Our trip to Slovenia: Slovenia road trip in summer

A road trip full of adventure: Our trip to Slovenia

Anyone who's been following my blog for a while knows that I often associate a particular novel or film with certain countries . Slovenia is no exception. Ever since I read "Veronika Decides to Die" by Paolo Coelho, I've really wanted to travel to Slovenia. At the time, however, I was only 14 years old, and my parents always chose Spain for our annual holiday.

It's not that I didn't like it in Spain, but there was always this strange longing to visit the locations from the book myself at some point. Slovenia had a magical attraction for me, if only in my mind at first. And it would be more than a decade before I finally got there.

In the meantime, I had almost forgotten how much I wanted to travel to Slovenia at the time, if it weren't for the many encounters with people who had raved about Slovenia and recommended that I go there from the bottom of their hearts. Even if I already imagined the country to be incredibly beautiful, our trip to Slovenia even exceeded all my expectations.

First trip in times of the corona virus: vacation in Slovenia

In 2020 the time had finally come: we went to Slovenia! At the same time, it was also our first trip since the Corona measures. It still felt a bit surreal. And I admit it: I was a bit nervous before the first trip after the borders opened. Would we get across the border safely? What would the return journey be like? Thoughts that I rarely or never thought about before Covid-19.

But in times of Corona, planned trips are subject to current developments. How is it traveling in times of Corona? A question that probably concerns many of you. Honestly not much different than before. In Slovenia, almost everything is open as usual and there are few restrictions. Nevertheless, you should currently expect short-term changes on every trip and, ideally, follow the news regularly.

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The holiday mood remains

Of course, there are also new hygiene measures that should be observed. The 1,50-meter social distancing rule also applies in Slovenia, and face masks must be worn in enclosed spaces. Hand sanitizer is available in all shops, hotels, and at ticket counters. However, these measures didn't dampen our holiday spirit, because the country offers tourists and travelers so much nature and space that it's easy to avoid crowds. If you're also planning a trip to Slovenia, you can find more information on the official website of the Slovenian Tourist Board.

Arrival and entry into Slovenia by car

You can enter Slovenia without restrictions and without quarantine if you come from a country that is on the unrestricted border list. This list is continually updated. For those arriving from countries that are not on the list, a 14-day quarantine requirement still applies when entering Slovenia.

Our entry by car was very uncomplicated due to a fortunate coincidence. We already heard on the radio that due to block processing, those entering Slovenia would have to wait 3-4 hours. It was recommended for non-Slovene citizens to bypass the Karawanken tunnel via the Loiblpass.

Initially, we had no idea how or where to best drive towards the Loibl Pass , and to make matters worse, we took the wrong exit. What almost gave us a heart attack turned out to be incredibly lucky, because this way we were able to bypass the traffic jam and thus arrived at our first destination in Slovenia much earlier.

Over the Loibl Pass from Austria to Slovenia

On our trip to Slovenia, we drove over the Loibl Pass, which is steeped in history (the Romans already used this route to cross the mountains) and were thus able to avoid the traffic jam in the Karawanken Tunnel - and still enjoy the beautiful panorama of the Karawanken! The Loibl Pass (“Ljubeli” in Slovenian) is at an altitude of 1.367 m and may only be driven on by cars weighing less than 3,5 t (note: cars with caravan trailers are also not allowed on the partially narrow pass road). The Loiblpass begins on the Austrian side in Ferlach and ends in Tržič. My tip: Take your time when driving over the pass and enjoy the beautiful landscape, the Tscheppa Gorge in particular is a special highlight on the journey.

Slovenia by plane or by train

You can also reach Slovenia by plane again. Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport has resumed flight operations for tourist and private travel. You can find all the latest information here . You can even travel from Germany to Slovenia by train .

The country of Slovenia & our impression: How did we like Slovenia?

Ok, I think we found a new favorite country! The first thing we noticed was how clean and tidy it looked everywhere. After almost a week road trip through Slovenia we are completely overwhelmed and in love with the diversity of this country! Rarely has a country inspired and fascinated us so much right away. Surprisingly, Slovenia is still considered an insider tip and maybe this is also the reason why the country is very well visited but still not as "overcrowded" as many other holiday destinations in Europe.

sLOVEnia - A country where love is even in the name of the country

We loved Slovenia so much that I've even decided to start a whole blog series about our trip . Because the country is simply incredibly diverse! The scenery, in particular, absolutely blew us away! You can expect mountains, crystal-clear lakes and turquoise rivers, picturesque valleys, historic cities, dense forests, refreshing waterfalls, Mediterranean coastal towns, and even the Adriatic Sea! The breathtaking beauty of nature is impossible to put into words; you simply have to experience it firsthand!

Slovenia: More than just an insider tip

With Slovenia, we've found a fairytale country that has largely escaped the tourist crowds. Furthermore, Slovenia offers something for every taste in leisure activities: whether cycling, walking, hiking, sightseeing, climbing, rafting, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, or exploring historical sites. These are just a few of the many possibilities for what you can do in Slovenia. Slovenia is also exciting for winter sports enthusiasts. In winter, you can look forward to numerous family-friendly ski resorts . As you can see, there's never a dull moment here, no matter the season.

Our itinerary: from Bled to the coast of Slovenia

We were away for almost a week in total. Our first base was the city of Bled with Lake Bled. From there we took a trip to the paradisiacal Soca Valley and then went on to Ljubljana for a day trip. From Ljubljana we continued to Portorož & Piran on the small but fine Slovenian coast.

Best travel time for Slovenia

The best time to travel to Slovenia? Always! Although Slovenia is a rather small country in Europe, there are regional temperature differences due to the different climate zones within the country. The best travel period can therefore best be determined based on personal preference, desired activity or choice of holiday destination. Many locals have recommended the autumn months of September and October as a particularly good time to travel, as the holidays are over in most countries at this time and the weather can still spoil you with pleasant temperatures. 

We were in Slovenia at the end of June and only had good experiences. There were already a lot of tourists on the road, but still in a very limited number. However, on weekends in summer it can get a little more crowded in the popular holiday regions such as Bled and Piran.

Climate & Weather in Slovenia

Did you know that the country has almost 50 kilometers of coastline on the Adriatic Sea? Incidentally, Slovenia is more than 55% covered with forest and is officially one of the three most forested countries in Europe, alongside Finland and Sweden. Surrounded by the neighboring countries of Austria, Italy, Hungary and Croatia, Slovenia is located in the temperate climate zone of Central Europe. And the great variety of landscapes in Slovenia already suggests it: There are several different climatic zones in the country.

In the coastal regions, the average annual temperature in Slovenia is 13,5 degrees Celsius, while in the mountains it's around seven degrees. This creates a Mediterranean climate along the Adriatic coast with very warm summers and mild winters. In the northeast of the country, the climate is more continental , with hot summers and significantly colder winters than on the coast. An alpine climate with very cold winters and moderately warm summers prevails in the Julian Alps, the Karawanks, and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. So there's something for every taste in weather! 🙂

The weather forecast for the next 7 days in Portoroz

Price level & costs for a holiday in Slovenia

The price level in Slovenia can currently be roughly compared to the price level in Germany (at least a little cheaper). There are also regional differences in terms of the travel costs incurred, such as accommodation, meals, etc. In the tourist areas, the prices are comparatively a bit higher than in the quieter and more rural areas, but here too it is worth keeping your eyes open for walks and exploring the romantic side streets. Because there are real treasures hidden away from the typical tourist paths: rustic cafés, cozy restaurants with local cuisine and real insider tips. On my trip, I never found Slovenia to be too expensive or overpriced.

If you are traveling by car and plan to use the motorway (or expressway), you will need a vignette for your stay in Slovenia. You can find the costs and further information in the table.

Toll & vignette in Slovenia

Do you know Slovenia?

Have you ever been to Slovenia? What did you think? Or are you already planning your trip? In the next blog post in our Slovenia series, we'll continue with the beautiful town of Bled and the legendary Lake Bled. I'll tell you about our enchanting accommodation and why you absolutely must ring the bell of the church on the small island. I hope you enjoy reading it, and perhaps my article will even inspire you to pack your bags and explore this wonderful country for yourself.

Transparency: This article was created in cooperation with "I Feel Slovenia." My research was supported by the Slovenian Tourist Board. Many thanks for that! You can find more exciting information about Slovenia on the following pages:

I feel Slovenia

Website: https://www.slovenia.info/de
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slovenia.info
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sloveniainfo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feelslovenia/?hl=en

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