The 9 days in Slovenia remains one of the best holidays and the one I recommend to anyone who will listen to me! So here is my road trip through Slovenia which I drove a couple of years ago and still recommend to this day. Slovenia is wedged between the mountains of Austria, the coastal beauty of Croatia and the food/history of Greece. During this Slovenian road trip, I saw all of those cultures and lots more in this distinctive Balkan country. Go before too many people discover how beautiful it is.
Day 1: Lively Ljubljana: Ljubljana Airport to City Centre, 27km/30min drive. Highlight: Drinks on the river bank.
Arriving as the sun set, Ljubljana looked warm and welcoming and our hotel was centrally located. We headed to the banks of the river which is lined with bars. The city was both busy and chilled, with locals enjoying the good weather in the quiet streets below the castle. An easy few hours to get used to this new country.
Hotel: Grand Hotel Union, Ljubjana – a dated classic hotel which is centrally located.
Day 2: Away from the Tourists in Bled: Ljubljana to Bled via Vintgar Gorge, 54km/45min drive. Highlight: Vintgar Gorge’s spectacular waterfalls.
On our way to Lake Bled, we walked Vintgar Gorge, which is just a few miles away. The gorge is a canyon set in a forest with waterfalls, dramatic cliff faces and a wooden walkway linking them together. It was an excellent walk, even in the rain!
Lake Bled features on many a bucket list but, for me, it was a little underwhelming. It is beautifully set in a valley with a cute church in the centre of the lake but compared to the other scenery around, a night here was sufficient. Bled itself is well set up for the tourist industry but we enjoyed sitting at a local bar overlooking the lake for an hour or two.
Hotel: Hotel Kompas, Bled – a 1980s built hotel with great views over the lake.
Day 3: Undiscovered Bohinj: Bled to Bohinj via Mount Vogel, 23km/30min drive. Highlight: Lake Bohinj in the sunshine.
Today we headed deeper in to the valleys of Slovenia – within an hour’s drive from Bled is the even prettier Lake Bohinj. We spent the day exploring this valley and lake. Firstly, we visited Savica Waterfall which involved walking alongside a rocky river bed which must only be full of water when the snow melts. It’s in a lush forest setting. Next up, we used the cable car to Mount Vogel which (in season) is a busy ski resort. In summer, it’s a good start for some higher level hiking.
Once back at the lakeside, we enjoyed sitting on the lakefront near St John the Baptist in Ribcev Laz in the sunshine before heading to our modern apartment to relaz with a beer or two.
Hotel: Apartment near Bohinj (2 nights) – modern build, comfortable and good value.
Day 4: Alone in the Mountains: Bohinj, no driving. Highlights: Reaching the summit of Mount Rudnica.
The weather turned today and was a little wet but that didn’t stop us. We headed out for a hike, climbing Mount Rudnica in the rain. To be honest, Slovenia hiking maps and signage aren’t great so at points it was a little hard to find our route. However, the views were spectacular and you felt like you had the whole mountain to yourself. We reached the top (wet) and the bottom (wet and muddy) but it was good to get up close with the local nature.
Day 5: Natural Wonders: Bohinj to Bovec via Vrisc Pass, Soca Valley & Kobarid, 106km/2hr30min drive drive. Highlights: the clear blue waters of the Soca Valley and the World War 1 trenches.
The next morning we were a little sad as we drove up out of the valley from Bohinj as the autumn colours started to show; it had been such a relaxing few days there. On one of the longer drives of the holiday, we headed towards the mountains which border with Austria and climbed the Vrisc pass. A series of bends wind you slowly to the top through a wooded landscape before you look down in to the Soca Valley. The valley contains the Soca river which was so blue and clean looking we had to stop to inspect it close up. It looks particularly blue due to the local stone.
One of the lesser-known fronts in World War 1 was those in the mountains between Austria-Hungarian Empire and Italy along the Isonzo front which included the Soca Valley. Before you reach Kobarid, you will pass both a war cemetery and a set of trenches which have been preserved. To explain all that happened here, visit the good museum and film at the museum in Kobarid. The memorial church which dominates the town also provides some useful context.
A few miles further on and you reach Bovec which is at the heart of the rafting in the Soca valley. It’s a sleepy town but has enough in it to entertain you for a night.
Hotel: Hotel Sanje OB Soč, Bovec – scandi-inspired new build with friendly owners.
Day 6: Floating down the Soca Valley: Bovec to Vipova, 105km/1hr45min drive. Highlight: Rafting in the Soca Valley.
After a little persuasion, I was convinced to spend the morning rafting down the Soca valley. The river is fast flowing though not a difficult paddle with a guide but it is beautiful. Well worth a few hours of your time.
We then headed south, leaving the mountains for the farms and vines in the south west of Slovenia. We booked a night in a farm close to Vipova which was beautifully. We stopped briefly in the sleepy, almost French-feeling town of Vipova with its running water and large squares to pick up supplies before a picnic dinner back at the farm.
Hotel: Hotel-Restaurant Majerija, near Vipova, beautiful farm conversion with boutique rooms, just make sure the restaurant is open.
Day 7: Tourism – for good & bad: Vipova to Piran via Postojna, 74km/1hr drive. Highlight: the view of the sea from the bar at Hotel Piran.
After a superb breakfast at Majerija, we headed to the caves at Postojna. The caves are pretty but also pretty over-run by tourists, even in the off season. A few kilometers away is an iconic castle which has also succumbed to mass tourism. In preference, we should have headed to the Škocjan Caves and would recommend you headed there.
We then drove to the coast which increasingly had the feel of the Cote d’Azur with palm trees and luxury hotels appearing. Piran is a small town with an impressive Italianate main square. You have to get bussed in from a car park on the edge. As we walked in to the hotel, we saw the sea from the terrace and spent the next few hours admiring the view – with a bear or two to hand.
Hotel: Hotel Piran (2 nights) – at the heart of the old town with mid-price, reasonable rooms but great sea views.
Day 8: Rural Croatia: Piran with day trip to Croatia, 75km/1hr30min drive. Highlight: the hill top village of Buje.
From Piran, we crossed the border in to Croatia for a day trip to the uninspiring seaside town of Umag and the hill top town of Buje. This area is going through a lot of redevelopment and investment and I can imagine in a few years may be quite attractive locations. You can also head down the coast to Rovinj or Pula who have already seen the arrival of tourists.
Day 9: Home: Piran to Ljubljana Airport via Kranj, 160km/2hr drive. Highlights: the quiet centre of Kranj.
Our last day and a good, if easy, drive back to the airport. We broke the journey for coffee in Kranj which is pleasant town with fortifications and a deep river gorge running through its middle. And then to the airport and the start of the journey home.
Final Thoughts: Highlight: Lake Bohinj. 644km/10hr30min driving in total.
Slovenia really is a special country with everything from mountains to coast, natural wonders to modern history. It is largely undiscovered outside Lake Bled but is well worth a slow tour, getting to better know the country before mass tourism descends. The accommodation is of a good standard, the food an odd mix of Austrian and Italian but not wholly remarkable. Each day had its “wow” moments where we had to stop and look at the natural beauty around us. Go and see them for yourself.
Further travel tips can be found on this page about Ljubljana and Slovenia.
Travels Beyond & Behind 