Slovenia, a country that emerged from the former Yugoslavia. It was declared independent in 1991 and after a short conflict the country was able to determine its own affairs. Slovenia had been part of the Habsburg Empire for centuries and was more attracted to Vienna than to Belgrade. Slovenia sees itself as an Alpine nation, just like Switzerland and Austria.
Flag of Slovenia
- Form of government : Republic
- Currency : Euro
- Language : Slovenian
- Inhabitants : 2 million
- Religion : Roman Catholic
- Time difference : 1 hour later
climate
In the north, Slovenia has a mountain climate , which means that temperatures in the valleys and at the lakes can be high in summer. The precipitation is often short, but heavy. South and east of the Alps, Slovenia has a continental climate , in summer it is hot and in winter it is sometimes very cold.
Istria has a Mediterranean climate, summers are hot and dry and winters mild and humid.
Accessibility
Road network
The road network in Slovenia is reasonable. It is being renovated and expanded, with some areas having toll roads, especially in the Ljubljana area. There are several border crossings between Austria and Slovenia:
- the Würzen Pass – between Villach and Kranjska Gora
- the Karawanken Tunnel – between Villach and Jesenice
- the Loibl Pass/tunnel – between Klagenfurt and Kranj, which is not intended for caravans
Border crossings between Italy and Slovenia are:
- transition at Gorica
- Crossing at Trieste-Kozina
Moreover, public transport is well organised.
Aviation
There are three airports in Slovenia, Ljubljana, Maribor and Portoro. Klagenfurt, Austria, is used for winter sports in the Julian Alps .
Accommodation
The hotels are located in Ljubljana and in the tourist areas. The hotels are somewhat outdated, due to the lack of money for modernization. It is also possible to spend the night privately or in guest houses. Tourists who like to camp will find campsites mainly in the Julian Alps.
Slovenian cuisine
Slovenian cuisine is very similar to Austrian cuisine: large portions with lots of meat. The service is very good.
Tourist areas
Slovenia has many different landscapes. It is mountainous, half of which is covered with forests. An area for lovers of nature and tranquility.
In the northwest lies the Karawanken , which forms the border with Austria, and to the south are the Julian Alps . The border with Croatia, in the south, is formed by the Karst Mountains .
Ljubljana
The capital. Ljubljana has a number of beautiful Baroque palaces and Baroque churches from the 18th century. It is a modern city with a castle on a rock.
The Ljubljanica River flows through the city.
The Northwest
Julian Alps
In the Julian Alps lies the Triglav National Park, where Slovenia’s highest peak is Triglav, 2,864 metres. In addition, there are many walking options in the park, even for a number of days. There are a number of mountain huts that make this possible. The Julian Alps have summer and winter tourism.
Kranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora is located on the northern border of the park. In the summer it is visited for mountaineering, in the winter for winter sports. It is the most important winter sports resort in Slovenia. Jesenice, Podkoren and Ratece are in the process of becoming winter sports resorts. Bovec is also a well-known ski resort, located west of the park.
Bled Bled
is located east of the Triglav National Park, with a beautiful location on the lake of the same name. This lake is also called the Pearl of Slovenia.
There are many campsites in Bohinj .
East
The east has many vineyards and spas with mineral springs. Maribor, located at the foot of the Pohorje mountains, is Slovenia’s second city.
Karst area
The Karst area, southern Slovenia, consists largely of limestone. Over thousands of years, rainwater has dissolved the limestone, causing rivers to disappear underground and emerge at great distances.
Hundreds of stalactite caves can be found here, only a few of which can be visited. Postojna are the largest, visited by hundreds of thousands annually.
The caves of Skocjan are more impressive because of the water force.
Istria
A small part of the Istrian peninsula belongs to Slovenia, the rest belongs to Croatia. In Lipica , near Trieste, the horses for the Spanish Riding School in Vienna were bred during the Habsburg Empire.