Hi,
has anybody been in Skofja Loka lately (2020)? We (family/small kids) are thinking of visit it in September. Is it worth seeing it? Is there any content for kids? As I saw, it is quite close to the capital Ljubljana and prices for overnights are much more afordable than in Ljubljana. Thank you
They have caves there you can look into. Haven’t been but my husband knows of them.
Welcome to the forum! I was in Skofja Loka in September 2019 as part of a day trip. While I readily admit I was not actively looking for kid activities, the town did not strike me as a kid's paradise. Its claim to fame is as a medieval town with interesting architecture. A quick google search of "Ljubljana with kids" vs "Skofja Loka with kids" yields wildly different results. If you haven't found it, here is Skofja Loka's tourism website.
I spent 5 nights in Ljubljana and 3 nights in Kranj in Aug/Sept 2019. Kranj is a bigger town with more things to do than Skofja Loka (population of 38,000 vs 11,600), including a canyon running through the middle of town. It is likely a cheaper option than Ljubljana, too, but I think I would try to find a way to swing Ljubljana.
Ljubljana is a charming city, smaller than most European capitals. However, part of its charm is a river running through the middle of the historic area. You'd want to keep a careful watch on your young children. On the other hand, the castle might be a hit. There's one of those little train-like contraptions (actually motorized transport running on the road) that goes up to the castle.
Hey Barbara! Škofja Loka is a great place to visit and definitely worth spending a day or a couple in its region. It is very close to Ljubljana as well as nicely connected to the rest of the country. It is a town very rich in history and culture, with many sights to visit, depending on what you are into - there is a great castle, some museums, and galleries and its old center is very picturesque itself. It is surrounded by nature, and there are numerous options for easy family hikes, some starting in the very center of the town. You can also cycle and do other activities, for example, a family adrenaline park nearby, visit a cave or do a bike trip. Škofja Loka is at the entrance of two valleys, Poljanska and Selska, each worth a visit on its own - they are both full of beautiful nature and historic and natural sights. There are unfortunately not so many accommodation options to choose from, at least in the very center of Škofja Loka, but you can find some really nice tourist farm stays and small family hotels very close by, especially Poljanska valley. If you choose to stay in Škofja Loka and visit Ljubljana, you can get there in appx. 30 minutes by car and even faster and more easily by train.
If you want to substitute bled, it to has a cool castle w lots of content geared towards children. The lake has very interesting boats that will take you to the island in the middle. There is also a beach where you can rent yr own boats. We stayed at a farm that is totally set up for family visits w family apartments. It was Mulej Bled farm
Škofja Loka can be a nice base to explore the rest of Slovenia. It is about 30 min drive to Ljubljana and about 40 minutes to Lake Bled.
For kids, the castle will definitely be a hit. At least my son (6) loved it. And don't miss the Homan house for delicious ice cream and cakes. It is a very small town so you will need to do trips with a car to find other interesting things for kids. September is still nice for hiking and there are lots of easy hikes for kids around.
