Hospitality Awards 2025 | 5 receive maps and highlights. Each journey is curated with boutique accommodations, private transfers, and community-based experiences ensuring comfort and authenticity walk hand in hand. Travellers may choose a weekend walk, a four-day immersion, or a sixday exploration, each revealing a different chapter of the Koridor’s story. For those seeking the extraordinary, there is a 20-day odyssey — the full route from Maribor to the Croatian border, retracing the 1944 escape led by Ralph Churches “The Crow” with the support of his friend, Englishman Les Laws. Together, with the guidance of Slovenian Partisans, they engineered the largest successful POW escape of the war — a tale of courage and solidarity that still inspires. For most of the escapees, including Ralph himself, the Koridor was never seen in daylight. They moved under cover of night, evading patrols, focused on survival. Vineyards and forest paths — all this beauty was invisible to them. Today’s guests walk in daylight and comfort, free to savour scenery, cuisine, and hospitality. To walk here now, in peace and style, is both a privilege and a tribute. The Koridor svobode carried hundreds to safety: Allied prisoners of war, American airmen, and families displaced by conflict, all sheltered and guided by Partisan courage. The 1944 escape is remembered as a partnership of resolve. It was Les’s contact with the Partisans that opened the door for Ralph’s daring escape to succeed — showing how different strengths combined to bring so many men home. This story is personal. Neil is Ralph’s son, and his book The Greatest Escape introduced this history to an international audience. It has also reached screens worldwide, with features on Channel 4, Apple TV, and the History Channel, pairing Slovenia’s landscapes with the escape. Behind today’s journeys is a team of expert guides, hosts, winemakers, and logistics specialists. Many have ties to the Koridor, while all share a passion for creating authentic yet indulgent experiences. Their professionalism ensures The Crow’s Flight continues raising the bar for heritage travel in Slovenia. Looking ahead, 2026 will bring new premium hospitality partnerships and commemorative journeys tied to anniversaries of the escape. These reflect the company’s commitment to evolving with modern luxury travellers, while staying true to its essence: journeys defined by authenticity, elegance, and story. “Every guest is making history,” Neil reflects. A philosophy that ensures The Crow’s Flight offers not only travel, but distinction — indulgence, discovery, and the satisfaction of walking a path few know. Contact: Neil Churches Company: The Crow’s Flight Web Address: https://thecrowsflight.com/luxlife Email: [email protected] The Greatest Escape by Neil Churches (Macmillan, 2022) In September 1944, in what is now Slovenia, Australian Ralph Churches “The Crow” and Englishman Les Laws led the most successful breakout of Allied POWs of the war, guided to freedom by Slovenian Partisans. Their route — the Koridor svobode (Freedom Corridor) — carries the weight of history. Today, thanks to The Crow’s Flight, it becomes a luxury adventure: boutique hospitality, Slovenian cuisine, and encounters that bring story to life. Founded by Ralph’s son Neil, the company transforms remembrance into refinement — we caught up with him to learn more. Best Historical Slovenian Walking Tours Provider 2025 or the seasoned traveller, true luxury is measured not just in comfort but in discovery — in the thrill of going where others haven’t and experiencing what few even know exists. Slovenia, is one of Europe’s best-kept secrets: vineyards, forests, towns, and a story few outsiders know. At its centre lies the Koridor svobode (the Freedom Corridor), a passage that runs 180 miles through eastern Slovenia, from Maribor to the Croatian border. So little known that even many Europeans have never heard of it, this hidden route is the spine of The Crow’s Flight — a blend of refinement, culture, and history. Every journey follows a section of the Koridor, balancing pleasure with resonance. Recognised as the Best Historical Slovenian Walking Tours Provider 2025, The Crow’s Flight is redefining what it means to create luxury experiences with depth and distinction. Guests travel in small, unhurried groups, moving through landscapes that invite reflection and delight. Days unfold with vineyard lunches, tastings, farmhouse dinners. Travellers meet descendants of Partisans, hearing local stories, and walk through villages where history lingers. “True luxury begins with human connection,” says founder Neil Churches. “Luxury travel is often about indulgence. Here, it is indulgence with meaning — a rare chance to walk in style while honouring a story of resilience that still inspires.” “True luxury begins with human connection.” “Luxury travel is often about indulgence. Here, it is indulgence with meaning — a rare chance to walk in style while honouring a story of resilience that still inspires.” From personalised airport welcomes to a first taste of Slovenian wine, every arrival is designed to set the tone. Guests are introduced to the Koridor and F AIS-Aug25342
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