A guide to weather in Slovenia
The Central European country of Slovenia has four seasons similar to in the UK, but weather conditions vary greatly around the country even on the same day. The south, east and central regions have a pleasant climate, while the western coastal area enjoys more sunshine and higher temperatures, but conditions are much cooler in the mountainous north. As it is a small country – about the size of Wales – it’s really easy to get around and take in lots of the country’s sights during your holidays to Slovenia. You might want to factor in some of the following weather conditions when thinking about your travels.
Southwest
The small area of southwestern Slovenia that borders the sea – known as the Slovenian Riviera – is where most visitors set up base, so here’s what you can expect. The warmest month to visit coastal towns such as Portoroz and Piran is July, with average temperatures of 24°C and highs of 28°C – perfect if you don’t like your holiday to be too hot.
Even if you’re not planning Slovenia holidays in peak season, a stay in May or September will see average temperatures of around 18 to 19°C. You can get out and be active without getting too much of a sweat on during these months, although there is likely to be slightly more rain – about the same as London this time of year.
Central
The capital Ljubljana is situated right in the centre of Slovenia where, in summer, the weather is very similar to the UK. Again, the warmest month is July, but this central area is cooler than the Slovenian coast at 20°C average for the month. However, with high humidity levels here the heat can feel warmer than the centigrade reading.
Generally speaking, Ljubljana is one of the wettest capitals in Europe and you’d be best to avoid visiting in October when the most rain falls. The city also experiences quite a lot of fog, which is pleasingly atmospheric when it washes over the historic buildings, especially at twilight.
Northwest
The poster boy of Slovenia’s attractions, Lake Bled is situated in northwest Slovenia. With its beautiful backdrop of alpine forest and mountains, it’s no wonder that things are somewhat chillier up here. In the warmest month of July, Bled has an average temperature of 10°C, but in contrast to the rest of Slovenia, the most rain falls in August. A fairly substantial 155mm of rain falls across the month and it rains almost every day throughout August, and only slightly less in July.
Therefore, if you want to combine a seaside stay with a trip up to the gorgeous green Lake Bled, you might wish to stay in Slovenia in May, which is much drier and when temperatures remain above freezing. Between November and March temperatures are almost always below 0°C in the northwest, with February providing optimum conditions if you want to ski or snowboard in the area.
East
You might like to venture over to east Slovenia to visit its oldest town of Ptuj and some of the nation’s finest vineyards. Similarly to the rest of the country, the warmest months are July and August here, with average temperatures of 19°C, however the most rainfall also occurs between June and August. Therefore, a good time to visit would be May or September, with less rain and average temperatures of 15 or 16°C.