The Sunrise Hill

Whether it’s the break of dawn or any other time of day, The Sunrise Hill in Slovenia’s southern Pivka Basin is always a pretty place to unwind: this family-run business less than a five-minute walk from the tiny village of Drskovče is in the middle of a wildlife-rich area with karst-studded scenery on one side and thick forest on the other.

A touch further out, the setting’s also filled with intermittent lakes and rivers that dry up in some seasons and get replaced with wildflower meadows, so you’ll see it from a different perspective depending on what time of year you hike around the region (or cycle using the free bikes from the park). In the summertime, bookend countryside tours with leisurely times watching the Icelandic horses at the ranch next door to the park grazing in green pastures.

For other sights in the Slovenian surrounds, one of the top attractions in the nation, the Postojna Cave system, is about 20 minutes’ drive away: access the complex on a tour and stop by an underground space that can fit up to 10,000 people – and has done during certain musical performances…

More caves are around 10 minutes further on underneath Predjama Castle, a structure set on a cliff 123 metres above the ground; another stately place – Kalec Castle – is closer to the park (five minutes’ drive).

Back on a lower level, the site has a garden and sun terrace for idling in while using the free wifi, and a shared kitchen and barbecue as well if you’re too hungry for a rest. Ingredients can be picked up from the town of Pivka (five minutes’ drive).