SOCIAL LIFE in Ajdovščina is rich in all its aspects due to its highly respected cultural institutions: Pilon Gallery, Library of Lavrič, collection in the Museum at the Old Mill, Union of Cultural Societies of Slovenia, which unites all societies and individuals who take interests in cultural activities in Ajdovščina. Moreover, there are many excellent choruses and well organized sports activities: Sports Centre Police and Police Summer Swimming Pool, Pale Sports Park with tennis courts and basketball grounds, bowling alley and children’s playground, the Josip Križaj Aeroclub, which runs the Ajdovščina Airport, Ajdovščina Sports Association, which unites many local sports societies and also Ajdovščina Alpine Association, which maintains mountain footpaths and organizes trips.

The Vipava Valley is a wine-growing region with fertile soil and has always attracted people to come and live here. Historians assume that the valley had already been inhabited before Christ, perhaps even in the Late Stone Age. Archeological sites show that it reached its full bloom under the Roman Empire.
The valley has a rich cultural legacy, reflected in the manors, castles, numerous churches, painted with great works of art and galleries. One of them is the Pilon Gallery, which contains artistic works of the great artist and the native of Ajdovščina, Veno Pilon. The legacy is also shown in the interesting architecture, the well-preserved fortress Castra and entire settlements, considered to be cultural monuments, such as the villages of Vipavski Križ, Šmarje, Šturje, etc.

Furthermore, visitors can attend many sports activities in this area. Theme paths will let you discover the beauties of nature, you can enjoy in cycling across the valley and if you love different sport activities, tennis, basketball, football or running, you have to visit our Sports Centre Police, where you can practice your favourite sport in one of the sports halls or in the summer swimming pool. Moreover, you can take a look at Ajdovščina from the air and if you are brave enough you can drop from the air by parachute.
One of the distinctions of our country is our well-known natives and their tradition. Visitors are welcome to visit the Vipava Wine Road, which boasts many wine cellars, tourist farms and few days in a year also traditional country feast “osmica”. You will be served traditional Vipava dishes and home made wine.

A large part of the municipality lies on the Trnovo Plateau. The natives named the villages of Predmeja, Otlica, Kovk and Gozd the GORA Pateau. It has been inhabited for good 400 years and has a rich natural and cultural heritage. Because of all the stone walls and rocks, which spread all over the Gora Plateau, it reminds us of a spider’s nest. These walls and rocks were used by original inhabitants to mark their territory. Now and then we can find puddles known as “kali”, which are medium-large natural hollows full of water with clay bottom, used for watering animals. In front of almost every farm is a beautiful well, which had served its purpose until recently, when water supply was finally established in 2004.

Over time rich folklore developed and was mostly collected and written down by Franc Černigoj, a teacher, writer and great admirer of the folklore and of the Gora Plateau.

Thanks to The Gora Association the Gora Plateau is today a well-known and admired region in Slovenia and in the World. The Gora Association preserves the tradition of the Gora Plateau and is especially known for its Čibej Group, which keeps the tradition of the Telemark skiing alive. Housewives play an important role too. They are associated in the Predmeja Country Women Association and put great efforts into maintaining the appearance of not only their yards but the whole Gora Plateau. They are also very proud of every skill they have learned from their grandmothers, such as cooking, making lace, singing and occasionally mounting exhibitions.

Apart from friendly and hardworking people the Gora Plateau has many other things to offer to its visitors. Because the natives effectively maintain footpaths, visitors can wander around the Gora Plateau, enjoy in the summer coolness and see numerous natural wonders: Otliško Okno (a Karst phenomenon and a natural site of Slovenia), Stone Spiral, Ledenica ice cave and other caves and abyss, where many other wonders are hidden, for instance Spaka Kulaka, karrens, etc. Here you will also find many species of flora and fauna. Some of them cannot be found anywhere else than in this beautiful part of Slovenia.

You can visit Ajdovščina just for one day or you can even spend your holidays here.