About Slovenia

It may not be easy to find Slovenia on a map, but you'll have a hard time finding a place so small offering so much. From the soaring peaks of the Julian Alps and the subterranean magic of Postojna and Škocjan caves, to the sparkling emerald-green lakes and rivers and the short but sweet coastline along the Adriatic Sea, tiny Slovenia really does have it all. Slovenia is first and foremost an outdoor destination. The list of activities on offer is endless, with the most popular pursuits being skiing, walking and hiking in the mountains, and increasingly, cycling. You might be forgiven for thinking that anything of beauty in this greenest of green lands is, well, all natural.

Slovenia is an ideal destination for a family getaway in all seasons. Whether you're chasing cultural highs or pursuing nature's pleasures, treading lightly or veering off the beaten path, there's a good chance you'll find what you're looking for here. The architecture is wonderfully varied: from the Venetian harbour towns of the coast and the rustic Hungarian-style farmhouses of Prekmurje to the Gothic churches of the Julian Alps and the art nouveau splendours of Ljubljana. An earthly paradise of snow-capped peaks, turquoise-green rivers and Venetian-style coastline, Slovenia enriches its natural treasures with harmonious architecture, charming rustic culture and sophisticated cuisine.

Official Site: https://www.slovenia.info/en

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Best Season:June to August
Popular Location: Bled, Ljubljana, Piran
When to Visit

Slovenia may only be small but it’s a land of epic scenery from pristine alpine lakes to soaring mountains. And it’s made for fresh-air pursuits. June is the perfect time to go. The winter snow has melted, meadows are in bloom and you can explore this tiny country before the high-summer crowds descend. The Julian Alps are the epicentre of Slovenia’s favorite pastime – hiking. June is a great time to climb to the highest point, Triglav, which appears on the national flag.

Travel Info

Language: Slovenian

Currency: [EUR] Euro

Timezone: GMT +1

Airport: Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport [LJU]

Annual Number of Visitors: 4.4 million (2018)

VISA: https://www.gov.si/en/registries/countries/india/

Travel Tips

Slovenia is friendly to the disabled persons according to its accessibility. In recent years, all new public buildings and other large office and tourist buildings have been built with consideration for the people with locomotor disorders. Whether you’re in the capital or the countryside, you’ll find trails everywhere and biking brings you closer to the scenery than sitting in a car or a bus. Most Slovenes will know at least a few words of English and are happy to help.

Best Known For

All Arts, At Sea, Adventure Sports, Ballet/Opera, Bars, Boating, Bus Tours, City, Concerts/Shows, Culture, Family Friendly, Fine Dining, Heritage, Landmarks/Sights, Local Cuisine, Museums, Nature, Off the Beaten Path, Party/Nightlife, Romantic, Spa, Shopping, Skiing, Theater/Musicals, Walking Tours, Wine

To Do

Kurentovanje festival

The Kurentovanje festival is held every February in Slovenia, in the ten days leading to Ash Wednesday (the main parade is usually held on the Sunday nearest to Ash Wednesday). The heartland of the event is the town of Ptuj. Ptuj is an elegant medieval town crowned by a castle and bound by the river Drava. A visit to the Kurentovanje parade in Ptuj is one of the most surreal activities one can experience in Slovenia.

White-water adventures

Snaking through the far west of the country like an aquamarine serpent, the Soča river is a haven for watersports enthusiasts. Its pure waters swirl through canyons, plunge over waterfalls and gush along pine-forested valleys, providing plenty of spectacle for sightseers and action for thrillseekers. Bovec is the main adventure hub in the Soča Valley, with numerous operators offering a host of exhilarating activities such as whitewater rafting, kayaking, canyoning and riverboarding.

Hiking

Over half of Slovenia is covered with trees. This gives visitors a feeling that they are always sounded by forests. Hiking in the Slovenian forests offers gorgeous surroundings like nowhere else. A walk among the trees relaxes the mind and helps hikers recharge their batteries. The oldest Slovenian forest is Rajhenavski Forest. It has been growing for over 500 years and is located in Kocevski Rog.

Stay in a herdsman’s cottage

Aside from the usual hotels, hostels, and B&Bs, Slovenia also has some extraordinary accommodation options for its visitors. Among them, the herdsmen’s cottages on Velika Planina plateau allow visitors to experience a way of life still very much present in the modern era. Though the cottages come equipped with modern amenities, they also provide the charm of the herdsmen’s simple lifestyle. In the morning, a typical herdsmen’s breakfast is a great way for visitors to taste traditional food.

Visit Slovenia’s islands

Slovenia has no coastal islands, but it does have several interesting ones elsewhere. It has an island in a lake, islands in rivers, an island with a castle, and an underground island in the depths of a cave. On one island there is even a town – the smallest and only one of its kind in Slovenia.

Reasons to Visit

Wellness

Slovenia is rich in mineral water. Depending on the geographical location, the actual water offers different healing benefits. The water’s healing benefits make spa centers all around the country an attractive destination for a vacation. Spa centers offer packages where visitors can relax their body and soul and get the most out of the healing water. With beautiful surroundings, various pools, water slides, and saunas, these centers are also a popular destination for families.

Cave systems

Slovenia’s Karst region hides a treasure chest of secrets under its relatively unassuming surface. Whole rivers have been swallowed up by the porous limestone bedrock and once underground the water has carved out vast subterranean landscapes. Slovenia’s most famous cavern, and a fantastic place to see these geological processes at work, is Postojna Cave.

Slovenian wines

White or red, lushly aromatic, strong, full-bodied or light, dry or sweet – no matter what kind of wine you prefer, you will discover your favourite variety in the three wine-growing regions of Slovenia. Every wine-growing district has its own wine road that leads you to wine-growers and wine cellar keepers in a small local area. Many of them also offer culinary and other delights in addition to wine. The mood is festive on wine roads and in other parts of Slovenia when various wine holidays and festivals take place.

Enjoy coastal sunsets

Sometimes it’s nice to take the time to relax body and mind. Nowhere is this more readily available than at Slovenia’s seaside, where the calming sound of waves, delicious food, and friendly people will help visitors experience a sense of tranquility. Slovenia has just 47 km of coastline, but what it lacks in range it makes up for with beautiful Venetian Gothic architecture. The jewel in the crown is Piran, which is set on a narrow peninsula jutting out into the Adriatic.

Julian Alps

This is the Slovenia of tourist posters: mountain peaks, postcard-perfect lakes and blue-green rivers. The natural appeal of the Julian Alps offers “mountain bliss in an overlooked corner of Europe”. Travellers can take on pulse-racing treks in the region, which also boasts the picturesque lakes Bled and Bohinj. The lofty peak of Mt. Triglav, at the centre of a national park of the same name, may dazzle you enough to prompt an ascent.

Ljubljana

In the center of the country visit the charming capital, Ljubljana. Ljubljana is a flat, delightful city for walking. Right in the middle of the historical center, you can see the river Ljubljanica. For superb views of the city, take the glass funicular up to Ljubljana Castle. Beneath the castle lies the Old Town, a warren of 19th-century wooden shop fronts, quiet courtyards and cobblestone passageways. A stroll or boat ride along the Ljubljanica river, flanked by elegant colonnades and squares, and crossed by several pretty bridges, is a great way to familiarise yourself with the city.
Ljubljana
Bled

Bled, a resort town in the foothills of the Julian Alps, is set along the glacial Lake Bled. On a cliff overlooking the lake is the 11th-century Bled Castle, which houses a museum, chapel and printing press. Atop a small island in the lake’s center is the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Maria, with its steep staircase and bell tower. Bled is known for kremna rezina, a layered vanilla cream cake that’s served around town.
Bled
Maribor

Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia and the capital of the Štajerska region famed for its vineyards. The city lies between wine-producing hills and the forested slopes of the Pohorje. It has no unmissable sights but oozes charm thanks to its delightfully patchy Old Town along the Drava River. Pedestrianised central streets buzz with cafes and student life, and the riverside Lent district hosts a major summer arts festival.
Maribor
Ptuj

Rising gently above a wide valley, Ptuj forms a symphony of red-tile roofs best viewed from across the Drava River. One of the oldest towns in Slovenia, Ptuj equals Ljubljana in terms of historical importance. The compact medieval core, with its cobblestone alleys rimmed by interesting facades, scattered with ornate monasteries and topped by a grand whitewashed castle, may be easily seen in a day, but there are plenty of interesting side trips and activities in the area if you do decide to linger.
Ptuj
Piran

One of the loveliest towns anywhere along the Adriatic coast, picturesque Piran sits prettily at the tip of a narrow peninsula. In addition to a romantic view, the eyecatching image of this medieval town provides an instant insight into the extremely diverse architectural history of the Slovenian coast. Its Old Town – one of the best-preserved historical towns anywhere in the Mediterranean – is a gem of Venetian Gothic architecture. It’s hard not to fall instantly in love with the atmospheric winding alleyways, the sunsets and the seafood restaurants.
Piran
Bovec

Soča Valley’s de facto capital, Bovec offers plenty for adventure-sports enthusiasts. With the Julian Alps above, the Soča River below and Triglav National Park all around, you could spend a week here rafting, hiking, kayaking, mountain biking and, in winter, skiing, without ever doing the same thing twice. It’s beautiful country and Bovec is a pleasant town in which to base yourself for these activities.
Bovec
Portorož

Every country with a coast needs a swish beach resort and Portorož is Slovenia’s. There is a sense that this could be anywhere in the northern Mediterranean, which is fine if that generic experience is what you’re looking for. Portorož’s beaches are relatively clean, and there are spas and wellness centres where you can take the waters or cover yourself in curative mud.
Portorož
Koper

Coastal Slovenia’s largest town, Koper is something of a well-concealed secret. Koper’s central core is delightfully medieval and far less overrun than its ritzy cousin Piran and well worth a day visit at the very least.
Koper

Dragon Bridge, Ljubljana

The Dragon Bridge, adorned with famous dragon statues, appears in the most recognizable images of Ljubljana. The four dragon statues, which look slightly terrifying and almost real (if, of course, you believe that dragons might be real), are a masterpiece which has been exciting imagination since the bridge was built. Constructed between 1900 and 1901, it was Ljubljana’s first reinforced concrete structure and one of the largest bridges of its kind to be built in Europe.

Ljubljana Castle

On the green hill in the middle of the city, behind ancient walls, is a rich world of historical, cultural and other entertaining content. Whenever you want to get closer to the sun, or when you need a different view of the world, food for your soul or a delicious meal, it is a good time to climb to the Ljubljana Castle. The history of the castle is colourful and astonishing. Over the centuries, the castle has played an important role and remained a city symbol.

The National Gallery, Ljubljana

The National Gallery, Slovenia’s foremost museum of historical art, holds the country’s largest collection of fine art from the High Middle Ages to the 20th century. The National Gallery’s permanent collection, divided into sections according to historical periods, is comprised of nearly 600 works by Slovenian and European artists.

Predjama Castle, Postojna

Predjama Castle, 9 km from Postojna, is one of Europe’s most dramatic castles. Its four storeys were built piecemeal over the years from 1202, but most of what you see today is from the 16th century. It looks simply unconquerable. The castle has great features – holes in the ceiling of the entrance tower for pouring boiling oil on intruders, a very dank dungeon, a 16th-century chest full of treasure, and an eyrie-like hiding place at the top called Erazem’s Nook, named for Erazem (Erasmus) Lueger.

Postojna Cave

The jaw-dropping Postojna Cave system, a series of caverns, halls and passages some 24 km long and two million years old, was hollowed out by the Pivka River, which enters a subterranean tunnel near the cave’s entrance. Inside the enormous cave are vast caverns filled with elaborate stalagmites and stalactites, as well as more unusual rock formations, such as huge pillars, translucent curtains and spaghetti-like strands hanging from the ceiling. Each hour hundreds of visitors are whisked into the cave on a 3.7 km-long underground railway.

Škocjan Caves

Touring the huge, spectacular subterranean chambers of the 6 km-long Škocjan Caves is a must. This remarkable cave system was carved out by the Reka River, which enters a gorge below the village of Škocjan and eventually flows into the Dead Lake, a sump at the end of the cave where it disappears. The caves are home to a surprising amount of flora and fauna. From April to October, visitors can choose a guided (or self-guided) 2 km walk following the path of the Reka River, entering the first part of the cave through the natural entrance carved by the river below the village of Škocjan.

Lake Bled

Lake Bled lies at the centre of the Bled Corner. A tectonic hole made later by the Bohinj glacier was once at the location of the present lake. Dark blue on the top, light grey, sometimes even white as snow in the middle, and different shades of green below. It is up to 30.6 m deep, which makes it attractive for divers to explore. In the middle of Lake Bled, formed by glaciers tens of thousands of years ago, lies the island of Bled. A walking path encircles the lake, passing a swimming area and trailheads for forested hiking paths.

Triglav National Park, Triglav

Name comes from Mount Triglav, the highest mountain and national symbol of Slovenia. It is the only national park in Slovenia. Triglav National Park covers almost the entire Slovenian part of the Julian Alps. It is a typical Alpine park with Slovenia’s highest mountains. The sun reflects across the surface of the blue-green water, while the emerald green of the river and the translucent blue of the streams are enchanting. The biodiversity is among the highest in the Alps.

Križna Cave, Notranjska

Over 8 km long, Križna Cave in the Notranjska region is one of the world’s famous and most beautiful water karst caves. Its special feature is 22 underground lakes separated by calcareous sinter barriers where crystal clear water flows. The emerald green lakes, silence and fabulous stalactites and stalagmites provide an unforgettable experience for visitors. But Križna Cave also has another characteristic – the largest underground island in Slovenia – it lies approximately 100 m underground.

The Island of Love, Ižakovci

In the village of Ižakovci, the river Mura has created a natural island, named by the locals as the Island of Love. Perhaps this was because of the romantic surroundings, which have always attracted lovers. Today, the island caters for many different activities that attract day trippers, tourists and random visitors. On the Island of Love, there is also a floating mill – the only one of its kind in Slovenia, which was reconstructed in 1999 from the original plans of one of the former mills on the river Mura.

Kostanjevica na Krki, Dolenjska

Kostanjevica na Krki, the only Slovenian town situated on an island, is the smallest and one of the oldest Slovenian towns. The old town structure with two parallel streets that meet in the northwest and southeast has remained the same until the present day. Kostanjevica na Krki, rich in natural and cultural attractions, was proclaimed a first class cultural monument and is thus under complete cultural protection.

Bled Castle

Bled Castle is a medieval castle built on a precipice above the city of Bled, overlooking Lake Bled. According to written sources, it is the oldest Slovenian castle and is currently one of the most visited tourist attractions in Slovenia.  Castle terraces offer spectacular views of the lake and the island, down the Dežela area with Lesce and Radovljica and over to the mountain ranges of the Karavanke and the Julian Alps.

Lake Bohinj

Lake Bohinj that lies in the heart of the Triglav National Park is the largest Slovenian natural lake, nested at the foot of unspoilt mountains. Bohinj is a paradise valley embraced by the Julian Alps. The steeply descending lake basin is relatively smoothly shaped and has no shallow areas. Lake Bohinj is perfect for water activities all year round – from swimming, boat riding, wind surfing, kayaking or canoeing, fishing and diving in warmer months, to (sometimes) even ice skating in winter. Visitors can also take a wonderful tourist boat ride or simply go for a relaxing walk along the shore.

Ptuj Castle

Ptuj Castle is an agglomeration of styles from the 14th to the 18th centuries, but it is nonetheless a majestic sight, sitting high on the hill overlooking the red-roofed burger houses of Ptuj and the Drava River. It houses the Ptuj-Ormož Regional Museum, but is equally worth the trip for the views of Ptuj and the river. As you enter the castle courtyard, look to the west at the red marble tombstone of Frederick IX, the last lord of Ptuj.

Tours in Slovenia

Enter the world of original adventures
Lake Bled, Slovenia

    Hike, Bike and Raft in Slovenia

    8 days

    Known as ‘Europe in Miniature’, tiny Slovenia has a huge heart and a wealth of diversity. Importantly for you, there’s also plenty of action for adrenaline junkies, from cycling, hiking and skiing, to canoeing, caving and boating.

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    Slovenia River

      Highlights of Slovenia

      10 days

      Nestled between Italy, Austria, and Croatia, Slovenia features unique scenery, interesting folk culture, and an impeccable food scene. Slovenia is a perfect self-drive destination due to its compact size, modern road network, and scenic nature.

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      Bohinj Heritage Train Slovenia

        Picturesque Bohinj Railway

        1 day

        Jump back in time as you take a scenic ride on the steam train on the picturesque Bohinj railway. This three-hour-long train ride will undoubtedly be an unforgettable experience for any true rail enthusiast.

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