As Slovenia’s capital and easiest place to reach, Ljubljana is where most tourists head when visiting the country. A city with plenty to do, Ljubljana is great for several days of sightseeing, but there are also plenty of things to see in Slovenia outside of Ljubljana. Many of these sights are easy to visit on a day trip from the capital, making it a great base for your adventures. To give you a better idea of what there is to do and see in Slovenia, here are some of the best day trips from Ljubljana.
How to Get Around
Although you can make many of these day trips with public transport, consider renting a car for the day to give yourself more flexibility and independence. With your own four wheels, you control your time and schedule. Depending on how many people are in your group, renting a car might even work out to be cheaper than other forms of transportation. You can compare car rental deals and find the lowest prices at Rentalcars.com, an aggregation site that searches and displays prices and availability from hundreds of car rental companies, helping you find the best possible car for your budget.
Don’t want to drive or deal with the hassle of public transport? No worries! We’ve listed the best tour for each day trip (where available).
Lake Bled
One of the destinations you simply can’t miss in Slovenia is Lake Bled. Probably the king of Ljubljana day trips, Bled will perfectly entertain you for a day with its jaw-dropping sights.
Your day starts with Lake Bled itself, a crystal-clear lake surrounded by forest with the Alps in the distance. On an island in the center of the lake stands the Church of Mary the Queen, which looks as if it came from a fairy tale. To reach the church, you can go for a gentle paddle on a traditional boat called a “pletna.” After that, you’ll want to visit the clifftop Bled Castle for its history and stunning views.
Some other things to do are walking around the lake, jumping in for a swim, and indulging in a delectable Bled cream cake. Close by is the picturesque Vintgar Gorge, where you can follow a boardwalk for majestic views. Learn more about visiting Lake Bled from Ljubljana here.
Getting there: Your best bet to reach Bled on public transport is the bus, which leaves every hour from Ljubljana and takes an hour and 20 minutes for the journey. However, a guided tour is the best way to make the most of your visit to Bled, as it gives you enough time for everything.
Piran
Much of Slovenia around Ljubljana is green and covered in rolling hills, but the country also has a fantastic coastline. In fact, the peninsula town of Piran is one of the best places to visit in Slovenia, thanks to its gentle seaside atmosphere.
Follow the narrow, meandering streets through the town to admire its old Venetian architecture. A walk up to St. George’s Parish Church and the town walls is a great way to see Piran in full, while Tartini Square and the neighboring marina couldn’t be more scenic.
Down along the Adriatic waterfront, the two main activities are taking a dip and filling your face with seafood or ice cream. With more time on the coast, you can always stop in on neighboring towns like Koper and Izola.
Getting there: You can reach Piran from Ljubljana by taking the bus to Koper and then the regular local connection to Piran. This takes a little over three hours in total, whereas the drive takes just an hour and 15 minutes, so renting a car might make more sense.
Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle
Slovenia is known for its many caves, with Postojna Cave being its most famous. This long karst cave system is surely one of the best places to visit from Ljubljana. To explore the cave, you hop aboard a tourist train that weaves through the underground network. As you go, you’ll learn about karst caves and see incredible formations, such as a gleaming white stalagmite and another that’s 16 meters tall.
A short distance from Postojna Cave, you’ll find the equally stunning sight of Predjama Castle, which is actually positioned within a cave entrance. Predjama is the largest cave castle in the world and has its fair share of history, so tourists often visit it on day trips to Postojna.
Getting there: For simplicity’s sake, taking a tour to Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle is the best way to go. Otherwise, the journey will take you around an hour by bus or train, with connections every couple of hours.
Soča Valley
It isn’t hard to get your dose of nature in Slovenia, but one of the best places to go for it is the Soča Valley. Whether you’re looking for soothing scenery or a little adventure, day tours from Ljubljana to Soča are the way to go.
Known for its gorgeous emerald color, the Soča River flows through western Slovenia in one of the country’s wildest areas. With plenty of cascades and rapids along the river, it’s little wonder that the valley has become so popular for kayaking, white-water rafting, and canyoning. The region also has some interesting history surrounding World War I, which you can learn about on the Peace Trails and at the Kobarid Museum.
Getting there: Given its remote nature, your best option for reaching the Soča Valley is either driving yourself there or relying on a guided tour. For activities and the convenience of not having to find your own way around, a tour has a lot of appeal.
Škocjan Caves
Another special place to visit in the Karst region of Slovenia is Škocjan Caves. This cave system near the Italian border is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its natural and cultural importance. Its caves are also incredibly popular for the sights and wonders they hold, some of which look like something out of The Lord of the Rings.
With a walk down through the caves, you’ll see plenty of stalagmites and stalactites, not to mention the largest single cavern in all of Europe. The deep underground river that you can see flowing beneath you further adds to the atmosphere. When you reach the other end of the tunnel, you’ll have to climb your way out of two collapsed sinkholes.
Getting there: Buses run every few hours from Ljubljana to Divača, the nearest town to Škocjan Caves. However, it’s about a 40-minute walk to the caves from there. Renting a car is the better option, as the drive takes less than an hour.
Maribor
Maribor, the second-largest city in Slovenia, doesn’t often get the notice it deserves. It’s best to start your visit along the scenic riverfront of the imposing Judgement Tower, then venture into the Old Town. Along the way, check out the world’s oldest grapevine, known as the Black Velvet Grapevine.
For further proof that Maribor has wine on its mind, delve down into the sprawling Vinag Wine Cellar under the city center. Other sights in the Old Town include the Main Square and Maribor Castle, where you can learn more about the city and its surroundings.
Getting there: While there are occasional trains that take up to three hours to reach Maribor from Ljubljana, a faster choice is the bus, which takes around two hours. However, the bus only leaves about every three hours. There are also a few tours to Maribor from Ljubljana, which include stops in Ptuj and at the Žiče Charterhouse.
Škofja Loka
Once you see the pretty riverfront town of Škofja Loka, you’ll wonder why it’s not more solidly on the tourist map. Just a short trip from Ljubljana to the northwest, Škofja Loka is undeniably charming with its traditional appearance.
Start your visit by crossing the Capuchin Bridge, but find other vantage points along the river to see the waterfront at its best. Once you’re in the Old Town, seek out the delightful houses of Town Square, especially the Renaissance-style La Casa di Homan. Afterward, walk up to Škofja Loka Castle, which is not only pretty but also home to the town museum and some verdant gardens.
Getting there: Buses to Škofja Loka leave from Ljubljana every half hour, making the journey in 40 minutes. With a rental car, though, you can get to the town in just 25 minutes and make other stops along the way.
Jezersko
The Kamnik-Savinja Alps run along Slovenia’s northern border, presenting yet another opportunity to experience the country’s natural side. The most popular place in this part of Slovenia is the valley of Jezersko, which offers classic Alpine landscapes and plenty of outdoor activities. This means skiing, cross-country skiing, and ice skating in winter, while summer offers hiking and mountain biking trails.
Even if you aren’t looking for something very active, you can take in all the beautiful mountain and lake scenery. As you go, you’ll likely spot remote churches and traditional chalets, underlining the quiet charm of Jezersko. It’s crazy to think that this is all just 40-50 kilometers away from the capital.
Getting there: To reach Jezersko on public transport, you first have to catch the frequent bus to Kranj and then the bus to Jezersko Grabnar, which leaves every two hours. The journey should take under two hours in all. On the other hand, driving only takes around 50 minutes.
Lake Bohinj
Even with all this talk of Slovenia’s natural prowess, we’ve yet to talk about its crown jewel, Lake Bohinj. Down at this glacial lake, you can see the Julian Alps looming nearby, including the national icon of Slovenia, Mount Triglav. Spend a moment admiring the Church of St. John the Baptist before deciding between a walk along the lakefront and a swim in Bohinj’s sparkling water.
Things get even more interesting in the surrounding area. Savica Falls is certainly worth finding, and the Vogel Cable Car lets you score some mountaintop panorama shots. You can also go kayaking or mini-rafting on the rapids of the Sava Bohinjka, the river flowing out from the lake. Whatever you want to do outdoors, a day trip to Lake Bohinj has you covered.
Getting there: Buses leave Ljubljana for Lake Bohinj every hour, taking two hours to get there. Tours are a better option if you want to combine Lake Bohinj with Lake Bled or another nearby destination.
Kranj
One last city that’s easy to explore from the comfort of Ljubljana is Kranj, just to the north. While it’s the country’s third-largest city, Kranj is unassuming enough that you can easily cover it in a day, and it still offers some surprising diversity.
The city’s architecture looks right at home against the backdrop of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. As you look from the main town square toward the mountains, you’d never guess that beneath your feet run World War II tunnels. You can visit the Kranj Tunnels on a guided tour to learn about their history.
Another intriguing underground sight is the Kranj Ossuary, which features a vault full of bones from locals interred at the church over the centuries. For something more upbeat, take a stroll down in the peaceful Kokra River Canyon.
Getting there: Reaching Kranj by bus or train only takes around 30 minutes. However, the bus leaves every 15 minutes, while the train only runs every few hours, reminding us that there aren’t many easy train trips from Ljubljana.
While Ljubljana may be the best-known destination in Slovenia, we think we’ve proven that it’s not the only one worth visiting. The best side trips from Ljubljana show you sights and places that you simply won’t find in the capital city.
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