Health, vaccinations and medical care in Slovenia

Cover

• EU and EEA visitors: carry your EHIC. It gives access to state healthcare on the same terms as a resident.
• UK visitors: the GHIC does the same job. Neither card is travel insurance, and neither covers repatriation or a private clinic.
• Travel insurance still matters for anything the state system does not cover.

Ticks

• Slovenia has one of the highest incidences of tick-borne encephalitis in Europe. This is not a marginal warning here.
• The season runs roughly April to October and the whole country is a risk area.
• The vaccine is genuinely worth having if you are hiking, camping or spending time in forests - which in Slovenia, over half of which is forested, is most outdoor activity. The course takes weeks, so discuss it well before you travel.
• Lyme disease is the commoner infection. Cover up, use repellent, check yourself every evening.

Everyday health

• Tap water is excellent and drinkable everywhere, including from mountain springs marked as potable.
• Pharmacies (lekarna) are well stocked.
• Care is good throughout, with the main hospitals in Ljubljana and Maribor.