This four days itinerary in Slovenia is perfect to get a first taste of Slovenia’s incredible beauty.
I suggest staying at the very least four or five days if you can, because there’s so much to see. If the weather is on your side, don’t miss the chance to hike amidst Slovenia’s nature, from stunning mountains to peaceful lakes and green valleys.
Located between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea, Slovenia is a hidden gem in Central Europe : a small but stunning country full of incredible nature, and not that touristy.
Ljubljana, the capital, is a small but lively city with riverside cafes and a castle overlooking the city. It’s a nice place to start the adventure !
I’ll list here all the things to do when spending a few days in Slovenia, from Piran to the Predjama Castle, including the famous Bled Lake.
- Day One : Ljubljana
- Day Two : Bled Lake – Vintgar gorge – Lake Bohinj – Savica waterfall
- Day Three : Peričnik Waterfall – Great soca gorge – Soca river viewpoint – Tolminska marita
- Day Four : Predjama Castle – Koper – Piran
Note : In order to visit all those places, I’d suggest renting a car right at the airport. We went with Avantcar via Rentalcars.com and everything was perfect.
Day One
Day One Circuit : 5 stops, 35 minutes walk
Start your first day in Slovenia by visiting the capital.
Head to the Ljubljana Castle to get panoramic views of the city. Built in the 11th century, it used to be a fortress, now it houses a museum and a viewing tower
Entrance fee : 19€ (or 15€ without the funicular), 13,5€ (or 10,5€) for students and seniors.
Opening hours : Everyday from 9am to 6pm.
Next, I’d suggest seeing the Triple Bridge (Tromostovje). This is an iconic landmark, connecting the old town to the modern center, consists of three separate pedestrian bridges, creating a unique architectural feature.
You will then arrive at Prešeren Square, the heart of Ljubljana, named after the national poet, whose statue stands in the square.
Take the time to wander in the little cobblestone streets of the old town, and exploring the local shops and the food market.
Of course, strolling in Tivoli Park is always a good idea. This is the largest park in the capital, plus you will walk past the National Gallery of Slovenia – the country’s premier art museum – on the way to get there.
We also visited Ljubljana at night and I’d would definitely recommend, it has such a nice atmosphere and the monuments are beautifully lit up :
Day Two
Day Two Circuit : 4 stops, 1h45 car drive
Start the second day by driving early morning to the emblematic Lake Bled. It’s a 30 minutes ride from Ljubljana, and parking at the lake costs around 3€, but it will be profitable because you will spend at least 3 hours there.
You can walk all around the lake, and it is really worth it, most people don’t bother doing the whole tour but this is where the view are the most stunning. After the lake loop, head to Ojstrica and Mala Osojnica, two incredible viewpoints overlooking the lake. The hikes uphill takes respectively about 15 minutes and 30 minutes and it’s definitely worth it :
From Lake Bled, there is a 10 minutes drive to Vintgar gorge, a true natural gem. There is a 1.6km wooden boardwalk winding its way through the gorge, above crystal-clear waters and lush greenery. Strolling beside waterfalls and cliffs offers a wonderful experience, but bring a raincoat and a hat because you will get wet ! The whole walk takes about an hour.
Entrance fee : 10€
Opening hours : It depends on the season, but usually it is open everyday from 9am to 5-6pm but check on their website beforehand. It closes during winter.
Next up is Lake Bohinj, just a 30-minute drive from the gorge. It is Slovenia’s largest natural lake, with turquoise waters, surrounded by dense forests and impressive mountains.
There are many paths to take to walk around the lake, we enjoyed the surroundings for about 2 hours before heading to our last stop of the day.
Savica Waterfall is an impressive 78- meters high waterfall located 10 minutes away from Lake Bohinj. A short hike through the forest will lead you to the cascade. Again, bring a raincoat and a hat, as there is a high chance you will get wet !
Entrance fee : 4€ for adults, 2,5€ for students and seniors
Opening hours : A bit unclear, but usually from 10am to 6pm, and from 7am to 10pm in July and August.
We ended our day in Mojstrana, a lovely little village at the foot of the mountains.
Day Three
Day Three Circuit : 5 stops, 2h30 car drive
Start off your day by heading to the Peričnik Waterfall, which is only a 10-minute drive from Mojstrana, plus the road is absolutely beautiful at Fall. The waterfall is 52-meter-high lower fall, and what’s quite unique about it is that you can walk behind it as well !
The shortest way to get to the Soča Gorge briefly passes through Italy. Along the way, you’ll see breathtaking views of the mountains of the Julian Alps, as well as the stunning Lago del Predil near the Italian-Slovenian border.
There are amazing landscapes everywhere on this route and even the roadside is beautiful :
The lake is approximately 50 minutes from the previous stop, but you will surely stop many times along the road to admire the different landscapes !
30 minutes from the Lake is Great Soča Gorge. Part of Triglav National Park, it is a limestone formation shaped by the emerald-green Soča River flowing through it.
The Soča River Viewpoint is another great spot in the Slovenian countryside. There is a trail all along the river to enjoy the views and surrounding landscape, and a few suspension bridges add a bit of an adventure to the walk !
It is a 40 minutes drive from the Great Soča Gorge, and the walk is about an hour.
For the last spot of the day, head to Tolminska Korita, or Tolmin Gorge. 24 minutes from the previous stop, Tolmin Gorge is the lowest point of Triglav National Park and a beautiful gorge with turquoise waters and rocky walls. A trail will guide you through to the Devil’s Bridge, Bear’s Head rock formation (see picture 2), and thermal springs.
Entrance fee : 6€ for adults, 5€ for students and seniors during March, April, October and November. In May, June and September it is 8€ for adults and 6€ for students and seniors. Finally, in July and August it is 10€ for adults and 8€ for students and seniors.
Opening hours : Closed from November to March, otherwise it is open from 9am to at least 5pm, but it depends on the months, for more details check the official website page here.
The drive back is also filed with majestic mountain views :
Day Four
Day Four Circuit : 3 stops, 1h20 car drive
Predjama Castle is a 800 years old medieval fortress built directly into the rock, making it one of the most unique castles in the world.
Koper is a little coastal town and Slovenia’s largest port city. It is a perfect place to spend a morning strolling along the waterfront and exploring the old town highlights such as Tito Square and the Praetorian Palace.
Piran is a charming seaside town, with colorful buildings, old streets and amazing views on the Adriatic Sea.
That’s it for my four days itinerary in Slovenia ! The country has a lot of thing to see and do, I listed only the best ones for a short stay but you could easily spend one or two weeks there and you wouldn’t be bored a second. If you need more information about what to know before going to Slovenia, you can check out this article.
I have also made a post about the best hikes to do in Slovenia, click here to check it out !
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