The Ultimate 3 Day Slovenia Itinerary – Ljubljana & Lake Bled

Lake Bled is one of the most iconic lakes in the world. If you haven’t heard of it, a photo of the church on the island in the middle of the lake may still seem familiar to you. Lake Bled is just one stunning example of how Slovenia feels like a place straight from a medieval story book, complete with legends about dragons and knights. After centuries of rule from various empires, Slovenia gained independence in 1991 and is now a gorgeous country nestled among the Julian Alps and the Mediterranean Sea. 

At the end of May 2025, my husband and I spent a 3 day weekend in Slovenia. This was our first time in the country and we packed so many highlights into a short trip. Thankfully, Slovenia is a relatively small country, so many of the things we wanted to see were only 30-60 minutes drive from one another. If you’re planning a quick holiday to Slovenia, this guide will give you everything you need to know to make it exciting and memorable. 

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

How to get to Slovenia 

By Air

The Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU) is the main airport in the country. Located ~30 minutes from the Ljubljana city center and ~30 minutes from Lake Bled (by car), it’s well positioned to get you where you want to go in Slovenia. 

The main downside to LJU and getting to Slovenia by air is the limited flight options. It’s a small airport and depending on the flight times offered, you may have few options to get where you want to go. Because of this, we actually chose to fly from London to Trieste, Italy (TRS) and then take a Flixbus to Ljubljana. At the end of our trip we did fly out of LJU back to London via Brussels. 

By Car/Bus

As mentioned, we took a FlixBus from Trieste to Ljubljana, which was incredibly convenient and only cost €24 for 2 tickets. We opted for this over a rental car because we knew we were going to be flying out of Slovenia and it wasn’t possible to rent a car in Italy and return it in Slovenia. The drive between Trieste and Ljubljana is about 1 hour and 30 minutes. 

Slovenia is bordered by Italy, Austria, Croatia, and Hungary. All these countries are part of the EU Schengen Zone, making car travel between them seamless. There’s no border patrol at the borders. You just drive on in. 

This was my first time taking a FlixBus and I didn’t really know what to expect, but the super low price made me nervous. It turned out to be perfectly fine and our bus arrived on time. I could even use the app to track exactly where the bus was before it arrived. The seats were comfortable and we lucked out with a mostly empty bus for our short 90 minute journey.

By Train

You can also take trains to Slovenia as well as within the country. Whether you want to get to Ljubljana, Lake Bled, the mountains, or even a spa, there are trains that can take you there. Click here for the Slovenia tourism website with more detailed train info. 

Where to Stay in Ljubljana

It’s not often that I actively warn against staying at a specific hotel, but we stayed at Hotel Bloom in Ljubljana and I do not recommend it. The hotel is well designed aesthetically, but it was very loud. I really struggled to sleep hearing every little noise. The shower was also poorly designed and I couldn’t get out without help!

With that in mind, here are some better options of where I’d stay in Ljubljana next time: 

Grand Hotel Union Eurostars

If you want to great stay in the heart of Old Town, this is a great option. Located in a historic building, it still offers modern comforts like air conditioning and unique dining experiences on site.

The Hotel Ljubljana

Also located in Old Town, this hotel is a little less expensive than the Grand Hotel but still offers everything you could want in a short stay. This is probably where I’d be most likely to stay on my next visit!

Wherever you choose to stay, be sure to book early, especially if coming in the spring or summer!

*Note: Old Town Ljubljana is a pedestrian-only area, so keep that in mind when picking a hotel that you may not be able to get there easily if it’s far from a road with car access. There is a free electric taxi cart called Kavalir to take you around Old Town. You can either flag them down or call them to pick you up.

Where to Stay in Lake Bled

Glamping Option – Garden Village Bled

We strongly considered staying at Garden Village Bled. The glamping tents were intriguing but ultimately we didn’t love the idea of communal bathrooms and were a little nervous about bugs. However, the tents look quite nice (some do have private bathrooms!) and it is a very family-friendly property. There are even 2 story treehouses perfect for families, and multiple kids play areas. They offer a delicious breakfast buffet on site. Garden Village Bled is just a short walk to Lake Bled is a quieter area of the lake but still near boat rentals and a few restaurants. 

Comfortable Middle-of-the-Road Option- Vila Alpina

We stayed at Vila Alpina and were very happy with out choice. It felt like the goldilocks hotel between the glamping of Garden Village and the prices of the luxury options. The room was small, but comfortable and the bathroom was very generous in size. The hotel doesn’t have a breakfast buffet onsite. Instead, you can either pay for a breakfast spread to be delivered to your room or you can walk to Garden Village Bled just around the corner and enjoy their buffet. We opted for the latter and were very happy with breakfast. Vila Alpina also has an on-site parking lot, which not every hotel in the area offers. Like Garden Village, Vila Alpina is also just a short walk from Lake Bled. 

Luxury Option – Grand Hotel Toplice

This 5-stay stay is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group. Positioned right on the edge of the town of Bled, the Grand Hotel Toplice is right on the water with rooms offering stunning views of the lake, Bled Castle, and the Julian Alps. There’s plenty of amenities offered on-site including three restaurants and an indoor thermal pool, so you don’t have to venture far for anything.

Personally, I only splurge for high end hotels if I’m going to be spending time in them. In all honesty, this itinerary has you out-and-about the whole time, so I’d save your money on accommodations and put it towards the activities.

Day 1 Itinerary – Ljubljana to Lake Bled

We arrived in Ljubljana via FlixBus late the night before. When we woke up on our first full day in Slovenia, we had breakfast at the hotel and then set off to explore the city for the first half of the day.

Ljubljana Castle

Ljubljana Castle sits at the top of a hill in the middle of the city with views in all directions. It is over 900 years old and just recently concluded 50 years of renovations. To get there, you can either hike up the hill or take the funicular. It’s also possible to take the funicular just 1-way and hike the other. We didn’t have time to tour the castle, but still took the funicular up for views over the city. While there were a couple spots to look out, it turned out the best places where inside the part of the castle you needed a ticket to visit. 

There are restrooms at the top of the funicular before you enter the castle.

Free Walking Tour

I love doing free walking tours in cities around the world, from Kyoto, Japan to Krakow, Poland and everywhere in between. If you’ve never done a free walking tour, the concept is that the tour is tip-based and “pay what you want”. The guides usually have to pay a fee to their company for every person that attends, so you should pay something – I’d recommend $10-15/person minimum and more for great or long tours. 

We did the 2 hour Free Classic City Tour with Ljubljana Free Tour, which runs every day, rain or shine at 11AM and 3PM. We signed up for the tour online, but walk ups were welcome too. 

I knew very little about the history or culture of Slovenia prior to this tour, and it was a great introduction to the country. For one thing, Slovenia is a country of only 2 million people. Before it gained independence in 1991, the Slovenian people were tied together through their language. They put a large emphasis on language and literature, to the point where you’ll find statues of famous Slovenian authors and poets where you’d normally see generals or important leaders in other countries. 

The tour covered Old Town and made sure to stop at popular spots such as Dragon Bridge and the door of St. Nicholas church. 

Lunch at Dežela Okusov (100% gluten free restaurant) 

I highly recommend stopping for lunch at Dežela Okusov whether you’re gluten free or not. The rice noodles with monk fish, truffles, and cherry tomatoes is the best thing I ate in Slovenia. It was unbelievably flavorful! We also tried the lamb gnocchi, bread with butter, and chocolate soufflé, all of which had me questioning how they didn’t have any gluten with them. 

Also, this was one of the cheapest sit-down meals we had in Slovenia, probably because it’s outside the main tourist area of Ljubljana. I cannot recommend this place enough – do your taste buds a favor and eat here! 

Drive to Lake Bled

After lunch we took a taxi to LJU airport where we rented a car from Avis and made our way to Lake Bled. The drive is short and sweet at about 30 minutes. We quickly made it to our hotel, Vila Alpina, checked in, and wasted no time getting out to explore this iconic lake. 

Rent a boat & explore Bled Island

After checking in to our hotel, we walked straight to the lake – it is the main attraction after all! We rented a wooden row boat from Čarman House for €25 for 1 hour (though we did see a sign later that it was only €20 to rent one from the nearby Rent a Sup/Boat Vila Bled). An hour was the perfect amount of time to row out to Bled Island, walk around the grounds, and row back. We opted not to buy tickets to the Church of the Assumption of St. Mary on the island (€12/person) for the sake of time, but a ticket grants you access to both the church and the tower. There’s also a gift shop and cafe on the island. 

I didn’t feel the need for too much time on the island. While it’s cool, I think the island is even cooler when viewed from afar, and the next stop is perfect for that!

Ojstrica Viewpoint

After we returned our boat, we walked to the trailhead to begin the short-but-steep 20 minute hike to Ojstrica Viewpoint. The trail is a bit more difficult than I expected, but not terribly long. I do recommend shoes with good traction for the rocky section at the top. 

The views from the top were totally worth the effort to get there! We went a bit before sunset, which was great for photos. 

Dinner at Čarman Restaurant & Wine Bar

Slovenia produces 80-90 million liters of wine each year, but only exports 5% . If you like wine, take this opportunity to try the local offerings! Čarman Restaurant & Wine Bar is a great place to stop for dinner. It’s located right next to Čarman House, which meant we could walk there easily. We walked in without reservations and were quickly seated. The food was delicious and we had a beautiful view of the lake.

Day 2 Itinerary – Vintgar Gorge & Beautiful Waterfalls

While day 1 was tough to beat, I think day 2 was my favorite day of the trip. It had everything – waterfalls, time near Lake Bled, the best cream cake, and a little bit of thrill!

Vintgar Gorge

I really thought Lake Bled was going to be my favorite thing in Slovenia, but Vintgar Gorge stole the show. This gorge wasn’t discovered until 1891 and has been open to the public since 1893. There are a series of manmade walkways through the gorge that allow you to safely enjoy the powerful rapids and beautiful waterfalls. You have to wear a helmet in the gorge out of an abundance of caution. Falling rocks from the canyon walls are always a small risk. There’s also an optional audio guide you can access from QR codes along the way that provides more details about the gorge and its history. 

We took our time and it took us about 1 hour and 15 minutes to go through the gorge itself. That is not accounting for time to/from the parking lots. Tickets are time-entry because they limit the number of people in the gorge at any given time to prevent overcrowding. 

Vintgar Gorge is only open April-November. In the winter, conditions are too dangerous for visitors. I definitely recommend booking your ticket in advance so you can get your preferred time slot, especially in the summer. Our ticket were €15/person.

Vintgar Gorge Logistics

The logistics of getting to/from Vintgar Gorge confused me when I was on their website, so let me simplify it for you: 

• When you purchase your ticket, note that the time is the entrance time at the gorge, but you need to arrive much earlier to catch a bus to the entrance. 
• If you’re driving, I recommend parking at P3 Parking Vintgar Blejska Dobrava and taking the shuttle to the entrance. Parking is free. The shuttle comes approximately once every hour, so give yourself plenty of time. 
• When you get to the gorge entrance, the turnstile won’t let you in even a minute before your ticket time. 
• At the end of the gorge, follow signs for P3. It’s about a 25 minute walk back to the parking lot. 

Slap Peričnik Waterfall

“Slap” actually means “waterfall” in Slovenian, so this title is a bit redundant. Regardless, this beautiful waterfall actually left us a little disappointed. It’s normally possible to hike behind the waterfall, but the trail was closed when we visited. The path eroded away and is currently not safe for visitors.

Instead, you can hike up either (or both) sides of the waterfall. You can also choose the most challenging hike and go all the way to the top of the falls. However, your viewpoint from the parking lot is pretty spectacular as well, so no need to hike if you don’t want to. Even with the trail being closed, it is a beautiful waterfall that’s worth a quick stop. 

Parking is free if you’re there less than an hour. We did the short hike up the left side of the falls and were out of the park shortly before the 60-minute mark. 

Try Bled Cream Cake

No trip to Lake Bled is complete without trying the famous Bled Cream Cake. 

The best place to try Bled Cream Cake is Zima Confectionary. Our host at our hotel insisted this was his favorite place and where the locals go for cream cake. We ordered one to share and loved it so much we immediately ordered another! It has an almost meringue-like texture that is so delicious and not too heavy for a dessert. 

Toboggan Ride

As adults with no kids, this mountain coaster at Straža Bled seemed like it might not have been that exciting, but we were wrong! The toboggan can go quite fast and even a speed demon will probably use the hand brakes not the way down. There’s also incredible views of Lake Bled as you descend the mountain. 

We bought a “2 chairlift + 2 toboggan rides” ticket for €22 each at the ticket window on site. There’s a separate chairlift line for riders who have already done 1 ride, so your subsequent rides go quicker. However, you should still expect a bit of a wait at the top as there are a limited number of toboggans and sometimes the queue can get backed up. 

Be sure to give the person in front of you plenty of space. If they’re slower than you, you’ll have to use your brakes a lot and that takes a lot of the fun out of it. 

You do have to pay for parking at Straža Bled. Prices depend on how long you’re there, but we paid €3. Using the restrooms will also run you €0,50. 

Circumnavigate Lake Bled

Lake Bled only has a circumference of 3.7 miles (6km), so it’s easy to walk or bike all the way around it. We rented bikes from the only place that was open on a Sunday evening – Rent A Car Abe – and biked around the whole of Lake Bled in about 30 minutes. The bike rentals were €10/person and included helmets. 

There’s lots of great spots to stop along the way. It was a gorgeous evening in late May and plenty of people were having picnics or sundowners by the water as the sun started to set. The views really never get old!

Dinner at Oštarija Peglez’n

This cozy restaurant right on the water offers some incredible dishes. Their seafood was especially a standout. We didn’t have a reservation but were seated right away. Our only mistake was ordering the risotto “starter” that was enough food for a main portion. By the time our fish came, we were already starting to get full!

Day 3 Itinerary – Caves, Castles, & Piran

As sad as we were to leave Lake Bled, there’s so much to explore just about an hour south! We got an early start and headed out to our first stop – Postojna Cave Park.

Postojna Cave Park

Postojna Cave Park is a must-visit in Slovenia! The country is actually home to a whopping 14,000 caves, but Postojna is the largest. When you arrive, you board a little train that takes you deep into the cave. From there you follow a guided path through incredible halls of karst formations that are millions of years old. Even a speleothem that is only about a foot tall (~30cm) can be as old as the pyramids of Egypt!

Deep in the cave is also the world’s only cave post office! You can buy a postcard in the gift shop and send it to yourself or a loved one back home. There’s even ballrooms in the cave where special events are held. At Christmastime, they hold special concerts for up to 10,000 people, which would be so magical to experience. 

To me, the craziest thing in the cave was the presence of an animal I’ve never even heard of. Olms (nicknamed “baby dragons”) are an endangered species that make this cave their home. They are a kind of amphibian that can live up to 100 years old. There’s a separate vivarium on site that you can visit for an additional fee, but we did get to see an olm in an aquarium inside the cave. They are super sensitive to light, so no photos are allowed. 

Please be respectful of the sensitive environment during your 1.5 hour guided tour. Stay on the path and do not touch any of the formations as you can easily damage pieces that are thousands of years old. 

You can buy a combined ticket to Postojna Cave Park and Predjama Castle, which is what we did. We chose to start with Postojna as it requires a timed entry for the train. Parking at Postojna is €6 and we paid €50.40/person for a combination ticket and the additional audio guide at the cave (which I really recommend). If you are running late, they do allow you to move your tour time (subject to availability) for a small fee. The cave park has a full cafe, several gift shops, and free restrooms on site. 

Predjama Castle 

After we finished up at the cave, we drove over to Predjama Castle. It is the only preserved cave castle in the world and when they say “cave castle,” they mean it. The castle was seamlessly built right into the cave. There’s a free audio guide you can access on your phone to understand the full history of the castle and how it’s strategic position made it virtually impossible to capture. It’s more of a strategic stronghold than a luxury castle for royalty – it’s not very ornate compared to many castles in Europe.

Our visit in the castle took about an hour. There is a shuttle that runs between Postojna Cave Park and Predjama Castle, but only from July to October. Parking is €3 for 0-1 hr, €6 for 1-2 hrs, and €10 for 2-3 hours.

Visit Piran

Slovenia only has 29 miles (47km) of coastline, but in that short section is the coastal town of Piran that juts right out into the water. Piran is perfect for stop in the afternoon, as it’s only 1 hour 15 minutes from Predjama Castle. The town is pedestrian-only, so you do have to park and walk into Piran. The 2 closest parking lots are Garage House Amforma  (Fornače) and Garage House Arze. 

Because we’d had to move our cave tickets back an hour, we ended up not having enough time to go to Piran before our 6:30PM flight from LJU. If our flight had been later, we would have loved to explore as planned. 

Slovenia FAQs

Do you need a rental car to get around Slovenia? 

You can get most places in Slovenia without a car, but a car makes things a lot easier. The roads are well maintained and they drive on the right side of the road, so for many people, it’s not intimidating to drive here. We also rented an automatic car just to make things even easier.

If you don’t want to drive, there is public transit options throughout many parts of the country, including Ljubljana and Lake Bled. You’ll just need to leave extra time and you may not be able to fit as much into 3 days. Additionally, there are tours you can sign up for that include transportation to your destination. 

What is the currency in Slovenia? 

The Euro is the official currency of Slovenia. 

Do you need to carry cash in Slovenia? 

Yes, many places in Slovenia only accept cash. There are plenty of ATMs available and we ended up using close to 200 euros in cash during this trip. With that being said, there were also plenty of places that accepted credit cards (though not usually American Express). I also needed coins to pay for restrooms multiple times.

Is Slovenia safe? 

Yes, Slovenia is a very safe country. Like anywhere, you should keep an eye on your belongings, but I found the country to be very warm and inviting. It was also a very family-friendly country with lots of families around. Honestly the only thing I was scared of in Slovenia were the 1,000 brown bears that live there!

How expensive is Slovenia?

Social media had made it seem like Slovenia was this super budget-friendly country, but I actually found it to be a lot more middle-of-the-road in terms of costs. In terms of European countries, Slovenia is far cheaper than places like London or Switzerland, but not as cheap as places like Poland or Portugal. 

What is the best time of year to visit Slovenia? 

Summertime is definitely peak season in Slovenia. We visited in late May, which is considered shoulder season. Not every tour is offered that early in the season, but we still had plenty to choose from. In the winter, you can ski in Slovenia, but other popular places like Vintgar Gorge are closed at that time. I think shoulder season is the best time to visit for great weather, lower prices, and fewer crowds. 

What other activities are available to do in Slovenia? 

Slovenia is full of much more adventure than you can pack into 3 days! Activities vary by season, but here’s some more ideas of how to spend your time in Slovenia: 

• Rafting
• Zip lining
• Canyoning
• Bear watching tour
• Cooking class
• Food tour
• Wine tasting
• Via ferrata
• Hiking in Triglav National Park
• Skiing 

Final Thoughts

Slovenia is an absolutely beautiful country and it’s relatively small size makes a 3 day trip very doable. It’s not as easy to get to as other countries in Europe, but it is well worth going out of your way to experience this place so rich in adventure, nature, and history. While there are plenty of tourists and the word does seem to be getting out, I still think Slovenia is a bit of an underrated gem comparatively.

Be sure to save this post for future planning!

You may also like:

• 2 days in Gdansk, Poland – solo female travel
• Overnight in Europe’s deepest hotel room
• What it’s like snorkeling with orcas in Norway