Map view
Vintgar Gorge - St. Catherine Loop, Triglav National Park
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Only national park in Slovenia, established in its modern form in 1981
- Mount Triglav, the highest peak of the Julian Alps, stands almost in the middle of the national park
- From it the valleys spread out radially, supplying water to two large river systems with their sources in the Julian Alps, flowing to the Adriatic and Black Sea, respectively
Bled Island
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Lake in the Julian Alps, where it adjoins the town of Bled
- The lake surrounds Bled Island, which has several buildings, the main one being the pilgrimage church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, built in its current form near the end of the 17th century
- It is decorated with remains of Gothic frescos from around 1470 in the chancel, and with Baroque furnishing
Škocjan Caves
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Cave system that is a significant underground phenomenon on the Karst Plateau and in Slovenia
- It is one of the largest known underground canyons in the world
- Along with the underground stream of the Reka River, they form one of the longest karst underground wetlands in Europe
Lake Bled
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Lake that is of mixed glacial and tectonic origin, and it has a small island, surrounded by mountains and forests
- Lake Bled was an important cult center during the Bronze Age
- Gold appliqués dating from the 13th-12th century BC were found in a deposit by the lake shore
- The embossed decorations on the appliqués are thought to represent the solar and lunar years
Bohinj Lake Trail, Lake Bohinj
Walk difficulty: Moderate
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Largest permanent lake in Slovenia, located within the Bohinj Valley of the Julian Alps, and is part of Triglav National Park
- Popular acitivities at the lake include swimming and hiking
Postojna Cave
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Long karst cave system near Postojna, that is the second-longest cave system in the country, and the caves were created by the Pivka River
- The cave was first described in the 17th century by the pioneer of study of karst phenomena, Johann Weikhard von Valvasor, although graffiti inside dated to 1213 indicates a much longer history of use
Ljubljana Castle
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Castle complex standing on Castle Hill above Ljubljana
- Originally a medieval fortress, it was probably constructed in the 11th century and rebuilt in the 12th century
- It was initially a defense structure and since the first half of the 14th century the seat of the lords of Carniola
Predjama Castle
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Renaissance castle built within a cave mouth, in the historical region of Inner Carniola
- The castle was first mentioned in 1274 with the German name Luegg, when the Patriarch of Aquileia built the castle in Gothic style
- The castle was built under a natural rocky arch high in the stone wall to make access to it difficult
- It was later acquired and expanded by the Luegg noble family, also known as the Knights of Adelsberg (the German name of Postojna)
Vintgar Gorge
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Gorge in Gorje and Bled, carved by the Radovna River
- The stream has created many erosive features such as pools and rapids, and terminates in Šum Falls, the largest river waterfall in Slovenia
- Until 1890, the gorge was mainly inaccessible, except for two points at which the Radovna could be reached, and a bridge over Šum Falls was already built in 1878
Bled Castle
Best time to visit: April-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Medieval castle built on a precipice above the city of Bled, overlooking Lake Bled
- According to written sources, it is the oldest Slovenian castle in Slovenia
- Today, the castle is employed as a historical museum with a collection that represents the lake's history
- The castle was first mentioned in a 1011 deed of donation issued by Emperor Henry II in favor of the bishops of Brixen, and it was their residence for eight centuries