Organizing a Slovenia vacation (13 nights in May 2019)

Yeah, that is a pretty slow pace for Slovenia, but that's OK if that's what you prefer.

Make sure to buy a vignette driving sticker at the Slovenian border! You need one to drive on the highways, or you risk a steep fine, with no warnings for naive tourists.

Ljubljana is really small (though it's wonderful). Five nights there is a lot if you will have five nights up at Lake Bled also. I'd have some day trips lined up for sure. It's a great place to come back to at night.

Driving between Ljubljana and Bled, be sure to drive via Skofja Loka and then take the mountain route via Jamnik and Kropa and down to Bled - very scenic and beautiful, and with the time you have, you can spend the whole day doing this if you want. Skofja Loka is wonderful and worth a few hours. There are lots of little stops along the way (the route is quite narrow, so try not to rent a big car even with five people!).

Bled is touristy, a built-up tourist resort. It's a very convenient base for the area, not a mistake to stay there, but if you want a more back-to-nature experience, consider nearby Lake Bohinj instead (much less built up) or the little town of Radovljica (more of a "charming old town", but very small).

Piran is lovely too. Four nights there in the summer would make more sense but in May it may not quite be warm enough to swim. Again, plan a lot of day trips - know what you want to do in the area. I think some people might prefer going south to Croatian Istria, to see the hill towns there, perhaps the Roman ruins down in Pula. You can certainly day trip there from Piran, but then you have to keep crossing the border. Rovinj is somewhat similar to Piran, another lovely old fishing village (now also quite touristy) and makes a good base for this area. Make sire your Italian rental car lets you drive into Croatia.

For another base in Slovenia, consider Maribor in the east - a different look at country vs. the much-more touristed western part. Nearby Ptuj is the oldest town in Slovenia I think. You can also day trip out there from Ljubljana.

Over several years, we have covered all the areas in Rick's guide book to Slovenia, except Piran. I agree with Andrew, explore some of the other areas in addition to the touristy west. Of course, we always return to Bled on every visit. We have the Rough guide to Slovenia that covers many "off the beaten path" places. After visiting most of western and much of Eastern Europe, Slovenia is on our list of favorite countries.

My bases would be Ptuj (or Maribor), Kobarid, Lake Bohinj, Piran. Ljubljana is lovely, but the beauty is in the countryside. Kobarid in particular is a foodie heaven and nature lover’s delight. Ptuj is idyllic and very underexplored. Lake Bohinj is about 100x better than Bled with the best hiking of my life. Piran is an absolute gem of the bluest blue.

We stayed at the mulej bled tourist farm for 2 nights, excellent breakfast, dinner available. We stayed in their hotel style accommodations, they also have family apts available. We walked into town , around the lake, and up the hill to the castle. Lunch at the castle was my favorite meal of the whole trip, great food and wine, and amazing views.

I really enjoy Bled...the lake looks like something out of a storybook when standing at the end looking down its length towards the island and the castle on the cliff. The old town is on the western side of the lake and is a really nice area to stay in that is out of the overbuilt northeastern side.
There is a great little hotel on the old town side that I found a while back and stayed at for 5 nights last time I was there. It's called the Old Parish House and is part of the church complex around what used to be the old town square on that side of the lake. It's been recently renovated and I thought it was GREAT value for the money. The kept the old charm but modernized the bathrooms, fixtures, and the other things that make it comfortable...excellent beds! Flower boxes at the windows and some of the rooms at the front have views over the lake. It's very quiet! You can exit the front door, cross the gravel car park, and mount the stairs that go up to the castle which is well worth visiting for the views and the history. The river path that goes all the way around the lake is just out the front door and down a few steps.

With that much time in Slovenia you can get a terrific and thorough tour of the area. The advice above is already great. I would recommend staying in Radovljica instead of Bled (it’s gorgeous there, about 10 mins away and much much cheaper - plus a great center of Bee tourism!) and staying fewer nights in Ljubjana. Check out Apartments Jansa - they’re our favorite! Super comfortable, informative friendly hosts, and very reasonable prices. :)

I recommend the following:

In Bled: Walk around the castle - no need to go inside, just follow paths around behind it for awesome views. Hike up Mala Osojnica (breath taking and steep but we did it with our 3 kids, 8, 6 and 3!) Walk around entire lake. If it’s late May, take a swim! Maybe a boat to the island (but not necessary). You must try the Bled cream cake (I like the chocolate topped one best!)

GO TO LAKE BOHINJ. We love it WAY more than Bled. Just 25-30 mins from Bled. You can hike up to 2 Vogar viewpoints, maybe even take a para glider leap if you dare! Or go up the cable car to Vogel on the other side of the lake for a different view on a nice day. Drive down towards Ukanc and park in the pay lot, walk along the lake and take a dip in the cleanest glacial water ever (May will be chilly but refreshing!), then hike to Slap Savica waterfall at the end of the lake - follow signs. Bohinj is a great place to rent kayaks or sups! Gorgeous views of Triglav NP mountains ...pure magic!

Also must do: Kranjska Gora!! The mountains on the border of Austria are stunning. Drive up to Vršič Pass for a windy uphill trek with breathtaking views! Stunning. In Kranjska Gora there is the most beautiful little park area with green glacial pools and a river you’ll want to stop at and explore! (Kozorog monument on the map)

Consider: fishing tour in the Soča river valley if you like fishing. Vintgar gorge hike. Maribor (bee capital of the world). Istrian coast for a couple of days (well worth it!)