Slovenia Attractions

Adriatic Coast

There are several bustling beach towns along Slovenia's short Adriatic coast. Italianised Koper has a medieval flavour despite the surrounding industry, container ports and superhighways, and pretty Piran is a gem of Venetian Gothic architecture with narrow streets.

Ljubljana

Ljubljana is a smaller Prague without the hordes of tourists. By far Slovenia's largest and most populous city, this charming place feels like a clean, green, self-contented town rather than an industrious municipality of national importance.

Ljubljana began as the Roman town of Emona, and legacies of the Roman presence remain throughout the city. But contemporary Ljubljana has a vibrant Slavic air all its own. The 35,000 students who attend Ljubljana University keep the city spirited and young.

Julian Alps

Adrenaline seekers in Slovenia head for three-headed Mt Triglav (2864m/9394ft), the country's highest peak. It presides over the Julian Alps, which cut across Slovenia's northwestern corner into Italy. The Alps are visited by hundreds of weekend warriors, not all of whom are on ambitious treks.

Early Slavs believed the mountain to be the home of a three-headed deity who ruled the sky, the earth and the underworld. Since the days of the Habsburgs, the 'pilgrimage' to Triglav has been a confirmation of Slovenian identity. Today Triglav figures prominently on the national flag.