Slovenia 3-Day Itinerary

Slovenia is a beautiful country with unique cities and breathtaking nature. The country is small which means you can see most of the highlights within three days in Slovenia. This 3-day Slovenia itinerary offers a mix of hiking and relaxing in nature as well as spending time in the capital of Slovenia.

How to Get to Slovenia

The main airport in Slovenia is in Ljubljana and is only about 20 minutes outside of the city center. You can find a flight to Ljubljana (airport code: LJU) or take a train or bus from other cities in Europe. Slovenia is also a great country to visit if you are also visiting Croatia or Italy since it borders these countries. You can search for flights on Skyscanner to find the best prices to fly to Slovenia.

How to Get Around Slovenia

The best way to explore Slovenia in three days is to rent a car. Book your car on Discover Cars which searches across rental car companies to help you find the best price. The roads are easy to drive on and you can easily find parking at all the sights. Driving around Slovenia will allow you to enjoy the beautiful countryside and have a more relaxing 3-day itinerary.

Where to Stay in Slovenia

Because Slovenia is a small country, it is possible to stay in Ljubljana for this road trip and return every night. The other option is to split up the nights between Ljubljana, Lake Bled, and Piran, but then you would be moving around a lot. There are many Airbnbs and guesthouses in Ljubljana. I recommend using booking.com to book your stay in Slovenia where you can find both guesthouses and hotels.

Slovenia 3-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Explore Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana
Day 2: Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle, and Piran
Day 3: Triglav National Park: Lake Bled, Vintgar Gorge, and Lake Bohinj

Day 1: Ljubljana

Explore the City Center

Start your first day in Slovenia exploring Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. The Ljubljanica river cuts through the city and there are bicyclists everywhere. Some of the city center is closed to cars which is nice. There are many colorful buildings and a lot of great restaurants and shops. Since the city is so small you can easily explore it in just one day. Walk across the Triple Bridge and Dragon Bridge, visit Ljubljana Castle, and stroll through Tivoli Park.

Ljubljana Castle

Ljubljana Castle sits on Castle Hill above the city. To get to the castle you can take a funicular railway which starts past the puppet theatre in Krek Square. Another option is the tourist train which links the city’s major attractions. There are also multiple walking paths that you can take up to the castle, or you can ride a bicycle. The viewing tower has great views of the city.

Central Market

Don’t miss a visit to the central market which is open every day except Sunday and is located between the Dragon Bridge and the Triple Bridge. Here you can find fruit, vegetables, baked goods, crafts, and more.

Day 2: Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle and Piran

On your second day in Slovenia do a road trip to Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle, and the coastal city of Piran.

If you don’t have a rental car and are looking for an easy way to get to Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle, you can book this tour from Ljubljana to Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle which includes the entrance fees to these top destinations in Slovenia.

Postojna Cave

Start the day early and drive about 40 minutes southwest of Ljubljana to get to Postojna Cave. This unique cave was shaped by water over millions of years. Make sure to book a tour online ahead of time. The hour and a half long tour takes you on a 3.5 km cave train ride and 1.5 km walking path through the cave. The temperature inside the cave remains the same at 10 degrees celsius all year, so make sure to bring warm clothing. On the tour you will see many stalagmites, rock formations that grow from the floor of the cave due to accumulating material caused by water droppings. There are also large halls formed by water and more narrow passages.

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Predjama Castle

An additional 15 minutes drive from Postojna Cave you will find Predjama Castle, a medieval castle that was built into a cave. This is the largest cave castle in the world, built in the middle of a 123 meter high cliff. I recommend purchasing the audio tour to learn more about the history of the castle. Visiting this unique castle will be one of the highlights of your 3-day Slovenia itinerary.

Piran

About an hour southwest from Predjama Castle you will reach the coastal city of Piran, located on the Adriatic Sea. This is a small colorful city that can be explored in a couple of hours. Spend time walking around the old town and enjoying the Adriatic Sea. To get an incredible view of the city, climb up to the walls of Piran. For an easy way to get to Piran, you can book this Piran Sunset Tour from Ljubljana. You will get to explore Piran and learn about the history of the city and the Venetian culture.

Day 3: Lake Bled, Vintgar Gorge, and Lake Bohinj

Spend your third day in Slovenia enjoying the beautiful lakes and mountains. If you don’t plan on renting a car you could book a small group tour of Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj, and Vintgar Gorge.

Lake Bled

A 3-day Slovenia itinerary is not complete without visiting Lake Bled. Lake Bled is a breathtaking bright blue lake that is one of the most popular sights in Slovenia. Start your day by driving up to Bled Castle, the oldest castle in Slovenia. From this medieval castle, you can enjoy an incredible view of Lake Bled. Next, take a nice walk around Lake Bled and stop for Lake Bled Cream Cake at a restaurant near the lake. If you are interested in spending more time enjoying this lake, you can rent a rowboat and row out to Bled Island. If you are interested in a unique experience, you can book a guided canyoning adventure in Bohinj Valley.

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Vintgar Gorge

Vintgar Gorge was one of our favorite places on our 3-day Slovenia road trip. Vintgar Gorge is a 1.6 km long gorge carved by the Radovna River. You can walk on boardwalks through the gorge and enjoy the bright blue water, waterfalls, and green foliage.

Lake Bohinj

40 minutes from Vintgar Gorge you will find Lake Bohinj, a less known but really nice glacial lake. This lake is very different from Lake Bled and darker in color. You can take a cable car up to Vogel Mountain for an incredible view of the lake. It is a lot cooler when you get to the top so make sure to bring layers. Lake Bohinj barely has any people compared to Lake Bled, which makes it very nice and relaxing.

More Top Things to Do in Slovenia

I recommend booking activities in Slovenia in advance on Viator so that you don’t miss out! If your plans change you can cancel the experience up to 24 hours before for a full refund.

Travel Medical Insurance for Slovenia

Don’t forget to get a travel insurance policy for your trip! SafetyWing offers affordable, flexible, and reliable travel medical insurance that can be purchased ahead of your travels or while you are already traveling.

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