Slovenia
Ski Holidays

All of Slovenia’s resorts are family-friendly. The slopes of Vogel-Bohinj are perfect for children, offering endless possibilities for sledging and their first turns. There’s a free children’s snow park with a ‘magic carpet’ ski lift, a slope for tobogganing and a carousel. Parents can watch from the terrace of the Viharnik Inn. There are also plenty of alternate activities for non-skiers, from snowshoe hiking to sleigh rides to trips to the spa.

Slovenia’s ski resorts are great for beginners as they’re smaller and mostly comprised of wide and easy blue runs. Kransjska Gora, Slovenia’s premier resort, is ideal for beginners, with 13 of its 17 runs rated easy. Maribor Pohrje is also a good bet – over half of its 41.5km of pistes are blue. Vogel has a good selection of blue runs too, as well a handful of steeper red runs for those who want a challenge.

Slovenia’s ski resorts are not as high as their counterparts in the western Alps. As a result, the season doesn’t last as long. But when conditions are good, the snow is magical. Kanin is Slovenia’s highest ski resort, where the cable car takes you to 2,202m. Vogel is another sure bet, with skiing up to 1,800m while in Kransjska Gora and Maribor Pohorje, the skiing goes up to around 1,300m.

The culinary delights of Slovenia are unique and feature specialities such as home made dumplings filled with cottage cheese, Kranj sausage as well as meatballs and stew. Another is gorenjska prata or budl, a loaf stuffed with smoked meat and bread – just what you need to keep cold away (but don’t worry, there are plenty of places to get a pizza too.) Something else that may help ward off the cold is borovničevec, a local blueberry brandy. Slovenia is also home to rich, historical and diverse wines.

In general the après ski is a bit more chilled in Slovenia than its more hedonistic neighbour Austria, but there are always exceptions to the rule, especially around a big event. In Kranjska Gora they bring in DJs from every genre to the Kosobrin cabin on special occasions to party the night away. With its dartboard, billiard tables and disco that continues to the early hours, Pub Legende is otherwise the local après hotspot. But you don’t have to party. You could just continue the skiing. Maribor Pohorje is famous for one of the longest night-skiing pistes in Europe.

The Julian Alps are becoming increasingly popular for backcountry skiers seeking out fresh powder. Hiring a guide here is also less expensive than elsewhere. In good conditions the resort of Vogel offers some great off-piste to the side of the pistes and through the trees. Organised ski tours can also be arranged in the Triglav national park near Kransjska Gora where guides will lead you to the top of a peak before skiing back down through untracked snow.

Both Kransjska Gora and Vogel lie within an hour of Ljubljana’s airport, which is easily reached with regular flights out of the UK, making Slovenia perfect for a short or weekend hit. Ljubljana itself is a beautiful and historic city with many great restaurants, museums and shopping areas if you wanted to combine mountains with some culture.

The ski season in Slovenia begins in December and lasts until April, depending on conditions. Not being as high as the Alpine resorts the safest months are usually January and February. But March can also be a great month – it’s also a very popular time with more sunshine and events happening on and off the snow and plenty of good deals about.