An article to help you make the right choices from among all the beautiful places in Slovenia
Before listing what I think you shouldn’t waste time seeing in the country I live in, I’ll start by pointing out that Slovenia is atypical, incredible and a great place to spend a holiday because of the sheer number of great attractions. There really isn’t much here that isn’t interesting. There are also very few tourist attractions.
If you’ve decided to spend your holiday in Slovenia, it’s sure to be a memorable one.
However, there is so much to see and do in Slovenia that you don’t want to waste your time on some of the less interesting attractions. The attractions I don’t recommend in this article are in fact far from being rubbish, but when planning your stay you’ll have to choose from all the possible activities and it’s best not to include them in your programme. This will leave you more time for the best experiences in Slovenia.
This article will help you make the right choices and, above all, ensure that your stay is a memorable one with a continuous string of exceptional attractions.
With this article, you’ll have more time for great experiences and won’t have to waste time on unmissable and sometimes expensive attractions.
Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana is a great city and that’s why I chose to live here. I’ve been here for over ten years and I’m never bored. The gentle way of life in this capital is incredible. A castle towers over the Slovenian capital. You can see it from just about anywhere. The mayor has even built a funicular railway at a cost of €6 return to make it quicker and easier for tourists to get up there. Ljubljana has also invested in a small tourist train to take tourists to the castle (personally, I hate tourist trains because there’s always a more authentic solution).
Tip : A lot of tourists go up to the castle, but in reality it’s not a must-see. The best 360° view of Ljubljana and the mountains is not from the castle, but from the top of Yugoslavia’s first skyscraper.
Once you’ve entered Ljubljana Castle or stood outside at the foot of its walls, I guarantee you won’t find it thrilling. It has been remodelled many times and in recent times too.
Astonishing: Plecnik, the brilliant architect who gave Ljubljana its current face, even thought of demolishing it and replacing it with a kind of acropolis like in Athens (he liked to draw inspiration from ancient Greece). Which just goes to show how little historical interest there is in this castle.
To sum up: there are so many great things to do in Ljubljana that you’ll probably want to devote a couple of hours of your holiday to anything other than visiting the castle.
In my opinion, there are much better things to do in Ljubljana!
- Stroll along the river until you reach Spica for an aperol Spritz
- Visit the wonderful Railway Museum and climb like a railwayman on old locos!
- Stroll through the Krakovo district, a small village of houses in the heart of Ljubljana
- Explore the Ljubljana market and all its hidden corners. I go there every week
- Climb to the top of Neboticnik, the oldest skyscraper in Yugoslavia (360° view)
- Pedal around Tivoli Park on a bike hired for €12 (a great ride that I often do)
- Visit the capital by canoe or SUP paddling on the Ljubljanica river
The castle on Lake Bled
Let’s continue with the castles and this time it’s the one on Lake Bled that I’m tackling. It’s beautiful, but I’d advise you not to climb it. It will save you money and a good sweat. From a distance, this perched castle gives the lake its cachet. Stay away from it and don’t pay the overpriced €17 entrance fee to its museum, as there are much better things to do all around the lake.
Tip : In over ten years here, I’ve explored every nook and cranny of the lake and its surroundings and have devoted two articles to it, a complete guide to the lake and a guide to the secret spots of Lake Bled. Use them for your visit to this lake, which I’d like to remind you is brilliant and a must-see.
The best things you can do at Lake Bled
- Paddle as a couple (without me) by hiring an old boat to reach the island
- Make a culinary discovery by eating a kremsnita, Bled’s signature dessert
- Relax and bubble away in Bled’s secret thermal baths (I love it in winter or on a rainy day)
- Marvel at the beauty of Lake Bled and the Julian Alps as you climb Mala Osojnica
- Takea dip in the fresh, not-so-cold water of Lake Bled. I love swimming to the island.
The Postojna caves
They’re huge and spectacular, but also very touristy – much more so than the rest of Slovenia, as they attract tourists of all nationalities on organised trips around Europe. In fact, it’s the only place in Slovenia that has gone slightly wrong from a tourist point of view. The rest of the country is still “off the beaten track”.
40 million visitors to Postojna since the caves were opened to tourists in 1819! When you get there by car, it’s like Disneyland, with huge, well-organised car parks, tourist shops and rows of ticket offices… At €29, admission isn’t cheap.
These caves are gigantic and really very interesting and magnificent, but if you’re allergic to the tourist hustle and bustle, then don’t go to the Postojna caves at the height of the season.
Agood idea: prefer the Skocjan caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site, or the highly confidential Krizna jama, where only four people are allowed in each day (remember to book your place – it’s a magical visit).
What’s even better, in my opinion, and right next door
- Explore the incredible Skocjan caves , a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of my favourites in Slovenia
- Get off the beaten track with the most beautiful hike on the Slovenian coast (guaranteed zero tourists – it took me 10 years to find it)
- Climb like the Slovenians do and like I like to do at Nanos in 2 hours
The island of Lake Bled
Back to the superb Lake Bled, but this time it’s in the centre of the lake that I wouldn’t recommend going. The originality of Lake Bled lies largely in its island with its little church. It’s easy to understand, but tourists don’t think about it; if you go to the island, you don’t see it and the lake becomes a little less interesting.
The church on the lake island is also less beautiful than the one you’ll find at the foot of the castle, which I recommend you visit.
The last and main reason not to go is that getting to the island is expensive, costing around €15 to cram you aboard a pletna (traditional wooden boat on the lake with a gondolier). Do something else by the lake or hire your own boat.
Tip: Avoid the small tourist area with the big hotels and boutiques.
What’s even better to do when you get to Lake Bled
- Lace up your hikingboots and head for Babji zob, a place off the beaten track with a beautiful view over the lake
- Watch the sun rise over the mountains in the small village of Koprivnik (memorable)
- Visit the secret Pokljuka gorge
- Enjoy a kremsnita in Tito’s pavilion, the place where he received crowned heads. My favourite place around the lake.
Portoroz, a seaside town
Of the four small towns on the Slovenian coast, Portoroz appeals least to French tourists. At first glance, they find this seaside town a little too concrete. It has all the usual seaside tourist hustle and bustle, with big hotels, bars, restaurants, children’s attractions and so on
It’s a far cry from the discreet charm of Piran.
Portoroz is not a must-see on a trip to Slovenia or on the Slovenian coast, but if you have children or if you use my guide to good places to visit in Portoroz, which I’ve patiently put together, then I think you’ll have a great day out.
To sum up: Showing up in Portoroz without knowing where to go and with your hands in your pockets is not recommended. However, with this list of secret good addresses and a mind determined not to get stuck on first impressions, you can go and spend a great day there.
Good to know : If you’ve got kids, teenagers or want to party, Portoroz might be a good choice for your holiday
The best things to do in the same area
- Stay away from other tourists. Use Portoroz’s secret addresses
- Take a breather on a rainy day at the Portoroz Thalasso for €25
- Explore the secret alleyways to the west of Koper’s old centre
- Bask in the cafés and heights of izola
- Spend the best 24 hours of your life in Piran
- Pedal through olive and fig trees on the Parenzana, the most beautiful cycle path on the Slovenian coast.
Skofja Loka, a pretty little town
Skofja Loka is a small medieval village north of Ljubljana on the road to Lake Bled. It has a few pretty little streets. In fact, it features prominently in all the tourist guides to Slovenia, but I chose not to devote an article to it in Secret Slovenia. The problem is this: the visit to Skofja Loka is over too quickly. There’s a square and two old streets.
The result : you look for a parking space, pay the meter, wander around this little town for 20 minutes and you’re back in your car. This is exactly what I’m trying to avoid during your stay in Slovenia.
Tip: If you’re just passing through on your way to the start of a hike, for example, why not stop for a coffee on the terrace, but don’t make Skoja Loka part of your half-day holiday in Slovenia. Nor the towns of Kranj, Celje and Maribor.
The best things to do near Skofja Loka
- Sample Slovenian cuisine in one of the three excellent restaurants in the area.
- Walk on an incredible panoramic and secret lazy walk
Kamnik Botanical Garden
This isone of Slovenia’s most visited tourist attractions. Some of my Slovenian friends go there, those with children, because in the centre of the arboretum there are games, trampolines, large dinosaur statues… Children love it.
As for the rest, it’s a huge, well-kept park with beautiful lawns, a few greenhouses, rose gardens and so on.
The garden is far from ugly, but it’s better to discover true Slovenian nature than that shaped by the hand of man. So, unless you’re coming to Slovenia with 3 small children, don’t put Volčji Potok Arboretum on the programme.
Tip: In the same area, the Velika Planina mountain pastures are sure to please you much more.
the best things to do near Kamnik
Velika Planina, of course, the most beautiful walk in the Julian Alps
Don’t miss: The Savica waterfall on Lake Bohinj
It’s at the end of Lake Bohinj. Trust me, don’t crowd in with the other tourists. You’ll save time. Instead, use this article where I’ve listed all the great activities on the shores of Lake Bohinj and if you want to see a waterfall in the area that’s well worth a visit, head for Pericnik.
The best things to do on Lake Bohinj
- Walk to the secret Pec viewpoint on Lake Bohinj
- Takea di p in the lake surrounded by mountains (fabulous)
- Pedal through magical, flat alpine scenery on a secret cycle path
- Enjoy a delicious burger for €10 made with local ingredients at Foksner
- Explore the Alpine pastures and small villages
- Paddle gently and silently on Lake Bohinj
- Sail silently in the middle of the lake in a small electric boat and return by walking along the north shore of the lake