Slovenia is the 125th country that Thuy Anh, a Vietnamese-American living in Texas, has visited. She traveled there recently with her sister, spending three days and two nights (Feb. 9-11) exploring the capital, Ljubljana, as part of her journey through Southeast Europe.
Thuy Anh noted that many Americans were not familiar with Slovenia until Donald Trump became the 45th President in January 2017. Since then, people have become more curious about visiting Melania's homeland, which was also one of her motivations for choosing Slovenia.
"I wanted to learn more about the First Lady's homeland," she said.
Slovenia is located in Central and Southeastern Europe, bordering Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia, with access to the Mediterranean Sea. It covers an area of over 20,000 square kilometers, ranking 153rd among more than 220 countries and territories. With a population of just over two million, it remains a quiet and less-visited destination.
Flights to Slovenia are limited, and finding one was challenging for Thuy Anh due to inconvenient flight times and long layovers exceeding 20 hours. Instead, she flew to Vienna, Austria, and took a six-hour train ride to Ljubljana for 30 euros.
Her first impression of Slovenia was its friendly people and stylish young population, who reminded her of Melania Trump.
Despite being next to major tourist hubs like Italy, Slovenia remains undiscovered, with only 6.6 million international visitors in 2024, far fewer than Italy's 60 million annual tourists, according to Statista.
In downtown Ljubljana, cars are not allowed. Instead, people get around using free electric shuttles, bicycles, or by walking. The quietness of the city center stood out to Thuy Anh, who could even hear her own footsteps echoing on the streets.
"People told me that in the city center, the sound of footsteps is louder than any background noise," she said.
The city's architecture and fresh air left a strong impression on her. Unlike her usual trips, she opted to explore Ljubljana on foot rather than booking a guided tour.
Visiting during winter, she found that much of the snow had melted, but the weather was still chilly. Locals welcomed her warmly and shared insights about their way of life.
"They told me there's no need to rush, just take life easy," she recalled.
Slovenians embrace a slow-paced lifestyle, preferring to take leisurely walks around the lake, sip coffee or beer, and focus on quality over hustle.
A street stall selling sausage sandwiches is located in the city center. Thuy Anh noted that the sandwiches are quite large, with most Vietnamese people only able to finish a quarter or half of one.
Compared to its neighboring countries, Slovenia is more affordable. She booked a five-star hotel in the city for $160, half the price of her accommodation in Estonia. A Michelin two-star restaurant meal, including two main dishes and a vegetable side, cost just $19. Her total expenses for the three-day, two-night trip were around $500.
"Melania Trump's homeland is beautiful, peaceful, and safe, there's no pickpocketing here," she concluded.
