The Ultimate Slovenia Road Trip Guide

If you read these 7 reasons why you should visit Slovenia then you know that this country has so many things to offer and the best way to experience it is by car. Here’s your one stop shop guide to the ultimate Slovenia road trip.

What to Know Before Visiting Slovenia

When to visit Slovenia: I’d recommend visiting Slovenia on the shoulder months. We visited in May and this was the perfect time to visit since it was right before peak season and it was nowhere near as crowded as it gets during the summer. Plus, there was plenty of availability for all the activities we wanted to do, allowing us to do some last minute booking.

How much time to spend in Slovenia: At a minimum, 6-7 days though I wish we had two weeks there. Hell, I wish I lived there. #obsessed

The Euro is the currency here and while credit card was widely accepted, it doesn’t hurt to have some cash on hand.

Slovenian is the official language however most people also speak English so we had zero issues communicating

Book your shuttle from the airport to the city in advance. Though you can find options once you land, it’s cheaper and it’ll be one less thing for you to worry about. If you just do a quick google search, you should find plenty of options

How to Get to Slovenia

The easiest place to start your road trip is in Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia. This is the perfect introduction to this incredible country and is easy to get to. You can either fly to Slovenia directly or visit nearby cities (such as Budapest) and take a train/bus afterwards. We flew from NYC with a stopover in London and on the way back, flew direct from Budapest back to NYC.

Once you arrive in Ljubljana, you can take a shuttle service from the airport to the city. See above for booking this in advance.

Renting a car in Slovenia

You won’t need a car for the first couple of days in your trip as you will be in Ljubljana and it is incredibly walkable/taxis are both cheap and plentiful. Be sure to reserve one in advance. There are numerous car rental companies you can go with. I would just ensure that the pickup point is convenient for you.

As always when you are renting a car just be sure that you either have a credit card that has insurance or purchase insurance from the car rental agency. P.S. My absolute favorite travel credit card is the Chase Sapphire Preferred and if you don’t have it yet, here’s a link to sign up.

Driving in Slovenia

Driving in Slovenia was quite the adventure. There were definitely moments on winding narrow roads perched on steep cliffs when I was convinced we weren’t going to make it. But that’s just part of the adventure. For the most part driving in Slovenia is a breeze and the views are so beautiful that you won’t mind driving from destination to destination. Just be sure you have some sort of GPS whether that be google maps or a navigation system in the car.

Where to go in Slovenia

Ljubljana

I easily fell in love with this quaint city. I highly recommend just tossing aside a map and wandering around the city center. Trust me, every corner you happen upon will be more beautiful than the last. After you’ve done a bit of sightseeing, relax at one of the many restaurants and devour some delicious food while you sample Slovenian wine. My recommendation? Druga Violina. Not only does the food make you weak at the knees but also the restaurant employs people with disabilities who otherwise may have trouble getting work.

Soca River valley

The Soca River valley is home to one of the most beautiful rivers I’ve ever seen. There’s plenty to do in the area to keep you occupied for days. Besides the stunning views, this is heaven for an outdoor enthusiast. We did white water rafting and a few hikes while we were here and loved every minute of it.

Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj

Lake Bled is the iconic image associated with Slovenia and of course, is a must visit. While you’re there be sure to try the Lake Bled cream cake because who doesn’t love cake? Lake Bohinj is a little lesser known but is only 30 minutes away and is also worth a stop especially for some paragliding which was easily the highlight of my trip.

Piran

Piran is an easy day trip from Ljubljana and is worth a stop on your itinerary. Located on the Adriatic sea, you will feel like you are in Italy. In fact, until the mid 20th century Italian was the official language. There are plenty of spots where you can get a great view of the sea and the city. And of course, grab some affogato before you head out.

Wine country

Sadly, we did not make it to the wine country when were in Slovenia but if you have the time, I highly recommend that you add this to you itinerary. Slovenia has a rich history of wine and if you’re a wine aficionado, learning about Slovenian wine is a must.