Travel with Emily

Slovenia was an incredible country to visit, and one of my favourites on my recent European summer adventure. There are so many incredible landscapes and with convenient public transport, it’s the perfect place to immerse yourself in nature for a week!

So without further ado, here is my ultimate 7-day itinerary for nature lovers in Slovenia!

Day 1 : Ljubljana

Start your journey in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. This is a great entry point into the country for flights, busses or trains.

Spend the afternoon exploring the city, central markets and walk up to the castle for a great view over the city and sunset. Then take a relaxing stroll in the evening along the Ljubljanica river, snaking your way across the many bridges (don’t forget to keep a look out for the stone dragons!). Finally, grab a drink and a bite to eat in one of the many waterside restaurants and settle into a great street atmosphere as the sun goes down and the music turns up!

Day 2 : Bled

Make your way to the nearby town of Bled today, but no need to rush your morning, there are busses about every hour from the main station. But arrive a bit early than the scheduled time (local bus company and website is Arriva) as seats fill up with people making their way out to the stunning lake Bled!

Once you drop off your bags, enjoy stunning views of the lake as you walk around it (roughly 3 hours), and make sure you stop to swim and cool off at the rowing club or beach half-way round. Reward yourself with a nice dinner from Gostilna Pri Planincu featuring many traditional Slovenian dishes.

Day 3 : Bohinj

Lake Bled is stunning, but have you heard of its neighbour lake Bohinj? Just under an hour bus ride from Bled, Bohinj is often considered the more untouched version of Bled and is a perfect day trip. Catch the bus to Ukanc and from here it’s about an hour hike to Slap Savica (Savica waterfall). This pretty walk also offers a view back over the lake at the top. On your way back walk either the north or south bank of the lake, treat yourself to drinks and dessert at Ribčev Laz where you can catch the bus back to Bled.

Day 4 : Vintgar Gorge

Explore close to Bled today with a short hike to Vintgar Gorge, bring plenty of water because it’s in full sun, however the hour walk goes by quickly with the beautiful landscape. The gorge itself is 10 euros to enter, but the stunning views after each twist and turn is definitely worth it! The water is crystal clear and at around midday with the sun sneaking its way in, a vibrant blue. The gorge also offers a cool break from the sun. After reaching the other side of the gorge, you can now walk back to Bled, passing through other small villages and countryside.

Day 5 : Triglav National Park

One of my favourite parts of Slovenia is Triglav National Park. I could’ve easily spent a week here in the north-west of Slovenia alone! Catch two busses (timetable on Arriva) to Mojstrana where you should definitely stay at Hostel Lukna. This was the prettiest hostel I’ve ever stayed in as everything was made from wood, creating a homely cabin-in-the-woods feel. And don’t worry if bunk beds aren’t your thing, they had private rooms too! The location was perfect for hiking, and I’d recommend heading to the double layered waterfall Slap Peričnik which was jaw-dropping, and you could even walk behind both falls!

Have a relaxing night in and stick to the budget by eating-in, or head on out for pizza at the Hostel in picerija Spajaz.

Day 6 : Hiking

Explore another amazing waterfall today by catching a bus further west to Gozd Martuljek and hiking to Martuljški slapovi (zgornji slap) with a pit-stop at Martuljek Lower Waterfall along the way. It’s a full day of hiking, so wear good shoes! But there’s so much to see along the way and the view from the top is incredible!

For all these hikes, make sure to download AllTrails or any Slovenian hiking map as they will give you the best paths and there might not be data all the way along.

Day 7

Wake up, have brekkie, pack up and get ready to catch a bus back to Ljubljana or on to your next adventure!

And if you’ve got time before you leave, have a last little walk around and check out the local museum.

Happy hiking!