Breathtaking nature, orange wine and bustling cities. What else could you be looking for in your next travel destination? Well, Slovenia has it all. These are my top Slovenia travel tips that will guide you through the holiday of your dreams.

Nobody needs to be convinced that Europe is a popular travel destination. In fact, travel and tourism directly contributed about 14 million jobs to the European economy in 2017.

Read more: My favourite solo travel destinations in Europe

And while that’s great news for Europe, it might make you feel like there are too many tourists. Especially if you’re visiting popular European hotspots like Paris and Rome.

Luckily, you won’t have that problem in some of the more undiscovered European countries – like Slovenia. This country will give you great attractions without the famous European crowds. Think about this:

• Waterways like in Amsterdam or Venice;
• Gastronomy like in Paris;
• Quaint cobbled streets like in Dublin;
• Astonishing nature like in Austria.

Slovenia will give you all of the above, but without thousands of people doing the same thing – and for a fraction of the price. And in this article, I’ll tell you all about why I fell in love with Slovenia.

Slovenia travel tips: table of contents

(Click on the links below to go to the relevant section of this blog post!)

• How to get to Slovenia
• Slovenia travel tips
• Where to go in Slovenia
• Suggested 4-day Slovenia itinerary
• Is Slovenia worth a visit?

On this map, you can find every place that is mentioned in this blog post.

How to get to Slovenia

Slovenia travel tips are no use to you if you can’t even get to Slovenia. So here’s a short section on how to get to this hidden gem.

Even though there’s only one airport in the entire country (near its capital Ljubljana), Slovenia is easily accessible by plane from all over Europe. Two low-cost carriers fly to Ljubljana:

• Wizz Air (from Brussels-Charleroi and London Luton)
• EasyJet (from London Stansend)

Related: Finding cheap flights as a solo traveller

Other than that, various ‘regular’ airline carriers fly to Ljubljana, but that will probably cost you a bit more. You may want to consider flying to nearby airports (like Trieste in Italy or Zagreb in Croatia) and taking public transport from there to Ljubljana.

If you don’t mind your trip taking a bit longer or if you want to travel in a more environmentally friendly way, there are various direct trains from Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland, among others. This is a great overview of trains to and from Ljubljana by The Man in Seat 61.

Slovenia travel tips

Now, this is the part you’ve been waiting for. The actual Slovenia travel tips. So let’s get this show on the road.

Slovenia travel: statistics

• Slovenia capital: Ljubljana
• Languages in Slovenia: Slovenian is the official language, but Slovenian people understand and speak English very well
• Slovenia currency: Euro
• Slovenia population: Just over 2 million (2018 census)
• Time zone in Slovenia: GMT +1 (GMT +2 in summer)
• Slovenia visa requirements: No visa needed for Schengen Area citizens or for Australian, Canadian or American citizens. Check with your embassy if you don’t fit into one of these categories.
• Slovenia climate: Mediterranean with mild winters in the west, continental with cold winters and warm summers inland

Where to go in Slovenia

As the heading of this section suggests, this will be an overview of places of interest in Slovenia. In other words: whether or not Slovenia is worth a visit. (Spoiler alert: yes, it is.)

I’m not claiming to know the ins and outs of Slovenia, so if you visited recently and know of any place I don’t mention, please let me know in a comment. I’ll be happy to update this post, because I essentially strive to give my audience the most relevant travel tips possible.

Ljubljana

The Slovenian capital is mostly known for its reputation as one of the greenest cities of Europe. Whether you’re strolling down its narrow streets or its wide avenues, you’ll feel like you are living in a fairytale.

Some things you can’t miss in Ljubljana: take a stroll along the river Ljubljanica, admire Prešeren Square (Prešernov Trg) and its pink baroque church, walk along the Dragon Bridge and, last but not least, take the cable car up to Ljubljana Castle.

Bled

Bled is a small city in the north of Slovenia, mostly known for its lake, with a small island and church in the middle and a castle overlooking the lake from a nearby cliff.

Don’t forget to check out the lake from various viewpoints, hike up to the castle and admire the view, visit the island on the lake and take a trip in a traditional Pletna boat.

Vintgar Gorge

About 4 km (2,5 miles) to the north-west of Bled, you’ll find Vintgar Gorge: a gorge-ous ravine along the Radovna river. Vintgar Gorge is a perfect day trip from Bled as it will only take you about half an hour to get there.

In Vintgar Gorge, you’ll see wooden walkways guiding you through the ravine and spectacular natural scenery, and you’ll hear the sounds of birds singing and the water of the river running through the valley.

Lake Bohinj

Lake Bohinj is the second Slovenian lake near Triglav National Park (with Lake Bled being the first). I personally like Lake Bled more than Lake Bohinj, but be sure to judge for yourself.

And although many people might prefer Lake Bled, one aspect of Lake Bohinj alone guarantees a mention in this list: its tranquility. Lake Bohinj is a lot less crowded than Lake Bled is, and it’s often seen to be more authentic and less aimed towards tourists.

Triglav National Park

With a surface area of over 880 square km (340 square miles), Triglav National Park (often abbreviated to TNP) is one of Europe’s biggest and most admired nature reserves. This park has something for everyone, all year round.

Points of interest include Mount Triglav (which every Slovene is expected to climb at least once in his/her life), Vršič Pass and Pokljuka Plateau.

Suggested Slovenia itinerary (3 – 4 days)

Now, I’ve given you some pointers as to where to go, but you still don’t really know what to do in Slovenia. And that’s where this four-day travel itinerary comes in.

This is what to do during four laid-back days in Slovenia. (Based on my own trip to Slovenia with one of my best friends this summer)

Slovenia itinerary: day 1

Our flight to Slovenia arrived in the late afternoon. After arriving at the airport, we took a taxi to our hostel, dumped our bags in our room and went out on the town for dinner.

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Happy Days are here again…sun and fun at Pop’s… #happydays #sun #fun #burgerporn #buns #burgerlover #foodporn #fries #instagood #nomnom #mediumrare #eatmymeat #cheesy #eeeeeats

A post shared by POP'S PLACE® (@popsburgerbar) on Mar 6, 2019 at 11:13pm PST

On your first night, you’ll want to grab dinner at Pop’s Place, a trendy burger bar in Ljubljana’s vibrant city centre. This was for sure one of the best burgers I’ve ever eaten, and they have a large collection of local craft beers as well.

After dinner, check out what Prešeren Square and the Triple Bridge look like at night on the way back to your accommodation.

Related: How to find cheap accommodation as a solo traveller

Slovenia itinerary: day 2 (Ljubljana essentials)

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Hvala reviji @goodlifestyle.art in @grusha.foodstyle za lep prispevek (link v opisu profila). Foto: @m_kostanjsek

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The first thing you’ll want to do on this morning is to get breakfast at Bazilika Bistro, a small café that serves breakfast and lunch – with loads of vegetarian and vegan options as well.

While you’re on your way to Bazilika, check out the Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity. In case you’re too hungry to go inside the church, don’t worry. You’re not missing out on a whole lot. The church’s front facade and the adjacent city square are just as impressive, if not more so.

After munching on some banana bread, oatmeal or pie at Bazilika, make your way to Tivoli Park. Admire the flower garden, breathe in the clean green air and rediscover your child-like sense of wonder at the playground. Because shame and regrets are overrated.

Walk back to the city centre (Prešeren Square, Triple Bridge, Ljubljanica) and see what it’s all about during the daytime. Walk along the river Ljubljanica on a street called Cankarjevo nabrežje and find a restaurant for lunch.

Now that you’ve regained the energy you need for an afternoon of exploring, it’s time to discover the old town. Head to Gornji Trg, a beautiful square that’s a lot less crowded than Prešeren Square, but just as interesting.

Get lost in the small cobbled streets around Gornji Trg and find out what Ljubljana is actually like.

Next up on the travel itinerary: Ljubljana Castle (or Ljubljana Grad, as the locals call it). First, take the funicular to go up the hill, or hike it if you’re up for a challenge. Then, admire the view, learn about the history of Ljubljana and enjoy the atmosphere.

Come back down the hill, take a break and have a drink. Because you deserve it.

By now, it’s time to get back to your hostel, Airbnb, hotel, or wherever else you’re sleeping. Freshen up, maybe take a shower or put on some new clothes.

After that, find a restaurant for dinner on your last night in Ljubljana. We opted for TaBar, a tapas restaurant close to Pop’s Place. I strongly recommend you have a glass of orange wine here – or anywhere else, for that matter. And yes, I said orange. While that might sound strange, you’re going to have to trust me on this.

Slovenia itinerary: day 3 (The road to Bled)

So this is the day you’re leaving Ljubljana for your two day trip to Bled.

So get up, find some breakfast — at your hostel, at a supermarket, at Bazilika — and get ready for the day that’s coming.

Get to the main bus station in Ljubljana (LJUBLJANA AVTOBUSNA POSTAJA), either on foot or by public transport – depending on your accommodation’s location. There are a few different companies offering a coach or bus from Ljubljana to Bled.

You can either buy your bus tickets online or buy them at the counter inside the bus station. The clerk should know just enough English to understand you’re trying to get to Bled.

I recommend you to take the bus in the early afternoon. The bus between Ljubljana and Bled will take just over one hour, which leaves you with plenty of time to locate your accommodation in Bled. (For example, we stayed in this gorgeous Airbnb!)

Related: get a $35 discount for Airbnb by signing up here!

In case you still need to kill some time before your bus gets there, check out Metelkova, a former military headquarters that has been turned into a social and cultural centre.

Grab a quick bite in or around the bus station and board your bus. Just over an hour later, you should arrive at one of Bled’s bus stops, depending on which company you used to get from Ljubljana to Bled.

Once you’ve settled in your accommodation, dropped off your bags and freshened up, it’s time to head to the supermarket and pick up some snacks and drinks.

As for the rest of the day, you can fill it in as you please. This is your free afternoon and night, if you will. We hung around our Airbnb, made dinner and hit the hay early for once, so that we’d be well rested for day four.

Slovenia itinerary: day 4 (Lake Bled, Bled Castle, Vintgar Gorge)

This was the day I was most looking forward to. And you’ll soon find out why that is.

You should be set for breakfast, since you went to the supermarket on day 3 and presumably bought some granola, bread or other breakfast food.

Your next destination is Vintgar Gorge. Now, I can hear you thinking: “How do I get from Bled to Vintgar Gorge?” Well, there are a few options:

• Take the tourist bus that runs between Bled Union bus station and Vintgar;
• Take a group shuttle to Vintgar, starting at €10 for a return ticket (runs between April and October);
• In the off season: take a regular bus from Bled to either Podhom or Spodnje Gorje. From both of these bus stops, it will still take you about 15-20 minutes of walking to reach the actual gorge;
• If you’re feeling adventurous: walk from Bled to Vintgar (should take you about an hour);
• Contact the Bled tourist information centre for the most recent possibilities to get you to Vintgar.

If you feel like you need some energy before you enter the park, there’s a small restaurant at the entrance where you can get some food or drinks.

Once you’ve gotten to Vintgar Gorge, pay the €5 entry fee (cash only!) and feast your eyes on the gorgeous — excuse the pun — scenery around you.

For your way back from Vintgar Gorge to Bled, you have the same options as before. If you’re feeling too tired to walk, you might want to call a cab – like we did.

By now, it’s lunchtime. Find a restaurant in Bled and feast.

The following Bled activities can be experienced in any order you want, so I’ll just give you the information you need and you’ll have to decide when you want to do what.

• Take a traditional Pletna boat across the lake. Tickets can’t be booked in advance, so you’ll have to buy your ticket at the ticket desk (€12 return for adults, €6 for children).
• Discover Bled Island, in the middle of Lake Bled, ring the bell and make your wishes come true.
• Walk around the lake and take lots of pictures.
• Hike a path through nature, up to Bled Castle, and learn about the history of Bled with many interactive experiences and museum collections.

After getting the most out of your visit to Bled, head back to your Airbnb, hostel or apartment and cook dinner for the last time before you head back home.

Is Slovenia worth visiting?

Now, if you really need to ask me if Slovenia is worth a visit after reading all of this, I don’t think this last bit is going to convince you.

But yes, you should definitely visit this European hidden gem. This list of Slovenia travel tips should get you well on your way to plan the ultimate adventure there.

Disclaimer: I am aware of the fact that Slovenia is more than Ljubljana and Bled. But so far, I have only visited these places, so I don’t feel comfortable giving you advice on any other destinations in Slovenia.

Thanks for reading!

-S

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