Lipica Stud Farm

Starting point:
Leave motorway 'Ljubljana-Koper' on exit Divača. Then simply follow the signposts for Lipica and get there in 10 minutes.

Description:
The beauty of the Lipica estate will awestruck you already on the way to the stud farm. The road winds through idyllic meadows surrounded by white wooden fences and herds of Lipizzaner horses graze and run in the shade of the trees. Lipica Stud Farm has been established in 1580 and is thus the oldest stud farm with continuous horse breeding in the world. At first they were mostly bred for military purposes. These strong and lithe horses were crossbred with Spanish, Italian and Arab horses and in 200 years the Lipizzaner breed, which is nowadays renowned worldwide, was formed. The Lipica estate has been insistently spreading through time, the number of horses grew, but then the wars in the area damaged it severely. During the 2nd World War the English and American soldiers turned the riding hall into a bar and the oldest stable into a movie theater. Many trees were cut down and used for heating. After the war, it seemed as though this was the end of this stud farm. At that time, Tito (former Yugoslav president) showed personal interest in Lipica and prevented it from shutting down.

Today Lipica Stud Farm is one of the most important cultural and historical landmarks of Slovenia. You can observe the horses when they race across the romantic meadows, but we definitely recommend visiting the stud farm itself. Stroll through the estate, stables and the amazing Lipikum museum on a guided tour. The museum presents the Lipizzaner horses and the stud farm in a playful and attractive way. Did you know that Lipizzaner horses are born dark and turn white after some time? A dark full-grown Lipizzaner is a real rarity!

Three times a week you can also take a look at the skillful studs of Lipica at the shows of classical riding school, which is the pride of the stud farm and a huge tourist magnet. The riders and horses move in an extremely elegant way and perform difficult turns and jumps. In case you do not make it to the show, you can see their training every morning. With adequate knowledge, you can ride the beautiful horses yourselves or take part in a riding course. You can ride through the estate in a carriage and there are also ponies for the youngest visitors.

There is also a restaurant, a hotel, a golf course open throughout the year, tennis courts and mini golf playground. Additionally there are many options for cycling and walking.

Certainly an excellent choice for a trip and a lovely afternoon in nature and in the company of these elegant animals!

Find the schedules and prices of guided tours of Lipica Stud Farm here, and visit their Facebook page.