When April comes, the sun and Spring are already well settled in Slovenia. The outdoors are getting back their green colors that are constitutive of the Slovene identity. April is the perfect moment for outdoor lovers who want to experience temperatures that are getting warmer and days that are becoming longer.
If you are looking for the best way to spend cheap and unbothered Easter holidays, Slovenia is made for you. Even the most popular places in the country, like Lake Bled or Lake Bohinj, are still empty of tourists. You will enjoy great prices and lovely accommodations while having the chance to get lost in nature.
However, April is busy with traditional events, and you can do about every activity of your choice in the country. You can begin to swim in the hot springs, ski in the highest mountains, enjoy water sports, and peaceful hikes with breathtaking views. Here are all the tips you need to know and activity ideas to learn how to enjoy April at its most!
1. It is Still Possible to Ski in April in Slovenia! Head to Kranjska Gora for the Full Experience
Easter Holidays are great for families who want to be able to ski without being bothered by crowds and too heavy snow or rainfalls. The weather is ideal in April in Slovenia since the highest mountains (and there are many high mountains in the country) still offer excellent snowy slopes in the comfort of authentic ski resorts.
Skiing is not really expensive in Slovenia compared to its more renowned neighbors, and it costs even less at the end of the season, in April. You have plenty of choices to spend your ski holidays in the country, but the best would be to head to the northwestern part of the country to enjoy the most popular ski resort in Slovenia: Kranjska Gora.
In Kranjska Gora, you will be pleased with a comprehensive collection of ski activities but also way more. Spring is a great time to enjoy the beautiful views on the mountains from Lake Jasna, one of the most beautiful and picturesque lakes in the country, that is located right in town.
The frame of a charming alpine village will inevitably leave you with unforgettable memories. At the same time, its ideal location will easily allow you to visit neighboring Austria and Italy and some of the most beautiful regions of Slovenia. Visiting Kranjska Gora at this time of the year will let you prolong the magic of Winter with the snow and enjoy the pleasures of the sun before Summer.
2. Vršič Pass Opens to Cars: Head to the Soca Valley
After a few days in Kranjska Gora, you are in the perfect corner of Slovenia to discover the wonderful Soca Valley. April is the time of the year when the Vršič Pass reopens to cars after being closed during Winter. There is still snow in the mountains, which makes it beautiful, but you can travel through this beautiful pass and take excellent hiking paths.
Make sure to take some medication before taking this road if you are afraid of turns: there are more than 50 of them! However, you will not regret it: the views are amazing, between the forest, the snowy mountains, and the diverse attractions. On your way up, you can, for example, stop by a Russian monument erected for prisoners who died during an avalanche. The memorial is built in the shape of a lovely Russian church, which is worth the stop.
When arriving at the top of the pass, you will be welcomed by numerous adorable sheeps. Stop there for a picnic with amazing views of the mountains and the valley, but stay focus if you do not want these cute animals to steal your lunch. Then, you can even buy some souvenirs before driving to the other side of the pass.
On your way down, there will be plenty of viewpoints to stop and wonder at, but what awaits you in the valley is even more beautiful. Welcome to the Soca Valley, home of the bluest river ever. Discover Bovec and the Spring of the river, visit the incredible Gorge and Small Gorge before heading to the numerous attractions of Kobarid and Tolmin. This will probably be the most beautiful memory of your trip, if not of your life.
3. Enjoy a Sweet Visit to the Radovljica Chocolate Festival
Radovljica is a charming village located between Ljubljana and the Triglav National Park. It is also the closest town to the famous Bled Lake. Accessible with a 45-minute drive from the capital, this wonderful medieval town is a critical step for every visitor of Bled Lake and its surroundings. Radovljica is perfect if you want to discover an authentic city.
Here, you will be pleased with the sweetness of life, so characteristic of the Julian Alps and combined with the full Slovenian experience. Even outside the festival, Radvoljica is an obliged passage if you want to taste Slovenia’s best chocolate and honey. The town has a lot of traditions, but most of all, a renowned culinary heritage.
Enjoy the beautiful churches (such as Saint Peter’s, the most impressive one) and monuments, and most importantly, have a taste of one of the authentic gostilnas’ menus. However, keep some room for the most important thing: chocolate! During the festival, you will be able to try Slovenia’s most popular chocolate brand, Gorenjka, as well as the numerous desserts and sweets made from the best chocolates in the country.
You can purchase some tasting coupons and enjoy the sweetness of the cultural and entertainment side program that encompasses concerts, culinary workshops, street performances, cooking shows, and a meeting with the Chocolate Queen, among many other features. The kids also have a particular program just for them, in order to satisfy everyone and make this weekend memorable!
4. Celebrate Saint George’s Fair (Jurjev Sejem) with the inhabitants in Ptuj
If you wish to discover Slovenia’s eastern side, Ptuj is a compulsory step. The town encompasses well the spirit of the region with its touristic shops and restaurants, impressive medieval castle, and the view on its beautiful river. You will find many attractions and events in the center of the city, and especially in April. The weather also becomes ideal at the end of the month, so make sure to book your trip around April 23rd!
On this date, the inhabitants of Ptuj celebrate Saint George’s Fair inside the walls of the historic city. Every street and square is decorated on the day of the 23rd, and people come from all around Slovenia to celebrate this day. On the actual date of the fair, a showstopper Medieval market is organized. It will provide you every product you want and the feeling of going back in time!
Aside from the medieval market, you will find about 150 exhibitors every year. It is a very nice place to take your time and enjoy the quietness of the town. After your visit to the different stalls, you can head to the beautiful Ptuj Castle and appreciate the current temporary exposition.
If you wish to stay a little more in town, you can go for a day or two to the town’s thermal baths, before visiting the main attractions. You should especially see the Town’s tower, the beautiful Roman Temple called Mithras Shrine III, as well as the Orpheus Monument. Ptuj is rich in culture and history and is a secret gem, so it will surely please you!
5. Visit a Museum to Escape the Rain in Ljubljana
The blossoming outdoors should not prevent you from visiting the beautiful capital of Slovenia. It is a great spot because it is a vibrant city with a lot of animations organized throughout the year. In April, you can spend your Sunny afternoons in the city’s Open Market, a kind of culinary fair held every week between March and October.
However, if you stay quite a long time in April, you will probably have to face at least one rainy day. This is not a problem in Ljubljana, since the city can easily be admired even under the rain or from the inside of a warm café or restaurant. Furthermore, this capital has a lot of cultural and historical venues that are worth visiting, no matter the weather.
Ljubljana is gifted with numerous historical museums and attractions. You can start the day with a visit to Ljubljana Castle and its multiple exhibitions before heading to the National Historical Museum, the Railway Museum, or again the Ethnographic Museum, located in the Museum quarter of Metelkova. You can then visit some parts of Emona, the ancient Roman city, which gave birth to modern Ljubljana.
If you are looking for more artistic venues, Ljubljana has everything you can wish for. There are numerous art galleries in town, especially if you go to the end of the Town Hall’s street. It will also allow you to see the beautiful historical center in the rain. After that, you can head to the National Gallery or the Modern Museum of Art of Metelkova, among many other choices.
6. Wander at the Spring Horticulture Fair near Kamnik
Every mid or late April, the lovely small town of Volčji Potok, located near Kamnik and then not far from Ljubljana, hosts the beautiful Horticultural and Handicraft Fair for about a week. The village’s renowned and famous arboretum showcases the beautiful Spring Flower Show and gathers lots of people coming from all around the country.
The events are diverse, and they allow you to discover the beautiful garden, its balcony plants and vegetable seedlings, and above all, its breathtaking tulips. The artists of the arboretum create for two weeks a wonderful tapestry of colorful tulips. Do not miss this flory fairytale; I assure you that it will be worth it!
Arboretum Volčji Potok
Volčji Potok 3, 1235 Radomlje
Phone: +386 1 831 23 45
Mail: info@arboretum.si
Website: https://www.arboretum.si/en/events/spring-flower-show/
7. Discover Slovenian History during National Resistance Day
Each April 27th, Slovenia celebrates one of its most important national holidays, National Resistance Day. Also known as Dan upora proti okupatorju or as the Day of the Liberation Front until 1992, this event honors the date of its creation, on April 27th, 1941. For a few years, this holiday has been contested by some members of the right and alt-right, but it remains really important in the country.
On this occasion, some choose to go back to the house of Josip Vidmar, located in Ljubljana, which was the location of the first anti-Imperialist front meeting during World War II. In the capital, you can also visit the office of the current president of Slovenia, Borut Pahor. Some events are also traditionally held in Sromlje, in the eastern part of the country, in Styria. A complete program is planned every year on the mountain Boč.
8. Salt Pans Festival in Piran
If you are looking for a fun way to discover the Slovene coast in April, when you are not able to swim yet, the Salt Pans Festival is made for you. It will allow you to get lost in the fantastic Sečovlje Salt Pans National Park and admire the magnificent views on the coast and the Moon Bay.
This is a unique opportunity to discover the authentic traditions of salt-making in Slovenia, which is truly a form of art. The beautiful medieval town of Piran hosts a wonderful Salt fair every year in April, where you can taste the finest delicacies and assist in numerous cultural and historical events.
You will learn every Slovenian legend about Salt, like the legend of Saint George, and get a closer look at 700 years of salt art and creations. It is a great chance to learn how locals lived back then when salt was the most significant income source. Piran and its Salt Pans will never cease to surprise you!
9. Visit the Sunny Coast for a Foretaste of Summer
Once in Piran for the festival, you cannot resist a visit to this charming town. Go wander and get lost in its breathtaking and authentic narrow alleys, where inhabitants still dry their clothes. You can also meet a cat or two on your way to the town’s beautiful belvedere or one of its many other viewpoints.
Take some beautiful pictures of the square Tartini during the day and later at night, and admire a fantastic sunset shining on both the Croatian and Italian coasts. The weather already allows you to have a nice and cheap drink on a lovely terrace, and to eat a delicious pizza, as you are really close to Italy and its wonderful pizza tradition.
Furthermore, a visit to the Slovenian seaside resort can give you the chance to head up to Trieste, just behind the Italian border. You will be there in a blinking of an eye to enjoy this charming city and its excellent Italian culinary specialties.
If you stay several days on the Slovenian Adriatic coast, you can also walk along the water and head by foot from Piran to Izola or Koper. Piran is the most beautiful town on the 25 kilometers of coast, but the others are still definitely worth the sight.
10. Experience New Easter Traditions in Slovenia
One of the best things about visiting Slovenia in April is having the chance to be part of the Easter celebrations that are in full swing all around the country. Be prepared for numerous fun egg hunts with your kids, and most importantly, for Easter food! On this occasion, Slovenians love to make traditional food, that you will also find more in restaurants, shops, and cafés.
The Easter culinary specialties in Slovenia include, of course, Potica, Slovenia’s national holiday cake, but also one of its far-off cousins, the Colombe, that is mostly savored at this time of the year. Those who eat pork will also be pleased with the Slovenian tradition of easter ham: this is an absolute must-try!
If you are looking for the best place in Slovenia to enjoy the celebrations, the answer is: just about everywhere! Head to Idrija if you want to observe their beautiful Easter Eggs that inhabitants decorate well with the fantastic local lace. Closer to Ljubljana, the city of Vrhnica, also has its version of lace and Easter eggs.
Finally, you can stop for a while in Bela Krajina to find the most unique pisanke (handcrafted and well decorated Paschal Eggs). They are very important in this area of Slovenia since they are one of the symbols of this region, beautifully nestled along the Kolpa river.
Enjoy Sunny Slovenia and its Blossoming Outdoors!
April is one of the best months to visit Slovenia since the weather is particularly pleasing, and the outdoors and central attractions are uncrowded. But above all, the country is in one of its best seasons, with its beautiful flowers blossoming everywhere and striking colors. Slovenia is unique and will provide you any kind of landscapes you can wish for, from a beautiful medieval coast to ancient castles nestled above rivers and green valleys, to impressive green plains and forests providing amazing views on the white mountains.
If you are interested in connecting with the locals when they are not yet bothered by the numerous tourists, feel free to check our article in order to learn how to speak like a true Slovenian.
