Slovenia trivia: 46 questions and answers
The country at a glance
What is the capital of Slovenia?
- A. Ljubljana
- B. Maribor
- C. Celje
- D. Koper
Show the answer
Ljubljana. Ljubljana is the capital and by far the largest city, on the Ljubljanica river in the middle of the country.
What is the highest mountain in Slovenia?
- A. Triglav
- B. Mangart
- C. Škrlatica
- D. Snežnik
Show the answer
Triglav. Triglav, 2,864 m, in the Julian Alps, is the highest peak. It also appears on the national flag and coat of arms.
Slovenia adopted the euro as its currency on 1 January 2007.
True or false?
Show the answer
True. True. The euro replaced the Slovenian tolar on 1 January 2007.
Slovenia shares a land border with Switzerland.
True or false?
Show the answer
False. False. Slovenia borders Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. Switzerland is further west.
Roughly how long is Slovenia's coast on the Adriatic Sea?
- A. About 47 km
- B. About 470 km
- C. About 1,700 km
- D. About 4,700 km
Show the answer
About 47 km. About 47 km. The whole Slovenian coast lies on the Gulf of Trieste, between Italy and Croatia.
History
Who wrote the first two books in Slovene, printed in 1550?
- A. Primož Trubar
- B. France Prešeren
- C. Jože Plečnik
- D. Giuseppe Tartini
Show the answer
Primož Trubar. Primož Trubar, a Protestant preacher, wrote Catechismus and Abecedarium, printed in 1550.
What was the name of the Roman town where Ljubljana stands today?
- A. Emona
- B. Celeia
- C. Poetovio
- D. Aquileia
Show the answer
Emona. Emona was built around AD 14 to 15. Celeia was Roman Celje and Poetovio was Roman Ptuj.
Under Napoleon, which city was the capital of the Illyrian Provinces?
- A. Ljubljana
- B. Venice
- C. Vienna
- D. Graz
Show the answer
Ljubljana. Ljubljana, then called Laibach, was the capital of Napoleon's Illyrian Provinces from 1809.
In the First World War, Italy and Austria-Hungary fought twelve battles along which river?
- A. Soča
- B. Sava
- C. Drava
- D. Krka
Show the answer
Soča. The Soča, called the Isonzo in Italian, gave its name to the Soča Front, fought from 1915 to 1917.
Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia on 25 June 1991.
True or false?
Show the answer
True. True. A short war followed, known as the Ten-Day War, which ended with the Brioni Agreement on 7 July 1991.
The war that followed Slovenia's declaration of independence lasted about three years.
True or false?
Show the answer
False. False. It is called the Ten-Day War because it lasted only about ten days, from 27 June to 7 July 1991.
Food and drink
What is potica?
- A. A rolled festive cake, often filled with ground walnuts
- B. A buckwheat porridge with cracklings
- C. A smoked pork sausage
- D. A soup of beans and sauerkraut
Show the answer
A rolled festive cake, often filled with ground walnuts. Potica is a rolled festive cake, often filled with ground walnuts, and it is baked above all for Easter and Christmas.
Ajdovi žganci, a traditional Slovenian dish, are made from which flour?
- A. Buckwheat flour
- B. Rice flour
- C. Chestnut flour
- D. Almond flour
Show the answer
Buckwheat flour. Ajdovi žganci are made from buckwheat flour, cooked and broken into crumbly lumps, and often eaten with milk or cracklings.
Žlikrofi, small dumplings with a potato filling, come from which town?
- A. Idrija
- B. Piran
- C. Maribor
- D. Bled
Show the answer
Idrija. Idrija žlikrofi became the first Slovenian dish protected in the EU as a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed, in 2010.
What are the main ingredients of jota, the soup of the Slovenian Littoral?
- A. Beans and sauerkraut or sour turnip
- B. Rice and cuttlefish ink
- C. Lamb and rosemary
- D. Chestnuts and honey
Show the answer
Beans and sauerkraut or sour turnip. Jota is made with beans and sauerkraut or sour turnip, with potatoes, garlic and smoked pork.
Prekmurska gibanica is a layered pastry with fillings such as poppy seeds, walnuts, apples and cottage cheese.
True or false?
Show the answer
True. True. This rich layered pastry comes from Prekmurje in the north-east and is protected in the EU.
The famous cream cake of Bled was first made at the town's Hotel Park in the 1800s.
True or false?
Show the answer
False. False. The recipe was brought to the Hotel Park in 1953 by its pastry chef, Ištvan Lukačević.
Slovenian Karst ham, kraški pršut, is heavily smoked.
True or false?
Show the answer
False. False. Pršut from Slovenia is air-dried and not smoked, unlike the pršut of Dalmatia.
Cities
Which is Slovenia's second-largest city?
- A. Maribor
- B. Piran
- C. Bled
- D. Idrija
Show the answer
Maribor. Maribor, on the Drava river, is the second-largest city and the centre of eastern Slovenia.
Which town is home to Slovenia's only container port?
- A. Koper
- B. Kranj
- C. Celje
- D. Ptuj
Show the answer
Koper. Koper, on the coast, has the country's only container port.
Which Slovenian town shared the title of European Capital of Culture 2025 with Gorizia in Italy?
- A. Nova Gorica
- B. Kranj
- C. Piran
- D. Celje
Show the answer
Nova Gorica. Nova Gorica, built after 1947 beside the new border, shared the 2025 title with its twin town Gorizia.
The town of Ptuj grew out of a Roman fort called Poetovio on the Drava river.
True or false?
Show the answer
True. True. Ptuj is often called the oldest recorded town in Slovenia, and it is famous for its Kurentovanje carnival.
Landmarks
As of 2026, the Škocjan Caves are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
True or false?
Show the answer
True. True. The Škocjan Caves were listed in 1986.
As of 2026, Postojna Cave is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
True or false?
Show the answer
False. False. Postojna Cave is one of the most visited sights, but the UNESCO-listed caves in Slovenia are the Škocjan Caves.
What is special about Predjama Castle, near Postojna?
- A. It is built into the mouth of a cave
- B. It stands on an island in a lake
- C. It was built on the summit of Triglav
- D. It floats on the sea near Piran
Show the answer
It is built into the mouth of a cave. It is built into the mouth of a cave, high in a rock wall. Predjama Castle was first mentioned in 1274.
How many stone steps lead up to the church on Bled Island?
- A. 99
- B. 12
- C. 365
- D. 1,000
Show the answer
99. A Baroque stairway of 99 stone steps, dating from 1655, leads up to the Church of the Assumption.
Which Slovenian architect added the two side bridges to Ljubljana's Triple Bridge?
- A. Jože Plečnik
- B. Antoni Gaudí
- C. Max Fabiani
- D. Ivan Vurnik
Show the answer
Jože Plečnik. Jože Plečnik redesigned the Triple Bridge in the early 1930s. His works in Ljubljana joined the UNESCO list in 2021.
Fun facts
Which international day was proclaimed by the United Nations on Slovenia's proposal?
- A. World Bee Day
- B. World Water Day
- C. World Book Day
- D. World Tourism Day
Show the answer
World Bee Day. World Bee Day, 20 May, marks the birthday of the Slovenian beekeeping pioneer Anton Janša.
What do locals call the olm, the blind, pale amphibian of Slovenia's caves?
- A. The human fish
- B. The cave bear
- C. The river wolf
- D. The mountain eel
Show the answer
The human fish. It is called the human fish because of its skin colour. In 1689 people thought it was a baby dragon.
The white Lipizzan horses are named after which Slovenian village?
- A. Lipica
- B. Bled
- C. Piran
- D. Kranj
Show the answer
Lipica. Lipica, in the Karst, has had a stud farm since 1580, and the breed takes its name from it.
In which city grows a vine more than 400 years old, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest grapevine in the world that still bears grapes?
- A. Maribor
- B. Koper
- C. Kranj
- D. Postojna
Show the answer
Maribor. The Old Vine grows on the front of the Old Vine House in Lent, Maribor's old waterfront district.
As of 2020, roughly what share of Slovenia was covered by forest?
- A. About 60%
- B. About 10%
- C. About 30%
- D. About 90%
Show the answer
About 60%. About 60% of Slovenia was forest, the second-highest share in Europe after Finland.
The oldest wooden wheel yet discovered was found in the Ljubljana Marsh.
True or false?
Show the answer
True. True. It was found in 2002 and is about 5,100 to 5,350 years old.
Besides singular and plural, Slovene has a special form for exactly two of something, called the dual.
True or false?
Show the answer
True. True. The dual is a very old feature of the language that few languages still keep.
Words
What does 'hvala' mean?
- A. Thank you
- B. Hello
- C. Goodbye
- D. Sorry
Show the answer
Thank you. Hvala means thank you. Hvala lepa means thank you very much.
You are at a station. What is a 'vlak'?
- A. A train
- B. A bus
- C. A ticket
- D. A taxi
Show the answer
A train. Vlak means a train. A bus is an avtobus.
In Slovene, 'ne' means yes.
True or false?
Show the answer
False. False. Ne means no, and da means yes.
Phrases
What do Slovenians say to each other before eating together?
- A. Dober tek
- B. Na zdravje
- C. Nasvidenje
- D. Lahko noč
Show the answer
Dober tek. Dober tek means enjoy your meal. Na zdravje is said when glasses are raised.
When do Slovenians say 'Na zdravje!'?
- A. When raising their glasses
- B. When leaving a shop
- C. When going to bed
- D. When asking for the bill
Show the answer
When raising their glasses. It is said when raising their glasses. Na zdravje means to your health, the Slovene way of saying cheers.
How do you ask for the bill in a Slovenian café?
- A. Račun, prosim
- B. Kje je stranišče?
- C. Dober dan
- D. Ne razumem
Show the answer
Račun, prosim. Račun, prosim means the bill, please.
Local customs and tips
Which number do you call in Slovenia for an ambulance, the fire service or mountain rescue?
- A. 112
- B. 113
- C. 118
- D. 123
Show the answer
112. 112 is the number for ambulance, fire and mountain rescue. The police have their own number, 113.
In Slovenia the police have their own emergency number, 113.
True or false?
Show the answer
True. True. Call 113 for the police and 112 for other emergencies.
What do you need before driving a car on Slovenian motorways?
- A. An e-vignette registered to your number plate
- B. A special Slovenian driving licence
- C. A letter from your hotel
- D. Nothing extra at all
Show the answer
An e-vignette registered to your number plate. You need an e-vignette registered to your number plate, for a week, a month or a year, bought from the official DARS website or sales points.
In Slovenian restaurants a tip of 20% is expected.
True or false?
Show the answer
False. False. Most Slovenians do not see tipping as obligatory. Rounding up to the next euro is common.
Slovenian law requires drivers to keep their headlights on during the day as well as at night.
True or false?
Show the answer
True. True. Headlights must be on while driving, day and night.
Between which dates must cars in Slovenia carry winter equipment, such as winter tyres?
- A. 15 November to 15 March
- B. 1 June to 1 September
- C. 1 January to 31 January
- D. 1 August to 1 October
Show the answer
15 November to 15 March. From 15 November to 15 March, and whenever there is snow or ice, cars need winter tyres or summer tyres with snow chains.
Answer key
The country at a glance
- A. Ljubljana
- A. Triglav
- True
- False
- A. About 47 km
History
- A. Primož Trubar
- A. Emona
- A. Ljubljana
- A. Soča
- True
- False
Food and drink
- A. A rolled festive cake, often filled with ground walnuts
- A. Buckwheat flour
- A. Idrija
- A. Beans and sauerkraut or sour turnip
- True
- False
- False
Cities
- A. Maribor
- A. Koper
- A. Nova Gorica
- True
Landmarks
- True
- False
- A. It is built into the mouth of a cave
- A. 99
- A. Jože Plečnik
Fun facts
- A. World Bee Day
- A. The human fish
- A. Lipica
- A. Maribor
- A. About 60%
- True
- True
Words
- A. Thank you
- A. A train
- False
Phrases
- A. Dober tek
- A. When raising their glasses
- A. Račun, prosim
Local customs and tips
- A. 112
- True
- A. An e-vignette registered to your number plate
- False
- True
- A. 15 November to 15 March
More about Slovenia
- The trip to SloveniaMap, story, food, phrases and a friendly quiz.
- Slovenia word searchCities and dishes in large print.
- Slovene words crosswordLearn a few words while you solve it.
- Colour the flag of SloveniaPrint it or colour it in on the screen.
- Slovene rootsA family guide: history, recipes and words for the grandchildren.
- Before you goPhrases, customs and tips for travellers.
- Printable packLarge print, with a quiz and answers.