May in Slovenia, spring at its best

What the weather does in May

Official statistics for 2001 to 2010 give a May average of 16.6°C in both Ljubljana and Maribor, 17.5°C at Portorož and 12.4°C at Rateče, up in the Alps. It rains about as much as in April, 104 mm in the capital, so the waterproof stays in the bag. The big change from the previous month is higher up, as Kredarica’s average finally rises above zero, to 1.6°C. To see how the rest of the year goes, the full table is in Slovenia weather.

Lakes and gorges in May, no queues

By May Vintgar Gorge has been open for a month and Bled Castle is on its long hours, until 8pm. The lakes, Bled, Bohinj and Jasna, are lovely to walk round slowly, and it’s the month I’d take the photos that cost a battle in August. From Bohinj, Savica Falls drops 78 metres in two streams, and in the Soča Valley the gorges and waterfalls, such as Kozjak, are an easy walk away. The bigger lake and its valley are covered in Bohinj.

20 May, World Bee Day

Slovenia has a special relationship with bees, and the Tourist Board tells the story on its Radovljica page. World Bee Day, 20 May, is linked to Anton Janša, a Slovenian beekeeper, and in Radovljica’s old town, still ringed by its medieval moat, the Beekeeping Museum shows the painted panels that once decorated hives, the biggest such collection anywhere according to the Tourist Board. The museum is small, unusual museum, and for me it explains Slovenian country life better than many grander ones. «Sweet Radol’ca» rounds off the visit with honey, chocolate and lectar gingerbread. The museum has its own page, the Beekeeping Museum.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Radovljica for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.

May holidays, two fixed and one moveable

1 and 2 May, Labour Day, are work-free days according to the government. Whit Sunday is too, but I won’t give you its 2027 date until I see it on the official calendar. On long weekends Slovenians head for the coast and the lakes, so I’d book accommodation with time to spare. Every holiday is listed in Slovenian public holidays.

How I’d make the most of May

A week by car or coach, with two nights in Ljubljana, two in Radovljica or Bled, one in the Soča Valley and two on the coast. That mix of quiet lakes and a coast that’s already pleasant is what makes May so good. What comes next, with the longest days of the year, is in Slovenia in June. The whole of spring, all three months, is summed up in Slovenia in spring.

So you do not lose the morning at the ticket office, browse tickets and tours in Radovljica on GetYourGuide.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Radovljica for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.