photo by Rosino

Slovenia (Slovenija) 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.

Understand

History

Slavic ancestors of Slovenians came from eastern parts of Europe and inhabited territory north of present Slovenian territory in the 6th century AD. They established a state called Caranthania (Karantanija in Slovene), which was an early example of parliamentary democracy in Europe. The ruler (knez in Slovene) was elected by popular vote. The Caranthanians were later defeated by Bavarians and Franks who subjugated them. They were christianized but they preserved many rituals of their pagan religion, and above all they preserved their native language. The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria under Habsburg dynasty until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new south-Slavic state ruled by Serbian Karadjordjević dynasty called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians ("Kraljevina Srbov, Hrvatov in Slovencev" in Slovene), renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. In WWII, Slovenia was invaded and occupied by Germans, Italians and Hungarians, leading to a parallel civil war between pro-communist liberation forces (Partizani) and Nazi-collaborator factions ("Belogardisti" and Domobranci). The victory of the Allies and consequently the Partizans resulted in a violent mass exodus of those who had collaborated with the occupying forces, including most of the native German and Italian minorities. After World War II, Slovenia became a republic in the reestablished Yugoslavia, which although Communist, distanced itself from the Soviet bloc and small territorial gains were made from Italy. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power in Belgrade, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 with minimal bloodshed. In 2004, Slovenia joined the European Union and NATO. Most recently, Slovenia adopted the euro in 2007, completing a quick and efficient accession to Europe and the EU.

Independence
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday
Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)
Independence and Unity Day, 26 December (1990)
Constitution
adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy make Slovenia a leading country among the new members of the EU and NATO.

Culture

Totalitarian disco

:We are no ordinary type of group We are no humble pop musicians We don't seduce with melodies And we're not here to please you We have no answers to your questions Yet we can question your demands

Without a doubt Slovenia's most misunderstood export, industrial band Laibach and their Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK) collective emerged from the coal mining town of Trbovlje to smash their first sledgehammer in 1980 and, despite the best efforts of the state they skewered, went on to outlast Yugoslavia and are still going strong. Using totalitarian imagery stretched to the limit, with band members decked out in military uniforms, memorable moments include reworking Queen's starry-eyed "One Nation" into a Wagnerian march (sung in German, of course) that would make a Teuton blanch. Keep an eye on the NSK website and try to catch a concert when in town.

For a pint-sized country Slovenes are fiercely proud of their culture. Two names you will run into over and over again are national poet France Prešeren (1800-1849), who penned (among other things) the Slovenian national anthem, and the architect Jože Plečnik (1872-1957), credited with Ljubljana's iconic Tromostovje bridges and, seemingly, half the modern buildings in the country. It was the monks of the Catholic Church that kept Slovenian alive over the centuries of relentless Germanization from the north. As a result Slovenian survived in its unique form different than Serbo-Croatian to the south. However, as a result it borrows many idiomatic phrases from German. Much of both the countryside and city architecture shares a lot in common with neighboring Austria, including countless roadside shrines and pretty baroque steeples, giving the interior of the nation a truly alpine favor. One could easily mistake parts of mountainous Slovenia for Tyrol, Salzburg or Bavaria. In modern times, industrial band Laibach (see box) has served to put Slovenia on the map. In the decades before them, Slavko Avsenik and his Oberkrainer did the same.

Climate

Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east.

Terrain

A short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an Alpine mountain region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountain and valleys with numerous rivers to the east. Central Ljubljana valley with Ljubljana marshes in the southern part. In the southwest there is the Karst (Kras in Slovene, Carso in Italian) (where the name for karst topography actually comes from). The Karst region is a barren but beautiful limestone region directly north of the Italian city of Trieste.

Natural hazards
flooding and earthquakes
highest point
Triglav 2,864 m
lowest point
Adriatic sea 0 m

History

Slavic ancestors of Slovenians came from eastern parts of Europe and inhabited territory north of present Slovenian territory in the 6th century AD. They established a state called Caranthania (Karantanija in Slovene), which was an early example of parliamentary democracy in Europe. The ruler (knez in Slovene) was elected by popular vote. The Caranthanians were later defeated by Bavarians and Franks who subjugated them. They were christianized but they preserved many rituals of their pagan religion, and above all they preserved their native language. The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria under Habsburg dynasty until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming a new south-Slavic state ruled by Serbian Karadjordjević dynasty called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians ("Kraljevina Srbov, Hrvatov in Slovencev" in Slovene), renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. In WWII, Slovenia was invaded and occupied by Germans, Italians and Hungarians, leading to a parallel civil war between pro-communist liberation forces (Partizani) and Nazi-collaborator factions ("Belogardisti" and Domobranci). The victory of the Allies and consequently the Partizans resulted in a violent mass exodus of those who had collaborated with the occupying forces, including most of the native German and Italian minorities. After World War II, Slovenia became a republic in the reestablished Yugoslavia, which although Communist, distanced itself from the Soviet bloc and small territorial gains were made from Italy. Dissatisfied with the exercise of power in Belgrade, the Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 with minimal bloodshed. In 2004, Slovenia joined the European Union and NATO. Most recently, Slovenia adopted the euro in 2007, completing a quick and efficient accession to Europe and the EU.

Independence
25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday
Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)
Independence and Unity Day, 26 December (1990)
Constitution
adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and a stable democracy make Slovenia a leading country among the new members of the EU and NATO.

Climate

Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east.

Regions

  • Julian Alps - grand mountains on the Italian border

  • Ljubljana Area - the capital and surroundings

  • Coast and Karst - the Adriatic coastline and inland caves

  • Lower Styria - Maribor, Pohorje, and surroundings

  • Savinjska - alpine valleys

  • Pomurje - countryside along the Mura river in the northeast

  • Lower Carniola - Dolenjska and Bela Krajina

  • Upper Carniola - Kranj and Kamniško-Savinjske Alps

  • Posavje - region along the lower Sava and Krka rivers

  • Zasavje - central Slovenia, east of the capital

Cities

  • Ljubljana - the picturesque pint-sized capital

  • Idrija - the oldest Slovenian mining city, with more than 500 years of history

  • Celje - one of Slovenia's oldest cities

  • Maribor — Slovenia's second largest city

  • Nova Gorica - the city literary on the border with Italy

  • Brežice - lovely medieval city close to the largest Slovenian thermal resort

  • Piran - gorgeous Venetian port

  • Portorož — Beaches, casinos and package tourism

  • Ptuj - one of Slovenia's oldest cities - pronounced "P-too-ee"

Other destinations

  • Kamnik - Lovely medieval town nestled beneath the picturesque Kamniške alps.

  • Divača — Site of the less commercial but no less impressive Škocjan caves (UNESCO)

  • Dovje-Mojstrana- The best starting point for hiking and climbing to Julian Alps

  • Bled - Impossibly romantic mountain lake complete with castle and island

  • Radovljica - Old historical town, apiculture museum

  • Bohinj - Alpine lake

  • Postojna — Site of the gigantic Postojna caves

  • Triglav National Park - Home to national symbol Mt. Triglav and mythical golden chamois Zlatorog.

  • Velika planina - Lovely mountain village in idyllic location near to Kamnik. Chairlift and skiing nearby as well. Well worth a day trip.

  • Skocjan Caves - UNESCO Heritage Site on the border close to Koper and Trieste, Italy.

  • Vintgar Gorge - Spectacular Gorge near Lake Bled

Getting there

By bus

The Ljubljana Bus Station (Avtobusna Postaja Ljubljana) provides composite information about international and airport bus services. Phone: 090 93 42 30 (inland only), website in English: .

Connections between the Italian city of Trieste and nearby Koper and Piran are frequent on weekdays. There's also a daily bus between Trieste and Ljubljana. In addition services between Gorizia (Italy) and its twin town of Nova Gorica (Slovenia) are at least hourly throughout the day although the journey is easily walkable. This offers an ideal connection between the Italian and Slovene railway networks or an alternative entry point from Trieste's Ronchi Airport or the city of Venice.

By plane

Ljubljana is Slovenia's primary international airport and the hub of national carrier Adria Airways , which flies to most major European cities and various Balkan destinations. The cheapest ways into the city, though, are via easyJet's daily flight from London-Stansted.

There are a few other options worth exploring. Ryanair also runs flights from Dublin to Pula across the border in Croatia. Another convenient gateway, especially to western Slovenia, is via Italy's Trieste airport which is but an hour's drive from Ljubljana via super highway. Klagenfurt, in Austria, is also an option. Although further away, the airports in Venice and Treviso (called 'Venice Treviso) offer other entry points to Slovenia or good day trips to/from Slovenia.

By train

Slovenia is well connected to Austria and Croatia by train. The most popular routes connect from Vienna or Villach in Austria (in good weather, this journey past the Julian Alps is spectacular), from Budapest in Hungary and from Zagreb in Croatia. All lines converge on the capital Ljubljana.

With April 2008, the Italian Railways have slashed the only remaining daytime cross-border service, even though it still appears on many international timetables. Contact the the Slovenian Railways for current information on replacement buses. The night train to Venice is still running. To get around this poor connection one can take a train to Nova Gorica (Slovenia) and then walk or take a bus to its neighboring town of Gorizia (Italy) from where there are frequent trains to Trieste, Udine, Venice and further afield. For trips to Trieste it may be more advisable to take a train to Sezana and then take a taxi on to Trieste (about 10km, 10 euro) or a connecting bus (3 times a day, weekdays only, 1 euro).

English website of the Slovenian Railways company . There are number of international routes , special offers exist for some destinations, so you should consider informing yourself about that in advance. There are destinations, which have tickets on contingency basis, meaning that they could run out fast, but are usually a lot cheaper, such as Ljubljana - Prague line (cooperation between SŽ and Czech railways), 58€ for a return ticket (with the normal price of just bellow 200€). For return trips originating in Slovenia, "City Star" tickets, which are open-dated, but usually require a weekend stay, are often the cheapest choice . Also, be aware that you also receive a discount with the Euro<26 youth card on most international lines (of course the discount does not stack up if you already have a special deal). The same card also applies for all domestic lines, with a 30% discount.

The quality and comfort of the trains on international routes varies significantly. The unwritten rule is that everything heading up north from Ljubljana has a pretty good standard. The trains usually have restaurants on board, with clean and modern toilets. The same can not be guaranteed for the lines heading south (such as Belgrade, Sofia, Skopje or Thessaloniki), so be sure to carry a supply of food and beverages on board (water (and coffee) is available in every sleeping compartment), when heading to or from Ljubljana from the Balkans, with the train. However the express services which run to Zagreb (usually starting in Munich, Germany) are very high quality - but the price shows this.

By car

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. For passenger vehicles, the vignette costs 15€ for a week, 30€ for a month, or 95€ for a year. For motorcyclists, this costs 7.50€ per week, 25€ for 6 months and 47.50€ for a year.. Using motorways without a vignette will result in a fine of 300€ or more. Vignettes are actually sold at the border, and the border agents are supposed to give you a flyer advising you to buy one, but they don't always do that. There are also signs advising you to buy, but they are in Slovene only.

When entering through northern neighbor Austria, you also need a separate vignette to use the Austrian highway network.

From Austria

  • Vienna → Graz → Sentilj → Maribor

  • Villach → Karawanke Tunnel → Jesenice

  • Villach → Wurzenpass → Podkoren → Kranjska Gora

  • Klagenfurt → Loiblpass → Ljubelj → Kranj

From Italy

  • Venice → Trieste → Koper

  • Venice → Gorizia → Nova Gorica

  • Tarvisio → Ratece → Kranjska Gora → Jesenice

By boat

  • There is a fast ferry between Venice and Izola, running with an irregular schedule mainly during the summer season (for the timetable see ). The journey takes 3 hours.

  • Venezialines run one fast ferry per week between Venice and Piran.

  • During the summer months there is a fast craft service operated by Trieste Lines between Trieste (Italy), Piran (Slovenia), Porec (Croatia) and Rovinj (Croatia). The portion of the journey between Piran and Trieste lasts 30 minutes which is pretty much the same as the same journey in a car.

Traveling around

Slovenia is a small country — there are no domestic flights — and getting around is generally quick and painless. However, the explosive growth in car ownership has meant tougher times for public transport, and bus schedules in particular have been slashed, so some planning ahead is required. Services are sparse on Saturdays and very limited indeed on Sundays.

By train

Timetable decoder

D — Mon-Fri
D+ — Mon-Sat
N — Sundays
NP — Sundays and holidays
PP — Mon-Fri
SN — Sat-Sun
Šr — School days
V — Daily

Slovenia's train network, operated by Slovenske železnice (SŽ) will get you to most destinations in the country, although there are some annoying gaps in the network and routes can be circuitous, so going from anywhere to anywhere usually requires a transfer in Ljubljana. Trains are, however, some 30% cheaper than buses and return discounts are available on weekends. Buy tickets before you board, as there's a surcharge for any tickets bought from the conductor. A €1.20 surcharge also applies to any InterCity trains.

Quite a bit of money and effort has been put into modernizing the system and the newest trains are as nice as anything you'll find in Western Europe, and although rural stations are often quite basic most stations are extremely well kept with flowers decorating the platforms throughout summer months. In particular, the name of the station is typically only visible on a single sign on the station building itself, so figuring out where you are means craning your neck a lot. Trains are punctual though, so check the expected arrival time and some previous station names to be sure where to get off. For figuring out your next train from a station, electronic signboards are a rarity (outside Ljubljana), but printed schedules are always available: odhod (yellow) means departures, while prihod (white) is arrivals although this is usually indicated in both English and Slovene.

By bus

Buses fill in the gaps, and may be a better option for some towns not directly served from Ljubljana by train (eg. Bled, Piran). Some bigger stations have handy electronic search engines for schedules and fares.

Time table in English:

By car

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.

There are a number of car rental and taxi businesses in Ljubljana. The big international companies are all represented, but if you are on a budget, the local companies have some nice offers if you do not mind using a car which is a few years old.

Things to do

There are many great opportunities for activity holidays in Slovenia: The mountains and rivers of the Julian Alps provide the perfect location for hiking, mountain biking, rafting and kayaking. The southern part of Slovenia is an area of numerous caves. You can enjoy different spa resorts in the eastern part, take a dive in the Adriatic Sea, experience the Slovene cities, go skiing, or enjoy in the countryside tasting Slovene cuisine and local wine.

  • Adrenaline adventures in the Posocje area, you can stay in Ljubljana and a short distance away discover the amazing North-Eastern area of Slovenia called Posocje and Triglav National Park -- canyoning, rafting, para-gliding and much more! *While Slovenia is a small country, you can discover it in a few days. Therefore you can visit the capital (Ljubljana), Alps, Karst region, alpine lakes and much more.

  • There are more than 8.000 known caves in Slovenia, including the tourist areas of Postojna and UNESCO site Škocjan.

  • Take advantage of beautiful nature in the Alps and go hiking or nordic walking

  • Visit of one many spa resorts in Slovenia

  • Visit Slovene seaside and swim in the Adriatic Sea. Try local sea food and visit the towns of Piran and Portoroz

  • Visit one of the golf courses in Slovenia

  • Skiing in the Julian Alps is popular in the winter. More popular ski resorts are: Krvavec, Vogel, Rogla, Cerkno, Kanin, Mariborsko Pohorje

Eat

Not too many people come to Slovenia for the food, but with Austrian, Italian, Hungarian and Balkan influences most people will find something to their liking — unless they're strict vegetarians.

Cuisine

Generally speaking, Slovenian food is heavy, meaty and plain. A typical three-course meal starts with a soup (juha), often just beef (goveja -) or chicken (piščančja -) broth with egg noodles (rezanci), and then a meat dish served with potatoes (krompir) and a vinegary fresh salad (solata). Fresh bread (kruh) is often served on the side and is uniformly delicious.

Common mains include cutlets (zrezek), sausage (klobasa) and goulash (golaž), all usually prepared from pork, but there is a large choice of fish (ribe) and seafood even further away from the coast. Popular Italian imports include all sorts of pasta (testenine), pizza (pica), ravioli (žlikrofi) and risotto (rižota). A major event in the countryside still today is the slaughtering of a pig from which many various products are made: blood sausage (krvavica), roasts, stuffed tripe, smoked sausage (prekajena salama), salami (salama), ham (šunka) and bacon (slanina). Recipes for the preparation of poultry (perutnina), especially turkey (puran), goose (gos), duck (raca) and capon, have been preserved for many centuries. Chicken (piščanec) is also common. Squid is fairly common and reasonably priced.

Uniquely Slovenian dishes are available, but you won't find them on every menu, so here are some to look out for:

  • Kraški pršut — air-dried ham, similar to but not the same as Italian prosciutto

  • štruklji — dumplings which Slovenians prepare in 70 different ways stuffed with sweet fillings, meat or vegetables

  • žganci — a type of polenta

  • žlikrofi — potato dumplings similar to gnocchi, specialty of the Idria region

  • jota — a type of soup made of beans, sauerkraut, potatoes, bacon, spare ribs, and the main seasoning is garlic.

Some Slovenian desserts can also be found:

  • potica, a type of nut roll for holiday occasions also prepared with the widest variety of fillings.

  • gibanica, a very heavy cakelike pastry of poppy seeds, walnuts, apples, raisins, cheese etc, topped with cream

Places to eat

At the top of the food chain is the restavracija, a fancy restaurant with waiters and tablecloths. More common in the countryside are the gostilna and gostišče, rustic inns serving hearty Slovene fare. Lunch sets (dnevno kosilo) cost around €7 for three courses (soup, salad and main) and are usually good value.

Fast food, invariably cheap, greasy and (more often than not) terrible — it's best to steer clear of the local mutation of the hamburger — is served up in grills and snack bars known as bife or okrepčevalnica, where trying to pronounce the name alone can cause indigestion. There is no real Slovenian fast food, but greasy Balkan grills like pljeskavica (a spiced-up hamburger patty) and čevapčiči (spicy meatballs) are ubiquitous, but one of the more tasty if not healthy options is the Bosnian speciality burek, a large, flaky pastry stuffed with meat (mesni), cheese (sirni) or apple (jabolčni), often sold for as little as €2. In recent years many fast food places started making döner kebabs, and they are now among the most popular fast foods in Slovenia, and can be found virtually everywhere.

Dietary restrictions

Slovenia is not the easiest of places for a vegetarian, although even the smokiest inn can usually whip up a decent fresh salad (solata) on request. Some dumplings and other dishes with cheese (sir) are vegetarian, and in the cities the Mediterranean chick-pea staple falafel and its cousin the vegiburger have made some inroads on fast-food menus. Many restaurants offer a "vegetarian plate", which includes potatoes, fresh or boiled vegetables and soya "steak". There are a rising number of vegetarian restaurants in the cities, particularly in Ljubljana.

Drink

In proper Slovene style, all bases are covered for drinks and you can get very good Slovenian beers, wines and spirits. Tap water is generally drinkable.

Coffee and tea

In Slovenia, coffee (kava) usually means a tiny cup of strong espresso, and cafes (kavarna) are a common sight with a basic cup costing around €1-1,5. One can also order coffee with milk (kava z mlekom) or whipped cream (kava s smetano). Coffee culture is wide-spread in Slovenia, and one can see Slovenes with friends sitting in the same café for hours. Tea (čaj) is nowhere near as popular, and if they do drink it, Slovenes prefer all sorts of fruit-flavored and herbal teas over a basic black cup.

Beer

Beer (pivo) is the most popular tipple and the main brands are Laško and Union. An inside tip would be Adam Ravbar beer, which is usually hard to find anywhere except in their small brewery (located in Domžale, a town about 10 km north of Ljubljana). A bottle or jug will cost you on the order of €2.5 in a pub (pivnica**). Ask for veliko (large) for 0.5L and malo (small) for 0.3L.

Wine

Despite what you might think if you've ever sampled an exported sickly sweet Riesling, Slovenian wine (vino) can be quite good — they keep the best stuff for themselves. Generally, the Goriška brda region produces the best reds and the drier whites (in a more Italian/French style), while the Štajerska region produces the best semi-dry to sweet whites, which cater more to the German/Austrian-type of palate. Other local specialities worth sampling are Teran, a very dry red from the Kras region, and Cviček, a red so dry and light it's almost a rosé. Wine is usually priced and ordered by the decilitre (deci, pronounced "de-tsee"), with a deci around one euro and a normal glass containing about two deci.

Spirits

A Slovene brandy known as žganje or (colloquially) šnops, not unlike the Hungarian palinka, can be distilled from almost any fruit. Medeno žganje also known as medica has been sweetened with honey.

Sleep

Slovenia has a wide variety of accommodation, ranging from five star hotels to secluded cottages in the mountains.

  • Visitslovenija , +442081446675, Bohinjska Bela, Near Bled, At Visit Slovenija we offer quality self-catering accommodation in the best locations Slovenia has to offer. Still very much an undiscovered gem, Slovenia has everything you could want from a holiday destination. Ancient castles, beautiful mountains, stunning lakes, sunshine and skiing all come together to make one of the most varied and enjoyable holiday spots in Europe.

Hostels

There are many hostels in and around Ljubljana, the average price for a basic bed in a dorm is around 10-20 euro, with discounts for Hostelling International/YHA members. Quite a few student dormitories (dijaški dom) are converted into hostels in the summer, but these tend to be poorly located and somewhat dingy.

Amongst the best hostels around Slovenia can be found in the Triglav National Park where there are many 'Mountain Huts' which are very warm, welcoming and friendly. Again, information about these huts can be found at tourist information offices who will also help you plan your walks around the area and phone the hostels to book them for you. The only way to get to the huts is by foot, and expect a fair bit of walking up hills, as the lowest huts are around 700m up. There are clear signs/information around stating how long it will take to travel to/between all the huts indicated in hours.

Tourist farms

One of interesting ways of accommodation are also tourist farms. You can find them all around Slovene countryside and usually they offer wide selection of traditional food, local wine, different sport activities etc. They also offer opportunities to experience real traditional countryside life.

Camping

Camping is not permitted in the national parks of Slovenia, but there are various camping grounds. It's advisable to take a camping mat of some sort, as nice, comfortable grass is a luxury at camp sites and you're much more likely to find pitches consisting of small stones.

Buy

Slovenia entered the Eurozone on January 1st, 2007 and now utilises the euro (€, EUR) as its currency, having previously used the Slovenian tolar (SIT).

Prices are high compared to most Eastern European countries (except Croatia), but generally a bit lower (but not by much) compared to Italy or Austria. Although prices do vary quite a bit. It really depends on your location. For example, a beer (0,5 litre) in a pub in "Stara Ljubljana" (literally "Old (Town) Ljubljana") would cost you around 3€, while a beer outside Ljubljana would cost around half as much. A budget minded traveller can hold his own, if he is smart. For example buying your groceries in a large store (supermarket), such are Mercator, Tuš, Spar, Lidl, Hofer etc., will be likely cheaper than buying on the market, or in a small store, etc.

A value-added tax (VAT) of 20% is charged on most purchases—this is always included in the price displayed. Note that if you are not an EU citizen, you are entitled to VAT tax return for purchases over a certain value. Ask the cashier to write down your name on your bill (racun) and show this bill when you leave Slovenia through Brnik airport, or any of the main border crossings with Croatia.

Tipping

The flip side to the near-disappearance of Communist-style "service with a snarl" is that tips for service are now generally expected of foreigners at sit-down restaurants, with 10% considered standard. Note, however, that most Slovenians do not tip.

Talk

Slovene, the national language, is spoken as mother tongue by 91% of the population, but there are also small Italian (concentrated on the Primorska coast) and somewhat bigger Hungarian (in Prekmurje to the northeast) minorities. Historically, and prior to the end of WWII there was also a significant German speaking minority. Most people you come into contact with as a tourist, especially younger ones, will speak English, and if not they'll almost certainly speak either Italian or German or other Serbo-Croatian.

When speaking in English, use a simple language, no fancy stuff (as anywhere where English is not a native language). It will get you further and help to avoid any misunderstandings. The Slovenian school system promotes the teaching of many languages, especially English from elementary school on. Children study two foreign languages (most commonly English and German) by the time they get to high school. A typical high school often has a third foreign language (usually Spanish, French or Italian). Young people usually speak English quite fluently, also because there is no dubbing (on television) in the native language and the wide-spread use and availability of Internet. However, learning a few words of the local language will earn you a great deal of respect. The level of English is very high when compared with most European countries.

The related Serbo-Croatian is widely understood and spoken fluently by anyone who was schooled before 1991, the same goes for reading and writing the Cyrillic alphabet. Many Slovenes have some functional knowledge of German, English and Italian. Italian is a co-official language in the coastal region and the area surrounding Trieste, Italy. Similarly, Slovene is spoken in many parts of Italy close to Slovenia.

Etiquette

Slovenians are a bit more reserved than neighboring nations but after the initial contact they are quite open and friendly. Don't hesitate to address people, those younger than 50 understand English and they will be eager to help you. You will impress them if you try using some basic Slovene words. Slovenian is rarely spoken by foreigners, so your effort will be appreciated and rewarded.

Not thinking of the former "Eastern Bloc" as one monolithic entity is a big plus (see two paragraphs down), and knowing at least a few basic facts about Slovenia (something still fairly rare with foreigners) will always sit well with the locals.

Slovenians are proud of the fact that they preserved their national identity (especially the language) in spite of the pressures from neighboring non-Slavic nations in past centuries. While Slovenian is closely related to Serbo-Croatian it is not the same language, nor do most people sympathize with the idea of a Yugoslav nation or language.

Due to their economic success and historical, as well as contemporary cultural bonds to the West, they don't like their country to be described as part of "Eastern Europe". Another common misconception is that Slovenia was part of the Soviet Bloc (in fact it was part of Yugoslavia that notoriously split with the Eastern bloc back in 1948). People have no problems talking about the communist period and often become nostalgic over it. They are also proud that they were the first of the federal republics to secede from Yugoslavia. Tito is considered by the vast majority as a national hero, as he also spoke Slovenian very fluently and his mother was Slovenian.

There are some open territorial issues with Croatia. Be careful if entering a discussion on this subject as nationalists get quite emotional when this subject is broached! Another delicate issue is the Slovenian civil war during WWII. This national tragedy is still painful for many Slovenians. Try to stay neutral if discussing it.

Practical advice:

  • If you are invited to dinner to someone's home bring a bottle of good wine. You will often be asked if you want to change to slippers when you arrive. You should accept it. It's a gesture of hospitality. It's expected to give a compliment to a cook. Do it before you are asked if you liked the meal!

  • It's normal that you shake your hand when introduced to someone. Don't try to make a kiss when introduced. It might be considered intrusive.

  • Always use formal forms ("vikanje" in Slovene) in any language you use when addressing elderly people. Otherwise some might not want to talk to you.

  • Slovenian Alps (especially the highest peak Triglav) are in the heart of every Slovenian. Don't litter unless you want to listen to unpleasant comments. It's common to greet people you meet in the mountains in Slovene (Dober dan) and when you part you say Good luck (Srečno). You can expect people you meet to be very friendly and helpful to you. There is a strong spirit of camaraderie in the mountains.

  • In most Slovenian households it is customary to take off one's shoes. This is a habit prevailing in most of Central Europe, maybe because of general cleanliness, but also because grit and slush from the pavements can cause havoc to a flat in winter.

Stay healthy

There are no unusual health concerns in Slovenia. Hygience standards are generally high and tap water is potable. While in nature, always use tick repellents, due to Boreliosis and Meningitis danger.

Safety

Phone Nr.: Emergency 112 Phone Nr.: Police 113

Slovenia is most likely one of the safest countries to visit, but be aware of your surroundings.

Tivoli Park (Ljubljana): The park is generally very safe, and a great place to take an afternoon stroll, but rapes have been reported in Tivoli park after dark, and flashers are know to hang around the Eastern side of the Park across from the student dormitories. Horse mounted police patrol the park.

Discotheques: People may get a bit aggressive in crowded bars, and it is not uncommon to be grabbed or groped.

Learn

Slovenia has four universities (Ljubljana , Maribor , Koper , Nova Gorica ) and several independent colleges (i.e. BSA Kranj, IEDC Bled ). The University of Ljubljana also contains 3 art academies: Theater and Film, Music, Fine Arts.

Work

It's possible for English-speaking graduates to get work in a Slovene school teaching English for around a year in a scheme similar to Japan's JET programme.

Contact & location

1 Review

Ville Simonen
Ville Simonen

on Aug 21,2012

I liked

Relaxed, nature, versatility in small package

I disliked

Eventually, lack of things to do (if you're just relaxing, then there's no problem).

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Slovenian, Italian, and Hungarian (minorities) - € euro (EUR)
Area20,273 sq km
Callingcode386
Electricity230V/50Hz (European plug)
Governmentparliamentary democratic republic
Population2,010,347 (July 2006 est.)
ReligionRoman Catholic 57.8%, Muslim 2.4%, Eastern Orthodox 2.3%, Protestant 0.9%, atheist 10.1%, other and unknown 26.5%
TimezoneUTC +1
Tld.si