The Goriška Brda region in the western part of the country is frequently called Slovenia’s Tuscany. A bucolic landscape of vineyards and gentle Mediterranean vegetation, the area does indeed resemble its far more famous Italian counterpart. But each spring, it gets a flavor distinctly its own.

The arrival of spring turns much of the Brda region white. It’s not unseasonable snow that is responsible for the sudden transformation, but rather thousands of cherry blossoms. The blossoms eventually turn into fruit, and in May, the cherry picking season begins and sellers set up their cherry stands along narrow country lanes throughout the region.

Brda’s cherry tradition is a long one. In Austro-Hungarian times, women from the region traveled throughout Austria’s southern provinces and as far as Salzburg selling Brda cherries, which were known for their unmistakably sweet flavor. The fruits were prized by wealthy connoisseurs in Vienna, Prague, and as far away as St. Petersburg.

Today, the Brda cherry season culminates in the annual Cherry Festival, held each year at the end of May. More than 30,000 visitors from Slovenia and neighboring countries flock to the region for cherry tastings, a wagon parade, orchard tours, and a cycling marathon. A Cherry Queen is even chosen to represent the region and the fruit that makes it famous.

The festival has proved to be such a success that growers from Brda now participate in smaller cherry festivals in Austria’s Carinthia province. By touring several cities in the region, they not only promote Slovenian tourism, but also keep alive the old tradition of Brda cherry growers touring Central Europe and selling their sweet fruit.

Recently, a Chinese businessman has signed a deal to import Brda cherries to Hong Kong. Stephen Yeung plans to make them available to prestigious hotels and supermarkets. The region’s cherries have never traveled this far before, and the potential promotional value of the venture is immense. In the years ahead, seeming unassuming cherries may help “Slovenia’s Tuscany” to become internationally known in its own right.