Kobala

It is a popular paragliding and hang gliding take off. Kobala is well known for its competition site and also for a great starting point for the long flights over the country around southern crest of the Julian Alps. The best conditions for long flights are with generally weak winds blowing from the north or east. However, the west wind, suitable especially for local flying, is more common.

Take off is a nicely maintained meadow on the pointed top of the forested Kobala hill at an altitude of 1080 metres above sea level. Two take off directions are possible depending on the direction of the wind. Suitable wind directions are: east, south-east, west and south-west.
GPS coordinates: N 46 10.86, E 13 46.76

Lijak

Lijak is one of the most popular flying sites in Slovenia. From Autumn to Spring it provides enough thermal activity for good flying. Unlike other take offs it is exposed to less sunlight related to the most favourable flying conditions with a weak general south-west wind.

This take off is a well maintained clearing in a forest located on the sharp edge of the Trnovo plateau at an altitude of 585 metres above sea level. The suitable wind directions are: south, south-east, south-west.
GPS coordinates: N 45 57.81, E 13 43.41

Stol

Being set in the high Julian Alps peaks, Stol is a paradise for a paragliding pilot. Its over 20km long panoramic ridge tops provide extraordinary opportunities for long cross country flights and large scale competitions.

Ideal flying conditions are with a very weak general north or north-east wind for cross-country flying and a weak south-west wind for local moderate flying. Stol is the highest take off in Soca Valley. It is often found as the only take off above the inversion layer ideal for thermal flying.

This take off is a meadow in the middle of a vast, grassy mountain slope at he AMSL altitude of 1405m.
GPS coordinates: N 46 16.36, E 13 28.39

All these three sites are hugely popular among the pilots from all over the Europe. Slovenia offers you unlimited paragliding possibilities for whatever you may be looking for from perfect holiday to the long cross country flights. Lots of paragliding schools head to Slovenia to enjoy their paragliding courses. In addition, top Czech manufacturer tests their famous glides there Axis paragliders.

Are you considering becoming a pilot yourself? Slovenia could be the right place for you. Check this offer! You will start your paragliding course by learning all necessary skills on the small hill. After 5 days of training you will move to Lijak, where you finish your course off by passing the final exam and flying in the Alps. In just eight days of intensive course, you may receive your pilot license that allows you to fly in most countries around the world.

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For those who might not know what is it, should be noted that it is a lake of glacial origin. In the Slovak High Tatras there are in a total of 87 glacial lakes, but the most famous one is certainly Štrbské Pleso. It is not the largest or deepest one, nor the highest situated, but it’s just typical.

It lies at the connected point of Furkotská and Mlynická valley at the altitude of 1346.6 metres above sea level. It covers an area of 19.76 hectares and its maximum depth reaches about 20 meters. The lake is almost half of the year covered by ice.

The lakes were created in the Pleistocene by the action of glaciers, which dug them into the valleys. Due to the remoteness and high altitude such lakes have very clean water and are often a home to quite specific types of plants and animals. Štrbské Pleso is home to a fish called European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus). This salmon-like fish is still widespread in many countries, but currently it can be found on the Red List of Threatened Species. It has been found yet, that whitefish from Štrbské Pleso is genetically purest of its kind in the world. The lake is also home to several other species of fish, some of them (especially perch and roach) are unfortunately direct food competitors to whitefish. The management of High Tatras national park therefore prepared a program to capture these fish, to save a rare population of whitefish.

In terms of nature is the human presence on the shores of lake negligibly short, but more intense. The first mention of a lake comes from David Frölich in 1644. Later there came hunters, loggers and miners. A lake has almost ceased to exist in 1860. It was due to the residents of nearby Štrba town, who tried to drain the lake and use that “useless puddle” for new pastures! Fortunately, they didn’t do it well …

The same-name settlement of Štrbské Pleso was founded in 1872, when there was a hunting lodge built by Jozef Szentiványi. Other buildings were then built at the instigation of Hungarian Carpathian Association. At present, a town of Štrbské Pleso is a popular winter and summer resort with many hotels and restaurants, and also serves as a climatic spa centre. With its altitude it is also the highest situated resort in Slovakia. There are lots of opportunities for hiking and skiing, including ski lifts and cable cars to Solisko peak.

Despite its mountainous location, you can get to Štrbské Pleso by both road and rail. The main gate to Štrbské Pleso and High Tatras is the city of Poprad where is an international airport as well.

Whether you come to Štrbské Pleso for hiking or skiing, you will be surely surprised with its beauty and surrounding nature. There are lots of hiking trails leading from this place to several important peaks – Kriváň (2,495 m) or Rysy (2,503 m) or you can visit the great 10 metres high waterfall Skok (1,725 m), or another popular lake Popradské pleso (1,494 m).

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Thanks to its location the city and its surroundings belong to the warmest areas of the Bulgarian coast. For its beautiful nature the resort was a popular place for the Bulgarian royal family in the past. Today Tsarevo is a popular tourist destination suitable for lovers of comfortable, quiet, romantic, but also of active holiday.

In the center of town you will find the pedestrian zone, shops, markets, cafes, pastry shops, restaurants, discos, bars, parks, cinema or a jungle gym for children. Tsarevo has a football field with artificial turf, which is freely accessible to children. In Tsarevo you can also enjoy some sport activities such as sailing, diving or widsurfing. Close to the resort you can stay in well-known campsites Bulgarka and Nestinarka.

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Coimbra is famous for its university, which dominates the city. It is the oldest university in Portuguese-speaking world. It was founded in the 1290. Coimbra is divided into two parts, upper and lower town. Both of them offer lots of monuments. The main center of the lower town is the square Praça do Comércio. The main center of the upper town is the square Praça da República.

Among major attractions of Coimbra is the Cathedral Sé Velha, which was built in 1064 in honor of the victory against the Moors. Then it is a botanical garden, cathedral Sé Nova, founded by Jesuits in 1598, the church of Santa Cruz from 1131 and two monasteries, the Santa Clara-a-Velha and Santa Clara-a-Nova. Coimbra has many more sites, that you cannot visit in one day.

Coimbra hosts during the year many celebrations and festivals. Among the most important there is a student ceremony Quiema das Fitas, during which students are celebrating the end of graduation courses, symbolized by the ritual burning of the ribbons representing each faculty of the University of Coimbra (UC), it takes place at the second semester (starts on the first Friday of May at 00:00), being among the biggest student festivities in Europe. It lasts for 8 days, one for each UC’s Faculty: Letters, Law, Medicine, Sciences & Technology, Pharmacy, Economics, Psychology & Education Sciences and Sports Sciences & Physical Education. During this period, a series of concerts and performances are held, turning Coimbra in a lively and vibrant city. It also includes a parade of the university students, sport activities, gala ball, and many other public events and traditions, such as the historical nighttime student fado serenade (Serenata Monumental) which happens in the stairs of the Old Cathedral of Coimbra for a crowd of thousands of students, tourists and other spectators.

Other festivals are e.g.:
In May – Festival de Queima das Fitas
In June – Festival de Santos Popular
In July – the Festa da Rainha Santa Isabel and Festa da Cidade

If you are planning your trip to Portugal, you shouldn’t miss Coimbra.

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