La Slovenia occupies an enviable position: at the foot of the eastern extension of the Julian Alps; on the northern edge of the Adriatic; open to Hungary and Croatia.
A surprising crossroads of three worlds: alpine, Mediterranean, Pannonian. Its charm, its wealth of environments, climates, traditions, cuisines, lifestyles lies precisely in this melting pot concentrated in a territory that is half the size of Switzerland, which is truly incredible.
The coast of Slovenia is just over 40 kilometers long, high, jagged, overlooking the Gulf of Trieste, with towns like Koper (Capodistria), Izola (Isola), Piran (Pirano), whose historic centers have maintained a perfect Mediterranean style. Koper is the largest port; Piran and Portorož are the small mecca for lovers of recreational boating.
Heading east from Slovenia, through a hilly strip of vineyards and orchards, you reach the Karst Plateau, a limestone ridge that, over the centuries, has also served as a geological and climatic barrier. The Karst is the kingdom of caves, with more than six thousand counted, of which very few are accessible to tourists.
The most famous are those of Postojna, known for over 700 years, but equally spectacular are those of Vilenica and Škocjan, included in the long list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Another karst gem is the Rakov Škocjan, a sinkhole over two kilometers long that, among beech and fir forests, opens up a series of caves, springs, depressions, and natural bridges. Heading northwest, you arrive at the Julian Alps, the quintessential alpine region, whose giant is the Triglav, which at 2864 meters is the very symbol of Slovenia.
At its base, the eponymous and beautiful National Park was created in 1981. And among its ranges, the valleys of three rivers wind: the Isonzo, with waters of a characteristic milky blue color; the Sava Dolinka and the Sava Bohinjka. On the eastern edge of the Julian Alps lies the town of Bled, a tourist-environmental gem, made fairy-tale-like by the lake with its islet. To the southeast, instead, lies the basin of Ljubljana, the most densely populated and developed region of Slovenia; besides the capital, the most economically significant centers are Kamnik, Kranj, Domžale. Heading east, you discover the pre-alpine environments of Dolenjska or Lower Carniola, a cheerful region crossed by the Krka River.
Central Slovenia is instead bisected by the Sava River, which forms a narrow valley near mining and industrial towns such as Zagorje, Trbovlje, and Hrastnik. On the northern border, finally, is the Pohorje massif, at the foot of which lies Maribor, a ski resort and a very popular holiday location that, in size, is also the country’s second city.
The Fact Sheet of Slovenia
- Country: Republic of Slovenia
- Area: 20,273 Km²
- Capital: Ljubljana
- Population: 2 million inhabitants
- Language: Slovene
- Religion: the majority is Catholic
- Form of Government: parliamentary republic
Useful information about Slovenia
- Currency: Slovenian Tolar (1 euro = 238.55 SIT), since January 2007 euro
- International dial code: +386
- International vehicle registration code: SLO
- Driving side: right
- Entry documents: Identity Card or Passport
- Required vaccination: No
- Electric current: 220 volt AC 50 HZ
- Unit of measurement: metric decimal
- Time zone: same time as Italy
- Fixed date holidays: January 1 and 2: New Year’s Day; February 8: Prešeren Day, Slovenian cultural holiday; March-April: Easter; March-April: Easter Monday; May 1 and 2: Labor Day; June 25: National Independence Day; August 15: Assumption of the Virgin; October 31: Reformation Day; November 1: All Saints’ Day; December 25: Christmas; December 26: St. Stephen’s Day
- Climate: sub-Mediterranean on the Coast, continental inland, alpine at altitude
- Average temperatures: summer 21° C, winter 0° C
- Transport: National airline Adria Airways; many others flying to Lithuania: Easyjet, Turkish Airlines, Austrian Airlines, etc. Venezia Lines connects Italy with the ports of Portorož, Koper, and Izola
- Airports: Ljubljana, Portorož, Maribor
