We would like to visit Ljubljana, Lake Bled, and either Postojna Caves or Skocjan Caves when we are in Slovenia. Can Lake Bled be a day trip from Ljubljana, or would it be better to stay in Bled for a night or two? Also, which one of the two caves would be easier to visit as a day trip from Ljubljana? (We will only be using public transportation, and we plan to fly home from Ljubljana Airport.) Thank you for any advice!
Posted by
Citizen of the World
3451 posts
We’re using Ljubljana as a base for a few nights to visit Triglav National Park’s Lake Bohinj (75-minute drive) Škocjan Caves (50- minute drive) Piran (40 minutes further) and the Tolmin Gorge/Soca River. The medieval town of Škofja Loka is just 30 minutes from Ljubljana.
During a previous visit, I used a mix of buses and trains to get around, but you can see so much more with a car, so this time will be by car rental from Ljubljana’s train station. Driving is easy in Slovenia with great roads and mellow drivers. The relaxed pace of life among Slovenes is one of the things that makes traveling there so enjoyable.
I would strongly recommend Škocjan Caves because you actually get to hike inside a massive cave and, at one point, you’re on a bridge high above a river. When you look below, you see people river rafting on the river 150 feet below! Never saw that at Carlsbad Caverns in the states!
Skocjan Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You can easily reach Škocjan Caves on a daytrip by taking either the 1:40 trains or the 90-minute buses to a town called Divica and walking a couple miles to the Skocjan Caves entrance. You also could take a taxi. Touring the caves takes about one and a half hours.
Similarly, you can take a bus from Ljubljana to Ukanc right by Lake Bohinj’s western shoreline in about two hours. The village of Ribcev Laz is near Lake Bohinj’s eastern end and has more services than Ukanc. Renting bikes in Ribcev Laz will give you more flexibility and an easy way to visit the lake’s shoreline. There’s also a great hike in the Mostnica Gorge. On my first visit to Lake Bohinj, the bus from Ljubljana first stopped at Bled. The shoreline of Lake Bled was absolutely mobbed with visitors and I was happy to be going on to Lake Bohinj.
In contrast, Lake Bohinj and the villages nearby were uncrowded and a real joy to visit.
I stayed three nights in Ribcev Laz and it would be good to stay at least two nights — three if you wanted to do the Mostnica Gorge hike, which takes about five hours.
Keep in mind that Lake Bled is not inside Triglav National Park, whereas Lake Bohinj is.
Have a great trip!
Posted by
1231 posts
IMO, a day trip to Bled is plenty for most. (Skip the boat truss to the island btw.) There’s very regular bus service between there and Ljubljana, though it’s popular and busses can be crowded in summer. I would second the suggestion that just renting a car and spending a couple nights outside of Ljubljana is probably the easiest route to cover the caves, Bled and Soca Valley. However, I don’t blame you if you want to avoid the rental car responsibility. I suggest checking with Slovenia Explorer. They offer day trips that cover these sights and more. I did not use them, but they were very helpful and responsive. I thought their itineraries and prices were very reasonable.
Posted by
Chicago
1000 posts
I think all 3 can be day trips.
Buses go to Bled and it's ~30 miles, so definitely a day trip.
There are buses from Ljubjana bus station to Postojna Caves (there are buses to
the town also, don't take those unless you want a bit of a walk). The schedule is
a bit erratic, so check it and get a timed entry for the tour ahead of time.
Skocjan is kind of by itself, and a bit farther than Postojna. That one might call
for a tour guide, or perhaps Uber. But other than the tour of the cave, there is
some hiking available but that's about it.