Planning a Trip

Visitor Information

The Slovenian Tourist Board (Dunajska cesta 156, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; tel. 386/1/589-1840; fax 386/1/589-1841) is incredibly organized, pitching every aspect of the country on its excellent website (www.slovenia.info), from which you can download or order a dozen different brochures.

U.S. travelers can also contact the Slovenian Tourist Office (345 E. 12th St., New York NY 10003; tel. 212/358-9689; slotouristboard@sloveniatravel.com). In the U.K., travelers should contact the Slovenian Tourist Office (New Barn Farm, Tadlow, Royston, Hertfordshire, SG8 OEP; tel. 0870-225-5305).

Entry Requirements & Custom Regulations

Citizens of the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand do not presently require visas for stays of up to 90 days. Check the Foreign Ministry website (www.gov.si/mzz) for any updates on visa and entry requirements. Visitors to Slovenia are exempt from Customs duty on items intended for personal use; additionally you may import 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, 2 liters of wine, 1 liter of spirits as well as 50 grams of perfume or .25 liters of toilet water. Visit http://carina.gov.si if you have any queries in this regard. There are no restrictions on cash brought into the country.

Money

Until the end of 2006, the local currency was the Slovenian Tolar, or SIT; by midyear it was pegged at about 239 SIT to 1€. Slovenia started using the euro as of January 2007, although nearly everyone displayed both currencies for some time already, and Slovenes have been familiar with relevant values for quite some time. Exchange facilities are widely available, as are ATMs and credit card facilities; you can swipe your card almost anywhere, including at toll road pay points and gas stations.

When To Go

Slovenia is wonderful all year round, enjoying a mix of Alpine, continental, and Mediterranean climates. In winter, the Julian Alps are ideal for skiing and snowboarding. Be wary midsummer, however; in July, Slovenes take a break from everyday life and head for the coast (of Croatia, mostly). So while it's a great time to see the old towns in the east, the capital is rather quiet, and the coast terribly crowded.

Holidays

Slovenian public holidays are: New Year's Day (Jan 1); Preseren Day (Feb 8); Day of Uprising Against Occupation (Apr 27); Easter Day and Easter Monday; Labor Day (May 1, 2); Statehood Day (June 25); Assumption (Aug 15); Reformation Day (Oct 31); Remembrance Day (Nov 1); Christmas Day (Dec 25); and Independence Day (Dec 26).

Major Festivals in Slovenia -- The eastern town of Ptuj erupts with life on Shrove Sunday (mid-Feb), when 50,000 people assemble for the country's anticipated Kurentovanje. This winter carnival has revelers taking to the streets in spectacular Kurent masks and costumes -- an outrageous pagan celebration that's become an awesome excuse for a raucous party. For 2 weeks in late June, Maribor hosts the Lent Festival, one of the most exciting cultural events in Slovenia, attracting great musical acts and supporters from all over Europe. In mid-July, Lasko holds a weeklong beer festival, probably the best place to experience Slovenia's affection for drinking, polka bands, and live music. Ljubljana Summer Festival runs from July through to the middle of September and features performances of all kinds -- film, theater, jazz, chamber music, opera, ballet, symphony concerts, theater, puppetry. Ljubljana also hosts the Druga Godba (The Other Music), an alternative music festival scheduled around late May; while in late June, you can catch the Ljubljana Jazz Festival. In mid-July, the popular summer resort of Bled hosts Blejski Dnevi (Bled Days), a festival of music, craft markets, fireworks, and a candlelit lake.

On the last Sunday in August, Predjama Castle hosts Erazem's Medieval Tournament, complete with jousting knights on horseback and costumes from the Middle Ages. The Cow's Ball (Kravji Bal) happens at Lake Bohinj over the (second or third weekend in September); the cows literally come home from the mountains and villagers set about their drink-fuelled merrymaking. On November 11th (St Martin's Day), look out for winemaking celebrations in the country's wine regions.

Getting There

By Plane -- Slovenia's national carrier, Adria Airways (www.adria.si), has regularly scheduled flights from 19 European cities. Your best option for a reasonably seamless flight from North America or Australasia is Air France (www.airfrance.com), via Paris, which has flights from most major cities, and up to four daily flights to Ljubljana with its short-haul carrier, Régional. Flight time from Paris is about an hour. It's also worth checking out flights with Austrian Airlines (www.aua.com) and Lufthansa (www.lufthansa.com). British low-cost airline easyJet (www.easyjet.com) flies to Ljubljana from London's Stansted airport daily; the London-Ljubljana flight is 2 hours. Czech Airlines has flights from Prague, Malev flies from Budapest, and Turkish Airlines arrives from Istanbul. You could also consider flying to Venice or Trieste in Italy, and then getting a train or car for the short trip to Slovenia.

By Train -- Daily services connect Slovenia (usually by way of Ljubljana) with larger cities in neighboring countries. Venice (245km/152 miles), Vienna (385km/239 miles), Zagreb (135km/84 miles), and Budapest (491km/304 miles) are all an easy train ride away.

By Car -- You'll have little trouble driving into and around Slovenia. Be aware that border crossings can get jampacked; there is a great deal of vacation and business traffic passing in and out, and its entry points can get crowded.

Getting Around

By Car -- Slovenia's size makes driving here very attractive; besides, you'll be able to get into many smaller villages unnoticed by those on trains and buses. Drive on the right-hand side and pick up a road map (from Tourist Information centers at the airport and in Ljubljana). On expressways, the speed limit is 130kmph (81 mph); on highways, 100kmph (62 mph); on secondary roads, 90kmph (56 mph), and in built-up areas, 50kmph (31 mph). Keep your headlights on at all times, wear your seat belt, and do not use your cellphone while driving. Carry your driver's license and insurance documentation at all times. Gas stations are ubiquitous; you can pay for gas using most credit cards. Visit the website of the Automobile Association of Slovenia (www.amzs.si) for information about traffic and details of what to do in emergencies. This is also a good place to get the lowdown on Slovenia's complicated parking rules; you can also call their Information Center (tel. 01/530-5300 or 031-646-464). For road emergencies, call tel. 1987; you'll get immediate roadside assistance and a towing service if necessary. For up-to-date road condition information, call tel. 01/518-8518.

By Train -- Slovenia's train network is fairly extensive and reliable; it's also fairly cheap. Intercity ("IC") trains are faster than potniski, or slow trains, which stop at every backwater village. English timetables are available at www.slo-zeleznice.si. Usually you'll be able to purchase tickets for domestic journeys at the station just before departure. Ticketing staff is incredibly helpful.

By Bus -- Buses are slightly more expensive than trains, but the network is more extensive, allowing access to more remote destinations; they're also more frequent (except at weekends in some areas). Buses are operated by a number of local companies, and the larger towns have stations with computerized booking systems.

By Bike -- Slovenes love cycling and it's possible to rent bikes in most towns for countryside exploration. Cycling is also popular within cities and towns; in Ljubljana, where parking is problematic and distances are quite short, bikes are definitely the easiest and most economical way of getting around. Don't ride on highways.

Tours & Travel Agents

Based in London, Slovenija Pursuits (www.slovenijapursuits.co.uk) arranges reliable all-inclusive trips to Slovenia.