Slovenia's festive season opens on Friday 27 November 2026, when the lights of Ljubljana's Festive December are switched on, and the biggest single event is the Living Nativity in Postojna Cave from 25 to 30 December. St Nicholas visits on 5 December, 25 December and 1 January are public holidays, 26 December is Independence and Unity Day, and on New Year's Eve the main squares in Ljubljana, Piran and Kranjska Gora hold open-air celebrations. This guide lists the dates already published for 2026/27, the traditions that repeat every year and what is still to be announced.
Our guides to the Ljubljana Christmas market and the Christmas concerts in Postojna Cave go into more detail on those two events.
Festive December in Ljubljana: 27 November to mid-January
The official tourism site lists Festive December in Ljubljana from 27 November 2026 to 14 January 2027. One Visit Ljubljana listing gives 15 January as the last day, so treat it as mid-January. The historic centre is decorated, a Christmas market sells food and drink, and free concerts are held on the squares nearby. The lights go on at 17:00 on Friday 27 November at Prešernov trg.
The Ljubljanica and the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation lit up for the winter holidays. Image: warpmike, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The dated events listed so far:
- 5 December: the St Nicholas (Miklavž) procession. He arrives at Krekov trg by funicular from the castle, and the event is free. The exact time has not been confirmed, and earlier years used 17:00.
- 20 December: the Ice Queen, with ice artists at work; free.
- 24 December: a Christmas concert on Mestni trg.
- 26 to 30 December: Dedek Mraz (Grandpa Frost) processions.
- 27 November to 2 February: the nativity scene in the chapel of Ljubljana Castle.
No ice rink is listed for Ljubljana this season, so do not plan around one.
Miklavž and the parklji: 5 and 6 December
In Slovenia the first of the "three good men" of December is Miklavž, St Nicholas, followed by Božiček (Santa Claus) and Dedek Mraz. Miklavž comes on the evening of 5 December, with angels and the parklji (singular parkelj), devil-like figures in fur and horned masks, who carry chains and warn children to behave. Many towns and villages hold their own procession, not only Ljubljana.
Miklavž with angels and parklji during the annual procession in Šutna. Image: Mravlja Matjaz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Postojna Cave: the Living Nativity, 25 to 30 December
The Living Nativity is staged inside Postojna Cave and is described as the oldest of its kind in Slovenia and the largest living nativity scene in a cave. The 2026 edition runs from 25 to 30 December, with several shows a day, starting at 13:30. It lasts about 90 minutes over a route of 5 km: 3.5 km by the cave train, then 1.5 km on foot. The ticket includes the train, the show, four vocal performances, instrumental pieces and dance, and up to 50% off at Predjama Castle, the Vivarium Proteus and the Expo Cave Karst exhibition. The show is not suitable for wheelchair users, according to earlier years' pages.
Prices (presale, which applies only on 25 and 29 December, and regular):
| Ticket | Presale | Regular |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | €45 | €39 |
| Student (16 to 25) | €36 | €31 |
| Child (6 to 15) | €27 | €23.50 |
| Child (up to 5) | €5.50 | €3.90 |
| Family | €144 | €99 |
Book through postojnska-jama.eu. The cave is cold all year, so dress warmly.
Coast, Bled and the mountains
- Piran: a Christmas market runs from about 17 or 18 December to 3 January (the listing gives both start dates), and on New Year's Eve a celebration starts at 21:00 on Tartini Square.
- Portorož: a market from 27 November to 3 January.
- Bled: Bled Winter Fairytale is listed from 1 December to 10 January, with market stalls and an ice rink. Last season it ran from 28 November 2025 to 4 January 2026, with daily events from 19 December, so check the programme in December. The "Sunken Bell" re-enactment is traditionally held on 25 December.
- Kranjska Gora: New Year's Eve with the band Modrijani on 31 December and 1 January.
- Vrhnika: its own Veseli december runs from 20 November to 10 January, 17:00 to 20:00.
New Year's Eve in Ljubljana
Ljubljana has four free open-air New Year's Eve celebrations on 31 December, and the Festive December programme ends with them. The line-up and the fireworks decision for 2026/27 have not been published yet. In earlier years the main stage stood on Kongresni trg, with other squares (Mestni trg, Pogačarjev trg and Trg francoske revolucije) each with a different style of music, and a display above the castle at midnight. In bad weather the fireworks have been replaced by cannon fire. Expect the programme to be announced in December.
Christmas customs and food
Potica, a rolled yeast cake with a walnut filling, is the national festive cake. Slovenia.info calls it the queen of the festive dishes, and it is sold in every bakery in December.
A slice of potica, the rolled festive cake. Image: Michael R Perry, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Holidays and shop hours
- 25 December: Christmas Day, a Friday in 2026.
- 26 December: Independence and Unity Day, a public holiday that falls on a Saturday in 2026.
- 1 and 2 January: New Year, both public holidays.
- 6 January: Epiphany is a normal working day in Slovenia.
Shops are closed on Sundays and public holidays, with exceptions. Last winter shops were closed from 25 to 26 December and on 1 and 2 January, with shorter hours on New Year's Eve, but some employers staff those days, so not every shop will be shut. Buy supplies on 24 December.
The season at a glance
- 27 November: Ljubljana's lights switched on (17:00).
- 5 December: Miklavž.
- 20 December: the Ice Queen in Ljubljana.
- 24 December: Christmas concert on Mestni trg.
- 25 to 30 December: Living Nativity, Postojna Cave.
- 26 to 30 December: Dedek Mraz processions.
- 31 December: New Year's Eve on the main squares.
- 14 or 15 January: the end of Festive December.
Tips
- Book Postojna early: presale prices apply on 25 and 29 December only, and the shows sell out.
- Dress warmly: the cave and the squares are cold.
- Check the programmes in December: the New Year's Eve line-ups are announced late.
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