15 Amazing Things to Do in Slovenia

There are just so many incredible things to do in Slovenia. This country is the perfect destination in Europe if you want to explore a wide variety of landscapes: mountains, forests, lakes, waterfalls, caves, castles, ski resorts, cities, beaches, you name it! Slovenia has it all.

If you’re looking for things to do in Slovenia, this is the perfect guide for you!

 

 

Slovenia is a small country (483 times smaller than the United Sates) nestled between Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Italy. The country is the perfect destination for outdoors adventures, as forest cover 66% of the national territory (3rd country with the most relative forest cover in the EU, after Finland and Sweden). But more than forests, Slovenia will amaze you with its stunning landscapes.

The country is not as famous as its neighbor, Croatia, just yet, but its popularity is slowly growing, and it will soon be one of Europe’s top destinations. In 2017 it was still enjoyable to visit Slovenia, as there are very few tourists around (nothing compared to Croatia!). So if you’re thinking of going, seize the opportunity and go, you’ll have a wonderful time!

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Getting around in Slovenia
• 15 amazing things to do in Slovenia

Getting around in Slovenia

As I stated previously, Slovenia is a small country; you can drive from one part of Slovenia to the other in 3 hours. If you have a car, or rent one while you’re there, you’ll easily be able to go from one location to another, and won’t be spending most of your time on the road.

15 amazing things to do in Slovenia

From all of the wonderful things to do in Slovenia, I’ve listed 15 to inspire you to explore the country.

Here are the 15 amazing things to do in Slovenia:

1- Swim in Lake Bled
2- Hike in Triglav National Park
3- Kayak on Lake Bohinj
4- Cliff Jump in the Soča River
5- Go back to Medieval Times at Predjama Castle
6- Go underground in Postojna Cave
7- Sleep in mountain huts and spend a night stargazing
8- Watch over Ljubljana in a rooftop bar
9- Find a cool staircase
10- Explore Ljubljana
11- Visit the Ljubljana Castle (Ljubljana Grad)
12- Go for a day trip in Rogla
13- Visit Piran, the coastal city
14- Explore the rural Slovenia
15- Paraglide over the Julian Alps

Alright, let’s dive straight into all the things to do in Slovenia, so that you can plan your trip there!

1- Swim in Lake Bled

Lake Bled is easily one of Slovenia’s most famous locations. What’s so particular about it? Its tiny island in the middle of the lake, with a Gothic church built on it.

From all around the lake, you can dip in the water and go for a swim. If you’re a good swimmer, you can even swim to Bled Island (20 minutes from the closest point, west of the island).

Alternatively, you can also rent a boat or a kayak to chill on the lake or to go to Bled Island. The entry fee for the island is 6€ for adults, and it includes access to the island, into the church, and even to the bell tower itself.

Read more: Visit Lake Bled

2- Hike in Triglav National Park

Triglav National Park is the biggest national park in Slovenia, and it’s such a pleasure to hike on its ground with incredible views all around.

The hike I recommend is the 7 lakes hike, that will take you all around the 7 Lakes Valley. You’ll come across forests, mountains, and stunning lakes in which you can swim. This hike is a 2-days hike, during which you sleep in the mountain, in one of the many mountain huts in Triglav National Park. You can also go on day hikes in the park, to see the Savica Waterfall for example.

Read more: Visit the Triglav National Park

3- Kayak on Lake Bohinj

Less famous than Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj is a jewel nestled in Triglav National Park. The lake is surrounded by mountains and forest, and it’s the perfect place to relax.

Image by Rosino / CC BY-SA 2.0

If you’re there in summer, you can beat the heat by dipping in the lake; otherwise, if it’s not warm enough, you can rent a kayak and paddle around the lake.

4- Cliff Jump in the Soča River

Soča River is a beautiful river flowing in the Soča Valley in Slovenia and Italy. The river is a beautiful wild river, with pure, transparent, emerald waters.

The place I recommend is in Bovec, where you’ll have plenty of places to jump from. Bovec is really close to Triglav National Park, and you can go explore one after the other.

We went for an afternoon chilling in the river near Bovec; this is the perfect place for adventures, as you can do many outdoors activities in the area: swimming, cliff jumping, canoeing, … Be warned though: if you swim in the river in Bovec, close to the mountains, the water is extremely cold, even in the heat of summer. It’s refreshing to jump in, but you can’t really stay in the water for long.

5- Go back to Medieval Times at Predjama Castle

Predjama Castle is really worth a visit, as it is a pretty unusual sight to behold: a 12th century castle, built directly inside a cliff.

The castle has direct access to a cave system underneath, making escapes easy for the past defenders of this epic location. You can park your car in the village nearby, and you’ll reach the castle in 5 minutes. When we got to the end of the road and witnessed this impressive view, it truly took us back to medieval times. The castle itself was enough to spark my imagination; add to it jousting grounds below the castle, and crazy caves, and you have to recipe for an unforgettable trip.
For 12€ you can get inside the castle, which is now a museum, and also explore the caves.

Read more: Visit Predjama castle

6- Go underground in Postojna Cave

The Postojna Cave is the most visited cave in Europe, and after being inside for 2 hours, I can totally understand why! A railway takes you underground, and leads you through a literal maze of stone. The guided tour lasts for 1h30, during which you explore the cave -or part of the cave should I say, as the cave goes on and on underground.

The tour is pretty expensive, as it costs 27.90€ As expensive as it is, I think it’s worth the price to go on an underground adventure in a hundred of thousands years old cave, and seeing the Skyscraper, a massive 16 meters high stalagmite.
The Postojna Cave is also the most diverse cave in the world in regards to biology. You’ll learn more about its inhabitants and you can even see some.

Read more: Visit Postojna Cave

7- Sleep in mountain huts and spend a night stargazing

During your time in Triglav National Park, you can opt to stay multiple days in the mountains, and sleep in a mountain hut. One of the many advantage of sleeping in a mountain hut is that you will get to spend a night in the mountains, and will thus have the opportunity to see stars in the night sky.

High in the mountains is the perfect location to stargaze, with little to no light pollution all around, the stars will look really clear. Remember to check the weather before going!

Read more: Explore Triglav National Park with these 30 photos

We’ve now seen 7 things to do in Slovenia! Do you want more reasons to visit Slovenia? Check out these wonderful photos to help spark that wanderlust in you!
Triglav National Park photos for inspiration

Keep reading below for 8 more things to do in Slovenia.

8- Watch over Ljubljana in a rooftop bar

If you’re staying in Ljubljana, I have the perfect address for you to go enjoy a nice drink while overlooking the city. The terrace is free to access even if you don’t buy a drink though, so you can even go up to enjoy the view without having to pay (don’t stay too long).

To access this rooftop bar, go to the Nebotičnik skyscraper at Štefanova ulica 1, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. When you get in front of the building, go inside and take the elevator all the way up. Once you exit the elevator, you’ll need to climb a last row of stairs before you make it outside on the terrace.

Now you can relax, try some Slovenian food and enjoy the view over Ljubljana.

Follow this map for directions.

9- Find a cool staircase

If you’re a fan of cool staircases, you’re in luck! In the Nebotičnik skyscraper, there is also a pretty staircase; when entering the building, go to your right when you are in front of the elevators, and you’ll find the staircase!

If you want to see more cool staircases, check out this nice Instagram page: Spiral Staircases

10- Explore Ljubljana

The capital city of Slovenia is full of surprises, and if you like old towns, you’re in for a treat.

To explore the old town, I recommend starting from the North side, by crossing the Ljubljanica river on the Dragon Bridge. From there, you can follow the river down south by staying on the banks, and you’ll find several beautiful monuments and buildings.
Do not hesitate to cross the river back and forth on the many bridges to explore more of the center.

11- Visit the Ljubljana Castle (Ljubljana Grad)

Right after exploring the center of Ljubljana, you can finish your city tour by visiting Ljubljana Grad, the castle overlooking the capital city.

You can enter for free, and even walk on the allure of the castle, where you’ll have one of the best views in town. Check out opening hours and more info here : Ljubljana Castle

12- Go for a day trip to Rogla

Slovenia is such a small country, but it’s packed with wonderful landscapes; you can go on a day trip from Ljubljana and find pristine nature right next door. One of these next-door places you can visit is Rogla. 1h45 away from Ljubljana by car, Rogla is a ski resort, that is great to visit at any time of year.

You can go during the winter to ski on the 13 slopes available, or you can go in summer and go for a hike in the woods, open fields, and even climb in a wooden watchtower for a unique view over the surroundings.

13- Visit Piran, the coastal city

Piran is a pretty coastal city, in South West Slovenia, close to the Croatian border. You can go for a stroll around the city, or rent a boat and see the city from the sea.

If you want one of the best views of Piran, you can go to the Walls of Piran; these are the fortified town walls, made of stone, in the 7th century. You can climb to the wall by using stairs inside the towers; from up there, you’ll be in the perfect place to watch the sun set over the city.

14- Explore the rural Slovenia

Slovenia is full of little villages, scattered around the country, that are just so typical. There might not be anything special to do in these locations, but I had a wonderful time simply strolling around the streets and seeing the actual Slovenia, with its people and lifestyle.

This shot was taken in Dekani

15- Paraglide over the Julian Alps

If you’re into adventures and are looking for adrenaline, there are a lot of different outdoor activities you can do in Slovenia. One of them is paragliding over the Julian Alps, one of the best places to visit in Slovenia. 

This part of Slovenia is the perfect location for paragliding fans and for adventure-seekers. Just imagine being high up in the sky, watching the natural beauty of the mountains below.

So there you have them, 15 amazing things to do in Slovenia! I am sure there are way more incredible things you can do in this country, and the 2 weeks I’ve spent there were definitely not enough. Except from Lake Bled, I didn’t have any expectations when I went to Slovenia, and boy oh boy was I blown away by how incredible this place is!

I hope this will give you ideas for your next trip to Slovenia, and that you’ll have a wonderful time there.

From the 15 things to do in Slovenia, which one is your favorite? Is there something special that isn’t listed there? Either way, let me know in the comments below!