Best Time to Visit

Uncover Slovenia's breathtaking landscapes, from emerald lakes to ancient caves.

Lucky for everyone, the natural beauty and Slovenia’s biodiversity and outdoor environments have been exceptionally well preserved. One-tenth of Slovenia’s territory is protected under nature conservation laws and the first natural park in Slovenia was established in 1924 – Triglav National Park in the Julian Alps is the largest Slovenian park named after its highest summit. If you ever wanted to step into a place of heavenliness on earth, Slovenia competes.

Lake Bled is a beautiful emerald-green lake with a pretty church on an islet in its centre. You can hike around the lake’s 6 kilometre circumference in a couple of hours with spectacular panaramic views and vistas. The medievel Castle Bled sits on a rocky cliff overlooking the lake and features a drawbridge and a moat and its background is filled with some of the highest peaks in the Julian Alps. Lake Bled is Slovenia’s most popular resort for enjoying the scenery. Rent a boat, a traditional wooden boat called pletnas, operated by standing pletnars, or row it yourself – these little skiffs have been taking visitors to the quaint island in the middle of the lake for centuries. Also look out for fun watersports like the floating water park, and nearby exhilarating whitewater rafting tours.

The Skocjan and Postojna Caves have extensive underground limestone caverns to check out if you’re into subterranean exploration. Not far from Ljubljana, Postojna has a 5 kilometre miniature train ride into the mountainside. It’s the most visited cave in Europe because of the natural phenomena of stalactites and stalagmites threaded with underground rivers. Plus, there are eyeless salamander-like creatures called olms, once believed by locals to be baby dragons – they are nearly translucent, can live up to a hundred years and survive for twelve without food.

On the Adriatic coast, Piran is a charming picture postcard town rich in history and culture.

Piran is the country’s major seaside resort, sitting on a peninsula. Reminiscent of Dubrovnik, it’s one of the best preserved historical towns on the Adriatic with Venetian Gothic architecture and cool winding alleyways. Piran’s outstanding buildings include the red mid-15th century Gothic Venetian House, and the Cathedral of St.George built in the Baroque style of the 17th century, complete with its silver-plated imagery of St. George slaying a dragon.