In the center of the country, near the Capital of Ljubljana, the climate is continental with all four seasons. In the higher altitudes of the Julian Alps, the weather is cold most of the year, and snow is almost always present. As all of these climates are within an hour or two drive from each other, locals must always be prepared for their destination, depending on the time of the year.
Humans, or our close relatives the Neanderthals, have been living in Slovenia for thousands and thousands of years. People have adapted to living in a place with wide changes in temperature. The earliest humans and our ancestors used the large cave systems found throughout the country as shelter from the elements and during wintertime. Until the development of modern heating and air conditioning, the cave systems throughout Slovenia played a crucial role in the survival of the people living in this area. The caves generally stay about 50 degrees Fahrenheit year round, meaning they provide a great source of food preservation and cooling in the summer and source of warmth and shelter in the winter.
