Slovenia Information 

Slovenia is a country in Central Europe that lies in the eastern Alps at the northeastern end of the Adriatic Sea, with Austria to the north, Italy to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast and Croatia to the south. Despite its small size, Slovenia has a surprising variety of terrain, ranging from the beaches of the Mediterranean to the peaks of the Julian Alps, to the rolling hills of the south. Slovenia was already more economically advanced than other "East Block" nations prior to European integration and the powerhouse of Tito's Yugoslavia. Added the fact that Slovenia is also home to some of the finest scenery in the "New Europe", the transition from socialism to the european common market economy has gone well and serves as a model for other nations on the same track to follow.

Ljubljana

Slovenia is, arguably, the most scenic of the formerly communist countries, and Ljubljana ("lyoob-lyAH-nah") is a great little city full of charm. It's pretty easy to have a good time here. It's full of galleries and museums and young artists. The population of the city is around 300,000.

The Ljubljanica river flows through the center of town, past Baroque buildings and under the ramparts of the ancient castle on the hill. The new city and modern-day commercial core lies to the west of the river, while the east side has Ljubljana's old city and the castle. Connecting the two are a number of bridges, the most famous of which is the Tromostovje (triple) bridge (architect Jože Plecnik).

Triple Bridge ("Tromostovje" in Slovenian), Ljubljana's trademark central bridges designed by Jože Plecnik. Tromostovje consists of three separate picturesque bridges located next to one another. This is the central location of downtown Ljubljana. Here, you can see the statue of France Prešeren, Slovenia's greatest poet. You can also catch a tourist train taking you to the castle. Or cross Ljubjanica and turn left for Open Market and the Dragon Bridge, or go straight and then right for Old Ljubljana.

Old Ljubljana is Ljubljana's historic part. It has the city hall, monuments, and well-preserved old buildings and churches. It also has local designer shops, and several popular cafes and restaurants. It is located immediately below the city castle and on the eastern side of Ljubljanica river, across the Triple Bridge. You will discover interesting squares, lanes and buildings.

Ljubljana Castle - You can catch the "tourist train" from the Triple Bridge to the castle, or walk up the (steep!) hill to the castle, or take the Funicular Railway (€3/2 (adult/concession), the lower station is at the top of the main Open market). Entrance to the Castle Courtyard, Chapel and Gift shop is free, but there is a charge for access to the tower. The tower has magnificent views all over the city. You can also see the Sava River and Kamnik Alps in the distance. Included is a 3D Movie of the history of Ljubljana from a pre-historic settlement to Roman Empire to modern times.

Square of the Republic - Where crowds gathered as Slovenia announced its independence from the Yugoslav Federation in 1991. The square has significant importance for Slovene history, as it was a place of important public gatherings (and demonstrations) in the past. Across the road is the Slovene Parliament. Its facade is decorated with artistic nude statues of Slovenes at work and leisure. The square also houses the International Business Centre.

Roman Ruins - a short walk west of the centre of town are the remains of the Roman City Walls, including a number of pillars from an entrance gate.

Other areas of Slovenia

Bohinj (pronounced BAW-heen) is an alpine valley and a municipality in the north-west of Slovenia, in the Julian Alps. The valley is famous for the pristine Lake Bohinj (Bohinjsko jezero) and marks one of the main entrances to the Triglav National Park.

Triglav National Park (Triglavski Narodni Park) is Slovenia's pride and joy. Centered around the focal point of Triglav (2864 m), the "Three-Headed" mountain found on everything Slovenian ranging from the national flag to Laibach's LP Krst pod Triglavom (Baptism under Triglav), the park covers nearly all of the Slovenian section of the Julian Alps, a total of nearly 85,000 hectares. Savica Waterfall (Slap Savice) is a 78m waterfall on the north side of the lake at Bohinj and the starting point of several popular routes up Triglav. Also here is St. John the Baptist Church, Ribcev Laz. Picturesquely perched by the shore of the lake, the current church building dates back to 1440 and is among the oldest in Slovenia. The frescoes on the inside are also an interesting historical record: many of the figures have clear goiters, a swelling of the neck caused by lack of iodine in the local diet. The easiest trip from Bled is to visit the spectacular Vintgar Gorge, only 4.5 km away, which features a wooden footbridge path (dating to 1893) running for 1600 meters along the Radovna River, terminating at the Šum waterfall.

But the thing to do in Triglav National Park is, of course, to climb the mountain itself. However, while those 2864 meters may not sound all that fearsome, Triglav is a real mountain and while you don't need any climbing skills to ascend it you should have no fear of heights or steep parts and you should trust your grip. Starting from the nearest mountain hut, the easiest route to the peak will take less than a day. There are many steep parts but everywhere there are cables and metal handles to hold on to. As on all mountains, the weather can be viciously changeable, with temperatures alternating between +30 and -10°C even in midsummer. The routes to the top are open only between June and October, and hiring a guide (or joining a guided group) is, while not legally mandated, very advisable due to at times labyrinthine route. Most climbers spend two nights on the route, although fitness nuts have been known to complete it in a single day. Just remember to watch out for Zlatorog, the golden-horned chamois of the mountain!

The Julian Alps are spectacular, and widely believed to be the birthplace of skiing. They are located within Triglav National Park, which contains high mountain lakes, mountain ridges and an abundance of animal and plant life.

Bled's scenery is almost impossibly romantic, with a little white church on an island in the center of an emerald green mountain lake, Bled Castle perched high above and the peaks of the Julian Alps all around — and it is consequently often packed with honeymooning couples and the like. The town is also a popular access point for Triglav National Park and offers numerous possibilities for an active holiday, including hiking, mountain biking, swimming, rafting and skiing in winter or a relaxing spell in a modern wellness centre.

Other natural attractions include picturesque Lake Bled and Postojna Cave. Bled Castle is worth a visit. Outdoor sports such as kayaking, rafting and horseback riding are popular. Lake Bled features skating and curling in winter.

Postojna Caves and Predjama Castle are located at the town of Postojna. Postojna Caves contains 20 km of underground galleries, chambers and corridors, up to 50 meters high in places. Tours begin with a train journey into the cave system through several chambers before visitors get off and do a guided walk through stalagmite studded caverns. The train then returns you to the surface. The whole tour lasts 90 minutes. Predjama Castle is a remarkable looking castle that looks like it is growing out of a cave. It was home to the legendary medieval knight of Erazem Predjamski who was besieged in this castle for several months for tax evasion. It did not end well for Erazem, but the legend was started.

Divaca is a town and municipality in the Coast and Karst region of Slovenia. It is known for the many limestone caves in the area, including Škocjan Caves. This cave system that includes the highest cave hall in Europe, a massive gorge, waterfalls and a bridge over the gorge that looks like something out of The Lord of the Rings. The caves have beautiful stalactite and stalagmite structures. All told, there are eleven chambers that stretch for about six kilometers and the landscape was considered so unique that the caves are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admission to the caves is by tour only, an easy guided walk that lasts about 90 minutes and takes you through two chambers: the Silent Cave and the Murmuring Cave. Also of interest is the river Reka, which flows straight into Škocjan Caves and disappears into the cave tunnels, only to resurface some 20 km west near the Adriatic Sea.

Maribor, the second most important centre and the second largest city of Slovenia. It has about 114.000 inhabitants who live embraced in its wine growing hills and Mariborsko Pohorje. Located near Slovenian border with Austria, beside the Drava River and at the centre of five natural geographic regions.

The city of Ptuj has one of the best-preserved and well presented castles in Slovenia. The displays inside vary wildly and include rooms with period furniture, displays on local music, the ubiquitous weaponary section and a wonderful display on traditional dress-up costumes including the magnificent Kurent.

Kamnik - Once a rival to Ljubljana and Kranj for economic dominance of Carniola, today's Kamnik (Stein in German) is a sleepy suburb of Ljubljana, with a population of just over 10,000. While there is some modern sprawl to the south, the medieval Old Town (Staro mesto) has been wonderfully preserved and makes this town well worth a visit. Orienting yourself in Kamnik is easy enough. Most medieval buildings line the pedestrian street of Šutna, and its northern end lie Mali grad and the city square of Glavni trg. To the east runs the Kamniška Bistrica river and across it are the ruins of the Old Castle.

Celje - The town has a population of about 30,000. The downtown part of Celje is very old, and very beautiful. There are two churches, as well as an "Old Celje" section. Nearby, but a vehicle is recommended to get to, is the Stari Grad castle. It sits on top of a hill, and the castle was built in the 1400's. One building that's a part of the castle is a tower. The only way to get to the top of the tower is by climbing several steps located inside it, but the climb is worth it. Once on top, the view of Celje is absolutely spectacular and breathtaking.

Izola is an ancient mediterranean town with a lively history on the Slovenian coast. The old part of the town rests upon what once used to be an island - that's where it's name comes from. In latin, 'isola' means 'an island'. The fishing tradition is nowadays still present in Izola's tourist programmes and cuisine. The local specialities include olive oil and home made vine. Positioned on the northern part of the Istra peninsula and having its own Marina the city remains one of the leading centers of nautical tourism.

Idrija lies among the green hills of western Slovenia in the Julian Alps. It is located between the Alpine and the Karst regions. A half millennium of mining mercury in Idrija and its surroundings left an exceptionally rich heritage of technical, cultural, and historical monuments and points of interest available to visitors as museum displays.

Nova Gorica is a town in Slovenia on the Italian border. The neighbouring town of Gorizia is in Italy and is approximately 5 minutes walk from the centre of Nova Gorica. It's main tourist attractions are casinos, such as Perla and Park. They mostly cater for Italian gamblers. For more cosmopolitan travelers, Sveta Gora or Kostanjevica should be more interesting. The first is a traditional pilgrimage destination, while the other houses the tomb of Bourbones.

Piran is probably the most beautiful of Slovenia's coastal towns, perched on a tiny piece of land jutting into the sea. It feels more like an Italian coastal town, without all the Italian tourists, and for good reason: Piran was part of the Venetian empire from the late 13th century to the end of the 18th century.

Portorož is a town in the Coast and Karst region of Slovenia. Slovenia's only mass-market resort on the Adriatic, the name means "Port of Roses", but it has been labeled Portobeton ("Port of Concrete") by Slovenian wags. While it's undeniable that the town entirely lacks the Venetian old towns of Piran, Izola or Koper and has rather too many giant concrete hotels and casinos, you could do far worse if looking for a stretch of beach, comparatively cheap eats and easy access to the rest of the coast.

Koper is Slovenia's only commercial port. The Communists built an unattractive sprawl of factories and warehouses to the south, but mercifully left the old town almost entirely untouched, and it's this that draws the (comparatively few) tourists who venture this way. Koper's main sight of interest is the Venetian-era old city, which is in much worse shape than that of Piran, but hence also feels more real. Repairs and restoration are slowly under way. The center of the old city is Tito Square (Titov trg), an austere piazza surrounded by slowly crumbling palazzi.

Driving in Slovenia

Slovenia has an excellent highway network connected to neighboring countries. Since 1 July 2008 Slovenia demands that all vehicles with a permissible weight of up to 3.5 tons buy a vignette (road tax) before using motorways or expressways. This vignette costs 35€ for 6 months, or 55€ for a year. For motorcyclists this costs 17.5€ and 27.5€ respectively. Using motorways without a vignette will result in a fine of 300€ or more.

When entering through northern neighbor Austria one also needs a separate vignette to use the Austrian highway network.

Slovenia's roads are for the most part well maintained and well signposted, and you won't have a problem if you drive or hire a car. Having a car certainly does add a level of mobility and self direction that you won't get by train or bus.