Guide to Slovenia

In this guide to Slovenia, I want to highlight my time in this small country that borders Italy to the east. My husband and I took a cruise from Venice to Rome, and the very first stop was Koper, Slovenia. This is a country that can be crossed from north to south in 2 hours, making this a perfect one day stop.

We learned that Slovenia is unlike its other Balkan neighbors. Yes, it was once part of Yugoslavia but was the first state that wanted out of that relationship. Today it’s known as the hardworking ex Yugoslavian nation without much humor from its people. To me, it was undoubtedly a beautiful country to tour.

Itinerary:

This was part of our cruise, and Slovenia was day 1 of our trip. Koper is the port city of Slovenia and really the only one given how narrow that section of coastline is. To the north lies Italy and to the south lies Croatia.

From Koper, we traveled north to the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana. It’s a pretty small capital city in the heart of the country that has some charm. To be honest, it can be explored in the morning!

From the capital, we then traveled north to the Lake Bled, which sits 5 miles south of the Austrian border. This place is stunning and a national landmark of Slovenia. It is touristy because of the beautiful turquoise waters and the small island in the lake but to be it was worth the visit.

Map of Slovenia:

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A Map of Slovenia

Favorite:

Some of my favorite restaurants, spots, pictures, and videos in this guide to Slovenia!

Restaurants

Cute cafes in Ljubljana

Lakeside restaurants on Lake Bled

Spots

Taking a drive through this gorgeous country is highly encouraged. It’s not a long journey, and there are stunning views from the coast to the mountains.

If you’re staying in the capital, take a walk up and down the main street. Lots of side streets are more ugly, and there isn’t too much happening on them. However, the main street in Ljubljana is cute and worthwhile.

What to Wear:

As a traveler that loves fashion, I want to highlight what to wear in this guide to Slovenia. Slovenia is like other European countries, and the look is decidedly more European. What does that mean? I found that in general young men wear tight metro jeans that are following a trend of being light in color, especially in the summer. A lot of men wear trendy tops that are somewhat different than what we would wear in the states as they are stylish yet sporty. This is a European trend, and I’m not saying tourists need to copy this, but this is undoubtedly the trend in Slovenia. Slovenia, as a Balkan country, does have more eastern European vibes where brands like Adidas are popular.

As a tourist, I recommend bringing clothing that isn’t collegiate wear. American men get this wrong every time and look very bummy. No, it won’t matter in the long run, and I understand why guys do it, but you’re not on this website to look sloppy while traveling. Western wear like jeans or shorts are acceptable in Slovenia, and you can bring the same type of clothes you usually wear at home on your trip.

I recommend a couple of t-shirts, maybe a floral print, and some cute cut shorts. Shorts should be comfortable to wear yet stylish. My go-to shorts lately has been from Bonobos. They have well-designed shorts, and the best part is you can get measured at a store and then have your items ship to you. I didn’t do this since I know I need a small cut because I am a little guy.

For the rest of your outfit like your shoes, keep it simple and comfortable. I like Toms for this reason as they are stylish and travel-ready. I don’t care if I get them dirty. And they were perfect my time in Slovenia. The goal is to be travel casual with hints of flair. Pick out colors and design that suit you, but there is no need to go overboard. Slovenia is also a somewhat conservative country so something too out there, you may get looks.

For the off-season like in winter, I know Slovenia gets cold and snowy. You will undoubtedly need winter gear as well as a thick jacket and maybe even mountain gear. You’ll need to bring long pants, jeans, and some jackets. It’s not hardcore cold, but it’s enough that you can even have a scarf.

An Ideal Look:

What I Loved:

The mountains and nature really stand out in Slovenia. Slovenia is a tiny country, and it’s super easy to cover large portions of the country in a couple of hours. The most active part of Slovenia is the just the sheer natural beauty, and you’ll see many excursions centered around that.

What I Disliked:

During my short stay here I can’t see I disliked anything too much. The city of Ljubljana is not actioned pack so if I really think you need a day there. It’s not like Slovenia advertises Ljubljana as an actioned pack city anyways. Also, we didn’t have great food at a restaurant on Lake Bled. But that was really the only things I disliked.

Ideas and Tips:

Slovenia doesn’t need a full week, in my opinion. You could fly in or take a cruise and spend a day there. Yes, you’re not getting the whole experience, and sure there are many other activities to do, but you don’t need it. Pressed for time, I would just do the highlights like Lake Bled, which is a one-day activity at most.

From my understanding, Slovenia has excellent mountaineering and climbing in the summer.

Skiing is a big deal here so you may find it to a great ski vacation spot.

Search on Yelp or Google local Slovenian food. I know they eat a lot of meat, but I’m sure there are great local dishes. Our experience wasn’t great.

It’s a relatively cheap and easy country to travel by car. However, if you don’t feel like driving, there are always tours offered.

Thoughts:

In this guide to Slovenia I have pointed out some of the highlights of this small country. I felt Slovenia was surprising because I really didn’t know much about it until a booked this vacation. For some reason, I thought it was “hard to access,” type of country, and that’s just not true. Slovenia is easy to travel, and we didn’t have a bad experience for any part of our time there.

For me, natural beauty is where Slovenia shines. If you love mountains and mountain activities, you’ll really love Slovenia. This was a perfect stop on our cruise, and we are looking forward to going back.