Budget Summer Travel; Slovenia
Slovenia has so much to offer and being a less visited country your time could be less crowded and cheaper prices can easily be found.
Ljubljana
The Capital city of Slovenia should be your first stop, you can fly into the city and stay here as your base. The city is small and easy to get around, you can walk from the train or bus station into the old town and this is a great reason to stay here and take day trips out of the city. If you are up for moving around then you would only need a couple of night in the city before moving on to other areas this amazing country has to offer.
The city has great options for food and Slovenian traditional food should be your focus, dumplings and goulash at the top of the list. There is also a large Italian influence here as they share a border so you will find lots of Italian food everywhere too.
The Ljubljana castle can be reached by walking up alongside or taking the funicular to easily reach the top as it is situated on a steep hill. It is free to roam the castle grounds but for inside the tickets are priced at about EUR12 for adults. There is a viewing tower as part of the castle where you can see the whole city from above.
Many museums in the city will offer discounts for students or those over 65 years old.
The old town will offer you historical and unique sights to see, start in Presernov Square to see the Pink Church and the Triple Bridge. There are various bridges in the City, one being the Dragon bridge with large statues looking down.
The Markets
The central Market in the city can offer you affordable food you can take for a picnic or eat back at your accommodation for a cheap dinner during your stay. There is also an array of street food in the city which is a top attraction and low in cost.
On Fridays the city hosts an open kitchen market with a range of cuisines offering their best street food. This is usually a busy event but trying lots of different street food in the centre of the city is a great way to spend the afternoon.
Lake Bled
Easily reached from the city and worth a trip and perhaps an overnight stay or two. The lake offers summer swimming and boat trips to reach the church on the small island on the lake. The lake can be walked around in under 2 hours so if you have time you can see each part of it.
The views from Ojstrica viewpoint can’t be beaten with a full view of the lake and mountains behind, this can be reached by around a 20 minute uphill hike and easy enough for most people to achieve.
Summer Tobogganing is the perfect activity for those who like a bit of speed. The chair lift up the slope brings you to this tobogganing track where you sit in a cart, hold on and enjoy the ride back down! Tobogganing costs EUR7 each and can be reached by walking up the hill for around 20 minutes if you want to avoid the EUR10 extra fee for the chair lift.
Bled castle is so close too with various ways to get up, each way you will be met with lots of steps so be prepared. The entrance is EUR17 per adult and from the top you can rest in the café overlooking a gorgeous view of the lake.
Triglav National Park
Close to Bled in the national park of Slovenia with unlimited natural beauties and points of interest. You will find waterfall and valleys with emerald water and views you won’t forget. You can hire a car to drive here or get there by bus from the city. The park is free to enter however, some of the sights have small fees including Vintgar Gorge which costs around EUR10 for adults.
You can reach Vintgar Gorge by bus which will offer you a return trip giving you a couple of hours to explore before heading back to lake Bled. Or if you are up for it you can walk to or from the gorge all the way back to the lake and enjoy the nature that Slovenia has to offer. There are different routes you can take depending on how long you want to walk and how many detours through the countryside you take. This is a perfect day activity, take a picnic and enjoy all the views.
Bohinj
You can get here from Bled by bus or car quickly, this is a popular destination and could be a great option to base yourself for parts of the national park too, there is a camp site located right next to the water.
Bohinj has various towns and villages around it with one of them being called, “Ukanc” which translates to ‘at the end’ as people who lived here used to believe it was the town at the end of the world.
The town, Stara Fuzina is the oldest historical town of Bohinj with narrow streets, colourful houses and views of the surrounding mountains
Slovenia can offer you mountains, lakes and cities too at a low price and with so much to see the only question is, what will you fit into your trip?
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