Farming, olive-growing, viniculture, fruit-growing, tobacco, herbs (sage, laurel, woodworm), fishing and tourism are chief occupations. Slano lies on the main road (M2, E65). Yachts can anchor in the small protected Banja cove. Anchoring-ground for larger yachts lies off the entrance in the cove, to the southwest of Cape Gornji (Upper).

The area of Slano was populated already in the prehistoric period (ruins of a hill-fort and tumuli on the nearby hills) and in the ancient times (a Roman castrum on the hill Gradina early Christian sarcophagi, today exhibited in front of the Franciscan church). Dubrovnik acquired Slano in 1399 it was the Rectors seat (Rectors Palace, built end XIX century). The Ohmučević summer palace is close by.