Lonely Planet Slovenia (Country Guide)

 (16 customer reviews)

I took this book with me on a trip to Slovenia in September-October 2004, when it was hot off the presses. My travels didn't cover the whole country, just the western half, so I can't speak for all of the book's recommendations. But, in general, I found it immensely helpful, both for planning my trip and for day-to-day guidance while traveling. Some comments:

1. Slovenia's currency hasn't stabilized yet, so expect prices to vary upward, especially now that the Euro is so high against the dollar. Big deal; it's still a comparatively inexpensive country. (I went to a rip-off-the-tourists but very good restaurant in Ljubljana, had a full dinner and a half-liter of wine -- and my total bill was $20!)
2. The famous disappearing Lake Cerknicka does indeed disappear for a large part of the year, so it's likely that all you'll see is a bumpy plain covered with grass. On a related subject, the Soca River valley is beautiful, but in the fall the water is low, so anyone...Read more

I spent an entire summer in Ljubljana as an English speaker, and I used this book almost exclusively in preparing for my trip, and as a guidebook while I was there. This is the most informative and helpful guide to Slovenia that exists for English speakers. It is great for learning about history, culture, language basics, lodging, and transportation. The book is broken down into sections on regions and major cities. In a word it is priceless for anyone visiting Slovenia.

Slovenia has changed greatly since it declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Unfortunately, the 1998 edition of this book hasn't always kept up. If anyone ever publishes a more recent English language guidebook to Slovenia, I recommend also buying that one.

The book contains information and opinions that are sometimes incomplete, incorrect or mystifying. An example (p. 147) is referring to the Church of St. John the Baptist on Lake Bohinj as "the most beautiful and evocative church in all of Slovenia." Wrong. This church "evokes" only amazement and disbelief, as its poor condition makes it look almost abandoned. There are many more worthwhile churches to visit in Ljubljana alone, but at least there is still the lake to visit while you're there.

Another example of this book's misleading and/or outright incorrect information is a description (p. 261) of the Three Parishes churches at Rosalnice. These are characterized as "important pilgrimage sites...Read more