One Week in Slovenia

When we first moved to Prague, Colin asked me what European country I was most excited to check off my bucket list. The answer? Slovenia! I was so excited that we got to finally visit Slovenia in March (right before we abruptly returned to Canada) and can’t wait to share my one week in Slovenia itinerary with you.

Slovenia is a great place in Europe to visit because it’s still a little under the radar. Unlike France or England, it’s not super well-known. In fact, Colin kept mixing it up with Slovakia! So you can spend a week in Slovenia without the crowds you might expect in Italy or Greece.

Plus, Slovenia is the perfect mix of city and outdoors, and each area is just as special as the next. Slovenia perfectly mixed the scenery of Austria with the waterside cities of Italy into one really cool country. If you’re looking for a little bit of everything in the perfect, charming package, Slovenia is waiting for you.

But first, let’s get to know this place!

Where is Slovenia?

Slovenia is located right under Austria and on top of Croatia. To the right it borders Hungary and to the left it borders Italy and a sliver of the Adriatic Sea. The majority of Slovenia is landlocked and it’s a pretty tiny country.

How do you get to Slovenia?

From Prague, we drove to Slovenia, passing through Salzburg, Austria on the way. Slovenia is a perfect place to include if you’re doing a road trip around central Europe. It’s also easily reachable by train or plane, heading into the capital city, Ljubljana. However, if you want to explore more of Slovenia and at your own pace, I would suggest renting a car.

When should you visit Slovenia?

We visited Slovenia in March and I thought it was perfect. It wasn’t too cold or too hot. We enjoyed sunny days and small crowds. Of course, like most places in Europe, summer will bring more heat and more crowds. If you want to swim, I’d wait for summer. In winter, I’ve heard Slovenia can get pretty miserable. But pictures of Lake Bled covered in snow do look magical!

A few more facts about Slovenia:

Slovenia is part of the Schengen zone and Eurozone. They use the Euro as their currency and the main language spoken is Slovenian. You may also hear Hungarian and Italian. Luckily, English is widely spoken too.

All right, now that you know a little bit more about the country, let’s break down how to spend one week in Slovenia!

Lake Bohinj (2-3 days)

We started our week in Slovenia with a few days at Lake Bohinj. This is the perfect start to your time in Slovenia because it shows off the country’s gorgeous nature. I’m talking mountains, lakes and forests.

If you know anything about Slovenia, you’ve likely heard (or seen a photo) of Lake Bled. However, I don’t recommend basing yourself in Bled. Lake Bled is, as the pictures show, beautiful. But it’s also very popular. Even in March, hotels near Lake Bled were expensive and when we drove through on a weekend, the streets were packed.

Instead, base yourself in Lake Bohinj. Lake Bohinj is only a 20-30 minute drive from Lake Bled, making Bled an easy day trip. Plus, Lake Bohinj is absolutely beautiful with a ton of nature to discover. If I’m being honest, I actually found Lake Bohinj more beautiful and more fun to explore than the popular Lake Bled.

We stayed at Aparthotel Triglav on Lake Bohinj and I could not recommend this hotel more highly. The rooms were beautiful, like staying at a Scandinavian spa, with a beautiful balcony and an uninterrupted view of the lake and mountains. I couldn’t stop taking photos of the view! Plus, it’s just a short walk to the lake, pet-friendly and the hotel restaurant is delicious. Get the chocolate mousse!

So with your 2-3 days in Lake Bohinj, I would spend your first day exploring the local Lake Bohinj area. We went for a stroll around the lake but there are also lots of hikes, waterfalls and viewpoints to discover too. We did the short hike to the Slavica Waterfall on our final day and it was very pretty.

On your second day, take a day trip out to Lake Bled. Pro tip: If you want to visit Bled Castle, make a reservation for lunch at the castle restaurant. If you eat at the restaurant, your entrance to the castle and your parking are free of charge. Plus, the castle and restaurant are dog-friendly!

I would recommend the Bled Castle restaurant. We had a delicious lunch there, with a beautiful view (ask ahead to be seated by the window) and a taste of the famous Bled Cream Cake. After lunch, we strolled around the castle. There’s not a ton to discover but it was worth it since we got in for free!

Following lunch, we headed back down to the water and walked around picturesque Lake Bled. It was a Monday in March, so we had a lot of the viewpoints all to ourselves. If you can plan your visit for a weekday in the off-season, I highly recommend it!

Ljubjlana (2-3 days)

After Lake Bohinj, we drove an hour to Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana. I am a big fan of Ljubljana. This city totally captured my heart. It has the winding canals of Venice, the architecture of Vienna and was filled with charming touches like a giant market, a rich literary history, a dragon bridge and a castle.

Ljubljana is a small capital city and it’s totally walkable. As I always recommend, you should start with a free walking tour of the city. It’s a great way to learn about a city’s history and culture, as well as get recommendations for future sightseeing, all on a budget.

Spend your first day in Ljubljana enjoying the walking tour and just soaking up the vibe of the city. There are lots of adorable streets to stroll down, markets to shop at and bridges to cross over. On your second day, head up to the Ljubljana Castle for beautiful views over the city. PS: Dogs are also welcome in the castle, but not in every room. It works best if you go with someone so you can take turns going into non-dog-friendly areas.

Ljubljana is also a great place to eat! On our first night, Colin found Pizzeria Foculus for us to have dinner. And it was a hit! The place was super busy with a crowd of locals of all ages, but we were able to find a table and our food, delicious pizza, came out super quick. I was so impressed by the big portions, low prices and speedy service. The wine was delicious (and cheap) too!

We also had a great meal at Pop’s Place, a burger joint in the old town that hit the spot for burger-loving Colin’s birthday meal. Ljubljana had tons of great cafes and delicious eateries I wanted to try.

Piran (2 days)

The final stop on my one week in Slovenia itinerary is Piran. Sadly, we didn’t make it to Piran during our trip to Slovenia. But if we had had more time, we definitely would have!

Piran is Slovenia’s coastal city, hugging the tight shore of the Adriatic Sea. It’s supposed to be Slovenia’s take on Venice and looks like Dubrovnik’s Old Town from above. It’s a mix of Slovenia and Italy in culture, language and food. Walking the streets of Piran must feel like you’re going back in time.

Piran is just a 90 minute drive from Ljubjlana, so could be done on a day trip. But if you really want to soak up this seaside city and enjoy the delicious fresh seafood, you’ll want to stay for a night or two.

For more on Piran, check out Slovenia expert Helene’s post on what to do in Piran.

Where to go after one week in Slovenia?

Have more than just one week in Slovenia? Amazing! This country is super cool and there’s a lot more for you to see and do.

• Spend more time in Triglav National Park (where Lake Bohinj is located) to explore more lakes, waterfalls and hiking trails.
• Go castle hunting! Slovenia is lousy with castles and it would be fun to try and see as many as you can.
• If you’re into wine (and Slovenia has some of the best!) head to Goriška Brda, the wine region of the country.
• Get adventurous in the Soca Valley where you can enjoy white water rafting, zip-lining, paragliding and more!

One of the best parts of Slovenia is its central location, meaning it would be super easy to combine one week in Slovenia with any of the countries nearby. From Ljubljana you could head to…

• Zagreb, Croatia (2 hour drive) and continue down the Croatian coast to Split and Dubrovnik.
• Salzburg (3 hour drive) and Vienna in Austria.
• Italy, checking out Trieste (1 hour drive) and Venice before exploring more of the boot.
• Hungary to visit Budapest (5 hour drive) and the Tokaj wine region.

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So that’s my itinerary for spending one week in Slovenia! I enjoyed our time in Slovenia so much that I would love to go back for a couple of weeks. I think it would be awesome to rent a car to explore more of the country and then make our way into Croatia or Italy.

 

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