Where Slovenia is, and how it fits into Europe

Where Slovenia is: four landscapes meet

The government presents Slovenia as a crossroads of four big European landscapes, and that idea places it better than any coordinates. To the north it has the Alps, shared with Austria; to the west the Karst and the Adriatic, which pull it towards Italy; to the north-east the plain that carries on into Hungary; and to the south forests that continue into Croatia. That’s why you can have breakfast by an Alpine lake and fish for dinner on the coast on the same day.

The four neighbouring countries

On land the borders add up to 1,322 km. Croatia accounts for more than half, 672 km; Austria shares 318, Italy 232 and Hungary just 100. The sea comes in through a short 47 km front on the Gulf of Trieste, lined by Koper, Izola, Piran and Ankaran. To see it drawn out with regions and cities, head to the map of Slovenia.

Is it in the Balkans?

This is where much of the confusion comes from. Slovenia was part of Yugoslavia until 1991, when it declared independence on 26 June, so people tend to lump it in with the Balkans. Geographically, though, it sits where the Alps meet the Mediterranean, and since 2004 it has belonged to both the EU and NATO. It has used the euro and been part of Schengen since 2007. How it got there is in the history of Slovenia.

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

What its location means for British travellers

Being in the EU and Schengen means Schengen rules for UK passport holders, with up to 90 days in any 180 and a passport under ten years old, as the FCDO explains. Being where it is means there are plenty of ways in. Besides Ljubljana’s own airport, the Tourist Board names Klagenfurt, Graz, Vienna, Venice, Trieste, Zagreb and Budapest as gateways, with direct coaches from Ljubljana to several of them. If your UK airport flies to Venice or Trieste but not Ljubljana, that’s still a perfectly good way in. I compare them in airports near Slovenia. Everything worth sorting before you go is gathered in the Slovenia travel guide.

The time

Slovenia uses Central European Time, GMT+1 in winter and GMT+2 in summer, according to the Tourist Board. In other words, it’s always one hour ahead of the UK, so set your watch forward when you land. Clock changes and their dates are in time in Slovenia.

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

And don’t mix it up with Slovakia

The other big question is the name. Slovenia and Slovakia are two different countries, with different capitals, flags and landscapes, and Slovakia has no coast. I explain how to tell them apart in Slovenia or Slovakia.

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