About Slovenia

I finally made my decision to visit Slovenia for the very first time. This small but fascinating country has always intrigued me. I was always fascinated by its unique position in European history; how it once belonged to the Austro-Hungarian empire, yet later became part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. That mix of Central European elegance with an ex-Socialist Republic mentality has always fascinated me, so I was eager to see how it shaped the country’s identity today.

Slovenia is one of the smallest countries in Europe, with a population of just over 2 million people and an area of around 20,000 square kilometers. The capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana, has a population of only 300,000 people, making it one of the smallest and most charming capital cities in Europe.

Slovenia gained its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, after a short ten-day war of independence. Compared to the devastating conflicts that later struck ex-Yugoslavia, Slovenia was fortunate that the war was brief and the country quickly began building its path as a new state.

In August 2025, I visited Slovenia for the first time. I spent a very active 48 hours in this beautiful country. In this blog, I’ll share my experiences and impressions of this piece of paradise, exploring the blend of history, culture, and natural wonders that make Slovenia truly unforgettable.

The Flight

My summer vacation had finally begun, and I was full of excitement to head to Dubai airport and start my summer trip. I flew directly from Dubai to Ljubljana with FlyDubai. The flight took about five and a half hours. I was worried before the flight since FlyDubai is a low-cost airline and it’s probably not the best option for a 5.5-hour flight. However, the flight was very comfortable. As always, I had chosen the window seat and enjoyed watching the landscape change from the endless stretches of yellow desert to the beautiful beaches of Turkey, and then the gorgeous Greek islands surrounded by deep blue waters, and finally the green landscape of the Balkans. It felt like I was flying over different worlds 🙂

The food on board was alright, despite its poor presentation, and the service was fine. We landed in Ljubljana on time, left the aircraft, and then arrived at the passport control, where only two windows were open, and the line was painfully long (Typical European Bureaucracy). When my turn came, the officer stamped my passport right away, no questions asked. I love my Canadian passport 🙂

I needed to find my way to the city center, so right after exiting the custom area, I spotted a convenient minivan service that takes passengers directly from the airport to Ljubljana for about 14 euros per person. It seemed like the best option as it’s much cheaper than a private taxi and certainly more simple than taking a bus to the bus station, so I hopped in. Forty minutes later, I was standing right outside my hotel, ready to start my adventure in Slovenia.

First time in Slovenia

I arrived at my hotel in Ljubljana. I stayed in a hotel called Hotel Center Ljubljana. From its name, you can tell that it’s pretty central! While searching for accommodation there before my trip, I noticed that hotels in Ljubljana aren’t cheap at all. After all, this is Central Europe, not Central Asia :). Eventually, I chose this hotel because of the excellent reviews, the great location, and the relatively good price.

The check-in process was quick, though they only accept cash payment! To be fair, they had informed me about this beforehand, so I came prepared with the cash. My room was tiny, more like a hole in the wall, barely enough for one person. On top of that, the soundproofing was almost nonexistent; I could hear conversations and even footsteps coming from the rooms next door. Still, the hotel’s location was absolutely central, and everything was spotless clean. The sleeping quality was not the best; The bed was divided into two mattresses, and each mattress was barely large enough for an adult human. By the way, I also noticed that the place was managed entirely by female staff.

For breakfast, there was a restaurant inside the building, though technically it had a different name and was run by a separate team. Guests from the hotel could get a special price, only 10 euros for breakfast. Honestly, it wasn’t a bad deal at all. The quality of the food was very good, though the service was slow. You can find a photo of the breakfast if you scroll down to the food section.

Exploring Ljubljana

After a shower and a quick nap, it was finally time to start exploring the city. The weather, however, had started to turn cloudy as I began my stroll through the streets of Ljubljana. I made my way to the river. I admired the city’s famous bridges; each one had its own charm and character. Soon after, I found a restaurant where I decided to have a late lunch (or maybe an early dinner). The place was called Most, and I’ll share more about my experience there in the food section below. While I was enjoying my meal, the heavy rain began to fall. I felt lucky to be sheltered inside at that moment. However, I eventually needed to leave because I didn’t want to be in Ljubljana castle when it’s dark, so I continued my walk despite the heavy rain until I reached the funicular that would take me up to Ljubljana Castle.

Ljubljana Castle

After a few minutes of walking in the heavy rain, I arrived at the funicular and bought a ticket to head up to Ljubljana Castle. It’s one of the must-visit places in the city, not only because of the history but also because the views from the top are absolutely breathtaking. I spent some time wandering around the castle grounds once I was up there and captured some beautiful photos of the city below.

While exploring, I met a traveller from Germany. He kindly took some photos of me when I asked him to. Soon after, we found ourselves exchanging stories about life and travel. He seemed like a genuinely kind person, and I immediately felt comfortable talking with him. Our discussion turned serious when I shared my thoughts about how many German politicians today are turning a blind eye to atrocities, how they’re complicit in this, how the media there often misleads and brainwashes a very large part of the population. It was clear I was speaking from a place of deep sorrow, but he completely agreed with me.

We ended up exchanging contacts, and I walked away feeling grateful for the encounter. It’s not every day that you meet someone on your travels with whom you can speak so openly and honestly. He’s a good lad!

After the castle, I went back to the city, walked around, and later in the evening, I had a simple dinner which was only a meat Burek. More details in the food section below

National Museum of Contemporary History

The next day, after having breakfast at the restaurant inside my hotel, I decided to visit the National Museum of Contemporary History. As a big lover of history, this was a top priority for me during my visit to Slovenia. The museum is within walking distance of the hotel, about a 20-minute walk. I loved how compact Ljubljana is; so many places are just a short walk away.

When I arrived at the museum, I went to pay for a ticket, but the front desk employee told me, “It’s Sunday today, so you don’t need to pay for a ticket. There’s also a guided tour that just started upstairs, you should join them, and it’s for free, you don’t have to pay for anything” I did join them, and I’m so glad I did! The tour was excellent, led by an outstanding guide who knew so much about the history of his country. I especially loved the interaction; he asked the group questions here and there, and I was happy to show some of my knowledge about history, particularly the contemporary period starting from WWII and beyond. It was such an amazing tour in such a great museum. I can’t tell you enough how highly I recommend it.

The tour lasted about two hours, so you can imagine how intense it was. The guide walked us through the history of the country, from the Middle Ages to modern-day Slovenia. I particularly enjoyed the discussion on the post-WWII period, especially the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia and the Tito era, that was definitely my favorite part of the tour. The tour wasn’t just about memorizing dates and events, but it was about understanding how people lived, how politics shaped their daily lives, and how those times still influence Slovenia today.

Lake Bled

About an hour after the museum tour, it was time to visit one of the most majestic and gorgeous places in Slovenia; Lake Bled. It’s located about 45 minutes from Ljubljana. Since I didn’t have much time in Slovenia, I thought the best option was to book a tour, and that’s exactly what I did using Viator (a Tripadvisor company). The tour cost about 83 dollars. Of course, there are other ways to get there. You can take public transportation by catching a bus from the central station, which is cheaper and more flexible. Honestly, there wasn’t anything particularly special about the tour itself other than the chance to meet other travelers and a nice conversation with the tour guide, who was also the driver of our minivan. The tour was basically just transportation and a bit of talk about history and today’s politics—nothing more.

Looking back, it was a good option considering the limited time I had, but if I were traveling with a friend, I would definitely choose another way to spend a full day there instead of booking this tour. By the way, the tour didn’t include the boat ride to the island in the middle of Lake Bled or any other activities. Still, it was convenient because I didn’t have a lot of time, so we managed to make efficient use of the short time we had.

Lake Bled itself is spectacular. The water is so clear, so beautiful, and there’s this powerful energy you feel as soon as you see it. It’s honestly one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve ever seen, and I would love to return again and again. The emotions and feelings I had there were strong, peaceful, and truly unforgettable. It’s so hard to capture the beauty of nature with words, and I’m certainly not the best one to do it justice, so I’ll let the photos of this gorgeous site speak for themselves.

Food

Now we arrive at one of many people’s favorite section of this blog, which is food. Let’s start with the first meal I had at Restavracija Most Restaurant. The lamb shank main course was incredibly good, and even the salad, which was recommended by the waiter, though not the taste I’m used to, was so fresh and delightful. I could feel the quality of every bite, even in the bread. It was real! wholesome whole wheat bread, natural, hearty, and high quality. The waiter was very knowledgeable, elegant, and professional. Everything was top-notch!

Since that was a late lunch, I didn’t want a heavy dinner the same evening. Instead, I grabbed a Burek from a small takeout place in the center that had good reviews. I tried the meat Burek, but honestly, it felt a bit too oily for my taste. It was still tasty, but not the best Burek I’ve ever had.

Breakfast at the hotel restaurant next was another nice surprise; good quality for only 10 euros for hotel guests! And of course, in Lake Bled, we couldn’t miss the famous Blejska kremšnita (Lake Bled cake). It was incredibly tasty, especially paired with a cappuccino in the afternoon. Absolutely worth it!

But the best meal I had in Slovenia was my last dinner in Ljubljana. I had heard about an iconic restaurant called Sarajevo ’84. I believe it’s named after the Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo in 1984. The ćevapi (Bosnian kebab) I had there was magnificent; the meat was so flavorful, and the bread was unbelievably fresh. There was a long wait outside (about half an hour before I got a table), but it was absolutely worth it. I also ordered a Shopska salad, and it was fantastic. I just love that salad and I always order it at any restaurant in Slovenia, Bosnia, or Serbia.

Summary

Before I start writing about this summary section, I want to make it clear for everyone that unlike some of my other blog posts, this one is not meant to be a guide to visiting Slovenia. Instead, it’s more of an expression of the emotions I felt while visiting this beautiful country. My time in Slovenia was very short, which wasn’t enough to explore everything but I still managed to see most of the places I had in mind.

Unlike many other destinations I’ve visited, I actually had some high expectations about Slovenia because of the countless glowing reviews I had heard. And guess what? Those expectations were met! I was so happy to explore such a beautiful and elegant country. Everything looked so well maintained, organized, and efficient (the only exception being the rather slow passport control).

The purpose of this trip was simple: to discover a new country, visit a list of places I had planned, learn more about its history, enjoy the food, and hopefully meet some locals. I feel that purpose was mostly achieved, though I would have loved more interactions with Slovenians. I did meet a few, including the guide on the Lake Bled tour, but it wasn’t enough. I have many friends from neighboring Balkan countries; Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia and they all told me the same thing about Slovenia: historically, it has always been a bit different from the rest of the Balkans. Slovenians are often seen as closer to Austrians or Central Europeans than to the Balkans, or perhaps they’re a unique blend of both. That mix creates a distinct Slovenian identity, which I found fascinating.

I would highly recommend Slovenia as a travel destination. It’s a beautiful hidden gem in Europe, rich in history, culture, and food. I’d love to return someday and spend more time there.

About the costs, I would say that I expected Slovenia to be slightly cheaper than it actually was. The truth is, it’s not cheap at all—services like taxis and hotel accommodation can be pricey, especially in the summer months. Still, the value for money felt somehow fair, and the experience was absolutely worth it.

On my last morning in Slovenia, after enjoying one final breakfast at the hotel and checking out, I headed to the airport using the same transportation service I had taken when I arrived. I was excited for the next step in my summer vacation; Antalya, Turkey, where I spent a few days at an all-inclusive resort in Kemer area. I know, many of you might be surprised to hear that I went for an all-inclusive (since that’s something I almost never do), but this time I felt like I needed one. And honestly, it didn’t turn out to be that bad at all. That said, obviously, there won’t be a blog about my all-inclusive trip in Turkey, it’s just not my style of travel blogging. I would rather write a blog about Chernobyl, Mongolia, or Trans-Siberian train trip 🙂

This is all what I can say about Slovenia for now. I will be planning some new trips soon to explore more and to write more about this intriguing, fascinating, and certainly beautiful place!