Slovenia

Balkan Dictator's Villa Turned Vacation Spot

Former Yugoslavian dictator Marshal Tito's lavish villa on Slovenia's beautiful Lake Bled has been refurbished and turned into a top-drawer hotel under the auspices of the famed Relais & Chateaux group. The white Dalmatian marble mansion, called Vila Bled, on 12 landscaped acres surrounded by the dramatic Julian Alps, was visited by the likes of Liz Taylor, King Hussein of Jordan and Prince Charles when it was the former president's retreat in the '50s and '60s. Now it's divided into 20 luxe suites with a vintage feel, with a newly-added spa featuring both Turkish and Finnish saunas and food prepared by the first Slovenian chef to earn a Michelin star. See the gallery for more.

[via UrbanDaddy]

Gallery: Vila Bled

Tags: Alps, Balkans, Julian Alps, JulianAlps, Lake Bled, LakeBled, Mashal Tito, MashalTito, Prince Charles, PrinceCharles, Relais Chateaux, RelaisChateaux, Slovenia, Tito, Yugoslavia

Bubbly, Sparkling Wine From Slovenia

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

It's not Champagne, it's Bubbly. That's the simple pitch behind a new sparkling wine known simply as Bubbly. The wine is produced in Slovenia near the Austrian border and uses Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Welschriezling and Furmint grapes. It comes in a range of styles starting with the Bubbly Luck Sec for $60 and ending with the 2001 VIntage Blanc et Blanc Bubbly Bliss which sells for $90. I haven't been able to find any other information on these wines but I'm definitely intrigued.

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Tags: bubbly, slovenia, sparkling wine, wine