Slovenia is a Central European country bordering Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, and the Adriatic Sea. It was inhabited by Illyrians and Celts before the Roman Empire claimed it. After the fall of the empire, Slovenia was ruled by various foreign powers until it united with Croats and Serbs to form Yugoslavia. Slovenia declared independence in 1991 and is now a member of NATO and the EU. It offers affordable tourism, beaches, the Škocjan Caves, and the Julian Alps. It can be reached by air, bus, or train.
Slovenia is a medium-sized country in Central Europe. It covers 7,800 square miles (20,300 square km), making it just a little smaller than the state of New Jersey. It borders Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Italy and has a coastline along the Adriatic Sea.
The land that is Slovenia today was inhabited mainly by Illyrians and Celts, before the 1st century AD At that time the Roman Empire, after a long military campaign, finally claimed the territory as its own, dividing it into several Roman provinces.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, various parts of today’s Slovenia went their own way. A large section became part of the Tribal Union of Samos, eventually becoming an independent duchy and later joining the Frankish Kingdom. Slovenes were in charge of their own fate for a time, but in the 9th century they started to be ruled by foreigners. Parts of the territory were under some degree of control of the Bavarians and the Venetians.
Beginning in the 14th century parts of what is now Slovenia were controlled by the Habsburgs, who ruled the lands until the end of World War I. Even with this Germanic influence, the Slovenes kept their culture and language quite fiercely. This continuation of their culture later fueled nationalist sentiment, leading to great autonomy under their Habsburg rulers.
Slovenes united with Croats and Serbs after World War I to form a collective state, eventually renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. Despite a brief period of Yugoslavia being controlled by the Axis powers during World War II, Yugoslavia continued as a unified nation through the 1980s.
As communism weakened throughout Eastern Europe in the late 1980s, the spirit of nationalism was inevitably rekindled in Slovenia. After an effective Serbian takeover in 1989, things started to go downhill. In 1990 Slovenians voted overwhelmingly for independence, which was declared in 1991. Initially this met with resistance from the Yugoslav government, but after Slovenia demonstrated its willingness and ability to defend itself in the 10-Day War , its independence was finally recognized.
Unlike many of its Eastern European neighbors, Slovenia has had a relatively easy time integrating with collectivist organizations in Western Europe. Slovenia is a member of both NATO and the European Union, helping it become more economically stable and open to more widespread tourism and trade.
Slovenia is one of Western Europe’s cheaper destinations, and while it’s no longer unknown to tourists, it’s still much quieter and less crowded than many neighboring countries to the west. Beaches are dotted along the nation’s coast on the Adriatic, offering great outdoor experiences for part of the year. The Škocjan Caves are also a world-famous destination and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offering the quite unique opportunity to walk over a dizzyingly deep chasm on little more than a rickety footbridge. The Julian Alps are also a wonderful trip, offering scenic views and remarkable skiing.
You can reach Slovenia by air via most major European cities, and both buses and trains have regular connections to the capital Ljubljana.
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