Everything you need to know about visiting Slovenia on a budget

28.04.2024 - 08:31 / lonelyplanet.com

Without question, you can spend plenty of money in Slovenia. In every corner of the country, there are enough high-end resorts, wellness centers, hotels, vineyards and restaurants to make any five-star visitor feel at home. But it's also an ideal destination for budget travelers.

General day-to-day prices remain relatively reasonable: a pint of beer, for example, costs about €3.50 and inter-city bus tickets run anywhere from €6 to €12. Plus, this Central European nation values a roll-up-your-sleeves approach to discovery, meaning walking between villages and cycling through regions is often the best way to experience all there is on offer.

Ljubljana Airport is the only game in town for flying directly to Slovenia but the airport has struggled to lure international carriers following the 2019 collapse of the national airline, Adria Airways. This means cheap or convenient connections can be hard to find.

A pro tip is to consider traveling to larger airports in countries that border Slovenia: Croatia, Italy, Austria and Hungary. Zagreb, for example, is just a 90-minute drive away, or two-and-a-half hours by train, and Venice has bus and train connections too. Both cities have busy international airports and better odds for flight deals.

Find out more about traveling around Europe by train in our expert guide.

Seeing Ljubljana’s historic castle is usually the first item on any visitor’s list. A funicular can whisk you up in a couple of minutes without breaking a sweat for €6 (per adult/return) but consider taking a walk up the guided path to the castle. Sure, it’s 20 minutes of huffing and puffing, but the views are great and it's completely free.

Slovenian street food is cheap, filling and good. Look out for stands selling burek (flaky pastry, stuffed with meat or cheese) or tasty Carniolan sausages, served with mustard and a slice of bread.

Ljubljana’s sprawling Central Market, situated just off the Triple Bridge, is filled with shops and stalls selling farm-fresh meats, cheeses, bread, fruits and vegetables. It’s an ideal spot to plan a gourmet picnic.

On Friday afternoons from March to November return to the market area for the weekly “Open Kitchen” (Odprta kuhna), when restaurateurs set up truck-food-type stalls and offer their most popular dishes at reduced prices.

A splurge on a gourmet dinner is part of the fun of traveling to Slovenia, but on days when that’s not on the cards, plan to eat out at lunch instead. Many spots offer multi-course, set-price lunches that can be much cheaper than standard dinner menus – but equally delicious. Look for set lunches or daily specials noted on chalkboards, or simply ask the waiter for the special meal deals that day.

Culture in Slovenia is priced to be accessible.