Slovenia itinerary, day by day

From green Ljubljana to Lake Bled and its island, then the Postojna caves and Piran on the Adriatic, by car: the map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.

🗓️ 3, 7 or 14 days📍 4 stops☀️ Best time: May to September

Bled · Photo Annaëlle Quionquion / Pexels

Route map (numbers = order of the stops).

Slovenia in 3 days

2 stops · 11 things to do · ≈ 55 km

1Ljubljana

Day 1

A small, green capital on a slow river. The architect Jože Plečnik shaped much of its centre, bridges and market included, and the castle keeps watch from its hill.

🎟️ Worth booking

Ljubljana Castle by funicular1h30 · from €13
A minute up the hill by funicular, then the castle courtyard and its tower, with the whole city below and the Alps behind on a clear day.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Old town and market, guided2h · from €15
The baroque old town and Plečnik's colonnaded central market, with a guide to tie the two together.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Plečnik's Triple Bridge · The central market · The Ljubljanica riverbanks · Tivoli Park

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hostel Celica (€25 a night) · Mid-range: Vander Urbani Resort (€120 a night) · Luxury: InterContinental Ljubljana (€200 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Georgie bistro ↗ ★ 4.8 · 980 reviews
Compa Restaurant OkrepÄevalnica ÄŒompa ↗ ★ 4.8 · 909 reviews · €€€
Birdie Restaurant ↗ ★ 4.8 · 236 reviews
Čevabdžinica Sarajevo '84 - Ljubljana ↗ ★ 4.7 · 8860 reviews · €
Dežela Okusov - Top quality 100% gluten-free cuisine ↗ ★ 4.7 · 2277 reviews · €€

Photo Carlo Primo / Pexels

🚗 Car · 45 min · 55 km

2Lake Bled

Days 2-3

An Alpine lake with the only natural island in Slovenia, a church on top of it, and a castle on the cliff above the water.

🎟️ Worth booking

Pletna boat to the island1h · from €18
The flat-bottomed wooden boat, rowed standing up, that takes you across to the island. Then 99 steps up to the church and its wishing bell.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Bled Castle1h · from €15
One of the oldest castles in Slovenia, first recorded in 1011, on a cliff some 130 metres above the lake.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

The island church (from the shore) · The path around the lake · Ojstrica viewpoint

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hostel Bledec (€60 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Triglav Bled (€130 a night) · Luxury: Vila Bled (€230 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Bled Breakfast ↗ ★ 5 · 957 reviews
Restaurants, Pr' Mirku grill, Tufi d. o. o. Ugostiteljstvo ↗ ★ 4.9 · 583 reviews
Restavracija Union ↗ ★ 4.8 · 421 reviews
Wine Bar & Restaurant Čarman ↗ ★ 4.8 · 140 reviews
Pizzeria Rustika ↗ ★ 4.7 · 4820 reviews · €€

Photo Pixabay / Pexels

Slovenia in 7 days

4 stops · 21 things to do · ≈ 205 km

1Ljubljana

Days 1-2

A small, green capital on a slow river. The architect Jože Plečnik shaped much of its centre, bridges and market included, and the castle keeps watch from its hill.

🎟️ Worth booking

Ljubljana Castle by funicular1h30 · from €13
A minute up the hill by funicular, then the castle courtyard and its tower, with the whole city below and the Alps behind on a clear day.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Old town and market, guided2h · from €15
The baroque old town and Plečnik's colonnaded central market, with a guide to tie the two together.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Plečnik's Triple Bridge · The central market · The Ljubljanica riverbanks · Tivoli Park

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hostel Celica (€25 a night) · Mid-range: Vander Urbani Resort (€120 a night) · Luxury: InterContinental Ljubljana (€200 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Carlo Primo / Pexels

🚗 Car · 45 min · 55 km

2Lake Bled

Days 3-4

An Alpine lake with the only natural island in Slovenia, a church on top of it, and a castle on the cliff above the water.

🎟️ Worth booking

Pletna boat to the island1h · from €18
The flat-bottomed wooden boat, rowed standing up, that takes you across to the island. Then 99 steps up to the church and its wishing bell.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Bled Castle1h · from €15
One of the oldest castles in Slovenia, first recorded in 1011, on a cliff some 130 metres above the lake.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

The island church (from the shore) · The path around the lake · Ojstrica viewpoint

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hostel Bledec (€60 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Triglav Bled (€130 a night) · Luxury: Vila Bled (€230 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Pixabay / Pexels

🚗 Car · 1h15 · 90 km

3The Postojna Caves

Day 5

A karst cave system some 24 km long, the first stretch covered by an underground train. Predjama Castle, built into a cliff, is a short drive away.

🎟️ Worth booking

Postojna Cave by underground train1h30 · from €30
An electric train carries you deep inside, then a guided walk among stalactites and stalagmites before the ride back out.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Predjama Castle1h · from €15
A Renaissance castle set into the mouth of a cave halfway up a cliff, listed by Guinness as the largest cave castle in the world.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

The Karst plateau · The green valley around the caves · Walking trails

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hostel Proteus (€30 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Jama (€95 a night) · Luxury: Hotel Kras Postojna (€140 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Okusi Filipinov (Taste of Philippines) ↗ ★ 4.9 · 551 reviews
Bar-Bekar-Pizzerija Vekar Tina s.p. ↗ ★ 4.8 · 440 reviews · €€
Okrepčevalnica Prepih ↗ ★ 4.7 · 2363 reviews · €
Koča Mladika na Pečni rebri (733 m) ↗ ★ 4.7 · 350 reviews · €€
Lipa Plac Restaurant & Apartments, RV park ↗ ★ 4.7 · 248 reviews

Photo Shootcase Chronicles / Pexels

🚗 Car · 1h · 60 km

4Piran, on the Adriatic

Days 6-7

A Venetian town on a narrow point of land, built around Tartini Square and a tangle of medieval lanes.

🎟️ Worth booking

Piran old town, guided1h30 · from €12
The Venetian lanes, squares and churches of Piran, and how a town grew rich on salt.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Sečovlje salt pansHalf day · from €15
Salt is still raked by hand here in the medieval way, inside a nature park of lagoons and birds.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Tartini Square · The seafront · Sunset over the Adriatic

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hostel Pirano (€35 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Piran (€120 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Srebrna vilica ↗ ★ 4.9 · 210 reviews
Seafood Restaurant Polpo ↗ ★ 4.8 · 1952 reviews · €€
Ribja kantin'ca PORTO Piran ↗ ★ 4.8 · 894 reviews · €€
Okrepčevalnica Barka, ↗ ★ 4.8 · 648 reviews
Ladja Podlanica Piran ↗ ★ 4.8 · 265 reviews · €€

Photo Helena Jankovičová Kováčová / Pexels

Slovenia in 14 days

5 stops · 27 things to do · ≈ 315 km

1Ljubljana

Days 1-3

A small, green capital on a slow river. The architect Jože Plečnik shaped much of its centre, bridges and market included, and the castle keeps watch from its hill.

🎟️ Worth booking

Ljubljana Castle by funicular1h30 · from €13
A minute up the hill by funicular, then the castle courtyard and its tower, with the whole city below and the Alps behind on a clear day.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Old town and market, guided2h · from €15
The baroque old town and Plečnik's colonnaded central market, with a guide to tie the two together.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Plečnik's Triple Bridge · The central market · The Ljubljanica riverbanks · Tivoli Park

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hostel Celica (€25 a night) · Mid-range: Vander Urbani Resort (€120 a night) · Luxury: InterContinental Ljubljana (€200 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Carlo Primo / Pexels

🚗 Car · 45 min · 55 km

2Lake Bled

Days 4-6

An Alpine lake with the only natural island in Slovenia, a church on top of it, and a castle on the cliff above the water.

🎟️ Worth booking

Pletna boat to the island1h · from €18
The flat-bottomed wooden boat, rowed standing up, that takes you across to the island. Then 99 steps up to the church and its wishing bell.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Bled Castle1h · from €15
One of the oldest castles in Slovenia, first recorded in 1011, on a cliff some 130 metres above the lake.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

The island church (from the shore) · The path around the lake · Ojstrica viewpoint

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hostel Bledec (€60 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Triglav Bled (€130 a night) · Luxury: Vila Bled (€230 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Pixabay / Pexels

🚗 Car · 1h15 · 90 km

3The Postojna Caves

Days 7-8

A karst cave system some 24 km long, the first stretch covered by an underground train. Predjama Castle, built into a cliff, is a short drive away.

🎟️ Worth booking

Postojna Cave by underground train1h30 · from €30
An electric train carries you deep inside, then a guided walk among stalactites and stalagmites before the ride back out.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Predjama Castle1h · from €15
A Renaissance castle set into the mouth of a cave halfway up a cliff, listed by Guinness as the largest cave castle in the world.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

The Karst plateau · The green valley around the caves · Walking trails

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hostel Proteus (€30 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Jama (€95 a night) · Luxury: Hotel Kras Postojna (€140 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Shootcase Chronicles / Pexels

🚗 Car · 1h · 60 km

4Piran, on the Adriatic

Days 9-12

A Venetian town on a narrow point of land, built around Tartini Square and a tangle of medieval lanes.

🎟️ Worth booking

Piran old town, guided1h30 · from €12
The Venetian lanes, squares and churches of Piran, and how a town grew rich on salt.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Sečovlje salt pansHalf day · from €15
Salt is still raked by hand here in the medieval way, inside a nature park of lagoons and birds.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Tartini Square · The seafront · Sunset over the Adriatic

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hostel Pirano (€35 a night) · Mid-range: Hotel Piran (€120 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Helena Jankovičová Kováčová / Pexels

🚗 Car · 1h30 · 110 km (return)

5Ljubljana

Days 13-14

A small, green capital on a slow river. The architect Jože Plečnik shaped much of its centre, bridges and market included, and the castle keeps watch from its hill.

🎟️ Worth booking

Ljubljana Castle by funicular1h30 · from €13
A minute up the hill by funicular, then the castle courtyard and its tower, with the whole city below and the Alps behind on a clear day.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Old town and market, guided2h · from €15
The baroque old town and Plečnik's colonnaded central market, with a guide to tie the two together.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Plečnik's Triple Bridge · The central market · The Ljubljanica riverbanks · Tivoli Park

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Hostel Celica (€25 a night) · Mid-range: Vander Urbani Resort (€120 a night) · Luxury: InterContinental Ljubljana (€200 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Carlo Primo / Pexels

Hotel prices are per room per night, activity prices per person, checked when written. Some links are affiliate links (Booking, GetYourGuide): we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

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Good to know before you go

🍽️ What to eat

Štruklji: rolled dumplings with a filling, savoury or sweet, often cottage cheese.
Potica: a rolled cake with a walnut filling, baked for holidays.
Kranjska klobasa: the smoked Carniolan pork sausage, served with mustard and horseradish.
Jota: a hearty soup of beans, sauerkraut and potato, from the Karst and the coast.
Adriatic fish in Piran: grilled sea bass or squid, with Swiss chard and potato on the side.
Local wine, and žganje, the fruit brandy poured as a welcome.

⚠️ What to avoid

Never drive on a motorway without the e-vignette: fines are heavy, and it takes two minutes to buy online.
Book the Postojna cave and your Bled accommodation early in summer.
Old centres are pedestrian, Piran above all: park on the edge of town and walk in.
Alpine weather turns quickly: check the forecast before any hike.

Plan this trip

📒 The free printable Slovenia guide→ 🗓️ Best time to visit Slovenia, month by month→ 🎟️ What to book before you go→

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