Goriška - a safe and welcoming region where you cannot get bored
The Goriška Region is located in western Slovenia, at the Slovenian-Italian border. It is known for its beautiful nature and its unique location 'between the sea and the mountains – the Alps’ at the juncture of cultures and languages. We, the local inhabitants, are known as sociable, cheerful and open-minded, usually described as those who 'never miss anything that might be missed in any way’. As a result, the students soon begin feeling at home at their new study destination and can enjoy the rich all-year-round offer of public events for the young. You can indeed miss a lot if you do not appear at the traditional annual Robin’s party or at the Mesto mladih/City of the young festival in Nova Gorica, or at the summer Lakeness festival in Volčja Draga, at the adrenaline-packed Rally Ajdovščina or at concerts and other events at Mostovna in Solkan. There is also no shortage of concerts, workshops and other events organised by the local students’ clubs and youth centres, eg. KGŠ, KAŠ, MC Nova Gorica and the MC Hiša mladih in Ajdovščina.
The region is also known for the following sports: handball, football, kayaking, volleyball, cycling, alpine skiing, dancing, parachuting, sports climbing, while the sports which have only recently gained on popularity are, for example, stand-up paddleboarding – SUP and triathlon.
Sports enthusiasts, especially the more daring ones, will surely enjoy our region. There is always something in the air, literally, as one cannot avoid pointing out the excellent conditions for parachuting, paragliding and motor gliding. The Solkan bridge spanning over the Soča River is a famous spot for bungee jumping, while the neighbouring adrenaline park – the Soča Fun Park, rafting, canyoning or kayaking downstream the Soča River will not leave you unexcited either. However, if you prefer stiller waters, you can try to sup the Vipava River. And if you prefer keeping your feet on solid ground, you can enjoy in cycling, mountain cycling, mountain running and mountaineering, sports climbing or even spelunking. The Vipava Valley is probably the part of the country boasting with the highest number of festivals and competitions in adrenaline sports (eg. WOTR, Ultra Trail Vipava Valley).
More and more athletes from Slovenia and abroad have been coming to Nova Gorica to study, also due to the region’s mild sub-Mediterranean climate suitable also for outdoor sports, the well-developed sports facilities (sports centres, indoor courts and pools, modern fitness centres offering student discounts etc.), and, of course, thanks to our athletes-friendly university.
Great spots for a good cup of coffee, an afternoon or evening drink are the cafés at the Bevkov Square in Nova Gorica, the main squares in Ajdovščina or Vipava, or the adjacent Italian town of Gorizia/Gorica.
As the sea, the mountains and Italy are so close, you can spend an afternoon in the wonderful Soča River Valley, on the mysterious Karst Plateau, or on the beach (the closest beaches being located along the Italian coast – Sistiana/Sesljan, Duino/Devin and Monfalcone/Tržič); you can also visit Trieste or Ljubljana. Especially the girls will be fond of the endless shopping opportunities in Nova Gorica and across the border, while everybody adores a delicious pizza or pasta (even while bowling at Magma X in Nova Gorica, or endulging in a well-known burgers at Fabrika, in the prosciutto and other local delicacies. The Vipava Valley can actually be called a true ice cream kingdom. So try a scoop of local ice cream in Ajdovščina’s ice cream places such as Cukr, Slaščičarna Ajdovščina or at Vipava’s famous Marjanca near the Lanthieri Mansion, which is the home of some of our schools. In Nova Gorica, you can try the ice cream at Sladoledarna Pinjola, while many of us also adore the Il Gelatiere KCA in Gorizia/Gorica, Italy.
The unique location also calls for daily trips to other parts of Slovenia, and Venice is not far away either (1.5 hours’ drive from Nova Gorica).
Besides for its abundant natural beauties, our region is also known for its rich culture – The Slovenian National Theatre Nova Gorica, The Nova Gorica Centre of Culture, libraries and other cultural facilities and organisations in a wider cross-border area offer events for every taste, there are also a lot of alternative options of spending one’s leisure time (language courses, volunteering etc.) and, of course, student job opportunities.
Our new students immediately feel at home here – partly due to our personal approach, small study groups, and partly due to the safe local environment and open-minded, sociable and friendly locals, who soon take the newly arrived students from Slovenia and from all over the world as part of the community.
