General Info

Surrounded by high Alps and the Adriatic Sea, Slovenia is a hidden gem in the heart of Europe. It is a land where the Pannonian Plain meets the mysterious Karst, where hills and valleys show off their pristine nature. Green mountains, lakes, waterfalls, forests, caves, hills, plains, rivers and the sea – all on 20,273 km2 of land. The beautiful nature is replete with historic buildings, castles, churches and parks, where old traditional customs are still alive and the people are friendly and cheerful.

Slovenia borders on Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia. The coastal climate is Mediterranean, and continental in the plateaus and valleys of the east, which makes this country an ideal tourist destination throughout the year.

There are many places to visit, depending on a visitor’s interest and the duration of the stay. The capital of Slovenia is Ljubljana, a charming city with an old centre containing many beautiful architectural masterpieces by Jože Plečnik. The coast offers its visitors a chance to relax in the sun, while making short trips to the historical gardens of Štanjel, walking the streets of medieval Piran, seeing the vast saltpans of Sečovlje, visiting the Postojna Cave or even taking a boat to nearby Venice, the city on the sea. Those who enjoy walking in verdant mountains should stop in Bled to ring the wishing bell in a small church in the middle of the lake, or hike from Bohinj to many of the nearby hills. Slovenia is also known for its great wine and delicious traditional food that appeals even to people with a discerning palate.

For more information about Slovenia visit the following web site: http://www.slovenia.info

With immense natural beauty, Bled, together with its surroundings, ranks among the most beautiful alpine resorts, renowned for its mild, healing climate and thermal lake water. The beauty of the mountains reflected on the lake, the sun, the serenity and the fresh air arouse pleasant feelings in visitors throughout the year, guaranteeing an ideal base or a relaxing break or an active holiday. Bled attracts businessmen, artists, athletes, explorers, sport enthusiasts, the old and the young, from all over the world, enchanting them to return again and again.

Basic information

Altitude 501 m, Castle Hill 604 m, Mt. Straža 646 m. Number of inhabitants 5476. Tourist capacity 4000 beds. Lake: altitude 475 m, length 2120 m, width 1380 m, area 144 ha, maximum depth 30.6 m, maximum annual water temperature is 26°C.

Curative Waters

The thermal springs which are led into the swimming pools at the Grand Hotel Toplice (23°C) and the Park and Rikli Balance Hotels (28°C - the water is additionally heated) enable pleasant swimming and successful treatment of stress related illnesses, exhaustion, neurovegetative disorders and age-related fatigue. Analyses of the thermal water at the Grand Hotel Toplice were performed by Dr. V. Kletzinski. These show the temperature of the spring to be constant at 23°C. The breakdown of the analyses show that 10 litres of water contain 1520 cm3 of free carbonic acid and 5.36 g of naturally occurring salts: 0.12 g of sodium chloride, 0.57 g of sodium sulphuric acid, 0.30 g of sodium carbonic acid, 2.31 g of calcium carbonic acid, 1.16 g of magnesium carbonic acid, 0.44 g of carbonic iron oxide acid, 0.27 g of silicic acid, clay phosphoric salts, manganese and some other ingredients.

• GRH Transportation services  
• GoOpti shuttle service
• Taxi service

Get to Bled by Road

Arriving to Bled by car is easy. Listed below are distances to some nearby cities:

• Klagenfurt (Austria) - 62 km
• Trieste (Italy) - 143 km
• Venice (Italy) - 288 km
• Munich (Germany) - 359 km
• Vienna (Austria) - 377 km

Participants who require a visa to enter Slovenia need to request a letter of guarantee, which will be issued by the Conference Secretariat. The letter of guarantee is issued exclusively for the purposes of visa arrangements and does not imply provision of any financial or other support.

Information on visas and addresses of embassies is available on the web site of the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In case you apply for a visa at an embassy, please fill in the form below in order to obtain the letter of guarantee and fax it to +386 1 241 72 96 or send it by e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Participants who already possess a valid Schengen visa type C or a valid residence permit issued by another Schengen country do not need to obtain an additional visa to enter Slovenia.

How do I apply for a visa? 

You need to follow these steps:

1. Register for the conference and pay the registration fee.
2. Fill in the form below and send your request for letter of guarantee to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
3. After we have received the filled-in form we will issue a letter of guarantee and send you a copy by email and an original by post. 
4. Should you require the letter of guarantee immediately please inform us about it. We can arrange shipping by DHL. However, DHL costs need to be paid in advance.
5. After you have received your letter of guarantee contact the embassy that can issue your visa.
6. Letter of Guarantee