Are you looking for what to visit in Slovenia in 5 days? Then you’ve come to the right place! Find out the perfect itinerary for one of Europe’s best-kept secrets.

I decided I wanted to visit Slovenia the moment I saw a picture of Lake Bled. After searching for the best things to do in the country, it became clear that I had to organise a road trip in Slovenia as soon as possible! And so, when I had the chance, I finally booked that flight to Slovenia.

Surrounded by Italy, Switzerland, Croatia and Hungary, Slovenia is one of Europe’s hidden treasures. It is much more than Lake Bled and is perfect for nature lovers. It’s no coincidence that Slovenia has already been considered the greenest country in the world.

I visited Slovenia at the beginning of spring, so the vegetation was still very burnt from the snow. But even so, the beauty of all the places I visited was simply indescribable.

Perhaps next time I will visit during the summertime to enjoy Ljubljana‘s city life, to take a boat ride on Lake Bled or to walk some of the fantastic trails surrounded by the green mountains.

I’m sure Slovenia has been one of my favourite countries to date and I’d love to go back someday! It’s a destination often overlooked by tourists and you don’t hear much about it. But I really think it’s worth a visit!

However, I’d say not to rule out visiting this incredible country in the other months of the year, as it can be just as interesting. For example, I visited in March and, although it was no longer snowing, there was still a lot of snow and the vegetation was slightly burnt from the snow that had recently disappeared. But despite this fact, I still loved the experience!

For example, I only spent five days in the country. This length of trip was enough to check out Slovenia’s top attractions, but I clearly had to make some choices. So, ideally, I suggest spending, at least, 7 days to get to know what is one of Europe’s best-kept secrets.

However, this 5-day itinerary in Slovenia is designed for those who have fewer days available and still want to experience the best of the country.

Piran is different from all the other places I visited in Slovenia. Maybe it’s because it’s one of the few cities in Slovenia where there is sea close by.

Start by visiting one of the most emblematic points of the city – Tartini Square. Enjoy the beautiful pastel tones of the buildings and the magnificence of some of them. From here you can continue towards St George’s Church and its Clock Tower (you can go to its top at certain times of the year).

Also, take the opportunity to take a little tour of the city walls which are open from 9 am until 6.30 pm. The visit costs 3€ but I promise it is worth it. Here you will find beautiful views over Piran. Find all the details here.

The truth is that Piran does not have many more sights to visit. But don’t be fooled if you think the visit ends here. Keep visiting the city more freely, exploring all the streets and alleys that exist there – Piran is actually a great place to visit because of this. Don’t miss the marina and, weather permitting, stop to enjoy one of the several cafés near the sea.

💡 EXTRA TIP: Traffic in the historic centre of Piran is very limited. Except for residents, you can only drive around the centre for a limited amount of time and also for loading/unloading. Therefore, you must park your car in one of the parks at the historic centre entrance. I parked the car at Fornače park (2,6€ per hour or 26€ per day) which provides a shuttle to Tartini Square frequently. More info regarding the parking options is available here.

I arrived very late the night before, but the staff guaranteed my check-in even though they were not present at that time. If you are by car, this guesthouse has an additional advantage: they offer an 8€ discount in the car park (at least they did in 2019).

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you make the trip between Piran and Sikofja Loka, you can also take a diversion to visit the famous Predjama castle or the Postojna caves. Although I didn’t visit these two places, they are well known and can be easily included in this itinerary for Slovenia😊.

I arrived in Škofja Loka and got lost in its views and charming streets. Here runs the Sora River and all the streets seem straight out of a fairy tale.

Don’t miss the city’s castle (more info about the opening hours here) or the Capuchin Bridge – another one of the city’s landmarks.

Savour the city calmly, because this is one of those places where there is no need to hurry!

To end the day, drive to Ljubljana, the city we’ll explore the next day. The journey is quite short, no more than 30 minutes.

But just because it’s small doesn’t mean it’s less interesting. The city is full of life and has several points of interest worth visiting.

Start by visiting Tivoli Park, which is the biggest park in the city. It’s quite an amusing walk!

Continue your visit to Congress Square, where there are several government buildings. Here you can also observe the Ljubljana Castle.

Continue walking to another square – Prešeren Square, where the Annunciation Franciscan Church is also located.

The time has come to cross to the other side of the city through the Triple Bridge – one of the most emblematic points of the city. Then, wander through the various cute streets of the city until you reach City Hall Square where you will find the Robba Fountain.

Take also the opportunity to visit Ljubljana Cathedral. Moreover, if you are visiting the city on a Friday, try some of the many available flavours offered at the Open Kitchen Food Market.

Remember Ljubljana’s Castle? Now it’s time to go up to the castle. The castle itself is quite simple, but the views are not to be missed.

Return to the historic centre again and head towards the Butcher’s Bridge where you can see some “love” locks and some sculptures by Jakov Brdar. Take the opportunity to wander around the Central Market – both outside and inside.

Don’t miss the famous Dragon Bridge which, as the name indicates, has 4 dragons – the city’s symbol.

Finally, why not finish the visit with something different? I suggest visiting Metelkova Mesto – currently a cultural and social centre, but with a rather sui generis history.

💡 EXTRA TIP: For a more detailed itinerary of Ljubljana, I suggest you read this other blog post with a 1 day itinerary in Ljubljana.

The Logar valley (Logarska Dolina in Slovenian) is considered one of the most beautiful glacial valleys in Europe and is one of the three valleys in the Solčava region. Here you can waste a few hours (as was my case) or also days! One of the highlights of the region is to drive through the Solčava panoramic road and that is exactly what I did.

You can start the route right at the entrance of Logar Valley and end at Solčava. But there are other possible entrances. You are supposed to pay a fee at the entrance, however, when I visited I wasn’t charged (2019). There are different versions of this route: the official one (21 km) and two possible extensions – the blue route (8 km) and the orange route (6 km).

The road is narrow and not paved in some parts, but you can easily drive there. In all possible routes, there are several stops in between. It will be difficult not wanting to stop in every single one because the landscape really seems straight out of a movie.

I especially recommend you to visit points 5 (Church of the Holy Spirit), 7 (viewpoint) and 8 (Pastirkovo viewpoint). At one of the stops, there are even two sun loungers where you can stop a bit, breathe in and simply enjoy the landscape.

You can find much more detailed information on the various routes and stops on this site.

💡 EXTRA TIP: In this region, there is much more to explore: from various walking trails, waterfalls to some gastronomic experiences. Visit the region’s website to find out more.

I drove down again towards Ljubljana and after 1h by car, I was in Velika Planina. Velika Planina is located in the municipality of Kamnik and is a pasture area located at 1600 metres.

During winter this place stands out for the beautiful snow, while in summer the vegetation covers the ground and we can find hundreds of cows grazing. Both scenarios are incredibly beautiful and so, you should definitely include Velika Planina on your list of what to see in Slovenia.

When I visited, winter had ended a few days before. I did not see the famous cows, the vegetation was still very burnt from the snow and some spots still had snow. Even so, I loved this visit and would visit again!

There are some possible trails, but in my case, I decided to explore this space freely. Do not miss the various shepherd’s huts or the Snow Mary chapel. In the Second World War, the chapel and many of the huts were burned down and they were rebuilt only years later.

The tranquillity of walking on Lake Bled shores is priceless. There is a 6 km walkway but I ended up only walking part of it. The sun was already setting and therefore, this place felt even more magical.

I also strongly suggest you go up to one of the city’s famous viewpoints – the Ojstrica viewpoint. The path that leads to the viewpoint starts near Bled’s campsite. Although relatively short (3,2 km round trip), the route is not the simplest due to its slope. But I guarantee you it will be worth it!!

When you get up there, most likely, you won’t be alone. Even so, you will be overwhelmed by what you will see. When I visited, the vegetation had not yet grown after the winter, the light was not the best to photograph, but the magic was still there.

Although I didn’t visit, you can also visit Bled Castle, which is also an excellent viewpoint of Lake Bled. See more information here.

💡 EXTRA TIPS: In the summer months it is possible to rent small boats (pletnas) and visit the island that exists in the middle of the lake. Almost all the parking places by the lake are paid for, so it is important to guarantee accommodation with parking.

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you have a sweet tooth, be sure to taste Bled’s famous cake: Kremsnita. It is simply divine! Experts say that Slascicarna Zima confectionery is one of the best places to taste it. There you will also find other varieties of Bled cream cake. However, in my opinion, the original version is the best.

To visit Vintgar Gorge there are pre-defined trails and you have to pay an entrance fee. Unfortunately, when I visited Bled, Vintgar Gorge had not yet reopened to the public after the usual winter closure.

Anyway, I decided to take a peak at the beginning of the trail, before reaching the entrance which was closed.

📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: Entry to the Vintgar Gorge costs 10€ and opening hours vary according to the time of year. You can check the most up-to-date prices and opening hours on the official website.

It’s now time to leave Bled behind to set off on new adventures in Triglav National Park over the next 2 days.

There are actually two waterfalls: the upper one and the lower one. However, the most famous is the lower one, which is 52 metres high.

I promise it’s not Photoshop – the water really looks like this! Plus, the landscape around the reserve is simply breathtaking!

It’s very easy to get to this reserve from the parking lot. Be sure to include this place in your itinerary, it really is one of the top things to see in Slovenia.

Here you will also find the statue of the famous mountain goat Zlatorog, which is the symbol of Triglav National Park.

The lake is surrounded by the Julian Alps, which makes the landscape absolutely superb. What’s more, access to the lake is quite simple and one of the best places to admire it is from the observation tower nearby.

The journey will be full of bends, but the views are fantastic. Due to its altitude, it is usually covered in snow during winter. So it is best to confirm that the road is open before embarking on your adventure.

💡 EXTRA TIP: Close to the Virje waterfall is the highest waterfall in Slovenia (106 metres high) – the Boka waterfall. Access is not so easy, but there are some easily accessible viewpoints of the waterfall.

On the way to the waterfall, stop also to appreciate the beautiful blue colours of the river Soča and also Napoleon’s bridge over the river.

📝 USEFUL INFORMATION: The opening hours of Tolmin Gorges depends on the time of year and prices range from 6€ to 10€, also depending on the time of year. Find all the most up-to-date information here.

The visit is very interesting and you can see crystal clear water yet again and still cross one of the most vertiginous bridges in Slovenia.

The silence hovered in the air, half a dozen ducklings were swimming in the lake and the water reflected the magnificence of the mountains. It was hard to ask for more after this… truly mesmerising!

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you are interested in visiting Triglav National Park and want to organize a trip there, I recommend reading my other post with a more detailed version of a 2 days itinerary in Triglav National Park.

It’s hard not to feel like visiting Slovenia after seeing some of the photos in this post. Although 5 days may not be the ideal time to get to know the country, it’s an excellent opportunity to get to know its main points of interest. So, don’t hesitate and book that trip to Slovenia!

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