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 ลฝivjo'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.
- Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
- 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.
- 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.