Ultimate Slovenia Holiday: Top Things to do in Slovenia

This post was first published in 2018 but has been updated in 2019 with the most recent information of the top things to do in Slovenia.

Despite being a tiny nation, tucked in between Austria, Italy, Hungary and the Adriatic Sea, Slovenia offers an abundance of natural beauty and an incredible selection of destinations to visit.

Spectacular mountains, colourful lakes, dense forests, karst caves, and enchanting waterfalls offer plenty of opportunities to connect with nature and serve as a perfect backdrop to an amazing Slovenia holiday.

Locals welcomed us with open arms and their love for their country, their land, and their sustainable way of living helped us understand why Slovenia is often regarded as one of the greenest and most eco-friendly destinations in the world.

What surprised us the most was that some of the most charming, most beautiful places in Slovenia are still rather unknown to the masses. These must-see destinations offer a unique opportunity to experience unspoiled nature, century-old traditions, and delicious food and wine pairings at an affordable price.

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We only spent 2 weeks exploring the most beautiful places in Slovenia, but that was enough to completely fall in love with the country and everything it has to offer.

So, if you are wondering what to do in Slovenia, there are plenty of beautiful and conscious options to consider as you travel the countryside.

These are our recommendations for top things to do in Slovenia!

Ljubljana

In the recent years, the capital of Slovenia won the prestigious World Travel Market Responsible Tourism Award for its efforts in sustainable tourism development and its commitment to goals in quality of life for citizens and visitors alike. 

The city is small and easy to explore on foot or on a bike, which means that you can see most of the Slovenia attractions and what the city has to offer in 1 or 2 days.

Explore the Ljubljana Castle, where you can enjoy sprawling views of the city and its surroundings, stroll along Ljubljanica River bustling with shops and restaurants, grab some local produce from the Central Market (biggest farmers market and one of the best places in Slovenia), and get your first taste of local cuisine at one of the many farm-to-table restaurants in the city centre. We recommend a visit to the new zero-waste Monstera Bistro!

f you have time, take a beekeeping tour to learn all about Slovenia’s favourite hobby. Visit a few urban beehives, try some locally made honey, and the honey liquor.

Save a day for a trip to Velika Planina, Slovenia’s biggest shepherd meadow where you can learn all about the life of local herdsmen and their cattle. Join a guided tour that departs every Saturday morning, or choose to explore on your own.

The herdsmen in the area are incredibly friendly and will likely invite you into their homes for a glass of homemade apple juice, cheese, or a shot of local schnapps. There are lots of nice trails at the top, so wear comfortable shoes!

Where to stay in Ljubljana

Escape to the countryside after a long day of sightseeing Slovenia attractions in Ljubljana and stay in the charming setting of Ljubljana Marshes area in Trnulja Estate, an organic farm that offers fully equipped holiday apartments, built solely with sustainable eco materials.

They also offer an incredible organic breakfast consisting of local ingredients and Slovenian delicacies.

Lake Bled

The picturesque views of Lake Bled were one of the iconic sights that had originally drawn us to spend our holidays in Slovenia, but surprisingly, the reality of Bled was less appealing.

Don’t get us wrong Bled is a beautiful destination and a Slovenia must see with so many activities on offer (boat rides to the Bled island, rowing, stand up paddle boarding, swimming and even zip lining), but unfortunately, the lake has now become very touristy and busy, which ruins the appeal. This is our honest opinion as it is important for us to shed light on the positive and negative in our Slovenia travel blog.

For us, the best way to admire the natural beauty of Bled was actually over an evening meal at the Bled Castle Restaurant. It is an intimate setting that allows you to appreciate the best of Bled’s picturesque setting while avoiding the crowds.

Where to stay in Lake Bled

Trade the busy Lake Bled for a quiet stay in a nearby town of Zgornje Gorje at AMS Beagle, the newest eco-hotel in the area. This small hotel feels like home and offers spacious rooms and a delicious organic breakfast. The staff are absolutely wonderful and went above and beyond to ensure we had an amazing stay!

Lake Bohinj

Those looking for a genuine experience in nature should dedicate a few days to visiting Bled’s neighbour, the lesser-known Lake Bohinj. Located just 30 mins away from Bled inside Triglav National Park, Bohinj is surrounded by mountains and offers activities suitable for a more adventurous traveler.

You can explore the area on foot by following numerous trails, go paragliding, rafting, canyoning or horseback riding. Biking tours are also popular in this area.

Where to stay in Lake Bohinj

The charming town of Stara Fuzina offers a great and quiet base for discovering the area and local guides Grega and Maja from Hike and Bike Slovenia can set you up with an ideal itinerary and accommodation for your visit.

Soca Valley

Soca Valley offers not only a beautiful natural setting but is also the epicentre of adventurous activities in the country. Whitewater rafting, kayaking, paragliding, mountain biking and canyoning can all be organized from Kobarid town centre.

We loved our whitewater rafting experience with Positive Sport in Kobarid. It was really fun and not very challenging and the trip allows us to see a different part of the Soca River.

If you love hiking, we also recommend hiking the Historic Trail that starts in Kobarid. It’s a beautiful 3-hour walk that offers great views of the town and the entire valley and offers some insights into the historical significance of Kobarid, which is a must-see for any Slovenia itinerary. 

Where to stay in Kobarid

We stayed at Camp Koren, a green-certified campsite that offers camping spots, cabins and fully furnished cottages just outside of Kobarid town centre. The camp is an ideal low-impact accommodation to stay at for a few nights while exploring the area.

Vipava Valley

This part of the country is still relatively unknown but offers amazing food and wine experiences.

In our short time in the region, we got a chance to visit a few vineyards including the renowned Burja Estate, sample some delicious local cuisine and try some wonderful local wines, including the most notable local Karst Teran wine.

Be sure to visit a few local restaurants, like Cejkotova Domacija in the town of Goce to sample some farm-to-table cuisine.

Where to stay in Vipava Valley

Hotel St Daniel, located outside of the small town of Stanjel, is the ideal place to stay in Vipava Valley.

This 100% organic hotel is a part of the Bio Hotels chain and perfectly embodies the best of the region with amazing food, great hospitality and a beautiful location among the vineyards.

Piran/Portorož

The seaside of Slovenia spans only 46 kilometres, which is what makes these two small coastal towns popular Slovenia attractions. Piran is the more attractive of the two towns. It has more of an Italian coastal feel with narrow cobblestone alleyways and cute restaurants dotted around the town centre.

Portorož is more modern and busy, but it does offer a sandy beach, something that Piran definitely lacks.

While the towns themselves are worth a visit, for us the highlight of this part of Slovenia was the Sečovlje Salina Nature Park, home to the largest Slovenian salt evaporation pond.

The salt pond is one of the few places in the world where salt is still produced in a traditional way and if the weather cooperates, you can watch the action live on your tour around the salt pans.

The Nature Park is also home to Lepa Vida Thalasso Spa, a unique outdoor spa center that specializes in thalassotherapy using natural products, produced in the Sečovlje Salina Nature Park.

It was in this region that we also visited Gramona Farm, an organic olive farm where we got a comprehensive lesson in olive oil tasting. But even outside of the tastings, food in this region was on a whole other level!

Slovenian Istria

Piran or Portorož offers a great place to spend a day, but we recommend that you also spend some time in this area enjoying Slovenian Istria and its peaceful inland and away from the hustle and bustle of the coast.

Where to stay in Slovenian Istria

If you are looking for a unique local stay, head into the heart of Slovenian Istria, just a 15-minute drive away from Koper town centre and enjoy a few nights at the Holiday Houses of Slovenian Istria set amidst a beautiful vineyard, surrounded by rolling hills and fruit tree plantations.

The accommodation offers an opportunity to stay in traditional style houses or in nicely decorated rooms and gives guests an opportunity to learn more about the traditional customs of the area.

Delicious food is the primary reason to visit Slovenian Istria! We had a chance to indulge in a delicious homemade dinner and a unique Istrian Breakfast experience with ingredients sourced from local farms.

Bela Krajina

For a chance to get away from the tourist trail altogether, visit the Bela Krajina region, located in the Southeastern part of Slovenia on the border with Croatia. Here you can stay among nature and get a chance to sample the unique cuisine and learn about local traditions and customs in the area.

Where to Stay in Bela Krajina

The Kolpa River area offers a great escape for nature lovers and a unique mobile home resort Big Berry is an ideal place to stay in this area. The resort acts as a hub of the area. They have partnered with a variety of small businesses in the community to offer guests an opportunity to experience traditional cooking and cultural events in the area during their Slovenia travel.

Have you visited Slovenia before? What other stops would you add to this Slovenia holiday itinerary? Let us know in the comment section below!

 

Disclaimer: We traveled to Slovenia as guests of the Slovenia Tourism Board and the Big Berry Mobile Resort, but all opinions expressed in this article are our own.