsibly has never been more importan than it is today. We all want to venture to beautiful new places and enjoy unique experiences, but we also want to do so in a way that is sustainable for those places we visit and for our planet.  In this episode, Dr. Noah Charney delves into the meaning of responsible travel together with a special guest, Virginia diGaetano, a veteran travel writer, who he had the privilege of catching up, while she was exploring Slovenia for the...

NFT could stand for New Format Tourism, but it actually means Non-Fungible Token, and it’s linked to blockchain technology. Slovenia was the first country to use NFTs to promote tourism. In this episode, Dr. Noah Charney visited the Ultimate Julian Alps Sensory Adventure, a groundbreaking three-day event, for which 15 esteemed foreign media representatives exchanged their exclusive NFTs given to them at WTM London last November. During the event, which took place in Bohinj,  the journalists...

Whether you’re an experienced mountaineer or a casual hiker, Slovenia’s mountains certainly are inviting. Three spectacular ranges of the Alps rise up along the country’s northern border: the Julian Alps in the west, the Karawanks and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps in the north. In this episode, Dr. Noah Charney meets some of Slovenia’s mountain rescue professionals, who offer valuable tips on how to safely enjoy the upper reaches of the sunny side of the Alps. Let us reiterate vital...

Ana Roš is a Slovenian chef and restaurateur who gained international recognition for her work at the Hiša Franko restaurant in Kobarid, Slovenia. She was named World's Best Female Chef in 2017 by the World's 50 Best Restaurants, and Hiša Franko was ranked as one of the world's 50 best restaurants. Roš's cuisine is influenced by her Slovenian heritage and the local ingredients of the Soča Valley region where the restaurant is located. She became a household name the world over when she...

We’re all aware of the importance of healthy, sustainable eating. For our bodies and for the planet. But it’s not always easy to convince ourselves to make a meaningful change in the behaviors we’re used to, let alone implementing change across societies worldwide. We might understand that a cow has to eat 100 grams of grain in order to grow by 5 grams, making beef an unsustainable commodity. But we still want a steak or a burger. Luckily, there are brilliant minds at work on this issue. The...

This episode is about how to fly. Ski fly, that is. The sports of ski jumping and ski flying are hugely popular in Slovenia and throughout mountainous Europe, but not as well-known elsewhere. To learn more about this dramatic sport, Dr. Noah Charney spoke to Olympian Jernej Damjan. Jernej was a bronze medalist at the 2005 World Ski Championships and represented Slovenia over a career that spanned more than a decade, including four Olympic appearances. He is now a color commentator for...

This episode is dedicated to a unique tradition in Slovenia—Kurentovanje. This ancient pagan festival features friendly demons who chase away winter and invite in the spring. Kurents’ door-to-door rounds are one of the best-known carnival traditions in Slovenia, and Kurent is one of the most common and popular carnival characters, which was first documented in 1880. In 2017, UNESCO added door-to-door rounds of Kurents/Korants to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of...

Anyone who follows NBA basketball news knows Tim MacMahon. He’s among the world’s best-known basketball reporters. Dr Noah Charney caught up with him on the last day of his visit to Slovenia in September. He came to Slovenia as he was doing research for a book he’s writing on the Slovenian basketball phenom, Luka Doncic.  That a reporter of his renown was in Slovenia was big news. Luka Doncic has become one of the most visible ambassadors for Slovenia, thanks to his status as one of the...

When Americans Mike and Ann Howard set off on their honeymoon back on January 22 2012, they thought they'd spend a year travelling the globe. 11 years later and counting, they're still on the same honeymoon. They just kept on traveling and doing it the right way. They're focused on sustainable travel, destinations and modes of transport. Slow travel overland with as few flights, as possible to the environmentally conscious consumption. There are vegans who avoid plastic and drink only UV...

“Bohinj is too beautiful for murder,” said Agatha Christie, when interviewed by a national TV journalist during a holiday there in 1967. From room 204 of the Hotel Bellevue, Christie and her husband, a famous archaeologist, could see the expanse of the Julian Alps and the crystalline, wild splendor of the lake mirroring pines and peaks. Though Christie found Slovenia too beautiful for a whodunit mystery, many other famous authors set novels here, including Ernest Hemingway, Peter Handke,...