Greetings from Prešeren Square!
Slovenia 🇸🇮
A hidden gem in Europe, Slovenia began as a destination for my mom and me to explore our family heritage, but we discovered so much more.
During our trip, we enjoyed wandering the lovely streets of Ljubljana, the capital, just as our ancestors had, strolling across the Dragon Bridge, admiring unique architecture such as Vurnik House, and sampling Slovenian dishes and sipping local wines on a food tour.
Even as part of a larger trip that included Austria, Germany, and Croatia, I found Slovenia to warm my heart, seeing how lovely the people are and how relaxed this charming city feels.
Whether you’re planning a solo or family vacation, these Slovenia travel blogs will help you plan an epic, budget-friendly trip to these Slovenian destinations.
What are the best places to visit in Slovenia for first-timers?
The best way to see Slovenia is to base yourself in the compact, walkable capital, Ljubljana (Dragon Bridge, Prešeren Square), and use it as a hub to reach the rest of the country by train or bus. From Ljubljana, day trips reach Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj, Postojna Cave, and the coastal town of Piran. I personally traveled to Ljubljana in 2018 to trace my Slovenian heritage—while I stayed in the capital, it’s an easy home base for exploring the rest of the country without a car.
Fun Facts About Slovenia
- ❤️ Ljubljana’s name literally means “the loved one,” and its tourism slogan, “I Feel SLOVEnia,” hides the word LOVE right in the country’s name. So yes, Slovenians are wonderful people and will welcome you.
- 🏰 Predjama Castle wasn’t just built next to a cliff; it was built into one, using a cave system as secret passageways. In the 15th century, a knight used those tunnels to smuggle supplies during a year-long standoff with the Habsburgs. It’s basically a medieval heist story carved into a mountainside. It also holds the Guinness World Record as the largest cave castle in the world.
- 🌿 Ljubljana was named the European Green Capital in 2016 for its car-free center, more than 1,600 shared-bicycle docking stations, active transition to zero-emission public transport, and efforts to become climate-neutral by 2030. One of the many reasons to visit Ljubljana!
- 🍷 Maribor is home to one of the oldest grapevines in the world. It’s over 400 years old and still producing wine!
- 🐉 Dragon Bridge legend says the dragons wag their tails when a virgin crosses, but the four corner dragons were originally just decorative symbols inspired by the Jason and the Argonauts myth. The waggling rumor? Nonsense!
- 🎬 The crystal-clear Soča River near Bovec looked so otherworldly that filmmakers used it as a filming location for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The water is genuinely that emerald green—not a filter, not CGI, just Slovenia being Slovenia.
The Best Time to Visit Slovenia
Why I prefer shoulder season:
- Temperatures are perfect for wandering Ljubljana’s Old Town and crossing the Triple Bridge without breaking a sweat
- You can actually get Predjama Castle and Postojna Cave tickets without scrambling to book weeks in advance
- Accommodation prices drop noticeably compared to the peak summer rush
- Ljubljana’s open-air riverside cafés and market along the Ljubljanica aren’t packed, so you can linger comfortably
- Day trips to Lake Bled are far more enjoyable without the summer crowds jostling for the same viewpoints
My experience: My mother and I visited in May, and I found it surprisingly relaxed, especially compared with other European capitals. The weather was mild and a little cloudy, but the whole trip still felt magical.
Things to Know Before You Go
Slovenia uses the Euro (€)
You can exchange money before a trip, but I find it best to withdraw cash at a local ATM on an as-needed basis.
They speak Slovenian
Practice basic phrases (Zdravo, Dober dan, Hvala, Prosim, Da, Ne), but in most tourist areas, people also speak English.
A visa isn’t needed
For short tourist visits (90 days max), no visa is needed. However, you will soon need to apply for ETIAS before entering. Additionally, EES requires non-EU travelers to provide fingerprints and facial images to enter Slovenia.
Download the Omio App
Use the Omio app for long train and bus journeys. We took a Flixbus from Munich to Ljubljana, then one back up to Vienna. Locally, we used their bus system to get around.
Slovenia Travel Tools
Below are the exact tools I used to plan my Slovenian adventure! Slovenia is incredibly rewarding but requires more advanced planning than you’d think.
To avoid any mistakes and secure spots at sold-out attractions, here are my essential planning tips:
- 💰 Tourist passes actually pay for themselves here: The Ljubljana Card saved me €€€
- 🚆 Book buses early or pay double: I locked in cheaper fares and had my pick of departure times by planning ahead!
- 🧑💼 Save time by quickly immersing yourself in the local culture on guided tours (I loved the Slovenian Cuisine Walking Tour)
- 🎟️ These attractions can TURN YOU AWAY without advance tickets: Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle have timed entries, don’t risk showing up without a reservation!
