Slovenia Travel Guide


The latest travel Information on Slovenia, includes ideas on Things to See and Do, Local Events, Consulate & Embassy Contact Addresses and much more, all from a first-time visitors point of view.

Slovenia Information

Overview

One of the smallest countries in Europe, Slovenia more than justifies the ‘Europe in Miniature’ hype. Tucked in an enviable geographical position between the Alps and the Mediterranean, it is blessed with spectacular mountains, thick forests and an Adriatic coastline. 

Following the destruction of the Austro-Hungarian Empire during WWI, Slovenia became a part of the new ‘Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes’ in 1918, later Yugoslavia. After WWII, Tito created Socialist Yugoslavia. Following his death in 1980, the economic and political situation deteriorated and led to a series of regional conflicts in the early 1990s. Slovenia was the first republic to break away, achieving independence relatively peacefully in 1991. 

Slovenia was always the most prosperous region in Yugoslavia and it has successfully made the transition from a socialist economy to a capitalist free market one: it was first of the former Yugoslavian states to join the EU in 2004 and adopted the euro in 2007. 

Picturesque Ljubljana, the capital, is the starting point for a wide range of excursions. Situated in the heart of Slovenia, draped along the banks of the Ljubljanica River, the capital is within a two-hour drive of all the state borders.


Top Things To See

In the capital Ljubljana (website: www.ljubljana-tourism.si), cross the lifeblood Ljubljanica river towards to the Town Hall (1718) with its baroque fountain and two open courtyards and then explore the surrounding cobbled old town.

Head for the twin towers of Ljubljana Cathedral (1708), which house some impressive frescoes in what is widely regarded as the finest ecclesiastical building in the country.

Tour Ljubljana’s fine treasure trove of cultural institutions - choose from the City Museum, National Museum, the National Gallery, Plecnik’s House and the Modern Art Gallery.

Take a train into the spectacular 20km (12-mile) cave of Postojna (website: www.postojnska-jama.si), only one hour’s drive from the coast, which has been deemed one of the greatest sights of natural beauty, and features gigantic stalagmites and a cavernous hall which can hold over 10,000 people.
 
In the port of Koper, explore the old town and see the Town Tower (1480), the 15th-century Cathedral, the loggia and the Praetor’s Palace; also of interest is the Romanesque Carmin Rotunda (1317). The excellent Provincial Museum houses old maps of the area. 
 
Piran is Slovenia’s coastal jewel, southeast of Koper. Enjoy the flurry of Venetian architecture and the waterfront seafood restaurants or just enjoy a swim in the Adriatic shadowed by the town’s voluminous hilltop church.
 
To the south of Maribor, see the Roman remains and medieval centre of Ptuj (website: www.ptuj-tourism.si), which is also the scene of traditional carnivals. Ptuj’s old town overflows with cobbles, churches and impressive baroque buildings.
 
In the mountain resort of Bled (website: www.bled.si), see the neo-gothic Parish Church (1904) with its interesting frescoes and Bled Castle, the former seat of the bishops of Brixen. Perching above a 100m (328ft) drop, the castle offers magnificent views over the city and lake.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.


Top Things To Do

Relax in Slovenia’s seaside resorts. Portoroz is the country’s most popular resort, with numerous hotels, pavement cafes and watersports.

Go kayaking, canoeing and rafting on the Idrijca, Kolpa, Sava, Sava Bohinjka and Dolinka, Savinja and Soca rivers.

Hit the slopes: there is a wide range of good skiing resorts including those in Bohinj, Bovec Pohorje (which hosts international competitions), Cerkno, Kranjska Gora, Krvavec, Zgornjesavska valley, the Rogla and Vogel. 

Get active in the fashionable year-round mountain resort of Bled, near the Austrian and Italian borders. The resort is set on the idyllic Lake Bled, where skating and curling take place in winter, and swimming and rowing in summer. The trout and carp fishing are also very good. 
 
Hike amidst the grandeur of the Julian Alps. The Triglav National Park in particular is a great place for keen trekkers and climbers, with mighty Mount Triglav itself the highlight.

Scale a peak: mountaineering is a traditional Slovene sport - the Julian and Kamnik Alps are particularly popular. The Alpine Association of Slovenia organises adventure holidays (website: www.pzs.si). 

Catch a bird’s-eye view of Slovenia. The country’s location south of the Alps means that parachuting, paragliding and ballooning are popular.

Feel revitalised at Slovenia’s natural spas. In particular, the Radenci Health Resort is renowned for its ‘three hearts’ mineral water, said to have been served at the imperial court in Vienna and the papal court in the Vatican.

Follow a wine trail. Worth visiting are the wine-growing hills of Goriska Brda or the nearby Vipava Valley, where a number of Slovenia’s excellent wines are produced.

Lipica in the west of Slovenia is home to the lippizaner horse, bred by the Austro-Hungarian aristocracy of the 18th century. There are currently only 3,000 of these horses left in the world. Tour the stud farm, watch performances of classical riding or even ride the horses themselves.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.


Going Out

Food and Drink

Slovenia’s national cuisine shows an Austro-German influence with sauerkraut, grilled sausage and apple strudel often appearing on menus. 

National specialities:
• The best-known Slovene foods are the breads made for special occasions, which appear in the form of braided loaves or wreathes: the struklji stuffed with sweet fillings, meat or vegetables.
• Another Slovene speciality is potica, a dessert prepared with a wide variety of fillings.
• Seafood is a speciality in Primorska region.
• Goulash is popular in the Hungarian influenced eastern Prekmurje region.

National drinks:
• The southwest, eastern and northeastern parts of Slovenia are known for their outstanding white wines (Laski, Renski Rizling and many others).
• The southeast is the homeland of the light, russet-coloured cvicek wine.
• The Adriatic Coast and the Karst region have mainly red dry teran wine.
• Slovenian beer is excellent: the most popular brewers are Union in Ljubljana and Lasko in the eponymous town.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: 10% is generally expected in restaurants, though not obligatory.

Nightlife

There is a wide selection of theatres, cinemas, casinos and nightclubs in the larger towns. Ljubljana also has a good opera house and the symphony orchestra plays regularly in the Big Hall of the Cultural and Congress Centre. Ljubljana has a large student population as well as an increasing number of tourist visitors, which helps fuel a lively bar and club scene. Maribor also has a significant university population with an energetic nightlife scene, while the main action on the coast is in the resort of Portoroz.

Shopping

Attractive local gifts include bobbin lace, crystal glass and speciality wines.

Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1900, Sat 0800-1300. All shops, bar large malls, are closed Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday.


Climate

Continental climate with warm summers and cold winters (snowfalls in the Alps). Mediterranean climate on the coast.

Required Clothing

Medium-weight clothing and heavy overcoats in winter; lightweight clothing and raincoats for the summer, particularly for the higher Alpine north.


Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2008-December 2009 period.

2008
1-2 Jan New Year.
8 Feb Preseren Day (Slovenian Cultural Holiday).
24 Mar Easter Monday.
27 Apr Resistance Day.
1-2 May Labour Day Holiday.
11 May Pentecost.
25 Jun National Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
17 Aug Slovenians Incorporated into the Mother Nation.
15 Sep Restoration Day.
31 Oct Reformation Day.
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
23 Nov Rudolph Maister Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Independence Day.

2009
1-2 Jan New Year.
8 Feb Preseren Day (Slovenian Cultural Holiday).
13 Apr Easter Monday.
27 Apr Resistance Day.
1-2 May Labour Day Holiday.
31 May Pentecost.
25 Jun National Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
17 Aug Slovenians Incorporated into the Mother Nation.
15 Sep Restoration Day.
31 Oct Reformation Day.
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
23 Nov Rudolph Maister Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Independence Day.


Health

Diphtheria

Special Precaution: No

Hepatitis A

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Malaria

Special Precaution: No

Rabies

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Tetanus

Special Precaution: Yes

Typhoid

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Yellow Fever

Special Precaution: No

Health Care

The EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) gives European residents access to state-provided medical treatment, but comprehensive travel insurance is advised. For more information contact the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (ZZZS) (website: www.zzzs.si).

Further Health Information

We advise you to check health requirements for the country you are traveling to with your GP, practice nurse or travel health clinic as health requirements and vaccinations can change at short notice.

Money

Currency

Euro (EUR; symbol €) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Currency Exchange

Foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks and some hotels, supermarkets, petrol stations, tourist agencies and exchange bureaux.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

American Express, Diners, MasterCard and Visa are accepted at upmarket establishments; elsewhere cash is preferred. Credit cards can be used to get cash advances from banks.

Traveller's Cheques

Widely accepted. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in Euros, US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.

Banking Hours

Mon-Fri 0830-1230 and 1400-1700; Sat 0830-1100/1200.


Passport/Visa

British

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Australian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Canadian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

USA

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Other EU

Passport Required: 1
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Passport Note

Slovenia joined the Schengen Agreement on 21 December 2007 for overland entry points and seaports, and will join on 29 March 2008 for airports.

Passports

Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except:
(a) 1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.

Note: EU nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed.

Visas

Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to three months.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).


Contact Addresses

Slovenian Tourist Office in the UK

South Marlands, Itching Field, Horsham, West Sussex R13 0NN, UK
Tel: 0870 225 5305.
Website: www.slovenia.info

Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in the UK

10 Little College Street, London SW1P 3SH, UK
Tel: (020) 7222 5400.
Website: www.mzz.gov.si
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; 1000-1200 (consular section; for appointments in person).

Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in the USA

1525 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
Tel: (202) 667 5363.
Website: www.embassy.org/slovenia

Slovenian Tourist Office in the USA

2929 East Commercial Boulevard, Suite 201, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308, USA
Tel: (954) 491 0112.
Website: www.slovenia.info


Travel Advice

Warning

Most visits to Slovenia are trouble-free but you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate international terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organisations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel




Disclaimer
We've tried to make the information on this page as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information with the relevant authorities before you travel.