Slovenian sports and athletes
While winter sports are by far the most popular, Slovenia also excels in other areas.
Cycling. Slovenia is home to several top-level professional cyclists, starting with the incredible Tadej Pogačar, winner of the Tour de France in 2020 and 2021. The 25-year-old cyclist is the new prodigy of world cycling and has been dominating his discipline for several years now. But he's not the only cyclist from the country: we should also mention Primož Roglič, Olympic champion and winner of several Grand Tours, and Matej Mohorič, who has won three stages in the Tour de France. Slovenian cycling has a bright future ahead of it!
Basketball. Following the country's independence in 1991, Slovenia joined FIBA (the international federation) the following year. Since then, it has consistently qualified for European championships. Their good results in 2005 (6th) and 2009 (4th) enabled them to travel to Japan for the 2006 World Championships, where they finished 12th. After these convincing results, Slovenia had the honor of hosting EuroBasket in 2013, where it finished5th. But Slovenia really began to dominate European basketball in 2017, when it won the gold medal at the 2017 European Championships without losing a game. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Slovenia, led by star Luka Dončić, made it all the way to the semi-finals, where they were beaten by France in a thrilling match.
Handball. Slovenians are also fond of handball. Their national team has enjoyed some fine runs in international competitions. At Euro 2002, the men's team finished5th, beating Croatia in the process. At the 2003 World Championships in Portugal, they narrowly missed out on the quarter-finals. In 2004, the Slovenian team played in front of their home crowd at the European Championships and won the silver medal. After a short spell in the wilderness, the Slovenian team finished4th at the 2013 World Championships in Spain, before finishing 6th at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. A year later, the Slovenians won their first medal (bronze) at the World Championships held in France. Finally, at the 2020 European Championships, the Slovenians finished4th after falling in the match for3rd place to Norway, one of the host countries.
Hiking, the queen activity
There are numerous hiking and trekking trails of varying difficulty. More than 10,000 km of mountain trails cross the Julian Alps, the Kamnik-Savinja Alps and the Karavanke massif. In other words, there's plenty to do, whether you're a seasoned mountain biker or just a family looking for a good hike! The best time to make the most of the network is between late spring and early autumn, when almost all the mountain refuges are open.
As for the routes to choose from, there are over 700 themed trails in Slovenia, ranging from short to long distances. You could choose the Triglav Park and its peaks over 2,500 m, climb the canyons in the Soča Valley or take a walk in the Karst, not far from the sea.
Finally, it's worth noting that Nordic walking has been gaining ground in Slovenia in recent years. This special walking technique, which requires the use of poles, is considered ideal for maintaining the body and is suitable for all ages and levels. Although it can be practiced on any mountain path, it is even more enjoyable on specialized trails, such as in Šmarješke Toplice or in the Pomurje region.
Many water sports
Although a few Slovenian hotels offer swimming pools, most of our guests swim in the open sea, not only in the Adriatic, but also inland, in the lakes of Bled and Bohinj or in the popular Kolpa river.
Rafting, like canoeing and kayaking, enjoys great popularity, thanks in particular to the magnificent spot offered by the turbulent turquoise waters of the Soča. The starting point for these activities remains the town of Tolmin, some 30 km north of Nova Gorica. The upper reaches of the Save river, the Savinja (Styria), the Kolpa (Bela Krajina) and the Krka (Lower Carniola) also offer good rafting profiles. The many agencies along these rivers rent out equipment and take you back to your starting point.
Hydrospeeding is also very popular in Slovenian whitewater, especially on the Soča and Save rivers: equipped with a small float, flippers and protective gear, you descend the rivers in direct contact with the water.
A number of sites also lend themselves to extreme canyoning. The Sušec and Fratarca gorges (Soča valley), and the Grmečica and Jerečica gorges (Lake Bohinj) are the most suitable sites. Please note that a guide is required!
Finally, in fine weather, the underwater coastal relief between Piran and Strunjan is ideal for diving: in addition to the underwater flora and fauna, you'll have the chance to discover the wrecks of military vessels and cargo ships sunk during the Second World War. Last but not least, Lake Divje jezero, near Idrija, is also a popular destination for scuba divers.
A renowned spa resort
Thermalism and wellness tourism have long attracted visitors keen to take care of themselves. Slovenia's spa resorts are legion.
At Terme Čatež, on the Croatian-Slovenian border on the road between Ljubljana and Zagreb, for example, you'll find the largest open-air pool complex in this part of Europe. Dobrna, in the north-east of the country, bears witness to Slovenia's long spa tradition, having been in operation since 1403. The Dolenjske Toplice and Moravske Toplice thermal baths are among the most famous establishments in the country, and have been renowned since the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. If this very specific type of tourism is successful here, it's undoubtedly due to the past geology of the eastern part of the country: the Pannonian Sea covered this piece of territory several million years ago, and the Romans in their time had already discovered the beneficial effects of these thermal waters.
