For many years now, I’ve made it my goal to write at least one blog post per month. That said, I have to admit that winter doesn’t always make this easy. When the days are short, the skies are grey and the weather feels permanently undecided, inspiration can be harder to come by — especially when there are no golden sunsets, alpine hikes or postcard-perfect views to photograph and write about.

Ironically, it was exactly this gloomy weather that sparked the idea for today’s post. This morning, while out for a walk armed with my umbrella, I found myself wandering along the Sava River. As I did, I heard the familiar crack-crack-crack of gunfire coming from the nearby army barracks in Bohinjska Bela, not far from Bled.

I didn’t flinch in the slightest. Anyone who’s lived in the area for a while knows the sound well — routine training, nothing more. But it did make me stop and think. For someone unfamiliar with Slovenia, that noise could be genuinely alarming. Without context, hearing gunshots echoing through a quiet valley is enough to make anyone uneasy.

It’s a similar story a couple of times a year when a cannon is fired from the village of Kamna Gorica in the Lipnica Valley — as well as from many other villages across the country — as part of long-standing traditions, such as marking May Day or other local celebrations. To locals, it’s simply part of the rhythm of life. To visitors, it can be a bit unnerving.

And that got me thinking about perception versus reality. How safe is Slovenia?

With that in mind, I decided to dig into some interesting facts and figures to see where Slovenia really stands when it comes to safety — not just in comparison with other EU countries, but globally too.

Of course, personal impressions only tell part of the story. Feeling safe and being safe are not always the same thing, and I was curious to see whether my everyday experience of Slovenia is backed up by actual data. So I started looking at international safety rankings, crime statistics and comparisons with other European countries.

So, this blog doesn’t contain any stunning vistas, but it does contain some interesting facts and figures that I hope you will find interesting; whether you live here or plan to visit, it’s good to have peace of mind.

What I found didn’t surprise me, since I’ve been living here for almost 19 years now (yes, really!), but it did quietly confirm what many already know. Time and again, Slovenia appears near the very top of global and European rankings for safety, low crime and overall peacefulness. In fact, when you start comparing the numbers, Slovenia consistently outperforms many much larger and better-known countries.

Global and European Safety Rankings

Peacefulness

• Slovenia consistently ranks among the top 10 most peaceful countries in the world according to the Global Peace Index – often placed around 8th–9th globally, ahead of many Western European states.
• In Europe, Slovenia is regularly listed within the top 10 safest and most peaceful nations — alongside Iceland, Austria, Denmark and Portugal.
• Within the European Union, Slovenia ranks among the safest member states in terms of peace and low crime levels, often placing better than larger countries like France, Sweden, or the UK.

Crime and Safety Statistics

Low Violent Crime

• Slovenia’s homicide rate is extremely low, around 0.5–0.52 murders per 100,000 people, among the lowest in the EU.

Low Crime Index

• According to quality-of-life indices:
  • Slovenia’s crime rate is low, roughly 5.4 crimes per 100,000 people in some global rankings (Crime Index ~24.2), placing it well below many European countries.
  • Slovenia’s Safety Index (≈75–78) compares favourably with many EU countries (higher is safer in these indexes).

Perceptions of Safety

• In Ljubljana, the capital city, safety indexes show high levels of perceived safety:
  • ~92% feel safe walking alone during the day
  • ~78% feel safe walking alone at night — strong figures compared to many European cities.

• Slovenia’s peace ranking places it ahead of many globally known safe countries — higher than several larger Western states — which is impressive given Slovenia’s small size.

Why Slovenia Is Seen as Safe

Stable Society

• Low violent crime and minimal terrorism risk contribute to its peaceful reputation.

Peaceful Governance

• Factors like low political instability, effective law enforcement, and a stable democratic system help maintain safety.

Strong Quality of Life

• Slovenia combines safety with other quality-of-life positives, such as access to nature, moderate population density, and strong community ties.

Reading through all these figures, rankings and indexes is reassuring, but what really matters, at least to me, is how safe I feel in everyday life.

It’s the small things such as being able to walk in the forest or walking home after dark without thinking twice. It’s knowing that an unexpected bang or gunshot echoing through the valley usually has a perfectly ordinary explanation – a military exercise, a celebration, a tradition that’s been carried on for generations.

Slovenia isn’t perfect, and of course crime exists here, and there are endless political scandals, much like everywhere. But compared to much of Europe – and the world – it remains remarkably calm, stable and relatively safe. And I certainly hope it remains this way in the future too.

I’ll end by going back to the start, i.e. winter in Slovenia. Fortunately, for visitors, there is still plenty to see and do, even though it can sometimes feel as if the weather is trying its best to dampen our spirits.

You can read about Winter Activities in the Radol’ca area, and also a previous blog I wrote titled 5 Great Winter Hikes in Radovljica and the Surroundings.

Until next time … Stay safe and stay warm!

© Adele in Slovenia