Though Slovenia is becoming more recognized in European tourism, it’s still an intriguing destination as we don’t know much about it (yes, it’s not something we study in school). So, unless you’ve done your own research on this country, you might enjoy this article. We’ve compiled some essential and hopefully useful information about Slovenia. We’ll cover culture, customs, road networks, landscapes, the environment, and more. The goal is to ensure you have a smooth experience once there. We hope this will help prepare you for an adventure!
Once part of the former Yugoslavia, Slovenia has been an independent state since 1991 and a member of the European Union since 2004.
For French citizens (and other EU citizens), visiting is easy, as only an ID card is needed to enter. No passport is required, which is convenient!
Since 2007, Slovenia has been part of the Eurozone, so it uses the euro instead of the “tolar.” This also makes things easier—no need to worry about exchange rates!
However, we recommend having a foreign transaction-free card to avoid withdrawal or payment fees. We use the Visa Ultim card from BoursoBank which we’re very happy with. It’s free, and if you sign up with our referral code SILE2464 or the following link, you’ll receive a bonus ranging from €80 to €220, depending on the current offer and conditions met.
Slovenia is relatively affordable. While hotel prices are similar to those in France, the cost of living is generally over 20% lower, so you can indulge a bit during your vacation without worrying too much about expenses.
For lunch, you can easily find meals for under €10 per person (€20 for dinner), a pint of beer (50cl) costs between €2 and €3 in bars, and diesel costs €1.62/L (as of December 2022), compared to around €1.86/L in France.
However, northwestern Slovenia doesn’t quite follow this trend…
It’s a beautiful yet very touristy area, and locals have taken notice. Free parking is scarce, with parking often costing €5 per hour or €15 per day. Be prepared to spend a bit more in addition to paid attractions and activities you may want to enjoy in the area.
While visiting the capital, a bartender asked us where we were heading next. When we mentioned Lake Bled and its region (northwest), he grimaced, saying it’s very expensive and that the southwest is much better! We had just come from the southwest, so we weren’t about to go back, but he’s right: it’s beautiful, affordable, and has the sea! However, we don’t regret visiting the northwest, as it’s a stunning region with mountains, lakes, gorges, forests, and more. It’s a must-see!
If you’re visiting by car, you’ll need to purchase a vignette (or e-vignette) to use highways and expressways. So, if you plan to enter and exit Ljubljana, you’ll likely need one.
Vignettes can be purchased:
The vignette price varies by vehicle category and duration of stay.
For a standard vehicle (Category 2a on the site, under 3.5 tons and less than 1.3 meters above the front axle), the prices are:
For reference, with our van, we were in the higher category (2b), and paid €30 for a week. Yes, it’s a bit pricey, but it’s difficult to avoid.
Driving on highways and expressways without a vignette can result in fines from €300 to €800.
As for regulations, you must have your headlights on 24/7 when driving in Slovenia, even during the day. Not sure of the utility here, aside from needing to change headlights more often, but there it is…
If you want to rent a car locally, we recommend using the DiscoverCars. It compares hundreds of companies to offer you the best prices and conditions, including unlimited mileage, partial coverage, and theft protection, all with no hidden fees.
In Slovenia, we had no trouble communicating. Locals generally speak good English (and even German). Additionally, while Slovenian is a Slavic language, it’s written in the Latin alphabet, not Cyrillic, making reading and understanding easier if words aren’t translated.
Ljubljana was named a “European Green Capital,” which speaks volumes about the country!
In addition to having a green capital, Slovenia is the third most forested country in Europe (after Finland and Sweden).
The country consists of:
Slovenia is also a member of the NATURA 2000 network, the “European network of protected natural areas for biodiversity conservation.”
In short, it’s an ideal destination for nature lovers and those who appreciate green, responsible, sustainable, and ethical travel!
In addition to being green, Slovenia is a safe country! It was even ranked among the top 5 safest countries in the world (according to the Global Peace Index 2021) right after Iceland, New Zealand, Denmark, and Portugal. Surprising, right?
There is very little crime in the country, which makes traveling in Slovenia feel reassuring! However, theft, though rare, can still happen (just like everywhere)… So keep an eye on your belongings and avoid leaving things in plain sight 😉.
Though Slovenia is a developed country, there are still places where cards aren’t accepted (similar to France, where smaller purchases often require cash). We recommend having cash on hand to avoid needing to use the nearest ATM and paying unnecessary fees. Yes, we speak from experience! Better to be prepared 😜.
Slovenia is in the same time zone as France (UTC+1 in winter and UTC+2 in summer), so there’s no time difference between the two countries. This is convenient as there’s no need to worry about flight times, reservations, etc., but since Slovenia is located east of France, the country runs about an hour ahead. The sun rises and sets an hour earlier! This is worth keeping in mind when planning a visit.
For example, in Slovenia, restaurants are open all day from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., but finding food after 10 p.m. can be difficult.
In another vein, while the early sunset isn’t too inconvenient in summer, it’s worth factoring into winter plans as the sun will set an hour earlier than in France. You might not get as much out of late afternoon outdoor visits. So, prioritize outdoor activities during the day and plan indoor visits once the sun has set.
One thing that surprised us when looking for a gas station in Slovenia is that all stations display the same price. It’s super convenient, as you don’t have to spend ages comparing prices and taking detours to find the cheapest gas. But since we're not used to seeing that, it really caught us off guard.
In fact, the government has implemented a price control and regulation system for fuel at gas stations. From what I understand, it’s a system that comes and goes depending on the government, but during our visit to the country in June 2022, all prices were identical (except on highways, where stations are free to set their prices). So, no need to waste time on price comparisons!
Here’s a bonus tip! If you go to a bar in Slovenia, make sure you know what you want to drink before sitting down, as servers there take your order as soon as you arrive at your table. It may seem a bit abrupt, but that's how it’s done in Slovenia. Plus, from one bar to another, the menus are almost identical (very practical—they only have the basics), and prices are consistent. So you won’t have any bad surprises when it’s time to pay! If you’re unsure and the server has to come back, it might be a while before they return to take your order…
And if you want to learn more about Slovenia, we recommend the blog Slovénie Secrète, which has excellent and comprehensive info on the destination.
That’s it for our 10 key facts about Slovenia. We hope you learned something useful for planning your trip and for when you’re there 😊. Don’t miss the “tips” at the end of the article! And if this article has inspired you to visit this beautiful country, you can book your tickets right here:
Feel free to share your experiences and tips in the comments for other travelers.
1. Crossing on a Red Pedestrian Light is Risky in Slovenia… Unlike us, Slovenians respect traffic signals and don’t cross until the light is green. And everyone follows this rule! So, first, drivers don’t watch out for pedestrians who might suddenly cross, and second, if the police see you doing it, you’ll get fined. So best to avoid, even if it’s tempting (we know it’s hard to wait when there’s no car in sight 😂)!
2. If you’re planning on hiking in Slovenia, be prepared to take more time than what’s indicated on the trails.
3. One small but helpful fact: in Slovenian, the letter “j” is pronounced like “i.” So “Ljubljana” is actually pronounced “Liubliana,” or more easily, “Loubiana”… There may be a few exceptions, but we’re definitely not qualified to teach Slovenian 😂…
Bonjour, Nous nous préparons à un road trip direction la Slovénie et la Croatie. Ma question: faut il prendre la vignette également pour l’aller ? Car À l’aller Nous allons nous arrêter À piran, Puis continuer sur la Croatie., ce sera uniquement au retour que nous resterons plusieurs jours en Slovénie. Nous partons au total trajet inclus Trois semaines. Donc soit je prends une vignette pour une semaine uniquement pour le retour ou bien il faut que je prenne celle d’un mois… Merci d’avance pour votre réponse. Auréli
Bonjour Auréli,
En Slovénie, la vignette est nécessaire seulement pour certaines grandes routes. Si vous ne vous approchez pas de la capitale à l’aller, à priori vous n’avez pas de soucis à vous faire ! Il faudra juste bien faire attention de ne pas emprunter les routes dédiées à ceux qui ont la vignette ! Mais de ce dont on se souvient c’est faisable sans oui 😉
Bon roadtrip !!
How about we chat?