Here, I’ve selected the 7 attractions that should impress you the most during your trip to Slovenia, places with a whaouuuuuuh effect when you get there! With its incredibly varied landscapes and underground worlds, there’s no doubt that Slovenia has plenty to wow you during your holiday, despite its small size.
Warning: don’t confuse the impression you’ll get there with the impression you’ll get from the photos of these 7 places on the blog. Some of these places are impressive in real life, once you’re there, but not really on the photos. So trust your eyes as much as the text where I describe the experience that awaits you on site.
For example, the first attraction, the north face of Triglav, doesn’t give much away in my photo because you can’t imagine the real size of this north face, but in real life, once you’re there, this place is very impressive.
Not all the attractions are impressive in my photos, but they are when you’re there!
Photogenic index: For each of these places, I’ve added the attraction’s photogenic index and I’ve rated the experience you’ll have there. This is a reminder of an important concept that is often misunderstood by travellers: a good photo does not necessarily equal a good experience. The opposite can also work!
The impressive north face of Triglav
As I said, it’s not easy to capture in photos the impression of smallness you’ll have once you’ve reached the foot of Triglav’s north face. On the way, you’ll pass by Slovenia’s most beautiful waterfall (it’s called Pericnik). The north face of Triglav is not very popular and there is a refuge next to the car park(Alajazev dom). Here you can enjoy a peaceful meal while admiring all the details of the face.
- Photogenic: 2/5
- Experience : 5/5 (with the double Pericnik waterfall)
The view from the walls of Piran
Climb the old town walls and very quickly you find yourself with breathtaking views of Slovenia’s most beautiful coastal village and the Adriatic Sea. It’s always spectacular and you can come at any time of day or at sunset.
Tip : If you spend 24 hours in Piran, go twice, once during the day and once in the evening.
- Photogenic: 5/5
- Experience: 5/5
The large wooden village on the Velika Planina plateau
140 huts, two villages on this plateau, peaceful cows, beautiful views of the Kamnic Alps… You’ve never seen this anywhere else and even after 15 years in Slovenia, it remains one of my favourite places in the country. You’ll not only get an eyeful, but also a big breath of fresh air.
- Photogenic: 3.5/5
- Experience : 5/5
The emerald colour of the Soca
With instragram’s powerful filters, it’s not easy to know whether the water you’ll find there will be as clear as it appears in the photos. With the Soca (pronounced cat jump), there’s no trickery! The water is emerald, an incredible colour that attracts kayakers from all over Europe.
But be warned: the water is icy cold, so no one can last more than a few minutes in summer.
- Photogenic: 5/5
- Experience: 3/5 (5/5 if well prepared)
The fascinating Bokal waterfall
It’s huge! So big, in fact, that it’s hard to tell just how big it is when you’re there. Here are its dimensions: It is 110 m high and 18 m wide. Water at 4 degrees! I tried to find it by following all the paths, but you can’t really get close to it. If you want to get to the foot of the waterfall, you have to cross a huge chaos. In short, we were forced to photograph it and observe it from a great distance, from the promontory next to the car park. It’s on the side of the road. So it’s worth a stop, but not a diversion or a trip.
- Photogenic: 2/5
- Experience: 2/5
The gigantic Trbovlje chimney
This phenomenal tower allows smoke to escape from the valley. It’s taller than the Eiffel Tower, so when you drive past it, it’s quite impressive! You park your car and take a look. It’s impressive, but there’s really not much to do about it.
- Photogenic: 1/5
- Experience: 1/5
The immense canyon of the Skocjan caves
This is Slovenia’s most impressive underground experience , and UNESCO made no mistake when it included these caves in its heritage list. You’re in for a real treat during the two-hour visit. These are definitely my favourite caves in Slovenia.
- Photogenic: 2/5 (dark)
- Experience : 5/5
The wooden tunnels of the Idrija mine.
Here again the experience is crazy, with a trip back in time several centuries in a mercury mine. There were only two large mines in Europe, and the Idrija mine is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tip : The Idrija mine is a perfect excursion on a bad-weather day.
- Photogenic: 2/5
- Experience: 4/5