Testimonials

Dear Alja It is with great pleasure that I share with others the wonder of Alja. We had such a wonderful trip with you and a beautiful experience regarding the country of Slovenia. Alja went above and beyond any expectation we had. We never felt rushed and enjoyed walking through the towns with her. The boat ride down the waterway between old town and new town in Ljubljana Slovenia will be etched in my mind forever. The streets there are like walking through a Charles Dickens storybook. Blessings to all.

In early September, my family and I toured Slovenia for 5 Days with Alja of Elegant Cultural Tours. What a fantastic time we all had! And no worries because Alja had taken care of everything for us. Our hotel was lovely and right in the center of Ljubljana. We enjoyed our strolls thru this beautiful capital city and the restaurants that Alja took us to for our delicious Slovenian dinners.

Alja was the perfect guide. Her knowledge, her preparation, her humor and her enthusiasm were so appreciated by all of us. She introduced us to the Slovenia way of life, and showed us the diversity of the area from the city, to the alpine mountains and Lake Bled, to the seaside town of Piran, to castles and caves, to the old medieval town of Kamnik, and a scenic boat ride to finish our trip . Our days were full but we loved every bit of it.

Because we asked to visit Triglav National Park, Alja incorporated a stop at Lake Bohinj where we were able to soak our toes in a beautiful alpine lake and view Mt. Triglav. Alja also went above and beyond when we mentioned that our grandparents had originated from the small town of Domžale. Alja actually went there a week before our arrival to check out information for us. What a day we had connecting to family history in Domžale and the Straw Hat Museum. Such great memories, and many thanks to Alja for making it happen.

Needless to say, it was a wonderful trip with a truly outstanding guide. We highly recommend Alja and Elegant Cultural Tours. We would love to do more traveling with Alja in the future.

We are a tour operator from Australia who run regular programs in Europe. Alja Mravljak is one of those special tour leader/guides that rarely cross your path - it was an absolute delight and privilege to work with her in Ljubljana on our recent tour of Slovenia. She is outstanding in so many ways - her presence is both gentle and commanding, her passion for her subject is contagious, her knowledge is extensive, and her communication and rapport building skills are some of the best we have ever experienced. She really is in a class all of her own. The program she designed for us was special in the extreme - a personal tour of the Ljubljana Cathedral, complete with a journey through the historical, political, architectural and art stories of this magnificent building and a beautiful organ recital by the resident organist, including a surprise performance of the Slovenian national anthem on the very organ on which it was composed. Most of our group were so moved by the experience, it brought tears to their eyes. She is more than just a tour leader/guide - she is a true ambassador for the country she is representing. We couldn't have been happier and will most certainly work with her again!

In September 2023, myself and my 3 siblings finally made it to Slovenia, the country of our paternal ancestors. We signed up with Alja of Elegant Cultural Tours from an A+ recommendation from a world traveler who had experienced Alja's tours. Did we ever strike it rich! From the moment we arrived in Ljubljana (our luggage still in Brussels) , we were in the capable, experienced, and calm hands of Alja who immediately took us shopping for overnight necessities while giving us a tour of the neighborhood. Over the 4 days that Alja was with us from 9 am to 9 pm, she anticipated our every need, i.e., bathrooms, restaurants, farmer's markets, churches, and the most popular places to see: Triglav Park, the castle at Lake Bled, rowboat ride on Lake Bled, the incredible Postojnska caves, Piran, and dinner on the Adriatic coast. The highlight for our family was the straw hat-making industry in Domžale where we discovered that our great grandfather and his son had a thriving business in the early 20th century. Even if you do not have relatives who made straw hats you should not miss the tour and view the actual process of this historic industry at the Museum in Domžale. Alja's research and planning made it possible for us to enjoy so much in such a short time. Her knowledge of Slovenian history--past and present--was truly remarkable and imparted with pride and humor. This small country has it all: the Old Town with its 3 bridges, mountains, lakes, caves, castles, seaside. If you want to make the most of your visit to Slovenia, you will want to ask Alja to be your tour guide. An added incentive: she knows the best places for potica, gelato, and cream cake!

In September 2023, myself and my 3 siblings finally made it to Slovenia, the country of our paternal ancestors. We signed up with Alja of Elegant Cultural Tours from an A+ recommendation from a world traveler who had experienced Alja's tours. Did we ever strike it rich! From the moment we arrived in Ljubljana (our luggage still in Brussels) , we were in the capable, experienced, and calm hands of Alja who immediately took us shopping for overnight necessities while giving us a tour of the neighborhood. Over the 4 days that Alja was with us from 9 am to 9 pm, she anticipated our every need, i.e., bathrooms, restaurants, farmer's markets, churches, and the most popular places to see: Triglav Park, the castle at Lake Bled, rowboat ride on Lake Bled, the incredible Postojnska caves, Piran, and dinner on the Adriatic coast. The highlight for our family was the straw hat-making industry in Domžale where we discovered that our great grandfather and his son had a thriving business in the early 20th century. Even if you do not have relatives who made straw hats you should not miss the tour and view the actual process of this historic industry at the Museum in Domžale. Alja's research and planning made it possible for us to enjoy so much in such a short time. Her knowledge of Slovenian history--past and present--was truly remarkable and imparted with pride and humor. This small country has it all: the Old Town with its 3 bridges, mountains, lakes, caves, castles, seaside. If you want to make the most of your visit to Slovenia, you will want to ask Alja to be your tour guide. An added incentive: she knows the best places for potica, gelato, and cream cake!

In September 2023, myself and my 3 siblings finally made it to Slovenia, the country of our paternal ancestors. We signed up with Alja of Elegant Cultural Tours from an A+ recommendation from a world traveler who had experienced Alja's tours. Did we ever strike it rich! From the moment we arrived in Ljubljana (our luggage still in Brussels) , we were in the capable, experienced, and calm hands of Alja who immediately took us shopping for overnight necessities while giving us a tour of the neighborhood. Over the 4 days that Alja was with us from 9 am to 9 pm, she anticipated our every need, i.e., bathrooms, restaurants, farmer's markets, churches, and the most popular places to see: Triglav Park, the castle at Lake Bled, rowboat ride on Lake Bled, the incredible Postojnska caves, Piran, and dinner on the Adriatic coast. The highlight for our family was the straw hat-making industry in Domžale where we discovered that our great grandfather and his son had a thriving business in the early 20th century. Even if you do not have relatives who made straw hats you should not miss the tour and view the actual process of this historic industry at the Museum in Domžale. Alja's research and planning made it possible for us to enjoy so much in such a short time. Her knowledge of Slovenian history--past and present--was truly remarkable and imparted with pride and humor. This small country has it all: the Old Town with its 3 bridges, mountains, lakes, caves, castles, seaside. If you want to make the most of your visit to Slovenia, you will want to ask Alja to be your tour guide. An added incentive: she knows the best places for potica, gelato, and cream cake!

In September 2023, myself and my 3 siblings finally made it to Slovenia, the country of our paternal ancestors. We signed up with Alja of Elegant Cultural Tours from an A+ recommendation from a world traveler who had experienced Alja's tours. Did we ever strike it rich! From the moment we arrived in Ljubljana (our luggage still in Brussels) , we were in the capable, experienced, and calm hands of Alja who immediately took us shopping for overnight necessities while giving us a tour of the neighborhood. Over the 4 days that Alja was with us from 9 am to 9 pm, she anticipated our every need, i.e., bathrooms, restaurants, farmer's markets, churches, and the most popular places to see: Triglav Park, the castle at Lake Bled, rowboat ride on Lake Bled, the incredible Postojnska caves, Piran, and dinner on the Adriatic coast. The highlight for our family was the straw hat-making industry in Domžale where we discovered that our great grandfather and his son had a thriving business in the early 20th century. Even if you do not have relatives who made straw hats you should not miss the tour and view the actual process of this historic industry at the Museum in Domžale. Alja's research and planning made it possible for us to enjoy so much in such a short time. Her knowledge of Slovenian history--past and present--was truly remarkable and imparted with pride and humor. This small country has it all: the Old Town with its 3 bridges, mountains, lakes, caves, castles, seaside. If you want to make the most of your visit to Slovenia, you will want to ask Alja to be your tour guide. An added incentive: she knows the best places for potica, gelato, and cream cake!

In September 2023, myself and my 3 siblings finally made it to Slovenia, the country of our paternal ancestors. We signed up with Alja of Elegant Cultural Tours from an A+ recommendation from a world traveler who had experienced Alja's tours. Did we ever strike it rich! From the moment we arrived in Ljubljana (our luggage still in Brussels) , we were in the capable, experienced, and calm hands of Alja who immediately took us shopping for overnight necessities while giving us a tour of the neighborhood. Over the 4 days that Alja was with us from 9 am to 9 pm, she anticipated our every need, i.e., bathrooms, restaurants, farmer's markets, churches, and the most popular places to see: Triglav Park, the castle at Lake Bled, rowboat ride on Lake Bled, the incredible Postojnska caves, Piran, and dinner on the Adriatic coast. The highlight for our family was the straw hat-making industry in Domžale where we discovered that our great grandfather and his son had a thriving business in the early 20th century. Even if you do not have relatives who made straw hats you should not miss the tour and view the actual process of this historic industry at the Museum in Domžale. Alja's research and planning made it possible for us to enjoy so much in such a short time. Her knowledge of Slovenian history--past and present--was truly remarkable and imparted with pride and humor. This small country has it all: the Old Town with its 3 bridges, mountains, lakes, caves, castles, seaside. If you want to make the most of your visit to Slovenia, you will want to ask Alja to be your tour guide. An added incentive: she knows the best places for potica, gelato, and cream cake!

In September 2023, myself and my 3 siblings finally made it to Slovenia, the country of our paternal ancestors. We signed up with Alja of Elegant Cultural Tours from an A+ recommendation from a world traveler who had experienced Alja's tours. Did we ever strike it rich! From the moment we arrived in Ljubljana (our luggage still in Brussels) , we were in the capable, experienced, and calm hands of Alja who immediately took us shopping for overnight necessities while giving us a tour of the neighborhood. Over the 4 days that Alja was with us from 9 am to 9 pm, she anticipated our every need, i.e., bathrooms, restaurants, farmer's markets, churches, and the most popular places to see: Triglav Park, the castle at Lake Bled, rowboat ride on Lake Bled, the incredible Postojnska caves, Piran, and dinner on the Adriatic coast. The highlight for our family was the straw hat-making industry in Domžale where we discovered that our great grandfather and his son had a thriving business in the early 20th century. Even if you do not have relatives who made straw hats you should not miss the tour and view the actual process of this historic industry at the Museum in Domžale. Alja's research and planning made it possible for us to enjoy so much in such a short time. Her knowledge of Slovenian history--past and present--was truly remarkable and imparted with pride and humor. This small country has it all: the Old Town with its 3 bridges, mountains, lakes, caves, castles, seaside. If you want to make the most of your visit to Slovenia, you will want to ask Alja to be your tour guide. An added incentive: she knows the best places for potica, gelato, and cream cake!

In September 2023, myself and my 3 siblings finally made it to Slovenia, the country of our paternal ancestors. We signed up with Alja of Elegant Cultural Tours from an A+ recommendation from a world traveler who had experienced Alja's tours. Did we ever strike it rich! From the moment we arrived in Ljubljana (our luggage still in Brussels) , we were in the capable, experienced, and calm hands of Alja who immediately took us shopping for overnight necessities while giving us a tour of the neighborhood. Over the 4 days that Alja was with us from 9 am to 9 pm, she anticipated our every need, i.e., bathrooms, restaurants, farmer's markets, churches, and the most popular places to see: Triglav Park, the castle at Lake Bled, rowboat ride on Lake Bled, the incredible Postojnska caves, Piran, and dinner on the Adriatic coast. The highlight for our family was the straw hat-making industry in Domžale where we discovered that our great grandfather and his son had a thriving business in the early 20th century. Even if you do not have relatives who made straw hats you should not miss the tour and view the actual process of this historic industry at the Museum in Domžale. Alja's research and planning made it possible for us to enjoy so much in such a short time. Her knowledge of Slovenian history--past and present--was truly remarkable and imparted with pride and humor. This small country has it all: the Old Town with its 3 bridges, mountains, lakes, caves, castles, seaside. If you want to make the most of your visit to Slovenia, you will want to ask Alja to be your tour guide. An added incentive: she knows the best places for potica, gelato, and cream cake!