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2-3 Weeks in Slovenia - looking for advice

Posted by (Cleveland area) on

We are planning a 2-3 week trip to Slovenia with my husband and another couple in September 2024. We are interested in local culture and history, hiking, farm stops, and local food and wine. We are all in our mid-sixties and moderately fit for our ages. The plan is to have a car (after Ljubljana) and operate out of several "home bases" during our stay.

Thank you in advance for all of the Travel Forum answers and trip reports that have been posted! They have been so very helpful.

Please weigh in with your advice on the itinerary. And suggestions for things you did in Slovenia that should earn a place on my trip. What did I miss?

(I did exclude Skocjan and Postojna Caves...I've been to Mammoth Cave in KY and Carlsbad Caverns in NM....should I see these in Slovenia?)

Ljubljana - 4 nights, unsure where we are staying

Options: City tour, Open Kitchen, Šmarna gora, Yum Food tour, Union Brewery, National Museum of Contemporary History, Plečnik House

Day trip options: Lake Bled, Škofja Loka, Idrija and mining museum, and Ptuj
Has anyone had a guide or gone on a group tour to Idrija or Škofja Loka?

Solčava region - 3 nights, staying at Lenar Farm

Should we stop to see either Mala Planina or Velika Planina on the way up?
The daily plan is to hike/sightsee and I have also contacted a guide for the Panoramic Road and Robanov Kot (thank you, Dave).

Bohinj - 3 nights, staying at Hiša Erlah

Options: Boat ride on Lake Bohinj, kayak, ride bikes, Planina Zajamniki, cooking class, Cows Ball (so excited!)

Day trip options: The Church of St. Primož and Felicijan, Jamnik and Dražgoše, tour Radovljica old town and Beekeeping Museum

Goriška Brda - 4 nights, unsure where we are staying

Options: Visit little towns within an hour’s drive for sightseeing and wine tasting (such as Drežnica, Štanjel, Goče, Šmartno, Dobrovo), hiking around Otlica and Otliško okno, Kobarid’s WWI museum, Memorial Church of the Holy Spirit in Tolmin, Ravelnik Open Air Museum, Cividale del Friuli (Devil's Bridge, Museum of The Great War), Gorizia (Great War Museum)

I am wondering whether we should drive the Vršič Pass on our way to Goriška Brda and make a one-night stop in Kobarid, rather than backtrack from Goriška Brda to see this as a day trip. I prefer to stay in fewer places rather than move every day, but it may make more sense. Then we'd just stay 3 nights in Goriška Brda.

And if we have driven the Panoramic Road, do we really need to drive the Vršič Pass (even though it seems like something you need to do in Slovenia)?

Istria region - 3 nights, unsure where we are staying

Options: A day in Piran, visit wineries, the Adriatic, and little Croatian mountain towns (Buzet, Montovun, Oprtalj)

At this point, we may return to Ljubljana and fly home. Or we may return the car in Trieste, take the train to the Emilia-Romagna region for several days, and fly home from Bologna. But that's for another forum!

Thanks, everyone!

Posted by
881 posts

Itinerary looks solid, you have a good sense of what you want to do, and a nice array of options. There’s not really anything you need to reserve far ahead for, so it ought to be nice and leisurely.

I highly recommend Mescanka rooms in Ljubljana, listed in RS guidebook. It’s right in the middle of the action overlooking the river, but is incredibly quiet. I loved being able to pop for a break when walking about. I loved Ljubljana and didn’t do much other than just enjoy the place.

Re: day trips, particularly Bled. Since you’re picking up a car on the way out, I don’t think it makes sense to day trip via public transportation. Using the bus is doable, but less than ideal. For instance, my return bus was late, packed, and the air conditioning was broken. Absolutely miserable ride. With your car I would just figure on visiting en route elsewhere, or using Bohinij as your base. Still keep those 4 nights in Ljubljana imo.

Posted by
27128 posts

I enjoyed both the cave systems; Skocjan is less gussied up for tourists. I haven't been to Mammoth or Carlsbad, so I can't make a comparison, but I think you've made the right choice, since you obviously didn't come away from the first two with a burning desire to see more caves.

Posted by
13 posts

I appreciate both of your insights.

awrzesinski Thank you for reinforcing my plan to stay 4 nights in Ljubljana! (when a lot of travel advice says you can see it in two days.)

acraven I took a look at some pictures of Skocjan….I might have to make a stop there….

Posted by
33 posts

We visited Slovenia a couple years ago and had a great time. Your trip looks good! I just have a few thoughts. On the day we visited Skocjan cave we also visited the Lipica Stud Farm. It was interesting to learn about the Lipizzan horses. The members of our party who visited the cave enjoyed it. I don't know how it compares to the other caves you've visited. We also stayed a few nights near Lake Bohinj; it was beautiful! We enjoyed taking the Vogel cable car up the mountain and also had some nice hikes near the lake. We had a rental car and took a day trip to Lake Bled from there and drove the Vrisc Pass as a day trip. We also stayed in the Istrian Peninsula for a few days. I wanted to visit a winery, but it didn't work out. We visited the little hilltop town of Grozjnan. They have wonderful art galleries and studios. We did some window shopping and enjoyed a cup of coffee at a cafe overlooking the hill country. It was a wonderful trip. I'm sure you'll have a great time!

Posted by
13 posts

Thank you for your valuable advice, bookgirl! It is great to hear from someone who has done a similar trip. Will put the Lipica Stud Farm and and Grozjnan on the list.

Posted by
348 posts

Sounds like a great trip. I enjoyed spending a couple nights in Piran.

Although you can easily visit Lake Bled as a daytrip from Ljubljana as you propose, Lake Bled is closer to Lake Bohinj so you could also do it as a day trip from Bohinj.

There is a ferry that takes 40 minutes from Piran to Trieste. I mention this because usually it is quite expensive to rent a car in one country and return it in another, so if you decide to get a train in Trieste the ferry might be an option. When I was in Slovenia several years ago, it was actually cheaper and more convenient for me to fly home from Trieste rather than Ljubljana, but that is probably not typical.

Posted by
13 posts

Thank you for the tips, CD in DC. I have heard such great things about Piran.

We'll be sure to confirm the cost of dropping off the rental car elsewhere.

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