Everyday practical information for Slovenia

Power

• 230 V, 50 Hz, sockets type C and F.

Language

• Slovene is a South Slavic language with a rare feature - the dual, a grammatical number for exactly two things. Nobody expects you to learn it.
• English is spoken to a very high standard, especially by anyone under fifty. Slovenia is among the best non-native English-speaking countries in Europe.
• Italian and Hungarian are co-official in the border regions; German is widely understood.
• "Dober dan" is hello, "hvala" is thank you.

Practicalities

• Slovenia is not Slovakia. They are different countries 400 km apart, their embassies famously used to redirect each other's mail, and Slovenes are tired of it.
• Shops close on Sundays outside tourist areas.
• The country is genuinely small - you can drive from the Alps to the Adriatic in under two hours, which changes how you plan a trip.

Outdoors

• Slovenes take hiking and skiing seriously and the trail network is superb and well marked.
• Mountain huts (koce) require booking in season and often take cash only.