If you’re dreaming of visiting the world-famous Lipizzaners, Hotel Maestoso in Slovenia is the ideal European escape for horse lovers.
“He’s smart though, he learned with one eye,” my guide Brigitte says about the gray stallion. He turns his clouded eye toward us and pricks his ears forward in acknowledgement before losing interest.
Photo by Mitja Bozic
Lipizzaners may be the stars of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria, but the breed’s origins lie across modern-day borders in Lipica, Slovenia. Over the centuries, the herd survived wars, occupations, and numerous exiles to Austria, Italy, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia.
When government funding declined, the Lipica Stud turned to tourism. In 1996, the stud was declared a protected cultural monument, and it’s now a premier destination for horse lovers of all ages.
The Hotel
The property’s recently renovated Hotel Maestoso, named after a historic stud line, is a large part of the wide-ranging appeal. Its futuristic style avoids appearing out-of-place by mirroring the farm’s uniform white fencing. A white membrane coats the structure, outdoor patios, and pools, and frames each room’s exterior.
The hotel’s futuristic renovation avoids seeming out of place by mirroring the white pasture fencing on the property. Photo courtesy Hotel Maestoso
Inside, barn chic décor nods to the hotel’s location. Black steel, iron, wood accents, and barn door separators are combined with luxury hotel touches, such as bright white sheets and creative lights. The glass door out to the patio opens to unique views of green pastures and mountains in the distance.
Guest rooms feature modern, barn-chic décor with black steel, iron, wood accents, and barn door separators. Photo courtesy Hotel Maestoso
Horse Activities
Tours of the property are available daily and cost 18 Euro (around $20 U.S. dollars), and you have all-day access to the stud as well as the Lipikum Museum and the carriage exhibition.
Tip: Visit in spring for newly born foals.
Visit in the spring if you love to see newborn foals. Photo by Gabriele Boisellle
Alternatively, for 25 Euro ($28), you can purchase a ticket to an official show, which also includes a tour and access to the property. Shows are held Tuesdays (June-September), Fridays (May-October), and Sundays (April-October) at 3 p.m.
Official show tickets are a great way to see the world-famous Lipizzaners performing. Photo by Mitja Bozic
Trail rides can only be scheduled for experienced riders. You’ll need to have a membership card from a national equestrian association and be at least 15 years old. Two-hour rides cost 90 Euro ($102) and three-hour rides are 120 Euro ($136).
Carriage rides are also available for up to seven guests in a single cart. Costs range from 35 to 65 Euro ($40 to $74), depending on the length of ride and size of carriage. All activities require a reservation at least three days in advance.
Running Lipizzaners
In the distance, 40 or so horses all line up behind a gate one paddock over. As soon as the gate opens, the herd thunders toward me and the other spectators. As they canter across the yard onto the maple tree-lined path to the large pastures beyond, bathed in morning light, they disappear as quickly as they appeared.
You, too, can watch the release and return of the horses every day at 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
You can watch the herd of 40 horses running at 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. each day as they come in and leave the stables. Photo by Gabriele Boisellle
For non-horse enthusiasts in the group, there is a casino, a golf course, and tennis courts on property.
Know Before You Go
Tours of the grounds are available daily and include all-day access to the stud. Photo by Jošt Gantar
The nearest airport is Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU) or Trieste Airport (TRS) across the border in Italy. From either location, a car rental is best. Lipica is a little over an hour from LJU and 20 minutes from TRS.
If renting a car internationally isn’t your cup of tea, you can take a bus (1.5 hours) or a train (a little under 2 hours) to Sezana, followed by a 10-minute taxi ride.
For more information on the Hotel Maestoso, visit lipica.org/en/new-hotel-maestoso.
This article about visiting the Lipizzaners appeared in the July/August 2025 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!
