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An Incredible 7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: A Complete Guide

Slovenia is an epic destination with a small coastline and gorgeous mountains, rivers and lakes. There is a fairy-tale quality to the entire country. You can easily spend several weeks in Slovenia, but we think 7 days is the perfect amount of time to see the highlights of this amazing European destination. In this 7 day Slovenia itinerary, you will visit the capitol, spend a day on the coast, visit Lake Bled, hike in Triglav National Park and visit the Soca River Valley.

We spent a week in Slovenia as part of a larger two week Italy/Slovenia trip and while we loved Italy, we adored the slightly more laid back feel of Slovenia.

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Why You’ll Love Slovenia

Slovenia is an adventure-lovers travel destination made up of mostly small towns spread between gorgeous mountains and valleys. This 7 day Slovenia itinerary is for you if you love adventure travel, hiking, and relaxed culture and food. It’s a great country for couples and we loved exploring the region as a family of 5 with 2 teens and a tween.

After spending a few extremely hot days in Rome and Venice, we loved the cooler temperatures and ease of getting around Slovenia. This country is all about enjoying the outdoors, so tie up your hiking boots and check out the itinerary below.

7 day Slovenia Itinerary: Hiking in Triglav National Park

Things to Know About this Slovenia Road Trip

Using this Itinerary

This itinerary is designed for 7 days in Slovenia, but if you don’t have a full week you can find suggestions at the end of this articles outlining how to see Slovenia in 5 days. You can also find suggestions for how to make this a slightly longer 10 day Slovenia itinerary.

Rent a Car

This itinerary is best done as a road trip, so you will need to rent a car. While you can get around many parts of Slovenia by bus or train, you will need more time to explore this way and you may not be able to get to every destination described below.

See a train schedule for Slovenia.

If you are renting a car, you can pick the car up at the airport. You can search RentalCars.com for good deals. It is possible to do the first day without a car, so you can also wait until the 2nd day to rent a car – this will save you some money, but you will end up spending more money on transportation and will need to take the extra time get your car on the 2nd day.

We didn’t fly into the airport since we were already on a road trip, so we rented a car in Italy and drove into Slovenia after spending one day in Venice. If you are doing this, double check with your car insurance, but otherwise you shouldn’t have any problem.

Whether you are renting a car or driving into Slovenia, you will need a Vignette sticker so you can drive on the road in the country. If you are renting a car, it should already come with a vignette, but it’s worth checking.

If you are driving into Slovenia as we did, you will need to purchase the vignette and affix it to your windshield. You can see up to date regulations and information about the vignette on the Slovenia website. We found the roads in Slovenia well maintained and in better shape than many of the other European countries we’ve visited.

7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Vintgar Gorge

Visit During the Warm Months

This 7 day Slovenia itinerary is designed to be done in the summer or warm season months. Slovenia has many winter adventure opportunities – if you are trying to plan a winter itinerary in Slovenia, you can find many great articles online, or check out this article for some ideas.

The best time for this one week in Slovenia itinerary is between April and October and if you want warm weather, you should plan to visit in June-Sept. The table below shows the temperate and climate throughout the year in Ljubljana – note that in the mountains, the temperature will be cooler and you can expect more rain.

Quick Look at this 7 Day Slovenia Itinerary

This 7 day Slovenia itinerary basically makes a counterclockwise loop. Start your visit in the capitol of Ljubljana. After enjoying this beautiful city, drive an hour north to Lake Bled. Enjoy a few days in Bled and the surrounding area. After Bled, take an optional hut trip into Triglav National Park, or simply enjoy a day hike. Drive north over the mountains to the Soca River Valley and spend a few nights in Bovec where you will hike, kayak and visit some waterfalls. Finish up your 7 day Slovenia itinerary with a visit to Predjama Castle And Postojna Cave.

  • Day 1: Explore Ljubljana
  • Day 2: Lake Bled
  • Day 3 : Lake Bled
  • Day 4: Day Hike or Overnight Hut trip in Triglav National Park
  • Day 5: Bovec
  • Day 6: Bovec
  • Day 7: Bovec and Optional trip to Predjama Castle And Postojna Cave
Are you overwhelmed planning this itinerary?  Another option is to book your travel directly through a tour company - we've recently discovered Travel Stride as a great place to compare tours to different countries around the world.

This tour by REI Adventures covers almost everything listed in the itinerary we did in Slovenia.

Map of this Slovenia Itinerary: 7 Days of Adventure

This itinerary assumes you arrive the day before and spend the night in Ljubljana but it is also possible to arrive on the morning of the first day of this Slovenian itinerary. We drove in early in the morning from Venice and still had a full day to explore the city.

Complete Details of this 7 Day Itinerary: Slovenia

Slovenia Itinerary Day 1: Explore Ljubljana

Ljubljana is a beautiful city that is one of our favorite cities in Europe. The city is very walkable and you can see most of the attraction in just a single day. If you’ve rented a car, you can drive into the center of town and park at one of the parking garages for the day. Start your day with some Slovenian pastries at one of the many cafes in town.

7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Ljubljana
7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Ljubljana

Ljubljana Castle

Start your morning with a visit to Ljubljana Castle. Since this gets crowded, it’s best to visit early. The castle opens at 9:00 so you can take the funicular to the castle right after breakfast. Take a tour of the castle, or if you are feeling like some fun, consider doing the Escape Room/Castle.

See more about the castle and purchase tickets on the official site.

After exploring the castle, head back into town for some lunch. There are many small restaurants along the water and we ate right near the market

Walk Through the Market, Old Town, Triple Bridge and Search for Dragons

After lunch give yourself time to wander along the river, cross the river over one of the many bridges, shop in the market, and search for the iconic Slovenian dragon. Legend states that the dragon was vanquished by the mythological figure Jason who then founded the town of Ljubljana. The Ljubljana dragon can can be found on statues and signs around town and most notably on Dragon Bridge.

7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Dragon Bridge
7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Dragon Bridge

Metelkova or Tivoli Park and Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church

If you still have the energy in the late afternoon, head a bit further from the center of town with a visit to Tivoli Park and the Methodius Church, or make a stop at the artsy Metelkova. Tivoli Park is just north of town and is a large park with statues and tree-lined paths. Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church are located just south of Tivoli Park and while it’s not that impressive from the outside, the inside of the building is stunning. Metelkova is an art commune created from old military barracks. Today the buildings are home to art galleries, cultural displays, and events. The area is covered in graffiti and people seem to love it or hate it.

Finish you day with a delicious Slovenian dinner – try the Monstera Bistro.

Where to Stay in Ljubljana

Below you can find a few hotel options, but you can also find a number of apartments and smaller boutique options at booking.com.

Hotel Tresor: A budget option just north of the Old Town but walkable

ONE66 Hotel: This is a mid-range hotel located a bit north of town.

Zlata Ladjica Boutique Hotel: This is a luxury option with free bikes, a terrace and option for family rooms.

See more about exploring Ljubljana in this article: Things to Know about Spending One Day in Ljubljana.  You can find more details on how to enjoy a day in the Slovenian Capitol.

7 Day Slovenia Itinerary Day 2 and 3: Lake Bled

Start your morning with a drive to Bled. This drive is mostly on the highway and takes just an hour. While the drive is straightforward, traffic is possible, especially during the summer months.

We loved our time in Bled and were blown away by the scenery. There is plenty to do in the Bled area and you can easily find plenty of activities for a few days. Many people visit Lake Bled as a day trip from Ljubljana, and while it’s possible to see the highlights, this itinerary gives you a full day and a half in the Bled area with more time to hike in Triglav National Park.

Below you can find several recommended activities in the Bled area for day 2 and 3 of this itinerary.

See more ideas about visiting Bled in this post: 15 Things to do in Lake Bled in Summer: A Complete Guide to this Fairy-Tale Town.
7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Vintgar Gorge
7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Vintgar Gorge

Vintgar Gorge

This is a must if you are in Bled. This gorgeous and narrow gorge has a beautiful blue river winding through it. The gorge has a series of bridges and boardwalks that take you through the narrowest part and then you can follow a trail that loops back to the start of the hike. You will need to purchase a ticket to visit Vintgar Gorge and it’s best to book your tickets in advance.

You can see more about visiting Vintgar Gorge.

Walk Around Lake Bled

The walk around Lake Bled is about 4 miles and is an easy trail mostly following paved or hard paths and boardwalks. The walk offer incredible views of the lake, the island, and Bled Castle. If the weather is nice, you can also stop for swim at many points along the walk. If you aren’t up for walking the entire path, you can rent bikes from several places in town for a reasonable price and bike around the lake.

7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Go for a row on Lake Bled
7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Go for a row on Lake Bled

Take a Boat out to the Island

One of the most iconic spots in Slovenia, the Church of the Mother of God on Bled Island is the perfect place to take a row. Rent a boat for a few hours, or pay for a boat ride out to the island and enjoy the beautiful waters of Lake Bled. You can rent rowboats at a few places along the edge of the lake – you will find a few places along the southern part of the lake. The closer you walk to the island, the shorter the distance you will need to row to get to the island. Row out to the island and tie up for a bit and walk around the island. It’s good luck to ring the bell on the island, but you will need to pay a fee to visit this part of the church.

Adventures with Kids: Lake Bohinj
7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Lake Bohinj

Visit Lake Bohinj and Slap Savica

Located about 30 minutes to the west of Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj is larger in size, but much quieter. Nestled right at the base of the mountains of Triglav National Park Lake Bohinj is beautiful and you can easily spend the day sitting by the lake and taking the short hike to Slap Savica.

The 30 minute drive to Bohinj is lovely and you will see many people out biking along this route.

See more ideas of things to do in the Lake Bled Area.

Where to Stay in Bled

One of the best things about Lake Bled is that you can find a range of lodging options for every price. We staying in Apartments Kapus Center – this was an incredible location close to everything and had all the basics for our family of 5.

Below are a few options based on our visit to the area.

Low Budget

  • Camping Lake Bled: This is a cute looking campground right near the Lake and if you’re visiting Lake Bled in summer, camping is a great option.

High Budget

Where to Eat in Lake Bled

We had some great meals in Lake Bled. Below are a few of our favorite restaurants we enjoyed during our visit:

  • Old Cellar Bled
  • Mega Burger Bled
  • Arroi Restaurant
  • Tavci Kuhna
7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Watching a helicopter resupply the Slovenian Mountain Hut

Day 4: Hut trip in Triglav National Park or day hiking in Triglav NP

On your 4th day in Slovenia, you will hike in Triglav National Park. There are many different trail options, but we recommend hiking the 7 Lakes Valley Loop. You can do this as a day hike while staying in Bled, or even better, book an overnight Slovenian hut trip.

The 7 Lakes Valley hike starts at Planina Blato that can be reached via a toll road. The entire loop is about 11 miles and makes a long day trip. The trail takes you up into the mountains through several large meadow areas dotted with mountain huts and cows. Once you ascend above tree level, the trail offers incredible views and several gorgeous alpine lakes.

While a day hike is a great way to see this area, the absolute best way to enjoy the mountains is by staying in one of the Slovenian Mountain huts. Like many other mountain areas of Europe, Slovenia is home to hundreds of mountain huts. These huts provide hearty meals, cheery hospitality, and a reasonably comfortable places to sleep.

For the 7 Lakes Valley Loop, the best hut to stay in is  Koča Pri Triglavskih Jezerih. You can easily reserve a spot in the hut in advance using the online system.

See more about visiting the 7 Lakes Valley and staying in a mountain hut.

7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: 7 Lakes Valley

Day 5 and 6: Bovec

Start the day by driving from Bled to Bovec. If you spent the night in the mountain hut, you will start by hiking out to your car and then driving to Bovec. The drive takes about 1.5 hours and goes up and north around Triglav National Park. This is a pretty drive, especially the last 30 minutes down the Soca River Valley.

Take your time on your drive and stop along the way for photos and views. If you have time, you may consider driving to Mangart Saddle on your way south.

Bovec is a wonderful Slovenian mountain town that feels steeped in adventure. Everywhere you look, people are hiking, biking, kayaking, rafting, or just out exploring. There is so much to do in Bovec that you can easily fill 2-3 days with activities during your one week in Slovenia. Below you can find my top suggestions for activities in Bovec, but I encourage you to see our full article about Bovec to see more options for this fun destination.

Looking for ideas of what to do in Bovec? Check out: 15 Best Things to do in Bovec: A Guide to Exploring the Beautiful Slovenia River Soca
7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Soca River Gorge

Drive Along the Soca River, visiting Soca River Gorge and other parts of the Soca River Trail

The Soca River is probably the most beautiful river I’ve ever seen. The clear blue color combined with the surrounding mountain views is stunning and truly the highlight of this area. The river runs a long distance through this incredible valley in the Julian Alps, and many of the best activities in the region involve spending time on or near the water.

While the river is pretty throughout this area, you should plan to drive and/or hike the Soca River. The Soca River Trail is a 15 mile point to point trail that starts near the source of the Soca River and follows the river as it makes its way down the valley. You can hike the entire trail, or drive along the river and hike short distances on the trail.

The Soca River Gorge is one of the most beautiful spots on this stretch, so make sure this is one of the stops along this drive.

7 Day Slovenian Itinerary: Mount Mangart

Drive to the Mangart Saddle and Hike Mount Mangart

Unlike most of the trails and mountain peaks in the Julian Alps, Mount Mangart is partially accessible by a toll road. You can either drive to the Mangart Saddle and enjoy the epic views or drive to Mangart Saddle and hike all or part of the trail up Mount Mangart.

The drive up to the Mangart Saddle is heart thumping with sweeping mountain views, and steep drop offs along a curvy and narrow mountain road. The drive takes about half an hour and the road takes you right to the base of Mangart. Bring a picnic and and enjoy the mountain views.

If you’re feeling up for an adventurous hike, consider ascending the rest of Mount Mangart on foot. This hike is only a few miles long, but it is steep, challenging and incredibly exposed. While the hiking route up Mangart does not require special gear, there are a few sections with cables and many areas where are you hiking along a cliff edge. There are also a couple via ferrata routes that go up the mountain.

See more about visiting Mount Mangart.
7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Kayaking on the Soca River

Do an Adventure Tour: Kayaking, Rafting, or Canyoneering

One of the best ways to enjoy the Soca River is by doing an adventure tour of the river. The Soca River is known for its white water opportunities and there are several tour companies in Bovec that offer kayaking tours or lessons, and rafting trips. We did a half day kayaking tour and had an absolute blast.

Another exciting tour in the are is to try canyoneering. Rappel, swim, and climb your way through the narrow canyons and waterfalls of the Bovec area.

Visit some of the Waterfalls

The Soca River Valley around Bovec is home to some stunning waterfalls. Most of these waterfalls are easy to get to on relatively short hikes. Three of the best waterfalls are Slap Boka, Slap Kozjak, and Slap Virje. Eash of these waterfalls offers something slight different.

  • Slap Boka Waterfall: Just 5 miles south of Bovec, the Boka Waterfall can be seen from the road or via a short hike.
  • Slap Kozjak Waterfall: located a bit south of Bovec, this waterfall is inside a hidden cave.
  • Slap Virje Waterfall: This wide cascading waterfall is really lovely and ends in an emerald pool
7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Slap Kozjak

Tomlin Gorge

Tomlin Gorge is a 1 km gorge in the Soca River Valley that is similar to Vintgar Gorge near Lake Bled. Tomlin Gorge costs between 6-10 Euros to enter and has a series of gravel trail, stairs and boardwalks that take you through this narrow canyon.

If you are planning to visit Tomlin Gorge and are heading south on Day 7 of your 1 week in Slovenia itinerary, this may be the best time to visit Tomlin Gorge as it is just south of Bovec.

See more about visiting Tomlin Gorge.

Where to Stay in Bovec

Below you can find some of the best Bovec accomodations:

  • Apartment Mars: This is where we stayed. It is a basic apartment in the top level of a house. The host was great and we loved the views from the porch.
  • Hotel Mangart: This hotel looks excellent with beautiful views located just a bit outside of town
  • Hotel Soca: This hotel is located right in Bovec and has a sun terrace and swimming pool.

If you are looking for something more budget friendly, you can also consider options for glamping or camping in Bovec. Here are a few locations to consider:

Where to Eat in Bovec

We enjoyed eating our in Bovec. When we visited in July of 2022, we found the restaurants busy and unless you are eating extremely early, you should make sure to get a reservation. Below are our favorite Bovec Restaurants:

  • Bovska kuhn’ca – Bovec kitch’n 
  • Sovdat 
  • Gostilna Pri Mostu 
  • Gostilna pod lipco
7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Bridge Crossing the Soca River

Day 7: Bovec and Optional trip to Predjama Castle And Postojna Cave

On your final day of your Slovenia 7 day itinerary, you have two options depending on where you are heading next. If you are flying out of Ljubljana or are driving towards Venice or Croatia, you can get an early start and visit Predjama Castle And Postojna Cave. If you are heading north, you can enjoy the morning in Bovec before heading on your way. We left Bovec on the last day of our Slovenian itinerary after visiting some waterfalls and drove into Austria for the day before heading to the Dolomites for the next week.

Predjama Castle And Postojna Cave

Nestled into a rock on the edge of a cliff, Predjama is an impressive and magical Castle. Combine this with an equally incredible visit to Postojna Cave. The only way to visit the cave is on a tour that includes an underground train ride that takes you through massive stalactites and stalagmites.

Depending on your travel plans, you can visit the cave and castle on your last or first day on your Slovenia travel itinerary. You can see more about visiting these two sites on the official website.

Adjusting this Itinerary

This 1 week Slovenia itinerary gives you enough time to explore the mountain, river and lakes around Triglav National Park, Ljubljana, and Predjama Castle And Postojna Cave. If you don’t have exactly 7 days, you can easily shorten or extend your itinerary. Below you can find some suggestions on how to best adjust this Slovenia trip planner.

5 Days in Slovenia

With 5 days in Slovenia, you will want to choose to either visit Bled or Bovec. While it’s possible to still go to both destinations, you will end up spending most of your time in a car. Bled is the closer destination and has a stunning lake and nearby mountains, while Bovec is a bit further to drive.

Your Slovenia 5 day itinerary should include a day in Ljubljana. On day 2 do a day trip to Predjama Castle And Postojna Cave. On days 3-5 head to Lake Bled (or Bovec) and enjoy hiking and activities on the water.

This itinerary also works if you only plan to spend 4 days in Slovenia – you can either cut out the visit to the cave/castle, or the day in Ljubljana.

6 Days in Slovenia

With 6 days in Slovenia, you have time to complete the 7 day Slovenia Itinerary described above and will just need to cut out one of the days. The easiest day to cut out is the visit to Predjama Castle and Postojna Cave, but you could also remove one of the days in Bovec or the day hiking in Triglav National Park. Your 6 day Slovenia Itinerary could look like this:

  • Day 1: Ljubljana
  • Day 2-3: Lake Bled
  • Day 4-5: Bovec
  • Day 6: Predjama Castle And Postojna Cave (or add an additional day to Bled or Bovec)

10 Days in Slovenia

If you have more time to spend in Slovenia, spend the last few days exploring the small but beautiful coast. Drive south down to the coast and the town of Piran. The coast of Slovenia has its own appeal – walk the cobblestone streets and admire the medieval walls. You can also consider a visit to the town of Maribor in eastern Slovenia.

See more on What to do on the coast of Slovenia.

7 Day Slovenia Itinerary

Things to Know About Visiting Slovenia

Below you can find some common questions about visiting and planning a trip to
Slovenia. If you have additional questions, leave a comment and I’ll continue to update this section.

Is Slovenia Worth Visiting?

Slovenia is an incredible country and a great place to visit if you enjoy outdoor adventure activities like biking, hiking, and kayaking. Slovenia is also a beautiful country that feels magical with beautiful castles and dragons.

How Many Days Do you Need in Slovenia?

You should plan to spend between 5-10 days exploring Slovenia. You can easily combine a road trip of Slovenia with a trip to Italy or Croatia, or fly directly into Ljubljana.

Can you really see Slovenia in 7 days? A week in Slovenia is the perfect amount of time to explore a few of the countries best areas, spend some time in the mountains, and visit the Capital.

Is Slovenia Expensive?

Slovenia is less expensive then many other European countries and the United States. We found food, activities, and lodging to all be less expensive than neighboring Italy and Austria. You can also save money when traveling in Slovenia by shopping for some meals at the grocery store.

Do They Speak English in Slovenia?

We found most people in Slovenia, especially in the popular tourist destinations, speak English. We found Slovenia an incredibly easy country to visit. We found the people in Slovenia friendly.

Is Slovenia Safe?

Slovenia is considered safe and has a low crime rate. There is still petty crime, and usual caution should be used when traveling and visiting touristy areas.

7 Day Slovenia Itinerary: Kayaking on the Soca River

What's Your Next Adventure?