Slovenia travel guide

Slovenia has been settled since humans have lived in Europe, and its caves have produced major archaeological finds, such as the world's oldest musical instrument – a 55,000-year-old flute found near Cerkno – from an era when the area was home to both Neanderthals and early human settlers.

The country became part of the Roman Empire (Julius Caesar was a fan of the Alps now named after him), which was replaced by Slavic dominance in the 6th century. The Holy Roman Empire was in charge until the 14th century, when Slovenia came under Habsburg rule lasting until WW1. During that time, the country was devastated by Ottoman wars between the 15th and 17th century, as well as a string of notable peasant revolts.

In 1918, the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire saw Slovenes joins the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. After Nazi occupation from 1941-45, Slovenia came under communist rule, led by Josip Broz Tito. A divisive figure, Tito was credited with maintaining peace within Yugoslavia and providing a strong resistance to occupied Europe – and was much decorated abroad and at home. However, he was also considered authoritarian, and was ultimately a Communist dictator – albeit a “benevolent” one.

Following his death in 1980, Yugoslavia entered a period of unrest, and in 1990 Slovenes voted overwhelmingly for independence, though an initial violent response saw Yugoslav forces kill around 100 people before the EU brokered a ceasefire. After formally seceding from Yugoslavia in 1991, Slovenia joined NATO in 2002, then the EU in 2004. Its booming economy saw Slovenia become the only former communist country allowed into the eurozone in 2007.