Slovenia Itinerary: Freestyle the Main Sights in 3-7 Days

Now that I have been to the country multiple times, I couldn’t wait to share my top tips for a Slovenia itinerary with you. I’ve done a trip to Slovenia in 3 days and I’ve also planned a 7 day Slovenia itinerary, and only difference is simply doing the main Slovenia sights quicker, or more slowly.

Slovenia is a really special country and a bit of a hidden gem that somehow stays off the radar of the main Europan destinations. I didn’t know what to expect of Ljubljana, but it’s safe to say it totally blew me away to the point I’ve now returned a few times. Lake Bled is a must, but there are also some lesser-known gems in the countryside. A few years later I came back as part of my Balkans Road trip.

You can do Ljubljana and Lake Bled easily in 2 days, but if you expand your itinerary to include one week in Slovenia, you can include some fun day trips, hikes, and a slower and more enjoyable pace to see the sights and enjoy the colorful streets and beautiful nature.

In this more freestyle Slovenia itinerary, I’ll simply list the place, how many days to spend there, and the things to do and places to eat and stay there. You’ll see Ljubljana, Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj, the Predjama Castle, and the Postojna Caves – you can add on Piran if you’d like also, and even move on to Croatia too.

Ljubljana: First Stop on Your Slovenia Itinerary for 1-3 Days

Ljubljana is one of the cities in Europe that will surprise you the most. It was awarded as the greenest city in Europe a few times. It’s trendy, forward-thinking, sustainability-centered, small-business minded, and all-inclusive, as I quickly learned exploring on my first day.

The whole city center is closed off to any vehicles but methane-run busses and majorly solar powered little golf carts and trams to help people who cannot walk or bike. They have a ridiculously efficient underground garbage separation and disposal process, which encourages people to save and recycle.

The restaurant and cafe culture is edgy and trendy, and I had to include quite a few finds in this Slovenia itinerary. There are no big restaurant chains – just small, cute shops and restaurants lining the cobblestone streets.

Explore Ljubljana City Center

Ljubljana really is different than a lot of Balkan cities. It’s like you mix the trendy restaurant and cafe vibes of somewhere like Melbourne into a forward-thinking Eastern European city.

Add in a bit of ancient Roman history and edgy street art vibes of a recent country that just became independent from communism 30 years ago and has been through a lot. Throw in a lot of colors, cobblestone, a bit of Mediterranean flair, and baroque architecture… and you get Ljubljana!

Like I said before, they recently closed off the entire city center to cars and taxis – the only vehicles that can operate are methane-run busses and little solar-powered golf carts and tram things. This completely opens up the city, and there are pedestrians and bikes whizzing by every which way – much more room for activities.

Take a Walk in Tivoli Park + Surrounds

Tivoli Park is a massive park on the side of the city, with tons of walking trails going up into hills beyond it. I went on quite a long adventure hike up into the forests. There’s a lot to explore! There are sports complexes, walking and biking trails, and exercise classes circling up on the grass. It’s definitely a good place to explore or relax in Ljubljana.

Peruse through the Ljubljana Markets

My tour guide told me that Ljubljana was the only city with a big market right in the city center. Apparently, all of the dozens of market stalls are buzzing with life on Sundays – selling fruits, vegetables, flowers, and local produce, right in the city center by the river and along a massive arcade.

They even have a milk vending machine that cuts out the middle man between farm and household, so you can get (very) cheap milk straight from the source.

Read More: Slovenia is actually right next door to Austria. Plan a trip from Vienna!

CurioCity Ljubljana Tour

 On my first day, I did an amazing tour with CurioCity. They don’t run your usual, massive group tours following someone with a microphone and a flag.

These are small group, “tailor-made” tours, as their tagline suggests, which go into more than just the history and landmarks of the town… they tell you all about it, its people, their stories, and its affairs going on NOW. Which, if you ask me, is a surprisingly obvious yet extremely undiscovered way to run a city tour.

My guide told me a lot of history, but again focused more on the now. We visited tons of socially responsible businesses here that strive to be inclusive and helpful of all groups. I’ll go into more detail about the restaurants and cafes below, but here’s the gist of a few places we saw:

We visited a cafe that employs people with learning disabilities, pairing them with others to serve food, and the only 100% fair trade shop in Slovenia, with tons of amazing products. We visited a fantastic restaurant that employs high school dropouts, a thrift shop that supports and employ the homeless, and more.

SUP Tour of Ljublijanica River or Bled

I never thought to SUP on a river, but it turns out that it’s a fantastic way to see a city from another perspective! Ljubljana is one of the only cities you can paddle through this city center, and we got some fantastic views and not to mention a fantastic workout on tour with Bananaway.

I would recommend it to anyone! Bananaway does lots of other tours as well, in different locations too.. they specialize in kiteboarding and SUP. You can do a SUP tour of Bled too, which I would have loved to have done.

Climb Up Castle Hill to Ljubljana Castle

A visit to Ljubljana wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Ljubljana castle on castle hill. Jutting up almost suddenly in the middle of the city center, you have a green hill with an amazing castle on top.

Inside are restaurants, visitor centers, and a museum, and a fantastic view of the sunset over the city. Visit the castle, check out the museum, and make sure to stay for sunset from outside on the hill.

Check Out the Views from the Ljubljana Skyscraper

The fact that they call this the ‘skyscraper’ is a bit of a laugh, but apparently it was the tallest building in the Balkans when they built it in 1920, and the tallest in the city. Either way, there’s a really good view when you get up to the top (10th) floor.

The sun sets right over the hills above Tivoli park, but the view of the city from there… my god! It is breathtaking, and you can really see the fantastic color incorporated into Ljubljana’s varied architecture. Castle hill juts right up in the middle of it, standing tall over the city.

I recommend getting a drink or dinner on the terrace at sunset, and taking in the beauty around you. My truffle gnocchi was to die for!

Slovenia Itinerary Second Stop: Day Trips to Postojna Caves and Predjama Castle

Some of the coolest Slovenia attractions are located right next to each other about an hour away from Ljubljana: Predjama Castle, which is built into the side of a cliff, and the Postojna Caves.

If you rent a car you can easily reach these sights by driving. But you can also book a day tour from Ljubljana to both the castle and the caves in one day if you aren’t driving.

This day tour will leave in the early morning to explore some of the most impressive natural caves in all of the Balkans that go down dozens of meters into the cliffs. Afterward, you’ll head down the street to the historic 13th-century castle and learn about its story.

Lake Bled and Bohinj: 1-3 Days of Your Slovenia Itinerary

After your 1-3 days in Ljubljana and day trip to Predjama, you can also spend 1-3 days in Lake Bled and its lesser-known counterpart, Lake Bohinj.

These two lakes are possible as a very quick day trip from Ljubljana if you are short on time, but you’ll want to wake up early! If you need to do these as a day trip, do it with the tour below so you can be sure to see both.

You can’t miss out on Lake Bled as part of your Slovenia itinerary. It’s just over an hour’s bus ride from Ljubljana. There are lots of activities to do, and you can take a tour of the lake and castle too. And it is by far one of the most gorgeous, jaw-dropping places I have ever been to. I’ll let the photos do that talking on that one!

After Bled, we have Lake Bohinj… a much, much lesser known but equally (if not more) flipping GORGEOUS lake. It’s only a 40 minute bus away from Bled too, and is nestled comfortably right in the dramatic Julian Alps in Triglav National Park.

Unlike Bled, you can swim anywhere in Bohinj, and there are sunbathers scattered around the entire thing. It’s much bigger, too, with a 12km circumference to Bled’s just over 5. It’s very popular for skiing in the winter too! You can also rent bikes until about 6pm. More on Bohinj below.

Rafting at Lake Bled

Something adventurous and a bit different to do in Bled if you have more than one day is river rafting. I wouldn’t have thought of it initially but there are quite a few rivers stemming from/leading to the lake which are perfect for rafting when the water is right.

Even in mid-September it was awesome – the water levels weren’t the highest but there were absolutely stunning views of the mountains and countryside and I still managed to get catapulted off the raft at one point when we hit a rock… it was hilarious.

Hiking in Lake Bled

Since Bled is surrounded by hills, there is plenty of hiking to do. My favorite short hike is up a peak called Mala Okojnica on the opposite side of the lake than the bus station.

I highly recommend hiking up here; it’s visible on Google Maps from the Mala Osojnica Trailhead near Camping Bled. Afterwards you can visit the beach and even rent another SUP if you’d like.

Bled Castle

If you’re here, you have to climb up to see the view from the iconic Bled Castle atop a rocky hill overlooking the lake. The views are amazing, especially for sunset. Apparently, you can also get a special Bled cake here too, which I didn’t get the chance to try but you definitely should!

Paddle, Boat, Swim at Lake Bled

There are heaps of rental places for paddle boats, boards, and boats in bled, which is also a super fun activity here and a cool way to see the lake and surroundings. You can’t miss having a swim in the Lake if you stay more than a day.

Hike Lake Bohinj

Now, moving on to Lake Bohinj. One of the best things to do here is to trek around the Lake. The entire trek is 12 kilometers with marked trails and amazing views.

There are also actual treks here, up real massive mountains (the Julian alps) with fantastic views, on either side of the lake.

On one side you have Mt. Triglav, set just a bit back from the mountains overlooking the lake, and many other high peaks.On the other side you have Mt. Vogel, which is also a ski resort in the winter, and surrounding peaks you can hike up. There are tons of options!

Swim/Watersports in Bohinj

You can swim anywhere in Lake Bohinj. A lot of people walk around it for a bit and locate a nice secluded bit of pebbles to relax in peace, or set up somewhere on the grass on either side of the lake.

I saw kayakers, SUP’ers, and many different kinds of boaters cruising around the lake, and swimmers everywhere! It’s paradise on a warm day.

Paraglide Lake Bohinj

I also saw quite a few parachutes high up in the sky, of paragliders coming off the surrounding high peaks. Paragliding over Lake Bohinj would be one of the most incredible adventures in the country for sure. You best believe I would have tried it if I was there longer!!

Cable Car up the Julian Alps

You can take a cable car up to the top of Mt. Vogel for 14 euros. This goes from the southwest side of the lake from Ukanc (visible on a map). The view is spectacular, and you can see all the surrounding alps and an opulent Mt. Triglav hovering in the clouds in the distance.

In high season (and if you go earlier in the day) you can eat at a panoramic cafe. The last cable car up in low season (September) was at 5:30 for me, and the last one down was at 6. Although late, I am so glad I got to experience this place for inclusion in this Slovenia itinerary!

Watch the Sunset at Lake Bled

At Bled, anywhere on the east side would present an amazing sunset over the lake. Try Bled Castle, or perhaps any of the shores along the south of the lake coming from Blejski park (if you can’t tell… I’m a map parson. If this is confusing look at the map :P).

Bohinj Sunset Spots

I can’t really specify the BEST sunset spot in Lake Bohinj because it’s truly phenomenal all the way from the beginning of the cable car to the visitor center. Hang out on the green grassy knoll by the Lake Hotel and you’ll get a show right over the lake like the one pictured above.

Where to Stay for Your Slovenia Itinerary

Ljubljana Budget Stay: Hostel Tresor

I stayed in Hostel Tresor the first time I went to Slovenia. It was rad. It had the perfect, central location… legit right in the center of Ljubljana next to the three bridges. The staff were lovely, it was clean, the rooms were great (ranging from private to dorm), and the atmosphere itself was very well-designed and trendy.

They had cheap breakfast and a bar with cocktails, good wifi, and even helped set you up with absolutely any activity or adventure you could want. They also had a few bands play a concert one of the nights I was there! All in all – everything you could want from a hostel & more.

Ljublana Comfort Hotel: Kollmann Rooms + Apartments

If you like a bit more comfort than a budget hotel but still want to be in the CENTER, this is the place for you. I stayed in the 2BR apartment here when I brought a group tour through Ljubljana, and it was amazingly stylish and cute with a location that could NOT be beat.

They have different room and apartment sizes too – it’s kind of a mixture between a small boutique hotel and an airbnb.

Where to Stay in Lake Bled: Hotel Park

If you decide to spend a few nights out near Lake Bled and Bohinj, I recommend staying near Lake Bled (as it has a bigger town) and taking a quick bus between the two lakes. I recommend Hotel Park for the most amazing location and a great mixture between budget and comfort.

Where to Eat on Your Slovenia Itinerary

Here are the best places to eat in Slovenia that I recommend!

Druga Violina – Ljubljana

This is the cafe that employs people with learning disabilities in Ljubljana. Druga Violina means ‘second violin,’ playing off the fact that the first violin in an orchestra has precedence, but could never survive without the second violin.

I was served my drinks and food by a lovely polite young lady with down syndrome, who was clearly quite happy to be where she was. It was heartwarming.

Gostilna Dela – Ljubljana

Gostilna Dela is a fantastic restaurant that employs high school dropouts, and gives them the opportunity to do a 6-month training certification for restaurant work that they can then take anywhere. This is amazing in a country where you cannot do much without some kind of certification, usually from school. It has mazing food, and is open for lunch!

Cafe Cokl – Great Coffee in Ljubljana

Cafe Cokl is a trendy little fair trade cafe with coffee beans from all over the world, each specifically used in different coffee drinks. The owner brews the beans himself and specifically visits the places and sources them.

For real, I have never met someone so passionate about coffee, or tasted such an amazing cold brew or cappuccino! Tine, the owner, could talk to you about coffee for hours. He’s a legend.

Pop’s Place Ljubljana

Pop’s Place was a great restaurant that served burgers and craft beer. Apparently, they have some kind of ‘burger wars’ here in Ljubljana, with places competing to serve the best burger. I tried Pop’s, and (not that I tried any other burgers, but) it was delicious!

Cacao – Sweets in Ljubljana

If you want dessert, this is your place! I got an amazing iced cream but they also have tons of cakes, puddings, fudges, and everything in between.

Strudl in Lake Bohinj – MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT IN SLOVENIA

If you find yourself in the main town part of Bohinj town, try Strudlfor an incredible, as-authentic-as-it-gets Slovenian meal. I ended up meeting a few super cool locals on the cable car: a Slovenian showing his Brazillian colleague around.

I somehow ended up being shown around by him as well- a real Slovenia travel guide – and at dinner with them at this fantastic place. The food looks really strange on the menu but is actually SO good. We got a huge Slovenian platter of meat, potatoes, and sauerkraut, some polenta with crackling to eat with sour milk (no joke), and for dessert a strudel and noodles with apple sauce, jam, and sugar crumbs. It was weird. It was awesome. You have to try it.

Hot Horse – Ljubljana’s Famous Horse Burger

I didn’t actually get the chance to go here, but apparently, it is a Ljubljana staple and another famous burger place. And it’s not called ‘Hot Horse’ for nothin’… animal lovers, stop reading now!

Yes, they are actually horse burgers. Burgers made from horse meat. It’s apparently some sort of fast food delicacy here, and something interesting to try. Next time I will, just for the purpose of trying it. Why not?

Final Slovenia Itinerary Add-On: Visit Piran, the Adriatic Coast

Yes, in fact, Slovenia DOES have coast, and it is absolutely beautiful! Most people don’t know that Slovenia has a few coastal towns just like Croatia, but they are much less crowded.

Visit Piran and Portoroz as a Day Trip from Ljubljana and see parts of the Adriatic many others have not. You can drive here in a few hours from Ljubljana, or you can spend another of your days there taking a day trip to the coast.

I think that’s all for now!! I hope this Slovenia Itinerary helps you plan your visit here 🙂 IF you are moving onto Croatia, I have 20+ guides to different parts of Croatia and also Bosnia and Montenegro. KEep reading below:

• Best Places to Go in Croatia (links to all my more specific guides)
• Things to do in Split
• Things to do in Dubrovnik
• Day Trips from Split
• Things to do in Montenegro Organized into a Road Trip Itinerary
• Things to do in Mostar Bosnia
• and much, much more!