Slovenia is a small country with a very central capital city so it is quite easy to visit a lot of places on excursions. You could admire lakes, gorges, rivers, waterfalls, historical towns, wineries…
Therefore I have listed for you the best days trips from Ljubljana – with highlights, self-drive information and organized tour options.
Before my tips + photos, here are my favorites for Slovenia:
My favorite platform to rent a car in Slovenia: DiscoverCars
My favorite adventure from Bovec: Kayak on the Soca River
My favorite excursion from Ljubljana: Postojna Cave and Predjama castle
My favorite places to stay:
- Lubljana, central – see the best rated hotels or my favorite hotel: Lesar Hotel Angel
- Bled, iconic – see the best rated hotels or my favorite hotel: Vila Bled
- Bovec, outdoorsy – see the best rated hotels or my favorite hotel: Dobra Vila
- Piran, historic – see the best rated hotels or my favorite hotel: Hotel Piran
9 best day trips from Ljubljana – List
For those who do not want to go on a Slovenia road trip and change hotel every night, staying in Ljubljana for a few days is a great option. The city is very enjoyable with nice walks and restaurants. And, as you will see, there are great options for one day tours from Ljubljana that don’t requires a lot of driving. They include some of the best things to do in Slovenia.
My selection of the best day trips from Ljubljana
- Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj – emerald waters, impressive mountains…
- Postojna Caves & Predjama castle – impressive underground experience!
- Soca River & VRSIC Pass – more emerald waters and impressive mountains
- Piran and and the Slovenian Coast – so much charm!
- Unesco Tour to Idrija and its mercury mines
- Slovenia Gastronomy tour
- Logar Valley and with glacial valleys and magnificent landscapes
- Venice, if it is on your bucket list
- Maribor & East Slovenia – for towns and history
Map
Below is a map to help you get oriented and see where those day tours will lead you:
Best way to travel
- by car – driving in Slovenia is very easy – check out my article and compare rental prices on Discovercars.com – one of the best customer-rated comparison sites! – I provide time on the road for each excursions. It is for the full day, return included
- by group tour – But you can stay in Ljubljana without a car, as it is a great city to walk around. And you can book tours. My favorite platforms is Getyourguide. See all the tours and activities in Slovenia
However, I think the best way to explore Slovenia is on a road trip. Below is my travel guide eBooks to help you plan yours:
Plan your dream trip in Slovenia thanks to my guide
- 7 maps to easily plan your itinerary
- 100+ pre-selected locations
- 16+ extra ideas
- GPS + info to make the most of your time
- 190+ original photos to help you choose
#1 Lake Bled Day trip from Ljubljana (+ Lake Bohinj)
Let’s start with a classic. Ljubljana to Lake Bled is a short an easy drive to be able to admire what is consider the jewel of the country, a small lake with intense colors, mountains, a castle on a precipice as well as a charming small island.
Highlights
- Lake Bled itself with a visit to the Lake Bled Castle that offers amazing views of the Lake from above
- Lake Bled island, that you can visit via a tour on a pletna boat
- The absolutely stunning Vintgar gorge where platforms allow you to walk in the canyon
- The wilder Lake Bohinj, 40min drive from Lake Bled with also many beautiful natural wonders
- If you plan on staying more than one day, check out my Guide of things to do in Lake Bled.
Self-drive
Time on the road: 2 to 4 hours depending on the chosen activities
- Drive to Lake Bled from Ljubljana – Motorway almost the whole time
- Option 1 – Focus on Lake Bled with a visit to Lake Bled Castle, a boat ride to Bled island – then head to Vintgar Gorge towards the end of the afternoon for a great walk
- Option 2 – Overview of the region – First stop at Vintgar Gorge to complete the walk. Then head to lake Bled, discover the views from the castle. Skip the boat and head to Lake Bohinj. Enjoy the views and head to the other end to climb to the Savica Waterfall.
Organized Day Tours
I found a day tour where the program gives you a great overview of the region with a little bit of each location: views of lake Bled from the castle and from a boat, Vintgar gorge plus views of Lake Bohinj. And on the way back to the capital you even stop at the scenic medieval village of Skofja Loka.
#2 Slovenia Day Trip from Ljubljana to Caves & Predjama castle
Slovenia is home to many magnificent karst caves. The 2 most famous caves are Postojna with easy access thanks a a train system and the Skocjan caves, which are listed on the Unesco World Heritage list.
And in the same region you can also visit the well-preserve cave castle of Predjama.
Highlights
- The magnificent Postojna cave – the 1km ride and then the 1h walk within different chambers admiring stalactites and stalagmites
- The Unesco caves of Skocjan – less decorated but very impressive in terms of size with a canyon and river. On one of the walk, you will walk on a bridge above the precipice!
- Predjama the best preserved cave castle in the world. Build above and in front of a cave, it was perfect for defense but not so good for comfort of life.
Self-drive
Time on the road: 2 to 3 hours depending on the activities
- Drive down to Postojna first to enjoy the very first tour of the day that is normally quieter – plan 1h30
- Then head to Predjama castle which is just 15minutes away – explore the structure and how it fits inside the rock.
- In the afternoon if you are not too tired, enjoy the main trail at the Skocjan caves and be blown away by nature
- Book your tickets before on their official website – combined tickets are possible
Organized Day Tours
For your day trips you have to choose between Postojna and Skojcan
First option: Postojna
On this typical Slovenia Tour from Ljubljana, you will visit both Postojna cave and Predjama Castle. Everything is arranged, you just have to sit back, relax and follow their lead
Second Option: Skocjan
There are not many options departing Ljubljana for that one. Most of them are combined with the Lipica Stud farm and its museum. It is really worth it to discover these impressive caves!
#3 Ljubljana Day Trip to Soca River & VRSIC Pass
Towering peaks, trees, river, lakes… the Soca Valley is the 1000 shades of green area. A little bit further to the West, I think it is really worth the longer drive!
Highlights
- Lake Jasna at the beginning of the climb to the VRSIC pass – 2 emerald color lakes with unobstructed views of the towering peaks of the Julian Alps
- the 50 sharp bends on the Vrsic pass road with incredible views of the summits
- The drive down the Soca Valley which takes you along the Soca River and its emerald color
Self-drive
Time on the road: At least 5 hours with many short stops along the way
- Drive on the mortorway towards Bovec – do not keep going on motorway as it goes through Italy – Turn towards the Vrsic pass
- Enjoy the drive up and stop at the parking along the road for great views And stop at the pass
- Drive down on the other side and along the Soca river towards Bovec – stop at the many bridges to see the different sides of the emerald river – sometimes wide and transparent, sometimes narrow and intense green
- All the best stops and their GPS coordinates are indicated in my eBook: The Road Trip Guide – Slovenia
Organized Day Tours
Take this same road with a guide that can show you some of the best views. You won’t be able to stop as much but you can just seat and admire the scenery that is phenomenal the whole way as you don’t have to focus on the road.
Need to rent a car in Slovenia?
My tips:
- Compare prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
- Choose a car with enough power for the mountain roads
- Consider their full coverage option – it for peace of mind!
- Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!
#4 Day Tour from Ljubljana to Piran and Coast
To the south of Slovenia, is the small coast (under 50km). There you can visit the harbour town of Koper, the fishing village of Izola or the most famous old town: Piran. Located on a peninsula, it had a vibrant history around salt trade and was protected by fortifications, which offer today one of the best views in Slovenia.
Highlights
- Koper, the port town and the views from the top of the bell tower
- Izola, the fishing village
- The peninsula of Piran with its Italian influence and great views from the fortification or the top of the bell tower
- The salt pans near Portoroz
Self-drive
Time on the road: 3h – mostly mortorways
- Drive down towards the coast and make you first stop at Koper – large parking lots near the old center – if you are limited in time this is the one of the 3 towns I would skip
- Stop at Izola and enjoy the marina as well as a nice walk by the water
- Drive to Piran, park at the big parking lot outside the town and take the shuttle to reach inside – walk along the river, discover the Venitian houses, climb to the church and explore the fortification walls – plus enjoy some great seafood!
- If you are interested, you can also make a detour to see the salt pans on the other side of Portoroz.
- Learn more on my guide of things to do in Piran and the Slovenia Coast
Organized Day Tours
On this day tour from Ljubljana, you will enjoy the morning in Piran and discover the best of the Slovenian coast later in the day including Izola and Koper.
Check out program and Book
#5 Unesco Tour from Ljubljana to Idrija
Idrija is the other Unesco site of Slovenia. Not as famous but quite fascinating. There you can discover the heritage of the region around Mercury with shafts opens to tourist and a great museum in the castle
Highlights
- The 16th century Gewerkenegg Castle uphill from the town center. Visit this great building that has been turned into a museum. The team is really nice and happy to answer all your questions. They provide a lot of documents to accompany your visit. There are sections about mercury, mining, war history as well as the lace culture and industry that developed in the region.
- Anthony’s Shaft which has been dug in the 16th century where droplets of Mercury where found. Inside you will learn about mining methods and life around it.
- All the lace shops and traditional lace artists in the town center
Self-drive
Time on the road: 2h
- Drive to Idrija
- Visit the museum to learn about the mercury mines, their management and administration. You can even realise the weight.
- Then head down inside the old shaft where you will learn about the working conditions and tools.
- If you don’t mind a busy day, you can do Postojna and Predjama in the morning and then drive to Idrija
Organized Day Tours
#6 Slovenia Gastronomy tour from Ljubljana
Slovenia has several regions producing wine. To the South in Brda around Smartno and Dobrovno as well as towards the East around Ptuj and Maribor where the landscape is less mountainous.
It also has a lot of delicacies to taste, especially honey and apple juice
Organized Day Tours
Choose either a morning or afternoon tours to discover several traditional produces of Slovenia: cheese, honey, jellies, apple juice…
#7 Slovenia Tour to Logar Valley
Want a bit more of mountains, head to the less touristic Logar Valley in the North, close to the border with Austria. Once again you will be blown away by the mountains, and the shades of green. Plus you can drive around and discover charming traditional farms with delicious products
Highlights
- Logar valley (Logarska Dolina) is the most famous one in the area and gives its name to the whole region around it – It is wide and flat at the bottom with a wall of mountains at the end, making it very photogenic
- Robanov Kot is the valley just South of. Not as well known but with also a lot of charm (and free entry). You can’t drive to the end, you would have to choose to walk.
- Solcavska Panoramic road is being developed for tourist. It is a small road leading to higher grounds with fantastic views and lots of traditional farms to visit.
Self-drive
Time on the road: 4 to 6 hours depending on activities
- En route to the Logar Valley, you can stop in the charming town of Kamnik and get to the ruins of the old castle for great views.
- Optionally take a small detour to discover Robanov Kot
- Enter Logarska Dolina and admire the open view. You can walk along the river or continue to the end where you can complete a 15min steep ascent to the Rinka Waterfall.
- Take the time to drive the Solcavska Panoramic road
Organized Day Tours
Check out tours to the Logar Valley
Check out program and Book
# 8 Excursion from Ljubljana to Venice
Want to discover more than Slovenia. Venise is only 2h30 hours away, so it is possible to enjoy an introduction to the famous water city.
Self-drive
Time on the road: 5h
- Drive South West to Italy and Venice
- Make sure the conditions of your rental allow you to drive abroad
Organized Day Tours
To avoid complication with the rental car, it might be easier to book a driver/guide that will organise everything and you cant rest in the car and arrive refreshed to explore Venice!
# 9 Maribor & East Slovenia – Day trips from Ljubljana by train
Do you enjoy cities? Well You can head East to visit both Maribor, the second town in Slovenia and Ptuj the oldest recorded town in Slovenia.
Just be aware that Maribor is an acquired taste. It does not have the same charme and atmosphere of Ljubljana. This first impression is often not that good but once you walk around, you start understanding its appeal. Give it a chance!
Highlights
- Maribor’s city center with the castle, the Franciscan church and the old vine by the river – more info on the Maribor article
- Walk up Maribor’s Piramida hill – where you can see the local vines and admire unobstructed views of the city and the surroundings
- Ptuj is a charming old medieval town. Its castle it not the best in terms of architecture but it houses a great museum and from the grounds you can enjoy great views of the town.
Self-drive
Time on the road: 3h30
- Drive to Maribor, stroll in the city center, visit the Franciscan church and climb to the top of Piramida (1h/1h15 from city center return)
- Drive to Ptuj, enjoy its charming center, climb to the castle and explore the museum. Don’t miss the collection of musical instruments!
Tour by Train
Another option is to take the train from Ljubljana to Maribor. You won’t be able to add Ptuj to your itinerary but it is a nice quiet day for those who like exploring cities
Combine with Ptuj the oldest recorded town in Slovenia
This organized tour takes you to Maribor, Ptuj and the charming wine region of Jerezalem.
Note: Some reviews are not that good but not because of the tour itself, rather because people don’t enjoy Maribor. As I said before, it is an acquired taste.
Where to Stay in Ljubljana
In order to bring you better information, I performed surprised visits to hotels in the hours between guest to be able to visit hotels, check out the staff and the rooms.
I had selected 6 hotels that had ratings given by guests above 9/10. And I am introducing 5 of them to you (since I was very poorly received at the last one and was not able to visit it).
Luxury at Lesar Hotel Angel
Located in the pedestrian streets of Ljubljana, it is close to all the attractions.
It is set up in an old Buildings typical of the area. So it is quite fun to navigate inside with all the corridors and staircases.
Staff was really welcoming and charming, decor was well designed with a great cocooning effect. One of the room even has its own terrace. Loved it!
Castle views at Cubo Hotel
Located just outside of the pedestrian area, so with easy access to all attractions, the Cubo hotel is modern with lots of light in the rooms. Many of them have views of the castle.
Staff was warm and keen to help. I stayed a long time in the lobby because, of course, arriving guests had priority over my surprised visit to I was able to see how they were taken care of and it was great.
The Adorable Adora Hotel
For a good price hotel very close to all the attractions (just at the limit of the pedestrian area), I recommend the Adora Hotel. The value for money is really good. Rooms are simple, clean and bright. All you need for a good night sleep.
I had the opportunity to chat a little with the staff. They were very helpful and friendly.
Reviews say that breakfast is great, but at 3pm I as not able to verify.
Modern Chic at Urban Hotel
Located not far from the Skyscraper building, the Urban Hotel is a practical option with good value for money, modern design and spacious rooms.
Here as well, staff and manager were really friendly and welcoming.
Note: don’t be scared by the outside, it is all new inside 🙂
Fun stay at the Prison Hostel Celica Art
Want a fun night in Ljubljana, head to the Prison Hostel. You read right. It used to be a prison. One floor haas traditional bunker beds dormitories. But the best options is the sleep in one of the cells. They have all been decorated by different artists and look very different.
I was able to see several of them with paintings, circular bed or zen ambiance.
The common area are also very nice to relax and discuss.
Note: Of course bathrooms are shared.
Or check all the best rated accommodations in Ljubljana
Want to see more of the best Slovenia has to offer?
- Best things to do in Slovenia – read article
- Most beautiful landscapes in Slovenia – read article
- Best castles in Slovenia – read article
- Most beautiful waterfalls in Slovenia – read article
- Best off the beaten path attractions in Slovenia – read article
- Most beautiful towns in Slovenia – read article
Planning a trip to Slovenia?
Check out my travel guide to help you plan:
Plan your dream trip in Slovenia thanks to my guide
- 7 maps to easily plan your itinerary
- 100+ pre-selected locations
- 16+ extra ideas
- GPS + info to make the most of your time
- 190+ original photos to help you choose
And keep track of your own trip!
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