The Waters of Slovenia | National Geographic
My connection to the sea started when I was little. I spent most of my summers at the sea, swimming. Ever since I was two and a half years old, I started swimming. I kept on developing a love for the water. The water, here, our skin is different from anywhere else. As a Slovenian, I feel like water is part of my DNA.
The part of the country where I'm from is surrounded by lakes, rivers, and waterfalls. There's something so healing about water. I love, I love the sound of it. It kind of puts me into a meditative place. Despite being so small, Slovenia really holds high biodiversity but also diversity of dermatological forms and also types of water.
We have these lively Alpine rivers flowing down the mountains and meeting the serene Adriatic Sea, bringing game nutrients and minerals that support high productivity and diversity. This place is special because it's like a perfect union of many natures—very contemplative and good for humans, animals, and plants living here. You would not think at first sight, but also the mud here is good for us. Putting it on, feeling how it works on the skin, it's amazing.
The same way as the landscape, the land, and the waters change along the Slovenian coast—so five minutes from place to place can be completely different. Lake Bled is really special; it’s the biggest permanent lake in Slovenia, and it's also a lot quieter than the other lakes, which makes it much nicer to be in.
What makes me most happy, though, is that this beautiful nature is only an hour away from our very busy city in Ljubljana, so that makes it extra special. One of the things I love the most is how I can fill my water bottle up, whether it’s opening tap water or going by the mountain where there's a water source. Waters in Slovenia taste different wherever you go. One such area is Rogaska, where water is full of magnesium and it's very beneficial for your health.
So, we know we have two waters which are very special because they are mineral drinking waters. All other waters are thermal mineral waters, which are used for various therapies. Here, the therapy means drinking the mineral water. The sparkling mineral water has been attracting people here for centuries because it is the mineral water with the highest content of magnesium. No other water in the world has more than 1,000; exactly 1,014 milligrams in one liter comes from deep underground.
In Rogaska, they call it black gold because of the high concentration of healing substances, and it has beneficial effects on health. I prescribe patients a program in the morning; patients might have a bath in the water, and in the afternoon, they can have much treatment. One of my favorite places to escape to is a very magical natural pool, surrounded by beautiful waterfalls. But I'm not going to tell you exactly where that is. You’re gonna have to come and discover it yourself. [Music]