LANGUAGE: Slovene (Italian and Hungarian are recognized as official languages; Italian is also studied as a foreign language by part of the population, while national documents of interest are written in all three officially recognized languages).
CURRENCY: Euro ( € )
DOCUMENTS: Passport (For European citizens, a valid identity document is sufficient).
CLIMATE: Continental in the eastern valleys and plateaus, Alpine in the mountains. The average winter temperature on the Adriatic coast is around 5°C, while in summer it is about 24°C. In the capital (Ljubljana, located inland at an altitude of 400 meters), the temperatures are approximately 1°C in winter and 19°C in summer.
SLOVENIA: With an area slightly smaller than the Tuscany region and just over 2 million inhabitants, Slovenia is one of the smallest countries in the European Union. Despite this, it offers a great variety of landscapes, historical and cultural sites, as well as modern cities. Essentially, Slovenia has a bit of everything in small amounts: snow-capped mountains for winter sports in winter, rivers and underground caves, lakes, castles, art cities, beautiful countryside and rural villages, as well as a stunning coastline with beautiful beaches.
Within half an hour of travel, the scenery changes completely—from Kranjska Gora in the Julian Alps to Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj surrounded by mountains, to the Karst Plateau with the magical Postojna Caves and Predjama Castle nestled in the mountain rock. Equally notable are the seaside resorts like Portorož and Piran, which are must-visit destinations during the summer season.
Another thing Slovenia is renowned for is its thermal spas. Two of the most famous spa centers are Rimske and Laško, located about ten kilometers south of Celje in the eastern part of the country. Other notable towns include Nova Gorica, Ptuj—an ancient and very folkloric city—and Maribor in the northeast on the Drava River, a university city, commercial hub, and very lively.
FOR MEN: Nova Gorica, Lubiana
NOTE: Slovenia offers many opportunities for nature and cultural tourism, but for those seeking other types of entertainment, there are, for example, casinos. Where there are casinos, money flows, and where money flows, there are ladies looking for benefactors to entertain in exchange for cash. For this reason, places with casinos are always interesting, such as the famous Perla Resort and Casino in Nova Gorica—a large hotel with 250 rooms and suites, several bars, restaurants, a wellness center, and more—renowned for the number of skilled workers who frequent the area. There is also the nearby Park Casino and Hotel, which is smaller, while in winter you can also find activity around Kranjska Gora at the Korona Resort and Casino and the Larix Casino.
For those seeking guaranteed company and a bit of relaxation, the well-known Margerita—a small FKK club with about ten girls on good days—is recommended. It’s nothing like the (now closed) Marina, also in Nova Gorica, which was a nice FKK that rivaled its Austrian border counterparts but has been closed since January 2019 (probably because it annoyed the Austrian clubs by taking many customers, although even if that hadn’t happened, it might have closed with the first COVID wave a couple of months later, but that’s another story…). Theoretically, there would also be the Wellness Mocilnik in Vrhnika, near the capital Ljubljana, apparently did not survive the “COVID period” and has, at least temporarily, closed its doors. However, Slovenia is also well-known among border travelers for its many nightclubs and numerous specialized massage centers found in cities like Nova Gorica and Ljubljana.
In essence, Slovenia offers great opportunities and has the potential to compete with neighboring Austria. However, due to legislation where prostitution is not illegal but riddled with loopholes (not as many as in Italy, but close), it cannot fully express its potential in this area.
Still, the opportunities exist, as do plenty of good reasons to visit the country. So remember to purchase a highway vignette if you’re traveling by car, and have a great time in Slovenia!
