Slovenia

The Republic of Slovenia is a small country in Central Europe, situated between the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea. Slovenia shares borders with Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast and Italy to the west. 

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Slovenia is a member of NATO and the European Union and currency is the Euro. Slovenia is a beautiful country with much to offer visitors, from arts, history and culture to health spas, natural thermal springs, national parks and outdoor activities.  It is not surprising that the country has become a very popular tourist destination in recent times. 

Slovenia’s Adriatic coastline in the southwest stretches for approximately 46 km (28 miles) between Croatia and Italy.  Other than its coastal area, the country is quite mountainous with several mountain chains as well as lush forests, plains, lakes, rivers, the karst region with amazing caves, and wine-growing areas. 

Slovenia has a rich history and visitors can choose from any of the dozens of castles and ancient ruins and sites to explore.  The Adriatic coastline is a magnet for tourists with its mix of high cliffs, sand and pebble beaches and clear water.  Just inland from the Slovenian coast, the Karst region has a beauty of its own, with limestone monuments and mystical caves with stalagmites and stalactites.  

The capital city, Ljubljana, lies in the centre of the country along the banks of the Ljubljanica River. The historic Old Town area is a great place to relax and watch the world go by from a street café or restaurant.  Ljubljana has a cathedral and also a castle – a popular tourist attraction that can be accessed by funicular. The city boasts a wide variety of museums, galleries and theatres, as well as an opera house and zoo. 

Part of Ljubljana’s charm is that it is not a huge city.  However, it is increasing in popularity as a tourist destination and it is wise for visitors to book and confirm their hotel or other accommodation before arrival.

Lake Bled is a jewel of the Julian Alps in northwest Slovenia and a place of great beauty. The lake and island and the town of Bled are overlooked by the dramatic, medieval Bled Castle. The 15th century church on the island has a fairytale appearance and is understandably a very romantic and popular venue for weddings. The Lake is also known for hosting world rowing championship races.

The city of Maribor is situated in the northeast, close to the border with Austria and close to Pohorje, one of Slovenia’s major ski areas.  The Julian Alps are very popular for winter sports, especially resorts such as Krajska Gora and Bovec. 

With all that Slovenia has to offer there is plenty to keep outdoor sports enthusiasts busy.  Lake Bled, close to the border with Austria and Italy, is a popular resort area, offering winter activities (skiing, cross-country, skating, sledging), as well as sailing, fishing and all manner of water sports activities during summer.  Golf is also popular in many parts of the country.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO - SLOVENIA
Useful travel advice from the Foreign & Commonweath Office for travel to Slovenia. Click Here

Before you travel to Slovenia we recommend a visit to the website of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for updated and important travel advice as part of their ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign.  Their advice includes the following:

• Passport and visa requirements
• Registering with the Police upon arrival in Slovenia
• Driving in Slovenia and the ‘Vignette’ system
• Scams to watch out for
• On-the-spot fines for traffic offences and jaywalking
• Required identification (passport)
• Travelling with children
• What the British Embassy can and cannot do to help
• Customs regulations
• Credit/debit cards and access to money

Eligible travellers should remember to apply for their European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC).  The EHIC entitles the bearer to emergency medical treatment in Slovenia. However, the EHIC should never be used as a substitute for comprehensive travel insurance.  (Note: the EHIC does not cover medical repatriation, non-urgent or ongoing medical treatment, or a host of other potential common travel mishaps). 

If you plan to hike or camp in the forests during summer take precautions to avoid contracting tick-borne encephalitis. 

Check that your passport(s) is valid for the duration of your stay and beyond, and has plenty of unused pages, as the British Embassy in Ljubljana is not able to process applications or issue passports.

Useful website: http://www.slovenia.info/

Disclaimer: While we have tried to ensure the information in this Travel Guide is correct we do not accept responsibility for any inaccuracy, or the content of external links.

Inclusion in this Travel Guide does not guarantee travel insurance is available in any country at any given time. Travel Insurance is not available in countries where the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have issued an advisory against travel.

You are strongly advised to visit the FCO website for updated travel information and general travel advice before you travel.