Bees and beekeeping: the back story

About Bees and beekeeping: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Ljubljana Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Slovenia has one of the highest numbers of beekeepers per person in the world, and its native Carniolan bee is prized for its gentle nature. Honey, wax and painted hives are part of the national identity.

The Carniolan bee

The Carniolan honey bee is native here and the only bee allowed to be kept in Slovenia, which protects it.

Painted panels

From the 18th century, beekeepers painted the front boards of their hives with Bible scenes, saints and humorous village stories. You can see them at the Ethnographic Museum in Ljubljana and the Beekeeping Museum in Radovljica.

In Slovenia, beekeeping is a craft, a pastime and a source of pride.

World Bee Day

At Slovenia’s initiative, the United Nations declared 20 May World Bee Day, the birthday of Anton Janša, an 18th-century Slovenian pioneer of beekeeping.

Our advice: buy honey and beeswax from the stalls of the Central Market, look for painted panels as souvenirs, and visit the Beekeeping Museum in Radovljica on the way to Bled.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Bees and beekeeping: the back story before you go.