Slovenia's plugs, and why you need an adapter from the UK

Who needs an adapter in Slovenia

The Tourist Board itself lists the European countries whose visitors will need the appropriate adapter, Great Britain, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Denmark, and adds that travellers from other continents need one too. For a trip from Britain, then, put an adapter on the packing list straight away; it’s the one item that’s hard to improvise without. Everything else that goes in the case is in what to pack for Slovenia.

What I’d pack anyway

Beyond the adapter, a small extension lead or a multi-port USB charger solves the problem of rooms with few sockets, especially if several of you are charging phones, watches and cameras. In mountain huts in Slovenia, charging may not be as easy as in a hotel, so a power bank helps on long routes. To stay connected on the trip, check your roaming deal first, as I explain in Slovenia roaming.

Where to get one

Because there are so many plug types around the world, the Tourist Board suggests everyone brings their own adapter. If you forget, it says specialist electrical shops sell adapters for most other European plugs and for American ones. I wouldn’t count on finding one late at night in a mountain village, so if your first night is in a Julian Alps valley, sort it before you leave.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Ljubljana before prices climb.

Voltage and devices from outside Europe

At 230 V, devices bought in the UK work normally once plugged into an adapter. If someone in your group brings appliances from outside Europe, as well as the adapter it’s worth checking the label on the charger or device, which shows the voltage range it accepts. If 230 V isn’t included, an adapter isn’t enough and you’d need a converter.

The car radio

The same Tourist Board page that covers plugs has a useful tip for drivers. Radio Si, the foreign-language channel of RTV Slovenija, gives news, weather and road reports in English and German, the road reports every hour and, at the height of summer, more often. You’ll find it on FM 91.1, 93.4 and 102.8. The page also notes that the national channels, Radio Slovenija 1, Val 202 and Ars, carry some foreign-language information, and that in July and August the weather forecast goes out in English, German and Italian on all three after the main news.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Ljubljana and choose by the reviews.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Ljubljana before prices climb.