When I was researching for my trip through Slovenia it was easy to find a lot of beautiful spots to visit and hikes to do. However, it was unclear to me which towns were best used as a base and which hikes to start from where. So in this article, I’ll describe a route, that takes you past all the highlights! In this itinerary I’ll describe exactly where to stay for which hikes and what spots cannot be missed! While it is possible to use public transport, I highly recommend renting a car. Especially if you’re planning to do a lot of hiking! It’s so much easier to get to all the trailheads that way.
2 week Itinerary for Slovenia
Day 1- Ljubljana
Day 1-4 Lake Bled/Bohinj
Day 5-7 Kranjska Gora
Day 8 Vrsic Pass
Day 9-10 Bovec
Day 11-12 Tolmin
day 13-14 Piran
Ljubljana – Day 1
It’s likely you’ll fly into Ljubljana. Its a lovely city, but our focus for this trip was nature and hiking, so we picked up our car at the airport and drove straight to Bled. We decided to spend a day in Ljubljana at the end our trip.
Lake Bled/Lake Bohinj – Day 1-4
Lake Bled might just be Slovenia’s most iconic destination. This pristine alpine lake with a little island sitting in the middle took my breath away when I first saw it. It lives up to its reputation and the pictures I’d seen.
If you don’t want to travel around too much and have one spot as a home base, Lake Bled is a great option. From Bled, a lot of trailheads are within driving distance. Much of Triglav National Park can be explored from here. But if you can, add the village Kranskja Gora as a second base. You can then limit the driving, by doing some of the hikes from there.
Spend at least one day walking around the lake, exploring the viewpoints and swimming or kayaking on the lake. Another Lake that’s worth visiting is Lake Bohinj. This lake is surrounded by mountains and while no longer the hidden gem it once was, still very much worth it.
Highlights in and around Bled and Bohinj include: The Vintgar Gorge, Ojstrica viewpoint, Hiking Vogel, Hiking Visevnik.
Where to stay in Bled?
Old parish house: A very special accommodation is the old parish house, which is located in an old church. It’s walking distance from the lake and the castle. It’s super pretty and offers a great breakfast!
Drive down to mountain village Kranjska Gora for your next stop. This village will give you easier access to hiking Triglav and it’s a great base for visiting Zelenci and Jasna Lake.
Where to stay in Kransjka Gora?
Apartments Slavec: These Apartments are super comfortable and cosy and come with Free Onsite Parking.
The Vrsic pass is Slovenia’s highest mountain pass. The road leads from Kransjka Gora up to the top of the pass and then down into the Soca valley. Some people just drive down this road, but there is a hostel at the top where you can stay. We stayed here for a few nights and really enjoyed it. One of Slovenia’s most beautiful hikes:” Slemenova Spica” starts from the top of the pass. This is a relatively easy hike that you really should put at the top of your priority list for Slovenia!
Where to stay on the Vrsic Pass?
Keep in mind that you’ll be staying in the mountains with no village nearby. We loved this experience! Close to some really stunning hikes and waking up with the most incredible view.
Ticarjev Dom: This mountain hut is simple, but comfortable and it has a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Bovec Day- 9-10
Bovec is a great base for exploring the Soca River. From there it’s a short drive to the Soca river Gorge and Bovec is Slovenia’s most well known spot for rafting! The Soca river gorge is the most impressive part of the river and I’d recommend parking the car early morning and hiking part of it. When it starts to get hot, you can take a dip in the river. (Be prepared for freezing water)
(Add an extra day to see the Mangart Saddle)
I would have loved to Climb Mangart, but unfortunately the weather was not great and it wouldn’t have been safe. However, this looks like a stunning hike and if you do have time I definitely recommend including it!
Tolmin – Day 11
Tolmin is a little town at the bottom of Triglav National Park and it’s most famous sight it the Tolmin gorge. Besides the gorge, there are a ton of stunning waterfalls to visit. The Soca river runs past it as well and it has some wonderful swimming spots. My favorite waterfalls were the Beri waterfall and the Gregorcicev waterfall.
Where to stay in Tolmin?
OLD SQUARE HOUSE: Conveniently located apartment, beautifully furnished, with free parking nearby.
Holiday Home Belka with Terrace&BBQ: Not located in Tolmin, but in the nearby countryside. Beautiful quiet location with views of the valley. Clean, comfortable and a perfect base for all the nearby sights.
Divaška Cave (alternative to the Škocjan Caves)
On your way from Tolmin to Piran, you basically drive past the caves, so it’s a great stop to make on the way. The Škocjan Caves are part of Unesco world heritage, but often fully booked and quite pricey. We heard from another tourist that the Divaska caves are located very close to the Skojan caves and are very similar. If you are set on the Škocjan Caves, make sure to book in time! If you want a little more flexibility and a cheaper alternative look into the Divaska Cave. We thought it was incredible!
Piran – Day 12-13
This cute little seaside town felt like the perfect place to end our trip. After two weeks of hiking and exploring, swimming in the Adriatic Sea and sipping cocktails was just what we needed. You can explore the towns sights within a day. I’d say you need one full day to explore the town and half a day to swim and maybe take a walk along the coast.
I would have liked to spend more time in Ljubljana, but we had to make some tough choices and being in nature won out over the city this time. However, I’ve heard its a great city to spend a few days. It’s likely you’ll fly back from Ljubljana, so plan to spend a day there either at the beginning or end of your trip.
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