Most beautiful places in Slovenia | Best of Slovenia – 7 Days Guide

 Most beautiful places in Slovenia

 

Slovenia, situated at the borders of Italy, Austria, Croatia, Hungary and the Adriatic sea, is a country with surprisingly beautiful landscapes. Here is our recommended 7 days tour in Slovenia. It is recommended to rent a car as some attractions are not easily accessible by public transport.

 

Day 1: Ljubljana, city of dragons

 

Most of the transports in Slovenia goes through its capital city, Ljubljana. From the airport, there is a transit bus that will get you there. Therefore, starting your journey from Ljubljana will be the easiest. Ljubljana is the center of cultures with many different events taking place. A walk through the city will be the most enjoyable experience. The famous Prešeren Trg is the main square in the old part of Ljubljana, the striking red walls of the Franciscan Church and the interesting design of the Triple Bridge are located there. Ljubljana has beautiful bridges crossing the river Ljubljanica: the Dragon Bridge with its four dragon statues, the Butcher’s bridge with its hundreds of love locks and the Hradecky Bridge with its iron cast. A short hike will lead you to the Ljubljana Castle, the tower of the castle has a fantastic view of the city. For a relaxing walk, Tivoli Park is the biggest park in Ljubljana with lovely paths suitable for walking, running and cycling.

 

There are a lot of activities to do in Ljubljana, such as visiting the Ljubljana Zoo, having a nice hike in the Šmarna Gora, walking through the Ljubljana Botanical Garden or going to the various museums in Ljubljana. There are a lot of accommodations and restaurants in the center of Ljubljana. If you have a need for coffee, the restaurant and coffee shop Nebotičnik has a wonderful Ljubljana cake and a beautiful terrace with a view of the city.

 

Day 2: Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj, two beautiful lakes

 

From the main bus and train station in Ljubljana, it is possible to get to Lake Bled by train (1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes) or by bus (1 hour and 20 minutes). Although, traveling by car is the easiest way.

 

 

Lake Bled is one of the most beautiful and enchanting places in Slovenia. The landscape of Bled is truly unique: a church, an island, a lake, a castle, and mountains – all at the same location. The Church of the Assumption was built on the Bled Island and is accessible by Pletna boat. The island stands in the middle of Lake Bled. The beautiful Bled Castle is one of the most visited castles in Slovenia, sitting on top of the hill, the view of Lake Bled is simply fantastic. Kremščnita, a cream layer cake, is a local delicacy and also a traditional Slovenian dessert.

 

You can travel from Lake Bled to Lake Bohinj either by train or by bus. If you go by train, go from Bled Jezero to Bohinjska Bistrica (20 minutes) then take the local bus to Bohinj Jezero (8 minutes). If you decide to transport directly by bus, simply go from Bled station to Bohinj Jezero (40 minutes).

 

 

Lake Bohinj is an ideal place for outdoors activities, especially water sports. Located within the Bohinj Valley of the Julian Alps, Lake Bohinj has its source of water from the alpine mountains, therefore, is known as a glacial lake. The sight of Lake Bohinj is very impressive, a tourist cruise of the lake is a relaxing way of visiting the region. The lake is surrounded by hiking trails for those who prefer hiking. Rafting, canoeing, swimming are all possible activities in Bohinj. A short hike will lead you to one of the Slovenia’s most famous waterfall: the Savica waterfall. If you walk around the lake, you will surely find the legendary Goldenhorn of Bohinj, a mystical animal. The picture of the beautiful Church of St-John the Baptist next to the bridge is a landmark of Bohinj.

 

Accommodations with traditional Slovenian dishes are easily found in Bohinj.

 

Day 3: Most na Soči, along the emerald river Soča

 

One of the fastest and most efficient transport to access the emerald river Soča is by taking the train from Bohinj Bistrica to Most na Soči (35-45 minutes).

 

The town of Most na Soči means “bridge over Soča” and is a beautiful emplacement surrounded by the lovely river Soča. Exploring Most na Soči can be relaxing and passive as well as demanding and active. You can discover the beautiful panoramic landscape of the area by taking an easy stroll along the paths or by taking a nice boat ride. For those who are looking for more active activities: kayaking, rafting, canoeing will surely suit your taste.

 

 

One of the most beautiful natural jewels of Slovenia is the Tolmin Gorges, located just 7 kilometers from Most na Soči. The interesting natural hiking trails with different special features such as the Bear Head, the Devil’s bridge can all be discovered along lovely watercourses – a wonderful must-go for any nature lovers.

 

Day 4: Koper and Piran, to the seacoast

 

Traveling to the Slovenian coast from the Goriška region is a long way but totally worth it! The easiest way, besides driving, is by taking the train from Most na Soči to Koper (3 hours and 30 minutes).

 

Slovenia has a beautiful coastline of almost 47 kilometers with many towns of interest, including Koper and Piran. The seacoast offers different types of activities: nice walk along the Adriatic sea, relaxing sunbathe and swim in the sea. The Mediterranean architecture of the houses differs so much from the others regions of Slovenia that you might have the feeling that you’ve traveled to another country.

 

 

The town of Koper has one of the most important ports on the Slovenian coast. It is the main access point for many international cruises. The beautiful and pleasant Mediterranean weather of Koper attracts many visitors. The tower bell of the Cathedral of Koper is home to one of the oldest bells in Slovenia.

 

A local bus goes from Koper to Piran, another important town on the Slovenian coastline, in about 45 minutes.

 

 

The town of Piran is the peninsula of Slovenia, surrounded by the Adriatic sea – Piran is the considered as the “last” town on Slovenian territory. The landscape of Piran is unique and the ambiance is relaxing and calming. The Tartini Square is the main square and it will give you a quick look at the different attractions in Piran: Piran Aquarium, Benečanka House, city wall and much more. The streets in Piran are narrowed and fun to explore. A short walk to the city wall of Piran will give you an awesome panoramic view of the town. Walking along the coast is nice and you will be able to find many restaurants with a nice view. From the St-Georges Cathedral, you will have an exceptional nice view of the lovely boats sailing the Adriatic sea.

 

Along the coastline, there are many other attractions: the Sand Beach in Portorož, salt pans of Sečovlje and Strunjan cliff.

 

Day 5: Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle and Lipica, the karst region

After a relaxing day at the sea, we’re going toward the karst region of Slovenia. From Koper, take the bus directly to the Postojna Cave (1 hour and 15 minutes).

 

 

The Postojna Cave is a World famous attraction and one of the most visited places in Slovenia. The visit of the cave starts by 5 minutes mini rail ride, followed by an hour and a half guided tour through the different tunnels of the Postojna Cave. With some luck, you might be able to see some cave animals. The Proteus, also known as the human fish, is one of the most famous cave animals worldwide. There are large Proteus aquariums inside the Postojna Cave and inside the Vivarium Proteus. To learn more about the karst region, you can visit the EXPO Postojna Cave Karst.

 

It is recommended to reserve your tickets in advance to avoid the regular long waiting lines. You can also buy combo tickets and save money. There is also a free shuttle bus from Postojna Cave to the Predjama Castle during the month of July and August for those who purchased combo tickets package. If not, you can take a taxi to the Predjama Castle, which is 10 kilometers away from the Postojna Cave.

 

 

The sight of the Predjama Castle, the World’s largest castle above a cave, is quite impressive. The castle has been there for more than 700 years and is still standing strong. The cave below the castle can also be visited.

 

From the main station of Postojna, take either the train (45 minutes) or the bus (1 hour and 45 minutes) to the town of Sežana, then take the local bus to the famous Lipica Stud Farm (45 minutes).

 

 

The Lipica Stud Farm represents 435 years of tradition and is well-known for its unique breeding of the Lipizzan, a beautiful noble horse with an almost white coat. The Lippizans are born with darker coats and as they grow up, the color of their coats changes to a very beautiful pale gray. They are usually trained as riding horses. The horses roam freely inside the vast pasture in the Lipica Stud Farm.

 

Around the Lipica Stud Farm, there are good accommodations, a nice golf course, and a casino.

 

Day 6: Old Castle of Celje

Going from one part of Slovenia to the other takes some time. From Sežana, take the bus toward the beautiful town of Celje (4 hours) in the region of Savinjska.

 

 

The city of Celje is the third biggest city of Slovenia, situated in the Lower Savinja Valley and surrounded by the lovely river Savinja. After checking-in your accommodations, you can take a nice walk to the Old Castle of Celje (30 minutes). The view of Celje from the castle is simply breathtaking. Within the walls of the castle, the tales of the famous and powerful Counts of Celje is told. If you have time, visit the local museum, the Court of Princes, which used to be the Lower Castle of Celje.

 

There are few interesting Tourist Farms surrounding Celje, but they aren’t easily accessible unless you are traveling by car. Another interesting outdoor attraction near Celje is the Šmartinksko Lake.

 

Day 7: Relaxing day in Ptuj and Maribor

The simplest way to go from Celje to Ptuj is by train, the time varies from 1 to 2 hours.

 

 

Ptuj is the oldest town in Slovenia, situated on the northeast side, in the Podravska region. From afar, the beautiful Ptuj Castle can be seen on the hill above the town. Near the gift shop, there is an exhibition of the traditional Slovenian clothes, a must-see is the emblem of Ptuj, the Kurent. The view of the river Drava from the castle is beautiful. There is a museum inside the castle with various collections, including an impressive armory.

 

Transport from Ptuj to Maribor by bus takes around 1 hour while by train it takes from 45 minutes to 1 hour.

 

 

The beautiful town of Maribor is the second biggest town of Slovenia. The World’s oldest vine, the Stara trta is a famous attraction in Maribor. Besides wine tasting and delicious food, Terme Maribor, a well-known thermal spa, is a nice and relaxing way to end your 7 days Slovenia tour.

 

On the next day, returning from Maribor to Ljubljana can easily be done by car, by train (2 to 3 hours) or by bus (2 to 3 hours). Have an awesome visit of the best places in Slovenia and travel safe!

 

Other best places to visit in Slovenia.

 

World Heritage Sites in Slovenia.

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