Cheap flights to Slovenia from MKD1,621*

Petite Slovenia, just half the size of Switzerland, is a country that has it all. Here, in the sunny side of the Alps, cobalt-blue lakes mirror soaring peaks and fast-flowing rivers wind their way through lush valleys and deep canyons. The Slovenian coastline is short but all the more beautiful, crowned with Venetian-style towns that glow in the Adriatic sunshine. The magic continues beneath the surface, with highlights including Postojna, the largest show cave in Europe, and Škocjan, dubbed “the underground Grand Canyon”. Slovenia isn’t all about nature though. Ljubljana, its pretty capital, is brimming with cultural, architectural and foodie delights, on a par with destinations twice its size. Explore the city’s cobbled historic centre beneath the castle, sample Slovenian wines on a riverbank terrace or embrace your alternative side in army barracks-turned-bars. Then go hiking or cycling in the Julian Alps, take a dip in a mountain lake or try white-water rafting on the Soča river, followed by a rest day on the seaside.

Fly to Slovenia to:

• Stroll the pedestrianised old town of Ljubljana, then go for a loop along the riverbank, where cafés and restaurants merge into one long terrace in summer.
• Let your hair down at Ljubljana’s Metelkova Mesto, a former garrison that’s now home to colourful street art and an army of nightclubs and concert venues.
• Castle-hop from Ljubljana to Bled, Predjama or Celje, all within an hour’s drive of the capital – and one more romantic than the other.
• Soak up the impossible beauty of Lake Bled, with its photogenic church sitting on a fairy-tale islet, and enjoy the great outdoors in the surrounding area.
• Take a journey to the centre of the Earth by exploring the magnificent cave systems of Postojna and UNESCO World Heritage Site Škocjan in the Slovenian Karst region.
• Climb craggy alpine peaks – if you like a good challenge, do the local rite of passage and scale Mount Triglav, the country’s highest peak at 2,864 metres.
• Pick up some local produce at Ljubljana’s Central Market, including a jar of Slovenian honey, salt products from Piran or homemade cheeses and pršut (prosciutto-like ham).
• Visit the scenic, wine-rich Vipava Valley, dotted with stone churches and red-tiled roofs, and watch the sun duck behind the rolling hills with a glass of red teran in your hand.
• Splash around in the turquoise waters of the Adriatic and bask in the sunshine on the Slovenian coast, whose highlights include Piran, Koper and Izola.

The greenest of holidays

Slovenia is one of the world’s most environmentally-friendly nations. Recently it ranked fourth in the Planet and Climate category of the 2018 Good Country Index, which measures how much an individual country contributes to the common good of humanity. A case in point: Ljubljana, chosen as the “Green Capital of Europe” by the European Commission in 2016. Among its efforts to go green, the Slovenian capital has banned cars from its centre and has launched an electric car taxi scheme and a zero-waste recycling programme. But that’s not all. Slovenia is literally one of the greenest countries on the continent, with more than half of its land covered in forests, and its parks and nature reserves are home to over 20,000 different plants and animals. A nature lover’s paradise if we’ve ever seen one!

Architectural treasures from Ljubljana to the seaside

The country’s architecture may lack the grandeur of neighbouring Italy and Austria but its unassuming beauty captivates all the same. Ljubljana, with its compact historic centre in the shadow of a pretty hilltop castle, is an absolute joy to explore. Much of the Slovenian capital embodies the artistic vision of a single architect, Jože Plečnik, who graced the city with unusual bridges and spectacular buildings, including the Central Market and the National and University Library. If castles are your thing, take a day trip to the largest fortress in the country, the 13th-century Celje Castle, offering stunning views over winding rivers and forest-studded hills. Another must-see is Predjama Castle, just 10 kilometres from Postojna, built high inside a cliffside cave – castles hardly get more dramatic than this. And then there’s the glorious seaside. Piran, at the tip of a narrow peninsula in the south, is one of the loveliest towns on the entire Adriatic coastline, with pastel-coloured palaces, Italianate squares and labyrinthine passageways. Koper, 15 kilometres away, is larger and more industrial, but its medieval Old Town hides plenty of treasures, such as the arcaded Venetian Gothic Loggia and the Gothic-Renaissance Praetorian Palace, both from the 15th century.

Dramatic mountainscapes

Most likely, when you think of Slovenia, the first images that spring to mind are of Lake Bled. Hugged by snow-capped mountains and with a whitewashed church sitting on an islet in its centre, this brilliant blue lake looks straight out of a storybook. Climb up to the medieval clifftop castle for the best views, walk or cycle the 6-kilometre loop around the lake and go for a dip in the crystal-clear waters. Just a half-hour drive away, Lake Bohinj has a quieter, more isolated feel but the scenery is no less arresting, with Mount Triglav towering in the background. If you enjoy spectacular drives, take the twisty road from Bovec to Kranjska Gora, crossing Vršič Pass at 1,611 metres. Expect 50 pulse-raising hairpin bends and some of the most breathtaking views you’ve ever seen. For a quintessential alpine experience, make your way to Logarska Dolina, a 7.5-kilometre glacial valley cutting through the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, north of Ljubljana. The area is packed with natural attractions, including soaring peaks and green meadows, caves, springs and spraying waterfalls.

Thrill-seeking adventures

With thousands of kilometres of hiking trails, Slovenia is seventh heaven for walkers. The ultimate hike is the two-day trek to the top of Mount Triglav (“Three Heads”), standing at 2,864 metres. Slovenia’s highest peak occupies a near-mythic place in the nation’s heart: it appears on the country’s flag and every true Slovene is expected to climb it at least once in their lifetime. There are about 20 different routes to reach the summit – choose among them wisely and keep in mind that the last hour involves an exposed scramble on fairly challenging rocky terrain. If this sounds a bit too much, opt for a scenic walk in the 8-kilometre-long Valley of the Seven Lakes (there are actually ten, but never mind) between Bohinj and Trenta. Want to get your pulse racing? Head to Bovec and book a white-water rafting trip down the oh-so-blue river in the Soča Valley. There are class 5 rapids for the most adventurous, and canyoning, caving, ballooning and paragliding opportunities are available in the area, too. From December to March, the Julian Alps also offers great-value skiing for all levels. With 20 kilometres of pistes, Kranjska Gora is Slovenia’s largest and most popular resort, where slalom World Cup races are held regularly.