According to legend, Juan Ponce de León stumbled upon Florida while looking for the Fountain of Youth. But despite the discovery of a new land, eternal youth remained out of his reach. However, folk tradition states that a very real fountain of youth can be found in Slovenia’s Gorjanci range.

Known as Gospodična (or “Miss”), the spring, located in the middle of vast forest, has long been known for its special powers. In the 19th century, local writer Janez Trdina described the curative powers of the spring waters, which not only had the power to cure illness, but could also restore youth and vitality to anyone who drank them.

According to the legend recounted by Trdina, an unassuming pauper visited a local princess who had spent years in bed with an incurable illness. He told her that she could only get well by drinking water from the Gorjanci range. The princess headed into the woods. The water in the first spring turned black -- it was cursed. The water from a second spring ominously turned into blood. But the water from the third spring turned into flower blossoms. She had found the fountain of youth, and the ailing “Madam” was transformed into a young “Miss” -- hence the name of the magical spring.

In time, Gospodicna has become an important destination for visitors. In 1929, devotees of the spring even convinced the authorities to move a proposed railroad in order to leave the spring unaffected. Two years later, the area became one of the first in Slovenia to be officially protected. And when a new pan-European hiking trail was launched several years ago, a bottle of water from Gospodična was carried all the way to Granada, Spain.

Recently, however, researchers have discovered that the magical water from Gospodična may not be as healthful as once thought. Several analyses of the water have shown that the spring is not always fit for human consumption. This is a common occurrence in the porous limestone terrain of the area, but it came as a surprise to many who have grown proud of their unique spring.

Still, regular monitoring may yet restore the reputation of Gospodična – and preserve the legend of Slovenia’s magical spring that has the power to turn back time.