From snow-capped peaks to turquoise-colored lakes, Slovenia is one of the most beautiful and upcoming travel destinations in Europe. It has a ton of hidden natural and cultural treasures, a rich cultural heritage, stunning natural scenery, and a variety of outdoor activities waiting for you to explore.
Within this article, you will find all the information you need to help you plan the ultimate one-week backpacking trip to Slovenia for solo travelers, visiting cities with rich histories, nature spots prime for hiking and swimming, and everything in between. Without further ado, here is the ultimate 7-day backpacking itinerary for Slovenia.
- Slovenia Itinerary Map
- 7 Days Backpacking Slovenia Itinerary
- When to Visit Slovenia?
- How to Get to Slovenia?
- How to Get Around Slovenia?
- How Much Money Do I Need for 7 Days in Slovenia?
- Is it Safe in Slovenia?
- Which tourist SIM card is best for Slovenia?
- What to Pack for Slovenia?
- Further Reading for Central Europe
Slovenia Itinerary Map
| ☀️ Day 1-2: | Ljubljana |
| ☀️ Day 3-4: | Lake Bled |
| ☀️ Day 5-6: | Lake Bohinj |
| ☀️ Day 7: | Ljubljana |
7 Days Backpacking Slovenia Itinerary
Day 1 - 2: Ljubljana (3 Nights)
Ljubljana is the first place you will be visiting in this itinerary, and the charm of this place lies in its little old town. As the capital and largest city of Slovenia, Ljubljana's old town somehow retains its romantic and charming quality with its cobblestone streets nestled between colorful traditional houses, a plethora of beautiful churches and cathedrals, and a multitude of awesome things to do, from incredible nightlife to interesting museums.
The first night you arrive, go for a walk around the Ljubljanica River, which is especially lively at sunset when the people and the street performers are out in full force. It is quite a common sight to see locals and tourists dancing around one of the many pedestrian bridges in Ljubljana's old town in the summer.
There are also many restaurants and bars you can indulge yourself in by the lake. It is a great way to get the feel of the city on your first night here before we tackle all the cool tourist attractions the next day.
- Walking in Slovenia (8 days)
- Alpine Lakes of Slovenia (8 days)
- Lakes & Mountains of Slovenia (8 days)
After spending the first night in Ljubljana, it's time to start exploring the city. There are tons of things to see here, but thankfully, all of the sights are concentrated in the old town, so you should be able to visit all the spots on foot.
Start your day by walking across the beautiful Dragon Bridge, taking some photos of it, and continue your way through the old town towards the beautiful Town Square. Don't forget to check out Ljubljana Cathedral while you're at it.
Ljubljana's Town Square is a major meeting point in Ljubljana. It connects all the tourist attractions together and is a great place to go people-watching or simply appreciate all the beautiful architecture in this city.
Prešeren Square, Congress Square, and Republic Square are also some of the prettiest town squares with a unique twist that you should definitely check out while you are in Ljubljana. I especially love the Brutalist architecture at Republic Square.
If you are looking to escape the bustling city of Ljubljana and be with nature, Tivoli Park is also a great place to visit. The park is the largest in the city, covering an area of almost 300 hectares, and it consists of many beautiful gardens, a ton of greenery with many shaded areas, as well as a beautiful Tivoli Castle on a hilltop overlooking it all.
Last but not least, be sure to get up to Ljubljana Castle in the evening for an incredible sunset over the city. Standing high on a mountain, the castle is probably one of the most popular tourist attractions.
Due to its height, the castle offers one of the best viewpoints in the city over Ljubljana's old town, as well as the surrounding city and landscape. You can even see the Julian Alps and all their snowy peaks from here.
There are 3 ways you can get up to Ljubljana Castle. One, you can drive up with a car and park in the parking lot behind the castle. Secondly, you can hike up from Študentovska Pot, and it will take you up to the castle in just a few minutes.
You can also go up Castle Hill with a funicular, which will take you up there in 5 minutes. The roundtrip ticket, which includes the entrance fee to the castle, should cost about 16 EUR. Without the funicular, the entrance ticket to Ljubljana Castle will be 13 EUR per person.
And that is it for the first day in Ljubljana. For the second day, I highly recommend you go on an organized tour to explore the tourist attractions outside of the city. Unfortunately, places like the Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle are not as easy to visit with public transportation, so an organized tour is the best way to see them in a day.
I highly recommend the "Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle" tour, which will take you to both places on a 6-hour day trip and allow you to learn more about the cave system and the medieval castles around Ljubljana. The tour includes the entrance fee, transportation, and an audio guide for both places.
After spending the entire day exploring tourist attractions outside of Ljubljana, if you are looking for a nice place to party here, be sure to check out Metelkova Art Center, the popular Bohemian part of the city where you will find cool bars, underground clubs, and some really beautiful street art. It's a great way to end your trip in Ljubljana.
Getting from Ljubljana to Lake Bled
From Ljubljana to Lake Bled, you can catch one of the many local buses connecting the two cities by going to Ljubljana Bus Station and buying a ticket from the kiosk.
There are buses running every 30 minutes from 8:30 AM to 9 PM every day, and it should cost about 3 EUR and take 1 hour 15 minutes. The bus will drop you off at Bled Bus Station.
Day 3 - 4: Lake Bled (2 Nights)
Lake Bled is, hands down, one of the most beautiful destinations I've been to in Central Europe. Located among the Julian Alps, Lake Bled is one of the many lakes in this region that offer a ton of things to do, both outdoors and indoors, from hiking and swimming to visiting historic sites and indulging in the local cuisine.
After you arrive in Lake Bled from Ljubljana, you should have around half a day to spend in Lake Bled before sunset. I highly recommend that you take advantage of the daily shuttle service provided by Mamut Slovenia to Vintgar Gorge. You can find more information about the shuttle service at this link. Going for a nice hike around the area would be a great way to spend your time. The roundtrip shuttle service will cost you approximately 10 EUR.
Vintgar Gorge is another great highlight of visiting Lake Bled. The gorge is a 1.6-kilometer long gorge, carved amidst the glorious vertical walls of Hom and Boršt hills by the mighty Radovna River.
Along the gorge, you will find tons of beautiful cliffs, lush waterfalls, and a beautiful walking trail running through the entire gorge on wooden bridges that will take you all the way to the 13-meter-high Šum River waterfall.
It should take about 2 hours to walk the entire length of the gorge. With the shuttle transfer, you will have around 2 hours to walk the gorge, and the shuttle will pick you up at the end of the trail in about 2.5 hours after departure.
It is the easiest and most direct way to visit the gorge, and I highly recommend that you go for it. Make sure to book a time slot from their website beforehand. The slots get booked out fast, especially in the summer.
Once you are done with the hike, the shuttle will drop you back at Bled Bus Station, and you can spend the first evening strolling around Lake Bled before retreating for the night.
The next morning, I highly recommend you wake up as early as you can and go for a sunrise hike up to Mala Osojnica, which is, hands down, the best viewpoint you can get in Lake Bled.
Mala Osojnica is definitely the highlight of visiting Lake Bled. The viewpoint is located high up in the mountain, allowing you to see the lake in its entirety from above without having to fly a drone.
To get to Mala Osojnica Viewpoint, you are going to have to get yourself to the Mala Osojnica trailhead, which is easily reachable via a lakeside walking path from Bled. It should take about 30 minutes of a leisurely walk before you arrive at the trailhead.
From the trailhead, it is a straight, steep climb all the way to Mala Osojnica Viewpoint, which should take about 30 minutes at most. The trail is mostly on a dirt track, with a few steep, roped sections and wooden stairs before you arrive at the viewpoint.
Since it will take about 1 hour in total, be sure to wake up 1.5 hours prior to sunrise, which should give you enough time to get to the viewpoint for the epic sunrise.
From Mala Osojnica, you can also hike to the other two viewpoints (Ojstrica and Velika Osojnica) since they are all connected via dirt trails and narrow roads.
Personally, I think Ojstrica Viewpoint offers a better view over Lake Bled than Velika Osojnica, and I highly recommend you get there after sunrise. It should only take about 20 minutes from Mala Osojnica to reach Ojstrica.
At Ojstrica, you will see the lake a little closer and without a metallic fence blocking your view, making it a much better place to take photos of you and the lake than from Mala Osojnica.
There is also a nice wooden bench at Ojstrica where you can sit down, relax, and enjoy the incredible view of the lake. I was there for about 30 minutes without a single person showing up. It was awesome.
Once you are done, you can continue hiking to Velika Osojnica next, or you can make your way down to Velika Zaka, which is a quieter and less crowded place to relax and swim for a few hours before completing the loop around the lake back to Bled.
The walk is incredibly picturesque, especially in the early morning when there aren't many people out and the geese and birds are out in full force. It was so quiet and peaceful, it is hard to imagine anything better to do than to stroll around the lake in the morning.
The entire length of the loop around the lake is about 5.6 km (approximately 3.5 miles), and it should take you between 1-2 hours to complete, excluding the hike up and down Mala Osojnica. There are several sections of the walking path that will take you over the lake on wooden planks, away from the traffic road, which is awesome.
Once you arrive back in Bled, you can continue your journey and hike up to Bled Castle, an 11th-century medieval fortress built on a clifftop overlooking the town and the lake.
From Bled Castle, you will be able to get a closer look at the lake and its surroundings from above, although not as high as what you saw from Mala Osojnica. Inside, you will also find several museums dedicated to displaying the castle's history and artifacts.
It isn't very big inside the castle, with a few museums, cafes, and restaurants scattered around the castle courtyard. You are going to have to pay the entrance fee to the castle, which should be around 13 EUR per person.
After you are done with the castle, you can spend the rest of the day swimming, kayaking, or taking a boat to the island in the middle of the lake to explore the Assumption Of Maria Church.
While you are in Bled, make sure you try some of their delicious local cuisines from Central Bled Restaurant or find a nice cafe and try the delicious Bled Cream Cake. Trust me, after a long day exploring Lake Bled, you are going to need that sugar rush from the tasty Bled cream cake.
And that is it for a day in Lake Bled. Spend the night here and prepare yourself for the next leg on our itinerary. This time, we are going deeper into the mountains and visiting Lake Bohinj, our last destination on this trip.
Getting from Lake Bled to Lake Bohinj
At Bled Bus Station, you will often find a guy from the Arriva bus company selling tickets outside the bus station. Buy the ticket from them, and they will let you know when the bus to Lake Bohinj comes.
The bus typically runs every 30 minutes from 7:10 AM to 5:20 PM every day, taking about an hour, and it should cost about 4.5 EUR per person. The bus will drop you off right by Lake Bohinj here. You can also book a ticket online from the Arriva website, but you will probably have to print it out.
Day 5 - 6: Lake Bohinj (2 Nights)
Lake Bohinj is another incredible sight to see in Slovenia, and it is where you will be spending the last two nights. It is located about 24 km away from Bled, and it can easily be reached by the hourly bus that connects the two places together.
Lake Bohinj is much closer to the Julian Alps than Lake Bled, and you will definitely feel like you are in an alpine lakeside town here rather than at Lake Bled. The lake is surrounded by beautiful Alpine mountain peaks that offer tons of opportunities for hikers and adventurers to explore.
If you think the water is wonderful at Lake Bled, wait until you see just how vivid the colors of the water actually are here. The water is crystal clear and very inviting. You can also rent a kayak or a canoe here, or you can simply spend the entire day swimming and sunbathing.
It is also less crowded than Lake Bled and a little smaller and less busy, which is a perfect stop after an adventure you just had in Bled. This is your time to relax and immerse yourself in the fairy-tale-like mountains of Slovenia.
While there, also be sure to check out Cerkev Sv. Janeza Krstnika church and get up to the bell tower for an incredible view over the lake. From here, you will see just how expansive the landscape around Lake Bohinj really is.
You can also spend the day walking around the lake, which should take about 4 hours to complete. The trail is pretty flat and easy to walk, perfect for a leisurely stroll while you observe the beauty of the Julian Alps up close.
You can also visit Savica Waterfall, another beautiful nature spot here, while you walk around the lake. From Ukanc, it's another 7 km, which will take about 2.5 hours each way. It's going to be a long hiking day, so please prepare accordingly.
Where to Stay in Lake Bohinj?
Ljubljana (1 Night)
After a week in Slovenia, it's time to go home. You can either travel back to Ljubljana from Lake Bohinj, or you can travel further around Europe to Austria, Italy, or Croatia straight from Lake Bled.
If you choose the former, you can spend another night in Ljubljana to rest before your next leg. If you are traveling further, you should have no trouble finding international buses from here or you can always rely on Flixbus to take you to where you want to go outside of Slovenia.
If you want to take a train from Bled to Austria or elsewhere, you are going to have to catch a local bus from Bled Bus Station to take you to Lesce-Bled Train Station where you can catch a train to other countries. The bus should take less than 15 minutes and cost around 2 EUR. You can find a train online from here.
When to Visit Slovenia?
The best time to visit Slovenia is from June to September when the weather is nice and warm, perfect for all the summer outdoor activities you can do in places like Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj.
Like most places in Europe, Slovenia does get quite overwhelmed with tourists in the summer months, and it can get quite hectic in touristy places like Lake Bled. So, if you want to steer away from them, I highly recommend you stick to September.
That said, between June and August, you will have the highest chance of clear days, which will allow you to do so many cool things like hiking, swimming, kayaking, and being outside among nature, which are the highlights of visiting Slovenia.
If you decide to visit between June and August and you are looking to avoid the tourist crowds, I highly recommend starting your day as early as sunrise. You will have the whole place to yourself. I have done this many times and I thoroughly enjoy places like Lake Bled so much more when there's no one around.
How to Get to Slovenia?
There are several ways you can get to Slovenia, from flying directly to Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia, to taking a train from Slovakia or Austria, or hopping on an international bus across Europe.
From the US, there is no direct flight to Ljubljana, but you can fly to the UK and from there, you can catch a flight to LJU for as low as 13 USD via Wizz Air or other low-cost airlines.
From Europe, you have quite a lot more options here. You can either fly directly from places like the UK via Wizz Air, take a train from all the major train stations around Europe, or catch one of the many buses connecting Ljubljana to Europe. Flixbus is highly recommended when it comes to bus travel in Europe.
From Asia, it's best if you fly into major cities like Vienna and take a bus or a train from there. It will be cheaper and probably more affordable than flying directly to Ljubljana. There are many flights from Asia that connect with other major European cities, depending on where you are flying from. However, I found Vienna to be the best starting point to catch a train or a bus to Ljubljana.
To find a cheap flight to Slovenia, I would recommend that you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule so you can compare and pick the best one.
How to Get Around Slovenia?
Slovenia is very well-connected by trains and buses, and these are the two modes of transportation you will be relying on most for this itinerary.
By trains: The trains here have a pretty reliable schedule, and their trains are quite modern, so it should not be too hard to move around the country. You can also book a train ticket online beforehand, which is extremely convenient.
By Bus: When it comes to intercity travel, the bus is a great way to get around Slovenia. The bus schedule is mostly available online now and you can easily reserve seats online without having to be at the bus station beforehand. This and Flixbus are my preferred modes of transportation, and I found them to be a bit faster and more reliable than trains.
By Rental Cars: You can also rent a car straight from the airport in Ljubljana and drive around Slovenia. One thing to know is that mountain roads can be quite narrow and are often single-lane, which can create a bottleneck, especially in places like Lake Bled. So, be sure to avoid weekends or public holidays. To rent a car, click on the link below:
How Much Money Do I Need for 7 Days in Slovenia?
From this 7-day itinerary, we can calculate approximately how much money you will be spending here as follows:
Accommodation: For 7 days in Slovenia, you can expect to pay a minimum of 175 EUR for accommodation.
Food: For 7 days, with 3 meals a day in Slovenia, you can expect to pay around 210 EUR for food, considering you eat out for every meal.
Transportation: For this itinerary, you can expect to pay around 20 EUR for transportation between cities.
Activities: If you plan to do everything I recommended here, you can expect to pay around 146 EUR, including a day trip from Ljubljana and all entrance fees to castles, over the period of 7 days.
Total Budget for 7 days in Slovenia: 551 EUR
Is it Safe in Slovenia?
Slovenia is a very safe country, and there is nothing to worry about when you travel here. People are very friendly, and they will go out of their way to help you as best they can.
The only thing to watch out for is if you plan to do some hiking in Slovenia, and there are a ton of hiking trails here, be sure to study the trail carefully and take all the usual precautions you would take, like bringing extra snacks, downloading the offline Maps.me app in case you get lost, and bringing enough water for the hike.
Other than that, there's nothing you have to worry about when traveling in Slovenia.
Which tourist SIM card is best for Slovenia?
There are 3 major carriers in Slovenia: Telekom Slovenije, A1, and Telemach, that offer prepaid SIM cards tourists can buy while they are traveling in Slovenia. Unfortunately, with the rise of eSIM, having to be in the country to buy the SIM card at a store is pretty inconvenient.
If you have a smartphone that supports eSIMs, I highly recommend you take a look at Živjo's eSIMs. They have a variety of data packages, price points, and durations for you to choose from, ranging from 1 GB for 7 days costing only 5 USD to 10 GB for 30 days costing 22.5 USD.
The setup is fast and instant, and you can buy it prior to your trip so you don't have to scramble to get one at the airport after a long flight. The data speed is also equivalent to what you get with a local SIM card, with 4G speed across the entire country.
Or, if you are traveling to Slovenia as part of a bigger Europe trip, I highly recommend you get the regional Eurolink eSIM which will give you access to data from over 39 countries across Europe. I have personally used this eSIM on my 3-month trip around Europe, and it has worked wonders.
For more information on eSIMs in Slovenia, click here: Check Slovenia's Available eSim.
What to Pack for Slovenia?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Slovenia:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Swim Suits: A swim trunk is a must-pack item if you are planning to visit Slovenia in the summer, just in case there is a body of water you can jump in.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Central Europe
I hope you found this Slovenia travel guide useful. If you want to read more about Slovenia and Central Europe, here are a selection of articles you might like:
- Bratislava is one of the most off-the-beaten-path capital cities to visit in Europe. It's way less crowded, small, and very charming, yet it has a lot to offer. Here are the 15 best things to do in Bratislava.
- Kosice is the second largest city in Slovakia, and it is probably one of the country's best-kept secrets. The city is much more peaceful and laid-back than the capital. The creative scene is flourishing, and it has a lot to offer for those who are looking to get off the beaten path. Here are our 12 Best Things to Do in Kosice.
- Ljubljana is one of the most romantic and charming capital cities in Europe. With its small size, beautiful medieval architecture, and vibrant nightlife, Ljubljana comes highly recommended. If you are wondering what there is to do here, here are the 16 best things to do in Ljubljana.
- Lake Bled is definitely the highlight of visiting Slovenia, and with so many cool things to do, both outdoors and indoors, you are going to need this guide: 10 best things to do in Lake Bled.
- Everybody raves about Budapest, and for good reasons. The city is vibrant, affordable, and offers a ton of things to do, from its rich history to all the awesome nightlife spots that rival those in Berlin. If you are planning to go there, here is a complete travel guide to backpacking Budapest.
- Poland is also a great country to visit while you are exploring Eastern Europe. If you are heading north, be sure to check out our 2-week backpacking itinerary for Poland.
- Are you traveling to Slovenia as part of a bigger Europe trip? Be sure to check out my 3-month itinerary for Europe from Portugal all the way to Sweden.
- Packing for a trip to visit a region as big as Europe can be extremely daunting. Here's a packing guide to help you: What to Pack for Europe - The Essential Packing List.
- Want to visit Europe in winter? Better prepare for the cold. Here's a winter packing guide to help you: What to Pack for Europe in Winter - The Essential Packing List.
- Not convinced by my words? Here are 125 photos that will inspire you to visit Europe.
- To view all the articles about Slovenia, visit the Slovenia Travel Guide page.
- Traveling in Europe can be cheap, really cheap. These are the 12 Cheap European Countries to Visit.
- Looking for more travel guides for Europe? You can find more on my Europe Travel Guide page.
- Or if you want something more specific to the region, visit our Central Europe Travel Guide, Eastern Europe Travel Guide, or The Balkans Travel Guide pages.
- For more of my travel guides like this, visit my Destinations page.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.