A wide variety of stations
From the opening of the season in December to its closing in April, it's not unusual for Slovenian families to spend their free time hitting the slopes. The joys of skiing don't require a stay in a resort, thanks to the proximity of the infrastructure to the place of residence, as well as a good road network. The country's largest resort is also the one furthest east, just a stone's throw from the vast plains of Pannonia. This is Pohorje, which has the exceptional distinction of being an outlying district of the country's second-largest city, Maribor. It boasts some 40 km of downhill ski slopes, 30 km of cross-country ski trails and 20 ski lifts. Further west, on an axis between Slovenj Gradec and Velenje, are the family resorts of Kope, Ragla and Golte. None of these resorts has more than a dozen kilometers of slopes, and their more minimalist infrastructures will delight lovers of a change of scenery, but will undoubtedly pity the kings of the slopes. In the central northern part of the country, you'll find the Krvavec and Cerkno resorts. The former is often highlighted for its proximity to Ljubljana, and boasts one of the closest ski resorts to an international airport in the world. Snow sports enthusiasts will appreciate the resort's extensive ski area, covering some 30 kilometers. Cerkno, for its part, is appreciated by locals for its high-quality, sustainable infrastructure and for its status as a spa resort that will cure the aches and pains caused by long days on the slopes. At the western end of the territory is the resort of Vogel, favored for its grandiose panoramas of the Julian Alps and its variety of snowshoe hiking trails. Kanin can also be an interesting stopover, as its ski area has the particularity of being cross-border, integrating its Italian neighbor. Last but not least, we can't forget Kranjska Gora, a resort that combines every conceivable superlative. As well as being a charming village, the resort's capacity is impressive, with a considerable number of beds available. Its proximity to Austria and Italy will appeal to those seeking new adventures, while spectators will flock to the Planica ski jump to admire the ski jumping champions.
Snow sports galore
The most popular of these is undoubtedly downhill skiing. The Slovenian ski area has slopes to suit all levels of difficulty. In the major resorts, ski schools enable beginners to learn in complete safety. The guides, most of whom are English-speaking, are highly experienced in teaching, enabling students to make rapid progress. The great advantage of downhill skiing in the country is that there is no traffic jam at the chairlifts. In fact, mass winter tourism is almost non-existent in Slovenia, which boasts ideal conditions for downhill skiing: pistes that are not overcrowded, a beautiful natural environment and almost no new resorts built from scratch. Packages - lower than in France, but not as cheap as that - usually include several smaller resorts, offering a wide variety of pleasures.
However, cross-country skiing continues to compete with downhill skiing in the hearts of Slovenians. Indeed, its local popularity is as old as it is big. Cross-country trails can be found well beyond the alpine ski areas. The most emblematic of these is undoubtedly the Planica Nordic center, which is also open in summer, with popular night-time sessions. The more technical Pokljuca plateau is more suited to more experienced skiers: its 30 km of trails regularly host international biathlon competitions. Finally, to combine physical exertion with visual pleasure, there's nothing like venturing into the Bohinj region for an unforgettable family outing.
Other traditional winter sports activities are also on offer: snowshoeing has been given a new lease of life and offers an interesting alternative for hiking enthusiasts. The routes are well-marked and numerous, thanks to an often abundant snow cover and an extensive alpine and forest massif. With family or friends, you can slip on your skates on one of the country's three natural ice rinks in winter - Planšarsko Jezero, Lake Jasna or Lake Cerknica. If you're more of a city dweller at the end of the day, don't panic! Every major Slovenian city has its own outdoor artificial ice rink, the most famous of which is the one set up on Ljubljana's Kongresni square, with its breathtaking view of the castle. As a family, we'll take care of the sled dogs that will take you through picture-postcard landscapes.
And many other unusual activities
Slovenia is a destination that should satisfy even the most discerning winter sports enthusiasts. In Vogel, you can try snow rafting or go downhill on an inflatable toboggan - and don't worry, safety equipment is provided! In Krvacec, you can try out downhill biking on the ski slopes, or the very local plezuhi, a steerable sledge that lets you hurtle down steep slopes at high speed. In Rogla, you can try out ski joëring, a unique winter adaptation of water skiing, which involves skiing harnessed to a horse. Climbing enthusiasts will not be left out, as they will be able to climb walls on the mountainside in magnificent settings at Trenta or Mojstrana. Finally, a family visit to the Eskimo village in a reconstructed igloo at Kranjska Gora is a must for a well-deserved gourmet break.
A land of competitions and seeds of champions
Slovenia regularly organizes international winter sports events, thanks to the quality of its facilities and the difficulty of many of its courses. The Vitranc Cup is certainly the country's most famous competition. It features several slalom and giant slalom events as part of the men's world ski championships. It takes place every year in Kranjska Gora in March. The competition is very popular in Slovenia and celebrates its sixtieth anniversary in 2021.
The Golden Fox is the women's equivalent of the Ski World Cup. It takes place every February in the resort of Maribor-Pohorje. One slalom event follows another to claim the famous Zlata Lisica (Golden Fox) trophy for the winner.
The most impressive competition to watch is certainly the one that takes place from the Letalnica ski jump in Planica. Here, you can watch the world's most experienced ski jumpers take off and fly. The Slovenian ski federation is not afraid to innovate with new race projects, the latest of which is called Planica 7.
Does white gold tourism exist in Slovenia?
This is a key question for industry specialists. In recent years, Slovenia has seen a huge increase in tourism, with only moderate growth in the winter season. Yet one might have been tempted to imagine that the supremacy of the mountains in the national landscape would have positive repercussions for winter tourism. However, this is not really the case. Although the Slovenian Alps are a major tourist attraction, they are not at the top of the rankings. They welcomed over 6 million visitors in 2023, for a total of over 16 million overnight stays. Winter tourism is on a slight upward trend, with annual growth of 8.7% between 2022 and 2023, a fundamentally correct figure, but one that falls short of the expectations of tourism professionals and far short of the other spectacular increases seen in other regions of the country and at other times of the year. Although this figure needs to be revised upwards, as it does not include the resorts of the southern Pre-Alps (including Pohorje), it should also be remembered that winter tourism is not just for ski enthusiasts, even in Slovenia. For example, only 25% of them opt for sporting holidays in the mountains, to which should be added a percentage of holidaymakers who enjoy spa holidays. What's even more surprising is that less than a million people visited Slovenia last winter. The only truly positive point is the lengthening of stays, which rose by 6.4% in one year. A number of factors can explain the above figures: winter tourism is driven by nationals (45% of overnight stays) and is struggling to attract foreign visitors. Only four countries exceed 100,000 overnight stays: Italy and Croatia are clearly in the lead, followed by Austria and Serbia. The other explanation can be found in the country's small surface area, which makes it easy to enjoy the snow in the resorts during the day, and come back down to the city in the evening. Last but not least, vacation time is generally shorter in winter than in summer, especially for families who prefer a less remote national destination. Surprisingly, the only resort with a truly regional influence is Kranjska Gora. The absence of integrated resorts is perhaps one of the reasons for this phenomenon, as access to amenities is sometimes reduced to the bare minimum in small resorts. A third way has to be found between preserving mass tourism at all costs, as the political authorities repeatedly insist, and keeping the resorts isolated, even though their natural tourism potential is more than promising.
Finally, the French case study is interesting because it demonstrates a major interest in mountain tourism, but more focused on summer activities such as hiking, rafting or swimming in lakes. For example, of the one-third of nights spent by the French in Slovenia's mountains, 80% are spent between June and September.
