How to Spend 4 Days in Slovenia
Last Updated: June 19, 2023
Slovenia is one of the most beautiful hidden gems in Europe. We had heard very little about this charming country in the past. In fact, when we first started planning a vacation to Southeastern Europe, Slovenia wasn’t even on our radar! But once we began researching all that Slovenia had to offer, we knew we had to include Slovenia in our trip. And wow, were we glad we did! Slovenia ended up being our favorite country in Southeastern Europe! Below you’ll find our comprehensive itinerary for four days in Slovenia.
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How Long to Spend in Slovenia?
You need at least four days in Slovenia to fully take in the beauty of this hidden gem in Europe. In fact, we were there for four days and found ourselves wishing we had extended our trip one or two days more. So if you can, spend five or six days in Slovenia.
How to Spend Four Days in Slovenia
If you only have four days in Slovenia, here is our four-day itinerary to maximize your time there, based on our favorite experiences in Slovenia. If you have more than four days, we add a few extra recommended stops at the end that we wish we had had time for!
Day 1: Ljubljana
Summary of Day 1 in Slovenia:
- Visit Prešeren Square in Ljubljana
- Take a walking tour around Ljubljana
- Visit Ljubljana Castle
Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana will immediately captivate you with its bright colors, enchanting cobblestone streets, and quirky atmosphere. You can spend a relaxed morning walking around the pedestrian zone of Ljubljana’s city center, and then explore more of its history on a walking tour. There are plenty of cafes and gelato shops where you can start your day off with a sweet treat.
How Do You Get Around Ljubljana?
You can easily get around the heart of Ljubljana by walking. In fact, most of downtown is for pedestrians only. But during the summer, you can also try a novel experience and hop on one of the Ljubljana’s electric-powered “Kavalirs.” These green vehicles are made for visitors, the elderly, and people with disabilities. And the best part – Kavalirs are free!
Prešeren Square
As you’re walking around downtown Ljubljana, you can’t miss a stop in Prešeren Square. This square is home to the iconic Ljubljana pink church, called Franciscan Church of the Annunciation. (We learned on our walking tour that the church was originally painted red!)
In Prešeren Square, you’ll also see a unique interactive art display called “The Area with Ljubljana’s Own Weather.” It’s a wide circle with a light shower overhead, where you can walk to cool off in the summer heat.
On that note, we visited Slovenia in August, and it was hot. It was especially hot in the city, with the cobblestone streets baking and reflecting the heat. So we recommend bringing lots of water with you on your day exploring Ljubljana.
Take a Historical Walking Tour
Slovenia and Ljubljana have a fascinating history that is not usually covered in your typical European history class. Slovenia was part of the socialist state of Yugoslavia until 1991. Interestingly, Slovenia became the first country to gain independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, after only 10 days of conflict, called the Ten Day War. You’ll learn all about that history and more if you go on a walking tour in Ljubljana.
From Prešeren Square, you can hop on a free walking tour at 11am or 3pm. The guide on our free walking tour had vast historical knowledge and also taught us a lot about the architecture of Ljubljana. You’ll go over the many unique footbridges of Ljubljana, such as “Butcher’s Bridge,” covered in love locks and quirky small sculptures.
Visit Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle stands out on a hill, overlooking the city center of Ljubljana. From down below, you can watch the sunset… ooover the castle on the hill. 🎶
Or you can take a funicular up to the castle and explore it up close! The castle website sells tickets that include the funicular ride and entrance fee for around €16.00. It is recommended to spend 1 to 2 hours at Ljubljana Castle. It’s the perfect way to round out your day in Ljubljana.
Day 2: Lake Bled
Summary of Day 2 in Slovenia:
- Rent a row boat to Bled Island
- Visit Bled Castle
- Eat Bled cream cake (or Blejska kremsnita)
- Go horseback riding
Where is the top place to visit in Slovenia? Lake Bled, without a doubt. If you can only choose one place to visit in Slovenia, Lake Bled is where the 
magic happens. Lake Bled is serene and placid, even though there are plenty people meandering around the lake, and even in it! Photos of Bled depict a scene almost untouchable in its perfection. But you can, in fact, interact with Lake Bled itself through swimming, boating, or sun bathing.
You can also walk or bike around the lake for a perfect sunset view. Or, for those with a bit more energy, you can take a short hike to the Bled Castle and enjoy Slovenian coffee and pastries at the cafe at the top.
One of our favorite activities was rowing to Bled Island. We were at Lake Bled in August, so it was quite hot which made rowing a real workout! (Read below if you’d like to skip the rowing workout.) But once you get to the island, your sense of accomplishment will air out all the sweat coating your forehead. Not to mention Bled Island’s incredible panoramic views of the lake. Beyond the nature views, Lake Bled also offers architectural beauty with an old church and a 171 ft tower.
Rowing to the island isn’t the only form of transport. You could also rent kayaks or paddle boards to get to Lake Bled. But the easiest way by far to get to Bled Island is to have the local rowers row you to Lake Bled. It costs a small fee, but it will save you a lot of sweat. Plus, it’s historical! The Pletna, or flat bottomed wooden boat, has been around since AD 1590, and it’s a great way to skip the rowing and just soak in the views.
After relaxing at the hotel, we decided to stop by to eat the famous Lake Bled cream cake (“Blejska kremsnita” in Slovenian or “cremeschnitte” in German). Bled cream cake is a vanilla cream pastry that pairs perfectly with a cappuccino. This delicious pastry is made with a vanilla custard base and a puff pastry top, dusted with powdered sugar.
Did you know the current recipe for Bled cream cake was crafted by a former hotel manager at Hotel Park at Lake Bled? We actually booked our lodging at Hotel Park, and it was one of the highlights of our trip. So if you’re wondering about where to stay in Lake Bled, Hotel Park is an optimal choice!
After snacking on Bled cream cake, we finished off our evening by taking a magical escape into Triglav National Park on horseback. If you want more details about our experience horseback riding on Triglav, read more here.
*Note: Everything in Day 2 can be done without the use of a car. All locations are accessible by walking, if you don’t mind walking for 20 minutes at a time.
Day 3: Vintgar Gorge and Tobogganing
Summary of Day 3 in Slovenia:
- Vintgar Gorge
- Summer Tobogganing
Everything You Need to Know about the Vintgar Gorge:
If you don’t plan on renting a car at Lake Bled, you could also experience Vintgar Gorge via E-Bike, where a tour guide takes you to through making sure you don’t miss any of the hidden gems. Plus, you won’t need to worry about parking.
Once you walk through the entrance gate to Vintgar Gorge, brace yourself for a long trail walk—longer than we expected! The trail through Vintgar Gorge itself is one way, but offers two different paths on the way back. If you choose the trail through the woods, which we did, the whole experience might take you 1.5-2 hours to complete. While it was a long walk, we enjoyed the incredible shifting nature scenes—from the gorge, to magnificent Alpine mountains, to Slovenian farm life.
Here are some other ways to experience Vintgar Gorge.
We recommend ending your day at Straza Bled for a ride on their popular “summer tobogganing.” Toboagganing in Lake Bled was a thrill of a lifetime. (But don’t worry, it wasn’t too scary!) You get the most unique view of Lake Bled with Mount Triglav in the background.
Finish your experience by stopping for delicious gelato after tobogganing in the gelato shop on at the base of Straza Bled.
Is Straza Bled tobogganing worth it for adults?
Summer Tobogganing at Straza was a thrill. You first ascend via a ski-lift. Then you descend via little yellow carts that are fastened to some sort of wheely machinery that allows you to glide down at a comfortable speed.
If you want to go slow, bring the brake lever as close to you as possible. If you want to go really fast, push the lever away from you. If you want to experience it at different speeds, you can—your ticket allows you to go back for a total of 3 times!
Also, though we can’t read the sign written in Slovenian in the photo above, we do believe Summer Tobogganing at Straza Bled has a weight limit of 286 pounds.
Day 4: White Water Rafting
Summary of Day 4 in Slovenia:
- White Water Rafting on the Soča River
White water rafting was sort of a whole day event for us because, as mentioned above, we were staying at Lake Bled. It was about a 2-hour drive from Bled to the start of the white water rafting trip in Bovec, Slovenia.
What we didn’t do, but wish we did:
If you have 5 or 6 days in Slovenia, we recommend stopping at these two incredible, popular destinations:
- Predjama Castle
- Postjona Caves
If you have more than 4 days in Slovenia, or you just want to mix and match from our itinerary above, check out Predjama Castle and the Postjona Caves. Predjama Castle is only about an hour and a half drive from Lake Bled, or an hour from Ljubljana. And the Postjana Caves are on the way, not far from the castle. You can easily book a tour from Ljubljana that includes both the castle and the caves in one trip.