LJUBLJANA, Slovenia -- Here be dragons.

Nearly two decades after Slovenia seceded from communist Yugoslavia, the country still is terra incognita to most Americans, the sort of land often denoted as harboring dragons in ancient maps.

Ninety minutes of a soccer match with the United States in the 2010 World Cup in June didn't change that much; most of us are more likely to point to the larger Slovakia on a map instead of Slovenia, which borders Austria, Italy, Hungary and Croatia.

Yet according to the legend of Jason and the Argonauts, Slovenia did have dragons. Jason is said to have slain one in a swamp on the outskirts of Ljubljana (Lyoob-lyee-AHN-ah), and the capital city took the fire-breathing lizards as its symbol. Its Dragon Bridge, with four ferocious-looking statues guarding either side, is one of Ljubljana's beloved landmarks, and plush dragons abound in boutiques.

But the real symbolism of the Dragon Bridge in Ljubljana's Old Town is its small scale. The bridge, bronze dragons and all, is no more than 40 yards across, spanning the tiny Ljubljanica River that rolls through town. It could be a model version of the broad expanses of bridges over the Danube in Budapest, the Vltava River in Prague or the Seine in Paris. And that small scale is typical of Slovenia, which often seems a miniature version of Italy and Austria, with Catholic churches and wine-making galore.

Slovenia does have its own vibrant culture, one that was never dulled by years of communism, but its attractions exist on a human scale compared to other European countries. For the tourist, that can be ideal. In an area about the size of Connecticut, Slovenia has a short Adriatic seashore and a towering Alpine mountain range; it has a popular lake resort and a bustling capital; it has a robust economy and a hard-working and good-natured people, numbering 2 million.

It's no wonder Slovenia has become a vacation destination for Europeans, and it's an ideal alternative for Americans wishing to avoid crowded and more expensive destinations in Europe.

Any tour of the capital city starts in Ljubljana Castle, which overlooks the area. At one time a Roman stronghold called Emona, it flourished under Austrian Hapsburg rule and later became a barracks for Napoleon when he named Slovenia head of his Illyrian Provinces.

The grounds are free and a modest fee (equivalent to about $3) gets you inside to climb to the castle tower for a great view of Ljubljana. Take the new funicular down to the Old Town below the castle or walk, and you find yourself in the midst of a medieval Germanic village, packed with old houses, stores, a town hall and a beautiful fountain.

Just as charming is Ljubljana's more recent past, centered just across the river at Preseren Square (named for Slovenia's beloved poet France Preseren). To get there, you cross the Triple Bridge, a creation of master architect Joze Plecnik, who redesigned the city in the early 20th century.

It is typical of his style -- flair combined with practicality. An original stone span was too narrow for burgeoning traffic flow. But instead of simply enlarging it, Plecnik added a span on either side of the original, separating automobile and pedestrian traffic and in the process creating an elegant connection from the Old Town to the new.

Another not-to-miss Plecnik structure is the National and University Library, with an arresting gray and red block pattern on its facade that represents obstacles to learning.

Ljubljana is the main entertainment center for most of the country. The main hall, the Cankarjev dom, hosts orchestra, ballet and chamber concerts of local and imported variety. But it also, along with the Krizanke Summer Theatre, the Metelkova Arts Centre and other venues, books modern dance, jazz, world and pop artists. Ex Ponto is a celebrated festival of contemporary theater that takes place in September, and the city holds a Biennial of Graphic Arts.

Hotel accommodations are plentiful here, and restaurants are dotted throughout the city with cuisine from German to Mediterranean, but the Krakovo district is a charming area packed with restaurants and bars, many with outside seating nearly year-round. Slovenians love their home-grown wine, including Teran, a robust and slightly acidic red. But perhaps the greatest domestic drink is locally produced Cockta, the country's Coke substitute. Its name may seem a carry-over from the Eastern Bloc days, but it is quite refreshing.

While Slovenia does have a coast, it stretches for only about 30 miles of the Adriatic Sea, and most Slovenians travel to Croatia to hit the beach. The best natural attractions of the country are found heading up in altitude.

Lake Bled to the north could be a synonym for picturesque. High above the gorgeous, glacier-formed lake is a medieval castle poised on the edge of a steep cliff. Below is a small island, complete with quaint church tower. With the Alps in the distance, Lake Bled has a fairy-tale ambience. It looks more like an idealized painting of a Romantic scene than anything real, but it is actually a bustling resort place, with spas, hotels, restaurants and shops ringing it and plenty of activity on it. Lake Bled's calm waters are renowned, and nearly every year a major rowing event takes place there, including the 2010 Rowing World Cup.

While those athletes speed across the water, the more famous rowers are a bit slower. These are the rowers of taxi boats called pletnas. A cross between a junk and a gondola, these squat boats take tourists to and from the island, all the while adding to the exquisite charm of Lake Bled. The castle affords an excellent view of the area, and the museum inside gives an excellent account of Slovenian natural and social history.

When Slovenians visit Lake Bled, they are just as excited about the area's famed desserts as they are the views, boating or swimming. Leading the pack is kremsnita, a cream cake made with layers of vanilla custard and crunchy wafers that is amazingly light. A more rustic texture envelops the gibanica, a pastry with walnuts, apples and cheese and adorned with rum, and potica is a sticky-bun-like nut roll.

Leaving Bled and heading higher can take you to some spectacular sights and hikes in the Julian Alps. The multi-peaked Mount Triglav is precious to Slovenians, but you don't need to climb to its summit, as many locals feel they must to be true citizens, to enjoy it. Nearby Lake Bohinj has its own sensational sight, the waterfall Slap Savica. Seeming to explode out of the rock, it shoots cold glacier water down 85 yards. You have to climb more than 500 steps of a narrow trail to get to it, but it is worth every one.

A somber attraction nearby is Kobarid in the Soca River Valley. It is better known as Caporetto, and it was the site of a particularly vicious World War I front primarily between the Austro-Hungarian empire of the Central Powers (of which Slovenia was a member) and Italy of the Allies. It's more famous in the West now for Ernest Hemingway's ambulance driving and for inspiring his second novel, "A Farewell to Arms." But the monuments and cemeteries attest to a legacy of the tragic and costly battles.

After a long day of traveling, nothing hits the spot more than a little pizza, and the proximity to Italy means that Slovenians have known about it for decades. They even have their own version, with prsut, an air-cured ham, mushrooms and green pepper.

Buoyed by its distinct language, quite different from Serbian or Slavic tongues, and proud of its status as having the highest standard of living of ex-Yugoslavian countries, Slovenians are their own people. Although soccer reigns, basketball also is popular, and there are a surprising number of Slovenians in the National Basketball Association, including the champion Los Angeles Lakers' Sasha Vujacic.

On the one hand, it is a quiet country connected to its traditions -- everywhere you will see hay drying on racks called toplars that look as if they could be from the Middle Ages. Yet it is a population that has embraced its future national identity, charged by its joining the European Union in 2004.

Either way, dragons actually don't do this inviting country justice.

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