The Best Places to Visit in Slovenia

A scenic view of Lake Bled in Slovenia, with a small island featuring a church, surrounded by lush green forests, mountains in the background, and a partly cloudy sky overhead.

Slovenia is a small but incredibly diverse country in Central Europe, with a population of 2.1 million people. The country is known for being having incredible nature packed into its relatively compact borders. It’s filled with charming towns, a relaxed yet delightful capital city, and of course the Alps in the north. It’s super easy to explore and get around, and every year is growing as a popular country for tourists. Some would argue it’s the most different and most developed out of the former Yugoslav countries.

Capital: Ljubljana
Currency: Euro
Language: Slovenian
When to visit: May to December

A church with a tall, pointed steeple and white walls located on a small island in a calm lake, surrounded by trees and mountains with snow-capped peaks in the background, reflecting in the water.

1) Lake Bled

Lake Bled is Slovenia’s most popular tourist destination, and it is extremely clear to see why. Next to the small town of Bled stands a large, vibrant, emerald-colored lake which uniquely has an island in the middle containing a fairytale church. Alongside this, there is even a medieval castle on a hill where they hold historical archery tournaments. The whole surrounding area of Bled is just extremely beautiful, and the entire destination is simply perfect.

Things to do:
You can walk the full loop around the lake, it takes 1-2 hours. As well as this, you should definitely hike to one of Bled’s viewpoints - I recommend Ojstrica and Mala Osojnica. Some tourists also like to rent a little rowboat and paddle out onto the lake and get up close to the island. For something more adventurous, you can toboggan on Straza Hill, which is a lot of fun.

How to get there:
Simply take one of the direct buses straight from Ljubljana, running frequently.

People walking along a wooden trail in a narrow canyon with steep rocky walls covered in greenery, next to a flowing river.

2) Vintgar Gorge

Not far from Bled lies Vintgar Gorge, a natural, beautiful gorge which is carved by the Radovna River, running through bright turquoise pools, rapids, and small waterfalls. It’s very popular and get pretty crowded.

Where is it:
It sits only about 4km north of Lake Bled.

How to get there:
You can walk from Bled.

Yellow and green kayaks on a gravel beach facing a calm lake with mountains in the background and a sky with scattered clouds.

3) Lake Bohinj

Lake Bohinj is a large alpine lake in northwestern Slovenia, located within Triglav National Park in the Julian Alps. It’s quieter and more rugged than Lake Bled, surrounded by steep mountains, forests, and open alpine scenery. The lake stretches about 4 kilometers long, making it Slovenia’s largest permanent lake, and it feels much more wild and natural. While most tourists all make it to Lake Bled, a lot less take it one extra step and check out Lake Bohinj.

Things to do:
Besides walking around the lake and swimming in its cold waters, the best idea is to walk from Lake Bohinj to Savica Waterfall, a pretty waterfall located west of the lake. You can also take the Vogel Cable Car from the town of Ukanc, by the lake.

How to get there:
Direct buses run from both Ljubljana and Bled frequently.

A European city street scene with a marble fountain featuring mythological figures in the foreground. In the background, there are tall church towers with green domes and a cityscape of historic buildings, some with flags hanging outside.

4) Ljubljana

Ljubljana is Slovenia’s capital city, home to over 300,000 people located in the country’s center. It’s an extremely walkable city with such a relaxed atmosphere and dazzling vibe. It has some beautiful spots to check out, and if you’re coming straight from Italy, Croatia or any surrounding ‘popular’ country, it really is a big breath of fresh air.

Things to do:
You definitely have to head up to Ljubljana castle, it is a lovely green space up the top with views overlooking both the city and snow capped mountains - it’s the main thing you should do here. Other than that, Prešeren Square is the main square of the city, you can start there and walk around the charming old town. The city is built on the Ljubljanica river, which has opportunities for boat tours down it.

How to get there:
From Italy, buses are very common from Venice and Trieste. From Austria, you can also find Vienna direct to Ljubljana, and from Croatia direct from Zagreb is easy too.

A coastal town with red-tiled roofs and a prominent church with a tall steeple on a small peninsula surrounded by the ocean.

5) Piran

Piran is a small coastal town in southwestern Slovenia, sitting right on the Adriatic Sea near the Italian border. It’s one of the most beautiful and atmospheric places in the country, with a strong Venetian feel thanks to centuries of Italian influence. The town is small, with a population of around 4,000 people. It is Slovenia’s most underrated spot, for sure.

Things to do:
Tartini Square is the towns main square, lined with cafés and historic buildings, named after the famous violinist Giuseppe Tartini. After you start there, just walk the Old Town streets and the Piran city walls. Lastly, St. George’s Church is a hilltop church with a bell tower. Piran’s coastal beauty is really just admirable in itself.

How to get there:
There are direct buses from Ljubljana, and Trieste in Italy.

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