For such a small country, the diversity of geography and climate in Slovenia is quite remarkable. In Slovenia we have mountains, rolling hills, flat plains and a coast line on the Adriatic sea. From the centre of Slovenia, which is practically at the point where the capital city, Ljubljana, is located, you can reach any part of Slovenia within a couple of hours.
Slovenia is bordered by four different countries, Austria to the north, Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, and Hungary to the north-east.
 The alpine areas of Slovenia which are located in the north of the country include the Julian Alps, Karavanke range, Kamnik Alps, Savinjske alps and Pohorie.
The Julian Alps are home to the highest mountain, Mt Triglav, the biggest national park, and the largest lake in Slovenia. The Julian Alps and the surrounding region is reknowned as an area of outstanding natural beauty and the three resorts of Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj and Kranjska Gora are all located here. The climate is typically characterised by cold snowy winters and pleasantly warm summers. Springtime and the Autumn can also provide lots of warm sunny days but you can also expect the most rainfall during these seasons.
 The more central and eastern regions which include Ljubljana and the Dolenjska Spa areas have landscapes which are dominated by rolling hills of dense forest and wide, fertile river valleys. In fact, Slovenia can claim to be one of the most green countries in Europe with over 60% of its land covered by trees. In the more isolated parts of the forests in the south east, brown bears still roam in the wild. The climate here can be described as central european, with temperatures quite similar to the UK but with slightly colder winters and slightly warmer summers.
 The coastal area in the south-west of Slovenia has a mediterranean climate, so you can expect hot and sunny summers and respectable temperatures in both the Spring and Autumn time. Winters tend to be warmer compared to the rest of Slovenia but on windy days the temperatures can become quite chilly. The landscape is dominated by rolling hills covered by vineyards, olive groves and cyprus trees, and is comparable to regions of Italy such as Tuscany. The Slovenian coast is quite small, just 46km in length and is home to the popular seaside resort of Portorož. There are several small old towns along the coast, including Piran and Izola for example, where the influence of neighbouring Italy is evident in the Venetian style of archtecture.
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• The specialities of the coastal region include cold cuts, especially the air dried ham (pršut) and of course fresh sea food. Slovenia caters particularly well for those with a sweet tooth.
• Practically every region of the country produces its own speciality cakes and pastries which are mouthwatering.
• Slovenia produces some excellent wines, beers and schnapps. There are broadly speaking three main wine regions, one in the north-east (Podravje), one in the south-east (Posavje) and one in the south-west (Primorje). In the north-east mainly white wine is produced including the drier varieties Haložan and Chardonnay, and the sweeter varieties Laški Rizling and Traminec. In the south-east the speciality wine is a dry rose wine called Cviček. 
• In the south-west, by the coast and inland adjacent to the Italian border, a lot of different red and white wines are produced including the familiar grape varieties of Merlot, Cabernet, Sauvignon and the less known Refošk and Teran which are unique to Slovenia. Therefore, Slovenia produces a diverse range of wines to suit all pallets. 
