Tips to Plan a Slovenia Road Trip (+ Itinerary for 7 / 10 days and longer)

Time to plan your unforgettable Road Trip in Slovenia! You can already see a lot with one week in Slovenia but if you have more, that's great!
Below is my guide to help you define your perfect Slovenia Itinerary for 7 days, 10 days or longer - practical tips, where to go, map, photo inspiration and day by day suggestions.

This article contains affiliate links (Disclosure page). If you purchase using my link, I get a commission at no extra cost to you.

Let's start with a short video to show you what a road trip in Slovenia could look like:

How to get to Slovenia

Visa for Slovenia

Best time to visit Slovenia

3 criteria to consider when choosing when to go on a road trip through Slovenia

• Weather - you can find 3 different climates in Slovenia: Mountainous, continental and Mediterranean. However, there is always a clear distinction between the seasons. It gets really warm in Summer and cold in Winter in the mountainous areas (with snow) - just consider overall seasons. For month by month, you can never predict what the weather will be like. And anyway, it can change very fast in the mountains.
• Crowds - If you want to avoid crowds, don't travel in Winter to the mountain ski resorts and avoid July and August all together. It gets really crowded especially at Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj and the coast
• Activities - It also depends on the type of activities you want to do: skiing, visits, museums, rafting... Some activities and monuments are closed in Winter. The Vrsic mountain pass is closed in Winter. So, make sure the things you want to do are open.

Overall, it is often considered that May, June and September are the most enjoyable months to travel to Slovenia.
But Lake Bled with the ice and the snow on the mountains, also has a lot of charm...

Driving in Slovenia

Driving in Slovenia is really easy. There is a great network of Motorways and roads are kept in good condition.
You can check my Driving in Slovenia article for all my tips, all the rules, a video and information to facilitate your experience.

Or here is a quick overview of things you should know:

• Dipped headlights should be turned on all the time
• Seatbelt is mandatory for all
• Speed limit is 50km/h in cities and 130km/h on motorways
• You need to purchase a vignette to drive on motorways (no tollbooths)
• Alcohol limit is 0.0% alcohol in the blood
• Road status check here

Accommodations in Slovenia

You can find all types of accommodations in Slovenia: hotels, guesthouses, B&B, rentals, hostels... They also have great campsites.

You can find more information and some suggestions on my article about where to stay in Slovenia.

Slovenia Main Touristic Destinations

Slovenia is stunning everywhere with green hills or mountains and plenty of trees. However, there are region more touristic than others. 

• Ljubljana - The Capital city of Slovenia, a charming lively city with a pedestrian old center and a castle overlooking it (see my article)
• Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj - The most touristic area in Slovenia (some people only go there directly from the airport) - Stunning lakes at the foot of the Julian Alps with emerald colors, a castle, an island and waterfalls (see my article)
• Bovec and the Soca Valley - To the West of the country is the Soca valley, where flows one of the most beautiful rivers in the world, the Soca river, sometimes called the Emerald River. Bovec is a mountain sport center with hiking, biking, rafting, canyoning... (see my article)
• Postojna caves and the Karst region - Towards the South is the karst region with many many (many) underground caves. The most famous is the Postojna one with the train to go deep inside. There is also the Unesco site of the Skojcan cave and the fascinating Predjama cave castle (see my article)
• Piran and the Slovenia Coast - Slovenia has a very small coast but a charming one. I fell in love with the old town of Piran located on a small peninsula (see my article)
• The Logar valley and panoramic roads - To the North, you can also find mountains with the Logar Valley. There are 3 beautiful small valleys ending in mountain circus. The region is also developing a great panoramic road with traditional farms and splendid views (see my article)
• Maribor and the East - Towards the East around the 2nd largest city Maribor, you can find vineyards, charming old towns (such as Ptuj), castles, monasteries and more...

Where to go in Slovenia Map

And here is a map to give you a general idea of the country situation:

Driving times in Slovenia

Here is an idea of the driving time between the main destinations, to help gauge what you can do (not counting potential traffic jams):

Things to see on a trip around Slovenia

There is much to see in Slovenia! And for everyone's taste:

• Natural wonders - lakes, river, mountains, caves...The colors are simply unbelievable
• Cultural experiences - Wine regions, old towns, salt industry, farms...
• History and monuments - Castles, monasteries, strategic towns...
• And also great museums! I really enjoyed the Skofja Loka regional museum, the Idrija Museum about Mercury and Lace and the Bistra Museum about technology (fantastic old car collection!)
• ...

You can see my Best of in my article about the best things to do in Slovenia.

If you have 7 days in Slovenia, here is a suggested itinerary which covers a good overview of the highlights of the country:

Stay at Lake Bled - check out the best rated accommodations in Lake Bled

Stay at Lake Bled - check out the best rated accommodations in Lake Bled

Stay at Postojna to be able to enjoy the first tour of the cave the next morning - check out the best rated accommodations in Postojna

With only one week in Slovenia you might also build your itinerary only around mountainous areas:

Day 1 to 3

Same as above

Day 6 & 7 - Ljubljana

Finish in Ljubljana

Stay at Ljubljana - check out the best rated accommodations in Ljubljana

If you are lucky to have more than 7 days for your Slovenia road trips, below are some extra ideas.

Stay in the Logar Valley - Hotel Plesnik has the best views - Check out the latest prices

Stay at Ptuj - check out the historical Hotel Mitra

Extra Day - Others

If you have 10 days in Slovenia or more, there are many itinerary variations you can create with Castles, Monasteries, Vineyards, off the beaten path locations... In that case my eBook can help you easily create your Slovenia road trip plan:

• Language - Slovene but English is widely spoken in touristic areas (and German in the East)
• Money - Euros only
• Tips - not mandatory (often 10% at restaurant and taxi)
• Credit card widely accepted - some off the beaten track small accommodations might request cash
• Electricity - 220V, Types C/F (Plug with 2 round Pins)
• Traditional meals are really large portions!
• Emergency - 112

Nothing very specific to pack for Slovenia.
You can check out my general Travel Checklists to get ready.

Items I always recommend to carrying when traveling:

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