Upper Carniola

Upper Carniola is a historic region of the Hapsburg Empire, which now finds itself in the young country of Slovenia. Today, Upper Carniola is not a political district within that country - but the historic name is still widely used. That's so because Slovenians are very aware of their history and their ancient traditions.

The nation's capital, Ljubljana, lies withing Upper Carniola, and it is its biggest city as well, and also its cultural and economic centre. The region is mostly mountainous. The biggest part of it belongs to Europe's most magnificent mountain range: the Alps. So of course, tourism is a big factor (far from the only one!) for its economy.

The crucial point is that Upper Carniola's mountains can easily compete with those of Austria and Switzerland, but, since Slovenia is such a young country, which until 1991 belonged to the Communist dictatorship of Yugoslavia, its tourist resorts and hotels are often still a lot more price-attractive than the ones in those countries. Furthermore, although Slovenia does have a well-developed infrastructure for tourism, its is still far from having fulfilled all of its potential. Thus, Slovenia and, especially, Upper Carniola are a lot more interesting for investors. Slovenia's current climate of free-market business also contributes to this.

Kranj is another important city within Upper Carniola. With a population of around 53 thousand, this town is important as an industrial site. In Kranj sports play an important role: It is home to the biggest aquatic centre in Slovenia.

Upper Carniola is one of Central Europe's most important historic regions, and the past is still alive in it: Through buildings and monuments - but also through customs and traditions. In Upper Carniola this means an appealing mixture between East and West, between Germanic and Slavonic. The region has a rich cultural life. Moreover, it boasts one of the finest cuisines East of Italy.