I’ve been exploring Slovenia for over ten years and it’s become very easy for me to explain to you how to make the most of the many facets of this magnificent country for your trip. Precise advice on how to make the most of your holiday is exactly what you’ll find in this article.
Slovenia imposes a certain way of travelling, and it’s a great one!
Every country has its own way of doing things and its own strengths. I’m convinced that you have to adapt your way of travelling to each country: to its geography, to the customs of its inhabitants, to its size, to its landscapes, to its means of transport, to its terroirs, etc.
Example: Looking for trendy little boutiques will make sense in Copenhagen, Berlin or Milan, but a little less so in Ljubljana, because in this small capital where time flows slowly, the locals often don’t care about what’s going on elsewhere. The modern, fast-paced, stressful world is not in direct contact with Ljubljana.
In short, you get my point, I think you have to adapt your way of travelling and your experiences to the country you’re visiting.
Over the years I’ve lived here, I’ve come to realise that if you really want to discover Slovenia, you have to imitate the Slovenian way of life, because Slovenes know perfectly well how to enjoy their country at weekends or after work.
I can also spot what’s better in Slovenia, what you’ll like on the spot but what a Slovenian wouldn’t be able to recommend in a travel guide because he’s experienced it since childhood. It all seems perfectly normal or banal to them.
Here is a summary of what you need to do to make your Slovenian holiday a success.
Vary the landscapes as much as possible
It ‘s hard to imaginesuch a wide variety of landscapes in such a small area. The western part of Slovenia in particular is where you’ll find this diversity. To give you an idea, it’s as if in a small department, you will find that looks like the french Jura, the Alps, an air of Tuscany, a little bit of Croatia, Champagne vineyards, pretty mountain lakes, little towns with beautiful Austro-Hungarian-style buildings and others that look like little Italian towns with, on top of all that, a huge underground world to discover made up of caves and mines listed as Unesco heritage sites . You’ll find it all in tiny Slovenia.
Whether you’re coming for a long weekend or for three weeks, it’s essential to plan your itinerary so that you can sample all the facets of Slovenia.
Bear in mind that Slovenia is a very small country and that wherever you end up, you can always go on day trips to the sea, caves, mountains, vineyards, lakes… It’s by mixing landscapes that you’ll have an excellent holiday.
If you’re only coming for a few days
stay in Ljubljana and take a day trip to Bled, Bohinj or Velika Planina, then on to the Slovenian coast and the caves.
If you’re staying longer
Choose accommodation in different areas, one in Ljubljana, one in the mountains(here, here or here) and one on the Slovenian coast.
Because of this incredible diversity of landscapes, you’ll feel like you’ve been on holiday for twice as long as you actually have!
Here are my other tips for making the most of your stay.
Plan several days in Ljubljana
Ljubljana: 280,000 inhabitants, a small city centre, a provincial capital… When you read that and you’ve travelled a bit in Europe, you’re tempted to devote just half a day of your holiday to it, but the Slovenian capital has so many charms and assets that you need to spend more time there.
The first thing to note is that Ljubljana is incredibly pleasant to live in. The Slovenian capital is safe and its centre has gradually become entirely pedestrianised. It’s a real cocoon, almost like a Viennese Secession Art Nouveau theme park, where you can enjoy €2 cappuccinos and €3 pints of local beer on one of the city’s hundreds of terraces. You can also take advantage of the city’s rich cultural life in fine weather.
The Slovenian capital devotes a large part of its budget to culture. The number of free shows is dazzling in summer.
The market takes place every day from Monday to Saturday, a lively place that is simply not to be missed. From Ljubljana, you can easily go on a day trip by car, bus or even car-sharing (a good way to meet the locals).
Focus on nature, not Slovenian cities
There are two must-see cities in Slovenia, Ljubljana, the capital, and Piran, the prettiest coastal town. As for the rest, you shouldn’t concentrate your visits on Slovenia’s cities, as there are much better things to do in Slovenia. When discovering a country, it’s often tempting to base your visits on the towns and walk around their old centres.
In Slovenia, you need to concentrate on the natural attractions, outdoor activities and variety of landscapes.
If you focus your holiday on Slovenia’s natural beauty rather than saying, let’s do Kranj first and then Ptuj, Maribor and Celje, it will be much more successful. There’s lots of advice on the site about places I’ve carefully selected. You’ll easily find these places and have some memorable experiences. Make the most of them !
Eat out often and relax on the terrace
The Slovenian countryside is full of good traditional restaurants called Gostilna (an important Slovenian word that you should remember). They serve hearty dishes at affordable prices of around €12. One dish is enough to fill you up. Gostilnas are really everywhere and are open at all hours. They don’t close in the afternoon, which is really handy when you’re on holiday and have to work odd hours. The hilltops and mountains are full of cosy refuges (koca) serving hearty traditional dishes, always under €10, and delicious desserts, which are also always very hearty. Slovenians often take one for two. Lastly, restaurants often serve kosilos, low-price lunch menus.
Pizzerias serve very large pizzas that can be cut in half and served on two plates (a very common practice in Slovenia). You can eat for €5 per person.
You should take advantage of these offers and my restaurant tips during your stay in Slovenia. The same goes for the terraces. Sitting there for hours on end is Slovenia’s national sport (as well as basketball). During your stay, you should be lounging there at least once or twice a day for a delicious Italian coffee or a beer. In Slovenia, take a breather rather than running around trying to get to all the must-sees.
Venture out on the hiking trails
Slovenia’s other national sport is hiking. Many Slovenians devote all their weekends to it. The country is both hilly and mountainous. It is criss-crossed by an extensive network of well-maintained footpaths. Signposting is excellent and you can venture out without the risk of getting lost. You don’t need the services of a guide. What’s more, you’ll come across plenty of Slovenians who can point you in the right direction if you’re in any doubt, and the icing on the cake is that at the top you’ll often find a refuge run by the Slovenian Mountaineers’ Association, which serves good food in a 100% authentic atmosphere.
Tip to remember: There are pleasant hiking trails all over the country, in the south, north, east and west, and to find them, just ask the locals where they climb in their spare time.
Be specific and a little persistent , because as you’re a tourist, they’ll tend to tell you where the tourist spots are rather than where they go at the weekend. What you want to know is where they go walking. In short, during your stay in Slovenia, you should try to enjoy Slovenia as Slovenians do at the weekend. It’s an excellent thread for a successful stay.