4 Best Sights in Slovenia

Situated in the grand Auersperg Palace, this museum's beautifully designed exhibits trace the city's history from pre-Roman times through the Austrian domination, the World Wars, the Tito years, and finally, the establishment of independent Slovenia. In the basement, you can walk on a piece of the ancient Roman road or see a cross-sectioned excavation that shows the burning of Emona by Attila the Hun through a black charred stratum. If you're interested, you can arrange for a museum guide to take you to other ancient Roman sites around the city. The city museum also houses the world's oldest wooden wheel, dating from 4000 BC.

The permanent exhibition on Slovenes in the 20th century takes you from the days of Austria-Hungary through World War II, the victory of the Partisan liberation movement and the ensuing Tito period, and up to the present day. Relics and memorabilia are featured along with a dramatic sound-and-video presentation (scenes from World War II are projected on the walls and ceiling, accompanied by thundering gunfire, screams, and singing). You'll find the museum in a pink-and-white Baroque villa in Tivoli Park.

The National Museum—home to more than 400,000 archaeological artifacts, rare books, historical documents, and artworks from the prehistoric era through modern times—is not to be missed. The centerpiece here is a bronze urn from the late 5th or 6th century BC known as the Vače Situla. Discovered in Vače, Slovenia, it is a striking example of Illyrian artistry and is decorated with friezes depicting a procession of men, horses, and chariots. Extensive collections of classic artworks from Western and Northern Europe, Russia, and Japan complement the already impressive exhibit of Yugoslav pieces.

This museum tells the story of Piran's connection to the sea. On display are a beautiful collection of model ships, sailors' uniforms, and shipping instruments, as well as a fascinating historical section on the town's changing affiliations over the centuries.