Responsible tourism issues
Our Slovenia Vacations
Slovenia activity vacation for families with teenagers
Perfect adventure for families, teenagers & active children
Slovenia tailor made tour
Mixture of Slovenian highlights through the eyes of locals
Slovenia hiking vacation in the Julian Alps
Hiking vacation around the incredible Julian Alps
Slovenia photographic vacation
Capture stunning Slovenian alpine scenery in autumn colours
Slovenia vacations, Lakes & Mountains
Beautiful walks, lakes and mountains
Slovenia winter photography vacation
Photograph the most beautiful time in Julian Alps - Winter
Slovenia vacation, multi sport
Rafting, canoeing, hydrospeeding, hiking, kayaking
Slovenia lake swimming vacation
Swim in the stunning lakes of Slovenia, Italy, Austria
Women only mountain biking in Slovenia
"Women only" escape to the mountains in Slovenia
Julian Alps walking vacation in Slovenia
Explore the valleys and lakes of stunning Slovenia
Slovenia food and wine tour
Savor Slovenia's wine/culinary traditions the Slow Food way
Slovenia photography vacation
Small group photo tour led by expert local photographers
Weekend ski vacation in Slovenia
The perfect long weekend ski package in Slovenia
Alpine lakes of Slovenia vacation
Glistening glacial lakes, steep mountain cliffs, rambling caves
South Eastern Europe motorcycle tours
Enjoy South Eastern Europe with friendly guides + good bikes
Highlights of Slovenia vacation
Explore this hidden green pearl in the center of Europe.
Slovenia highlights vacation, self drive
Independent exploration of Slovenia's natural wonders
Slovenia 4 day skiing vacation
Ski Slovenia's 4 biggest resorts in 4 days!
Family ski safari vacation, Slovenia, Italy & Austria
Ski safari in 3 different countries, with other fun families
Croatia and Slovenia biking vacation
A spectacular karst environment perfect for mountain biking
Balkans cultural vacation
Best of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro
Balkans multi activity vaction
Experience Multisport Adventure in four Balkan Countries
Slovenia E-bike vacation in the Julian Alps
A weekend on e-bikes around Slovenian Alps!
Dubrovnik to Venice tour
Discover Croatia, Slovenia and Italy
Single track mountain biking vacation in Europe
Biking "off the radar" trails in Slovenia
Dubrovnik to Bled tour, Croatia and Slovenia
Visit Croatia and Slovenia on a tour from Dubrovnik to Bled
E-bike tour from Italy to Austria
Bike through Italy, Croatia, Austria and Slovenia
Trieste to Pula cycling tour, self guided
From Trieste to Pula wonderful bike expercience
Croatia & Slovenia small group vacation
8 day journey from enchanting Bled to medieval Split.
People & Culture
Cruising in
Despite having just the narrowest sliver of Adriatic coastline, Slovenia – sandwiched between the packed passenger ports of Venice and Dubrovnik – finds itself on a growing number of large cruise ship itineraries, having received its first vessel as recently as 2005. Koper is Slovenia’s main port; its picturesque old town and proximity to the Alps and Ljubljana make it an understandable favourite with cruise ship passengers. With the largest ships containing up to 3,800 passengers – in a city of just 25,000 inhabitants – the impact of overtourism is being felt.While Koper Bay has done an admirable job of reducing pollution from both cruise and cargo ships (the nearby beach was awarded Blue Flag status), the tidal waves of day trippers bring questionable benefit to Koper and to Slovenia. Free tourist trains run directly from the port around the town – denying income to local transport providers. Interaction with taxi drivers is strictly controlled; they are only permitted to offer three set tours at fixed prices. Shuttle buses take passengers straight out of Koper and into the surrounding large shopping malls, whisking them away from local shops and cafes.
For those who want to explore further, large coaches carry up to 50 people at a time on daytrips to the surrounding villages, lakes and mountains; often, more time is spent on the coach than exploring the local sights – a particular problem in a country which has identified road traffic as one of its biggest environmental issues. Worse, some excursions even carry passengers into neighbouring Italy for the day, withdrawing any possible benefit from Slovenia. And for those that do stay behind, the spilling of thousands of passengers into Koper’s narrow streets for several chaotic hours can spoil the charming atmosphere for those visitors who are vacationing here for longer.
Book a low-impact small ship cruise instead of barrowing in on a behemoth. It’s a more unique, personalised experience, and much more beneficial to local boat owners and guides. There are also numerous ways you can give your business to guesthouses, restaurants, cafes, market stall holders and craftspeople – the more local, the better!
Wildlife & environment
Keeping a rich variety
Around 26,000 animal and plant species have been identified in Slovenia, with over 800 endemic. Underground life in the amazing system of karstic caverns are a particular strongpoint. However, 8 percent of mammals (including brown bears), 27 percent of bird species, and almost half of all freshwater fish species are threatened – mainly by pollution. The most endangered habitat types are coastal, marine and inland waters, marshes and wetlands, humid and wet grasslands, and subterranean habitats.While excellent environmental laws are in place, and 10 percent of the country declared as protected landscapes, implementation can be patchy due to a bureaucratic divide between national government and local authorities. The situation isn't helped by a lack of co-ordination between neighbouring local authorities over issues like land use. The failure to check urban sprawl and fragmentation of habitats over the past two decades has also made the transition to more environmentally sustainable development more difficult.
What you can do
Don't do anything likely to cause environmental harm (e.g. littering, damaging trees, lighting fires). Buy products from Slovenian businesses operating under sustainable tourism principles, and look for accommodation that works as ethically as possible within the local environment and local communities. Consider contributing to major environmental organisations working in Slovenia such as Greenpeace.
A different type of green
Slovenia and golf have a long history – its first course was created in 1937 close to the shores of Lake Bled for the Yugoslav royal family. There are now 13 golf courses in this diminutive country – and only four have been GEO Certified™ by the international Golf Environment Organisation. The proliferation of courses contrasts with Slovenia’s biodiversity commitments, as well as with its commitment to responsible tourism; golf courses are, naturally, built in some of the most stunning landscapes, which can act as a deterrent to tourists who would like to come to enjoy pristine scenery.What you can do
Demonstrate that there are plenty of other ways to enjoy being outdoors in Slovenia: pay your national park entrance fees, take part in activities such as walking, cycling and horse riding to boost income and jobs that depend on keeping nature, well, natural.