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Table of Contents
Overview Of Slovenia Road Trip Itinerary For 5 Days
Europe Travel Checklist
0. DAY: ARRIVE IN LJUBLJANA
Where To Stay In Ljubljana: My TOP TIPS for Accommodation
1. DAY: LJUBLJANA
Sightseeing In Ljubljana
Ljubljana Walking Tour
2. DAY: LJUBLJANA ⇒ VELIKA PLANINA
How To Get To Velika Planina From Ljubljana
Where To Stay In Velika Ljubljana: My TOP TIPS for Accommodation
3. DAY: VELIKA PLANINA ⇒ LAKE BLED
Where To Stay In Lake Bled: My TOP TIPS for Accommodation
Guided Tour Of Lake Bled & Castle
4. DAY: LAKE BLED ⇒ POSTOJNSKA JAMA & PREDJAMA CASTLE ⇒ PIRAN
Vintar Gorge
Postojnska Jama
Predjama Castle
Where To Stay In Piran: My TOP TIPS for Accommodation
5. DAY: PIRAN
Piran Walking Tour
Things To Do Around Piran
More Tips For European Travel
Slovenia, surrounded by famous giant neighbors such as Croatia with its beach destinations, Hungary with stunning Budapest, and Italy with all its highlights, may be easily forgotten by travelers. Many people just go to the nearby countries and popular places. It’s time to change it.
The country offers spectacular mountains and national parks, beautiful cities, and interesting castles full of history, which will certainly catch your attention. This Slovenia road trip itinerary for 5 days will take you through the country’s highlights and exciting spots.
Let’s explore Slovenia together.
Overview Of Slovenia Road Trip Itinerary For 5 Days
- Ljubljana
- Ljubljana ⇒ Velika Planina
- Velika Planina ⇒ Lake Bled
- Lake Bled ⇒ Vintar Gorge ⇒ Postojnska Jama ⇒ Predjama Castle ⇒ Piran
- Piran
Europe Travel Checklist
Before you set off for your Slovenian adventure, there are a couple of things you’ll need to manage. Here are the top essentials for you to think of before traveling to Europe/Slovenia:
- travel insurance
- car rental/train pass/tickets
- book a flight
- passport
- visa
- accommodation
Travel Insurance For Europe
Choosing travel insurance can be doubting. So I’ve done extensive research for you on the best travel insurance for Europe. Check out my article for a comparison of the best 3 travel insurance companies, so you can choose for yourself.
Get The Best Travel Insurance For Europe
Car Rental
You’ll need to decide whether you want to do this itinerary as a road trip and rent a car in Slovenia, or travel by train. If you want to rent a car, check out Rental Cars company for the best deals.
For private transfers, check out Get Transfers. They offer reliable transfer services within Europe. Especially if you travel in a small group, it can be a good deal to book with them.
Book A Flight
Another thing you’ll need to do is to book a flight ticket.
Use flight aggregators to check the top flight deals. They gather information and all flight tickets from airlines around the world and select the best deals for you. Among the best are Skyscanner, Hopper, Kayak, and Priceline.
After you see the results in their search engines, I recommend going to the website of the particular airline they showed you. Check on the airline site for how much they offer for the same flight ticket.
If the price is more or less the same, book directly with the airline (simply because it’s easier to communicate with them if issues happen during your journey). If a flight aggregator has a much cheaper ticket, book with them.
Passport & Visa
Check the expiration date of your passport. Most airlines don’t even take you on board if your passport expires in 6 months. Avoid issues with boarding and on the road. Make sure your passport won’t expire in the next 8 months. Think about how long you’ll travel as you still have to come back home with the passport.
Lastly, check if you need visa to Slovenia. One of the best site for visa pre-check is iVisa. They also inform you about other necessary documents you might need to travel to Slovenia.
Accommodation
When you go through this Slovenia road trip itinerary, you’ll get accommodation tips from me in each place/city. So just scroll down and find the best hotel deals and beautiful accommodation spots in each day.
Slovenia Road Trip Itinerary – 0. DAY: ARRIVE IN LJUBLJANA
Take your time to arrive in Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia. First, Check-in to your accommodation and have a rest. Tomorrow, we’ll explore the city.
In the evening, you can head to the streets for some drinks next to the river and Ljubljana’s bridges. Get your first impressions of the city.
Where to stay in Ljubljana: My TOP TIPS for Accommodation
Slovenia Road Trip Itinerary – 1. DAY: LJUBLJANA
Welcome to the capital city of Slovenia, Ljubljana. Cute bridges, an impressive castle, fountains, and great desserts that’s all that this place is about. Today, we’ll have the chance to explore it to the fullest.
Interesting Facts About Ljubljana
- The city has its own elephant symbol since 1552, when it was found on the streets
- Name Ljubljana comes from the Roman word ‘alluviana’, which stands for flooding river
- It got an award from the European Green Capital in 2016
- Its castle wasn’t only for nobility
Ljubljana is most famous, thanks to its Dragon legend. Dragon here symbolizes courage, power, and grandeur.
The origins of Ljubljana’s dragon are closely associated with Jason and Argonauts, Greek heroes who stole the Golden Fleece from the Black Sea. They fled on a ship called Argo to the mouth of the river Danube instead of to the Aegean Sea. Sooner, they reached the Ljubljanica river. Since it was winter, they decided to camp near the spring of the river around Ljubljana. However, they came across a large lake and a marsh where a swamp monster lived. Jason heroically fought this monster (dragon) and finally killed it. As a result, he became the first citizen of Ljubljana.
In addition to the legend of Jason, the dragon also appears in the story of St. George, who was known as the patron of the castle chapel. St. George. It’s often depicted in frescoes riding a dragon or killing it with a spear. The dragon symbolizes an ancient faith of Slovenian ancestors, which was later converted to Christianity.
So let’s do a walking tour of the city, visiting its highlights and treating yourself to some delicious sweets in between. Below, I am giving you suggestions for what you can explore.
Sightseeing In Ljubljana
? Ljubljana Castle
? Prešeren Square
? Dragon Bridge
? Butcher’s Bridge
? Three Bridges
? Central Market
? Ljubljana Cathedral
? Franciscan Church of Annunciation
? Ljubljana Castle ?
As I mentioned above, Ljubljana’s Castle didn’t only serve the nobles. Indeed, it became a shelter for poor families until around 1963. Today, you can be part of a summer movie night at the castle and watch the city from above while sipping coffee or nice tea.
Learn more about the history of Ljubljana by taking a tour of the castle. You can either reach it taking a funicular from the city or walk up the hill. It’ll take you about 15 minutes on foot.
? Prešeren Square ?
The main square in the Old Town of Ljubljana isn’t only a popular meeting and starting point of a walking tour. It became famous thanks to the poem ‘Zdravljica’ (‘A Toast’), which later became Slovenia’s national anthem. The square carries the poet’s name, France Prešeren, who wrote it.
? Butcher’s Bridge ?
Butcher’s Bridge, also known as the Bridge of Lovers, is the main target for love lockers here in the town. You already know the story, to make their love strong and ever-lasting. But now, you might be asking, why is the Butcher’s Bridge associated with love? Yeah, that’s the controversial thing here.
Indeed, this bridge was built to connect the Central Market with the other side of the river. It symbolizes butcher’s markets and what they looked like. Its architect built in those pretty creepy statues so that you can imagine the atmosphere of butcher’s markets. It’s very interesting to observe these creepy statues on such a romantic-themed bridge.
? Three Bridges ?
The central bridge was very important as it connected north-western Europe with the south-eastern and the Balkan.
Between 1929 and 1932, the other side bridges were constructed for pedestrians by architect Jozef Plencik. There used to be metal railings on the side of the bridges, and Plevcik replaced them with massive stone balustrades and lamps.
The three bridges lead to the important crossroads of axes – the river axes and axis running between Roznik and Castle hills.
? Central Market ?
The market was designed back in the 1930s. Nowadays, people sell handicrafts, herbs, spices, fresh fruit and vegetables, and nuts. You’ll even find bakery stalls with freshly baked goods. It’s open every day except Sundays.
? Ljubljana Cathedral ?
The cathedral comes from the 18th century. Its bronze door was added back in 1996 to honor Pope Paul John, who visited this place back in the year. Go inside and admire its stunning fresco paintings.
? Franciscan Church of Annunciation ?
Located on the central square (also called Pesernov Trh Square). Until the 18th century, it used to be a home for Augustinian Monks. Its red color symbolizes the Franciscan monastic order.
It was built between 1646 and 1660, and its monastery stands just at the corner with its library from the 13th century, with over 70,000 books. So check it out.
Take your time and stroll through the city and its tiny streets. After, sit in a cafe next to the main square and its bridges. Enjoy a cup of coffee, and don’t forget to order Slovenian traditional Cream Cake, known as ‘Kremcshnita.’
Enjoy the city to the fullest, chill next to the river, and soak up its atmosphere. If’s you’re visiting Ljubljana in summer, see if there is a night movie up on the castle. It’s worth experiencing it.
Tomorrow, we’ll make our way up to the stunning Slovenian mountains.
RELATED ARTICLE: 21 Best Day Trips From Ljubljana
Ljubljana Walking Tour
I also recommend you do a walking tour organized by Get Your Guide if you want to learn more in-depht about the history of this city. Or choose a bike tour and see more corners in shorter time.
Slovenia Road Trip Itinerary – 2. DAY: LJUBLJANA ⇒ VELIKA PLANINA
Good morning to Ljubljana. Even though there is a lot to explore in this city, I am confident 1 day is enough. Slovenia has more stunning places you shouldn’t miss on your road trip itinerary. So let’s set off and explore them.
Today, we’ll drive north to the Slovenian mountains. We’ll stay in beautiful nature, traditional herdsmen village, and experience the life of shepherds in reality.
Distance Ljubljana ⇒ Kamništka Bistrica: 40 minutes by car (36 km)
How To Get To Velika Planina From Ljubljana
In the morning, drive from the capital to Kamništka Bistrica. You can stop in Kamnik on the way. It’s a nice town, where you can buy some food for a picnic and your stay up in the mountains. Also, don’t forget to get some delicacies from a local bakery, such as Kremsnita cake, which can’t be missing in your Slovenian picnic basket.
Kamnik town has a nice church built on the hill. Walk up and enjoy the stunning views of the Alps and valleys around you.
After, you can continue driving through the Kamništka Bistrica River Valley until you reach Kamništka Bistrica. There is a parking place, where you’ll stop the car.
Then take a cable car up to the mountain, followed by a chair lift. You can also walk up to the very top, which would take you around 50 minutes. And then…
You can buy tickets for the cable car and chair lift next to the parking place in Kamništka Bistrica.
Velika Planina
Velka Planina is one of the few European places where you can still experience the traditional life of herdsmen. This incredible spot upon the mountains in northern Slovenia will capture your attention.
In the morning, you’ll be taking a cable car that will drive you up to the mountains. From there, you can either take a chair lift or walk about 50 minutes to reach the village. Up here, you’ll experience traditional mountain herdsmen, their villages with small dwellings, and culture.
First, walk up to the Gradišče mountain, from where you’ll get stunning views of the Slovenian Alps and might even spot Austria.
Shepherds have been coming here over the past decades to pasture the cattle and, therefore, created these cottages. Nowadays, there are many houses, where you can stay overnight or employees are accommodated for a while.
The best time to visit is between June and September, as they organize some attractions for visitors. Apart from these months, it’s mainly closed and quiet, but you can still come to visit it. However, be aware that it might be very windy in the wintertime and in autumn.
Stay on the Velika Planina and enjoy its special atmosphere.
Where to stay in Velika Planina: My TOP TIPS for Accommodation
Slovenia Road Trip Itinerary – 3. DAY: VELIKA PLANINA ⇒ LAKE BLED
I highly recommend you wake up for sunrise in this incredible village. Even better, take a coffee or tea with you, and enjoy the views, special atmosphere, and quietness of this place. There is perhaps nothing better than you being in nature, and everything is just waking up around you. You just absorb and are fascinated. Then have breakfast.
If you ever have enough, make your way down to Kamništka Bistrica.
After, we’ll drive to the most famous location in Slovenia, Lake Bled.
Distance Kamništka Bistrica ⇒ Lake Bled: 53 minutes by car (64 km)
Lake Bled
What would a visit to Slovenia be if you didn’t include Lake Bled on your itinerary right? So that’s why I am taking you there today.
Honestly, this place was very touristy and didn’t quite have those special vibes as I expected. So even though I still loved it, there was sometimes about its popularity that kind of spoiled the uniqueness of this place for me… you know what I mean? Nevertheless, it’s still worth seeing.
Check-in to your accommodation and head to the lake. In the afternoon, take a boat and visit its island.
Island On Lake Bled
Lake Bled island is actually the only one in the entire country. You can visit it by taking a local boat called ‘Pletna.’ It’s one of the most typical things to do.
Enjoy the boat ride with stunning views of the Alps behind. On the island, you can visit the church with a legend. After, make your way to the restaurant and taste traditional Kremsnita Cake. It comes from Lake Bled, so you also have to try it here.
The bell of the church awards wishes to its visitors.
Legend talks about a woman whose husband was killed by thieves. After she collected all silver and gold, she had to buy a bell. She came every day to the island on Lake Blade to pray for her husband. When she finally got the bell, they decided to transport it to the island. However, the bell was so heavy that it sank to the lake with the boat.
She was so desperate and decided to leave Slovenia. After, she started a new life in Rome and became a nun. Once she died, a Pope blessed another bell and decided to send it to the Lake Bled island as a memory.
Nowadays, it reminds us of this story and makes us believe our dream will become true.
Lake Bled Castle
After, visit the caslte on the hill right next to the lake. Drive up and then do a little tour.
The castle was first occupied by German King Henry II, who took the Bled region back in 1004. At that time, it only consisted of the Romanesque tower. After a few years, the local bishop extended the castle building the fortified part for defensive purposes.
In 1511 was, the castle heavily damaged by an earthquake. But they rebuilt it into the original look.
Today, you can visit the castle wine cellar, tower gallery with printing works, memorial room, and a museum. Many cultural events are organized in its outside yard in summer, so check if you can participate in some.
In the evening, have a nice dinner and go for a walk alongside the lake. I would, again, go to the lake either later in the evening or tomorrow early in the morning to avoid many tourists. That way, you’ll feel the special atmosphere of this place, and I am sure you’ll fall in love.
Where to stay in Lake Bled: My TOP TIPS for Accommodation
Guided Tour Of Lake Bled & Castle
If you want to learn more about the lake and Bled castle, join this guided tour with Viator agency. Go paragliding to get the best views of Lake Bled with its cute island. Or book a kayaking tour on Lake Bled and learn about its history from the water.
Slovenia Road Trip Itinerary – 4. DAY: LAKE BLED ⇒ POSTOJNSKA JAMA & PREDJAMA CASTLE ⇒ PIRAN
Good morning to Lake Bled. I hope you got the most of it. Today, we’ll continue our Slovenia road trip itinerary driving south.
However, I have a beautiful natural attraction that you can check out before going south. In the morning, you can choose to visit Vintar Gorge. After, you can continue driving south to Piran (our destination for today). On the way, you can visit Predjama Castle and then continue to Piran.
If you don’t want to visit Vintar Gorge and do a little hike, head straight down towards Predjama Castle. You can then also visit Postojna Jama (cave) close to the castle.
I don’t think you can manage to see all three attractions in one day, Vintar Gorge, Postojna Jama, and Predjama Castle. That’s why I recommend you choose what you prefer.
Either you visit the gorge doing a hike, then drive to Piran and stop at Predjama Castle.
Or you drive directly to Postojna Cave, after, visit the castle, and then drive south to Piran.
Vintar Gorge
For those who are interested in a beautiful hike in the morning, welcome to Vintar Gorge. It’s a 1.6 kilometers long gorge situated just a 10-minute drive from Lake Bled. It’s so much worth exploring. I highly recommend you see it.
You can either drive there or stop at the local parking (it costs 5 EUR). Or take a shuttle bus from Lake Bled directly to the Vintar Gorge.
Thanks to the Radovna River, it’s Vnitar Gorge the way it is. And you’ll now get to change to explore it.
Right after the entrance to the gorge, you’ll be welcomed with its crystal clear blue waters, surrounded by hills and green forests. After that, you’ll just follow the pathway alongside the gorge and feel the fresh air. In the end, you’ll come to the stunning Sum Waterfall.
After, you’ll have to decide between two trails that lead back to the entrance. You can choose. One is shorter but with some steep sections (45 minutes). The other one is much easier but takes longer (90 minutes).
You can buy tickets for Vintar Gorge on the spot.
After your hike, continue driving south, visiting Postojna Cave or Predjama Castle. If you still have a lot of time, you might even see both of them before dring to Piran.
Distance Lake Bled ⇒ Postojnska Jama: 1 hour & 4 minutes by car (104 km)
Postojnska Jama
Postojna Cave is part of the longest cave system in Slovenia. River Pivka is responsible for all this beauty inside the cave, forming its karst limestone. Explore stunning stalagmites and stalactites during a tour. Also, see if you can spot the olm, a small human fish animal, endemic in the cave.
The tour starts with an incredible 4 kilometers long train ride that will take you inside the cake. After, you’ll explore the place on foot, seeing its natural wonders.
You can buy tickets for Postojnska Jama on the spot.
After your visit, continue driving and make your second stop at Predjama Castle. It’s located just a few kilometers from the Postojnska Cave.
Distance Lake Bled ⇒ Predjama Castle: 1 hour & 14 minutes by car (113 km)
Predjama Castle
It’s honestly one of the most interesting castles I’ve seen so far. It’s built into a cave, which provided shelter to its inhabitants when there was a siege, danger, or war.
Its name already indicates where the castle is built. Predjama Castle in Slovenian means the castle in front of a cave.
Historians say that the castle was occupied by Erazem, who killed the commander of the Imperial army of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. So Erazem got into a conflict with Habsburgs and needed to hide. He used the cave of the castle to get food supplies and resist the siege.
Nowadays, you can visit its museum, drawbridge over the river, a dungeon, and a secret room at the top named Erazem’s Nook. You can even go inside the cave below the castle between July September.
You can buy tickets for Predjama Castle on the spot (it includes audio guide).
I hope you learned something new about European and Slovenian history in these two places. Take your time to explore them as you have the entire day for it.
In the late afternoon, get to the car and make your way down south to your final destination for today. It’s a tiny town on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, facing the Gulf of Trieste. Piran is one of the most charming places in Europe for me. So let’s go and explore it.
Distance Predjama Castle ⇒ Piran: 1 hour & 4 minutes by car (76 km)
In the evening, check in to your accommodation. After, go to the city, do a little walk and have a delicious Mediterranean dinner. This time, some mussels, fried or grilled squids, or a seafood salad can’t be missing on your plate.
Where to stay in Piran: My TOP TIPS for Accommodation
RIBIŠKA HIŠA – OLD PIRAN FISHERMAN’S
Slovenia Road Trip Itinerary – 5. DAY: PIRAN
You might have the feeling that you just woke up in Venice. No wonder its Venetian-style buildings bring this strong feeling. And it’s not far from the truth. You’re actually just 30 kilometers from Italy.
Go up to the Church of St. George for the best photos and stunning views of the Adriatic Sea and its town. Go up to the bell tower for an even better experience.
Saint George is also a patron of Piran and is believed to have saved the place from a big storm in the past.
Piran’s Salt
This town is also famous for its salt. Locals believe its salt has a very specific texture, which is great for preparing dishes and trading them. Even one Slovenian saying prides the salt:
Piran is made of salt.
Piran’s salt one of the major economic drivers to the town and entire country.
The town also celebrates salt festivals three times a year. You can experience Slovenian culture and local cuisine by buying salt, wine, and olive oil. These festivals mainly picture the saltmaking process, and you can get the chance to learn more about its uniqueness.
Except of seafood specialities, you should also try krajinska klobasa, which is local pork sausage. The best place to do so is at Tartini Square, main square of Piran.
Other than walking through the tiny, charming streets of Piran and getting lost, you can also visit Shell Museum and explore its 3000 shellfish species.
Piran is unique in the way it’s built on the Adriatic coast, its beautiful buildings, and stunning views of the Alps rising in the background. So even if you don’t feel like visiting museums or participating in a salt festival, this town deserves at least one day to be explored. Just stroll through its avenues, then sit down for a coffee next to the sea and just soak up the atmosphere.
Piran Guided Walking Tour
If you want, you can learn more about the history of Piran and hear interesting stories with a local guide on this walking tour:
Things To Do Around Piran
If you’re interested, you can visit other popular cities around Piran, such as Koper or Portorož. However, I found Piran to be the most charming of all.
Alternatively, you can go to the nearby beach and enjoy the sea for a while. Choose among Plaža Fiesa, Plaža Pacug, or Plaža Strunjan. Plaža means beach in Slovenian language.
From Plaža Strunjan, you can do a little hike through a forest up to the Strunjan Cross. The views are incredible from up there.
This is the end of our Slovenia road trip itinerary for 5 days. Get the most of your visit during this short time. After, check out more tips and inspiration for countries you can visit after Slovenia.
More Tips For Slovenia Travel
Looking to visit more places in Slovenia? Check out my related articles:
21 Best Day Trips From Ljubljana
Is Slovenia Expensive? Ultimate Guide To Budget Your Trip To Slovenia [2023]
About the author: Nicoletta is a travel enthusiast and passionate language learner. While traveling, she loves to connect with locals using her language skills to learn about new cultures. Look for her skiing, hiking in the mountains, or exploring new destinations as she designs travel itineraries for her clients.
SLOVENIA: Interested in more articles for Slovenia?
Check out my Slovenia Travel Page.
