Slovenia
Discover Slovenia
Introduction
Slovenia is the small country where four European landscapes meet: the Alps, the Dinaric karst, the Pannonian plain and the Adriatic, packed into 20,273 square kilometres and 2.1 million people, with a capital, Ljubljana, near enough the centre that the tourist board promises no corner is more than two or three hours away. Sixty per cent of it is forest, second in Europe only to Finland; ninety per cent lies above 200 metres; and its highest peak, Triglav at 2,864 metres, is on the flag.
The north-west holds what most visitors come for: Lake Bled, glacial and tectonic, with its island and its castle on the cliff, first recorded in 1011; Lake Bohinj and Triglav National Park, 838 square kilometres around the mountain; the Vršič pass and the Soča valley. The south-west is the Classical Karst that gave the world's limestone landscapes their name, with Postojna Cave -- 24 kilometres of it, a train through 3.5 -- and the Škocjan caves; and a 47-kilometre coast with Venetian Piran, bilingual in Slovene and Italian. Ljubljana between them is Baroque, Art Nouveau and Jože Plečnik, whose inter-war works were inscribed by UNESCO in 2021.
Habsburg from the fourteenth century to 1918, a Yugoslav republic from 1945, independent from June 1991 after a war of ten days, Slovenia joined the EU and NATO in 2004, the euro in 2007 and Schengen the same year, and calls itself the first country declared a Global Green Destination. It is one of the safest countries in the world by the Global Peace Index, fourth in 2026, and one of the easiest in Europe to see whole.
Do I need to change money?
No, if you come from the euro area: Slovenia has used the euro since 1 January 2007, and ATMs taking the major cards are widespread.
Do I need a vignette?
Yes, to drive on the motorways and expressways; it is electronic, sold by the motorway company DARS, annual or monthly among other periods. Buy it before you join the motorway. The price is not given here because DARS's site did not answer.
How much is Bled Castle?
Adults 19 euros, students 11.50, children 7, seniors 16, under-sixes free; open every day, 8 to 8 from April to October and 8 to 6 from November to March, last entry half an hour before closing.
How much is Postojna Cave?
The standard hour-and-a-half tour is 34.90 euros for adults, 27.80 for students, 20.70 for children 6 to 15 and 1 euro under six. It is 10 degrees inside all year.
Do I need to book the Škocjan caves?
In summer, yes: tours sell out on certain days and times, so buy online in advance and be at the information desk 30 minutes before your slot.
What are the emergency numbers?
112 for medical, fire and rescue; 113 for the police; 1987 for roadside assistance.
When is the best time to visit?
May to June and September to October. July and August are the busiest at Bled and on the coast; the mountains are a summer season and the caves and coast are year-round.