Slovenia is situated in the heart of Europe – where the Alps meet the Mediterranean and the Pannonian Plain meets the Karst. The city of Ljubljana is classified as a mid-sized European city, but it has preserved its small-town friendliness and relaxed atmosphere while providing all the facilities of a modern capital. Distances between places in Slovenia are short, which makes Ljubljana a perfect base for exploring Slovenia’s diverse beauty.

Slovenia is the European Region of Gastronomy 2021. The prestigious title is reflected in the bond between sustainable and locally grown produce and the supreme creativity of renowned chefs. Slovenian restaurants have impressed gastronomic experts who awarded them Michelin stars for the first time in 2020 and also the toques of Gault & Millau for the second consecutive year. Slovenian wines are among the best in the world.

Healthy living and a sporting heart permeates every facet of life. In terms of sporting achievements per capita, Slovenia certainly belongs at the very top in the world, and is a true phenomenon in this sense. Since sport has a special place in Slovenia, a new national holiday – Day of Slovenian Sport – is dedicated to it.

Slovenia has a polycentric culture. For example, Slovenians are naturally indirect communicators but can moderate their behaviour when dealing with people who come from cultures where more direct communication is the norm.
Slovene or Slovenian belongs to the family of South Slavic languages. It is spoken by approximately 2 million speakers. Slovene is one of the rare languages to have preserved the dual grammatical number from Proto-Indo-European. Also, Slovene and Slovak are the two modern Slavic languages whose names for themselves literally mean “Slavic”.

Although the country is relatively small, there are more than 32 different dialects spoken, which can be grouped into 7 larger dialect segments. Slovenes who come from opposite parts of country may have enormous difficulties to understand each other. The diversity in language is due to the influences of neighbouring countries as well as the mountainous nature of the country, which has led to isolated language development.

Useful words and phrases

The majority of Slovenians are fluent in at least one foreign language, usually English or German but additionally also Italian or Croatian, depending on the region. Knowing few Slovenian words can be still very useful.
Slovenia has a rich culinary tradition which is influenced by its climate and its location at the crossroads of central Europe. Slovene culinary heritage has influences of Mediterranean, Alpine, and Eastern European cultures. Meals are an important part of Slovene life, and enjoying a snack or a glass of wine at a café with friends is a typical social activity. Every region in Slovenia has its own specialties, however, most of Slovenia’s oldest traditional dishes consist flour, buckwheat, or barley, as well as potatoes and cabbage. Slovenia also produces a variety of wines. Almost 70% of Slovenian wines fulfil the criteria for quality and premium wines, which is definitely a result of a highly-developed wine culture and demanding wine lovers.