Select Page

What is a typical souvenir from Slovenia?

What is Slovenia know for, anyway?

You may think of Slovenian wine, the magic Doncic, or funky Ljubljana gift shops. But we are talking about proper souvenirs from Slovenia. After all, Doncic doesn’t seem to be leaving the NBA anytime soon, so let’s focus on the real Slovenian experience instead. Shopping in Slovenia is a fun thing to do and you don’t want to miss out on treats from Ljubljana central market during the wine tasting hour.

But, we want to keep your holiday low-stress! So, scroll below, where we share with some of the most original souvenirs that you can only buy in Slovenia! Yes, we know; the best souvenirs are always those that you can eat or drink but could be a nightmare when passing controls!

We list the best, most authentic, and very practical souvenirs from Slovenia that are a must to take home after visiting this amazing country of Central Europe.

 

Here it is the list of

6 BEST SOUVENIRS FROM SLOVENIA THAT ARE NOT FOOD

 

1. Painted panels from beehives

When talking about things you can only buy in Slovenia, we must mention most original Slovenian tourist souvenir, which is a wooden panel of a beehive with traditional folklore images. In other words, this is a traditional Slovenian thing. These wooden panels represented a winter hobby for numerous folk artists, which gave rise to fascinating images that turned simple bee houses into veritable open-air art galleries. It is impressive and fascinating at the same time. The panels reflect the priorities, beliefs, and prejudices of the community in which the panels were painted, as well as some historical events. Slovenia’s museums have preserved a number of original paintings from which countless replicas have been made. More about beekeeping in Slovenia here.

BEEHIVE PANEL, source Marko Sinkovec

2. Rogaska crystal

Tradition of designing and making crystal ware in Slovenia is almost 350 years old. In some areas, you can still find the so-called forest glass huts. So crystal, of a high quality, made into goblets, plates, beads and household décor can be perfect souvenirs for reasonable prices. And trust me, the Rogaska Crystal glass makes all wine taste better.

 

ROGASKA CRYSTAL, source Delo.si

3. Idrija lace

Another traditional Slovenian and amazingly beautiful yet delicate souvenir is Idrija lace. Located some 50 km/31 miles west of Ljubljana, the town of Idrija is largely known for two things: mercury and lace. Although both undoubtedly make fine gifts for friends and family back home, the lace industry has apparently done a much better job promoting itself and is widely recognized as producing some of the highest quality lace in the world. There is a surprising variety of lace goods – from simple cloths and handkerchiefs to gloves, necklaces and even earrings. More about Idrija lace here.

IDRIJA LACE, source Jani Peternelj

4. Dragons

Ljubljana’s famous dragon actually comes with quite a pedigree, making its first historical appearance in the legend of Jason and the Golden Fleece. Unfortunately for the dragon, it would also be its last, as it was slain by the sticky-fingered Greek and his crew of Argonauts on their way to the Adriatic. He was eventually adopted as the symbol of Ljubljana and his image can now be found on all manner of trinkets, t-shirts and other souvenirs.

 

FUNKY DRAGON, source trgovinaika.si

5. Wooden products

With forests covering nearly 2/3 of its territory, it’s no surprise that wood is a key element in many of Slovenia’s traditional crafts products, and in recent years it’s become increasingly prevalent in modern design as well, such as eyewear, cutting boards, spoons, spatulas, rolling pins, toys, reedpipes, etc.

Probably one of the most famous and traditional souvenirs you can only buy in Slovenia is all sort of merchandise from the town of Ribnica, also known as Ribnica woodenwareAn element in the Register of the intangible cultural heritageThe salesmen from the area can be found in many local markets around the country, selling their beautiful handmade products, which makes them great souvenirs for tourist to take home. 

 

WOODEN PRODUCTS, source Emma izdelki

6. Felt slippers or slippers of any kind

Felt is the material that comes from the indigenous Jezersko-Solcava sheep breed. Among functional and decorative felt products, slippers are among the most traditional Slovenian souvenirs. Everyone who enters a Slovenian home must change his shoes for slippers not to bring in dirt from outside. Not so much a souvenir but rather a practical necessity to use at home (or your hotel room). That’s why these Slovenian slippers are a comfortable must for all tourists!

THE WHITE HOUSE SLIPPER

Slovenian national tourism slogan I FEEL SLOVENIA is printed on numerous products such as T-shirts, glasses, magnets, beach towels, square shirts etc.

Have fun shopping in Slovenia!

Food to try in Slovenia

Now, we promised no food as souvenirs, and we keep our promise. Still, there are a few tasty treats you absolutely must try when in Slovenia. Just think about it this way; these are not “souvenirs”. They are refreshments for when you need a break on your shopping spree in Slovenia to further improve your overall Slovenian experience:

 

·         Prešeren Figs

When strolling through the city center of the capital, browsing through this gift shop and that souvenir shop (Ljubljana), take your time to stop and nibble on a high-quality praline, which are produced in honor of our greatest poet, France Prešeren. He got a nickname Dr. Fig because he would always carry figs in his pocket. Well, by trying the dried figs covered in cream and chocolate, is one of the best ways to experience the streets of Ljubljana in his shoes!

 

·         Piran Salt

Piran salt is a staple in Slovene households. We cook with it, buy tons of it, eat it. And we love it because it’s made in Slovenia with a very long tradition. You can even visit the Sečovlje salt pans where it’s made, they have a festival there! You can try the salt yourself and remember; Salt Flower is considered one of the best types of salt in the world!

 

·         Bovec Cheese

Do you like cheese? Bovec has homemade cheese, made from sheep’s milk and we could eat it by the block. The cheese is very tasty, takes from 60 to 90 days to mature and it packs an intense flavor you won’t forget easily!

 

·         Lictar Hearts (heart-shaped honey bread)

Think gingerbread, but it’s not really. This heart-shaped honey bread is colored red and decorated with all sorts of ornaments, flowers, and lines. Some of them even carry a small mirror in the middle! These are tasty and unusual. Oh, and very traditional. We love them too!

Where can you buy souvenirs from Slovenia?

Souvenirs are an amazing thing to bring home with you. Not only you can make your family and friends happy, but by choosing the special things that impressed you, can have memories for years to come. We all love photos, but sometimes they’re not enough!

To get the taste and feel of the country, we always love to bring something authentic yet practical that reminds us of a country we visited for years to come!

When shopping in Slovenia, whether you’re looking for Plečnik candle holder, wooden planks, Idrija lace, wishing bell from lake Bled, and other handmade Slovenian things to take home with you, you can find a souvenir shop in the majority of larger towns in Slovenia, whether you want the best souvenirs Ljubljana, special gift shop Ljubljana or go shopping in lake Bled.

Our favorite is by far Idrija lace and lictar heart because these, you can only buy in Slovenia. Which one would you choose?

We are committed to sustainable tourism and encourage travelers to buy local products.