Slovenia and Croatia
Slovenia is renowned for its chocolate-box gorgeous mountain scenery, Croatia for its stunning coastline. On this two-week itinerary, you will enjoy the best of both. The majority of the trip is spent exploring Slovenia, taking in some less well-known parts of the mountains as well as the highlights. There are plenty of opportunities for activities along the way. You’ll then cross the border into Croatia for a blissful 4 nights on Losinj Island before returning to Ljubljana to fly home.
As always this is just a sample itinerary; let us know if you want to spend longer in Croatia and we can make suggestions accordingly.
Highlights
Explore the Julian Alps
Cycling through Radovna Valley
White-water rafting on Soča River
Beachside cafes in Piran
Relax on Losinj Island
Wander around Ljubljana
15 days from £2,625 pp
Plus international flights from £200.
A two-week holiday in Slovenia and Croatia for a family of four usually starts from £10,500 plus flights.
Slovenia and Croatia day-to-day itinerary
Day 1, Ljubljana – Logar Valley
Arrive into Ljubljana Airport where you will pick up your car. It’s then a 90-minute drive to your hotel up in the Logar Valley, in the north of Slovenia. This extraordinarily beautiful glacial valley is situated in the heart of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. The bottom of the lush green valley is dotted with traditional farms and pastureland but on each side, the valley walls rise sharply and are backed by craggy and frequently snow-capped peaks.
Arrive into Ljubljana Airport where you will pick up your car. It’s then a 90-minute drive to your hotel up in the Logar Valley, in the north of Slovenia. This extraordinarily beautiful glacial valley is situated in the heart of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. The bottom of the lush green valley is dotted with traditional farms and pastureland but on each side, the valley walls rise sharply and are backed by craggy and frequently snow-capped peaks.
Perhaps stop for a traditional Slovenian lunch at Logarski kot. This is a great little mountain restaurant in the middle of a meadow with dramatic views of the sheer rock face of Planjava. From here you might like to continue to Rinka waterfall, at the head of the valley.
Day 2, Logar Valley
You have a full day to explore. We highly recommend taking a hike into the mountains and there are many different options depending on how far you can persuade the children to walk! Our favourite route takes you up to Strelovec Ridge, which separates the Logar Valley from neighbouring Robanov Valley. This will take most of the day but the views from the top are incredible; if the children need some encouragement you can stop en route for a break at Klemenči Jami mountain hut. The views here are gorgeous and you can turn around at this point if you’ve had enough.
If you don’t feel like hiking, a wonderful alternative is to visit the Peca Underground Tourist Mine & Museum (approx. 1hr driving, each way), a system of caves that visitors can discover by kayak or on a real mining train. A truly unique experience, this is a terrific day out and the children will be genuinely excited about venturing down a disused mine.
Day 3, Logar Valley – Lake Bled
This morning drive to Lake Bled, one of the most popular places to visit in Slovenia. The lake itself is wonderfully pretty, with crystal clear blue waters surrounded by mountains. You can spend the afternoon exploring; perhaps take a rowing boat out on the lake or head to one of the lake beaches and hire a SUP. There are lots of wooden jetties that jut out over the water and the kids will happily spend hours charging off the end of these, into the water.
Day 4, Lake Bled – Lake Bohinj
Today you will drive to Lake Bohinj, which is much quieter and less touristy than Lake Bled. Here you will have use of kayaks to discover the lake on your own. Afterwards perhaps follow the trail that skirts the lake (and enjoy a picnic lunch en route), or visit Savica Waterfall. Another popular activity is the hike through Mostnica Gorge, or perhaps take a cable car to the Vogel Mountain. Head back to Lake Bled for the night.
Day 5, Lake Bled – Kranjska Gora cycling – Bovec
Today you have a spectacular drive deep into the Julian Alps. Start your journey with a trip to Kranjska Gora and the Nordic centre Planica, which host the best ski jumpers of the world every year. From here you can walk to Tamar Valley, where there are spectacular views of the surrounding peaks! The journey also takes you over the stunning Vršic Pass with superb views over both Austria and Italy.
En route, we can arrange for you to pick up rental bikes in Kranjska Gora. The ideal way to explore this beautiful area, the cycle paths are wide and very family friendly, and there is a great route through the Planica Valley into Italy!
From here continue into the Soča river valley to Bovec. This river runs through the heart of the Julian Alps and is renowned for its startling turquoise colour. Bovec itself is a charming little town and a great base for the many adventure activities in the area.
There are a number of different accommodation options here depending on whether you want to stay in town or in a rural area.
Read More Day 6, Bovec rafting and ziplining This afternoon you will enjoy an exhilarating ziplining adventure through the forest canopy, which is great fun for all ages. Your guide will provide you with a safety briefing before you set off, strapped into a harness and whizzing between platforms, with stunning views over the surrounding landscape. Day 7, Bovec – Tolmin Gorge – Piran You will end the day in Piran, on the Adriatic coast. Day 8, Piran Spend the day wandering around the cobbled streets, climb the Bell Tower for panoramic views or find one of the seafront restaurants and sample the seafood dishes for which the town is famous. Day 9, Piran – Losinj Island Days 10-12, Losinj Island Also well worth a visit is the small town of Mali Lošinj situated on a picturesque harbour with a pretty old quarter. There are some superb seafood restaurants here and you can enjoy a delicious lunch with gorgeous sea views. Losinj is also famous for its population of bottlenose dolphins and you can take a boat trip out to sea, for close-up sightings. Often the dolphins play alongside the boat, leaping out of the water in front of the bow. Day 13, Losinj Island – Ljubljana En route we suggest breaking the journey with a visit to the Postojna Caves & Predjama Castle. The famous Postojna Caves are widely recognised as one of the most beautiful caves open to the public. Adults & children alike will also enjoy the one-of-a-kind 3.7km underground train that weaves its way through the cave system. Nearby is Predjama Castle, the largest ‘cave castle’ in the world, perched in an impossibly dramatic location in the middle of a 123m high cliff face. Day 14, Ljubljana This is a great place to wander. Perhaps start the day with a visit to Ljubljana castle, perched above the city with commanding views. Younger children might enjoy the scavenger hunt tour of the castle. From here we recommend spending the day exploring the city on foot, perhaps walking through Tivoli park and stopping for ice-cream in one of the many city squares. Day 15, Ljubljana
Bovec is the centre of Slovenia’s adventure activities and there are plenty of options to choose from today. A popular activity is white water rafting, perfect for a dose of adrenalin but in a particularly beautiful section of the river. There are different routes available depending on the ages of your children (minimum age is 5), with varying degrees of difficulty. Whichever you choose, there will be a mixture of rapids and quieter sections where you can jump off the raft and swim alongside.
Today you will head out of the mountains to the coast. Highly recommended is a stop en route at Tolmin Gorge; this is a great alternative to the much more touristy Vintgar Gorge near Lake Bled. Here the beautiful clear waters of the Tolminka River have carved a deep gorge out of the cliffs. You can follow a raised wooden walkway through and across the gorge, stopping along the way to swim in one of the many pools.
You have a full day to explore Piran. This is a gorgeous little town, sitting at the end of a peninsula, with terracotta-roofed buildings, a bustling harbour and medieval walls. It’s rather like a mini-Dubrovnik, with all roads leading to the beautifully clear waters of the Adriatic.
Today you will drive south across the border to Croatia to take the car ferry from Brestova to Porozina on Cres Island, from where you will continue to Losinj Island. The twin islands of Cres and Losinj (connected by a drawbridge) are particularly beautiful, famed for their olive groves, wild beaches, pretty pastel-hued towns and exceptionally clear water.
You have three full days to relax and enjoy the island. This is crisscrossed by a number of trails that are perfect for exploring either by bike or on foot. The island is known for its wild herbs and any hike or bike ride will be redolent with wafts of wild thyme and rosemary. Highly recommended is the hike along the peninsula towards Mrtvaška. Pack a picnic and stop at the beautiful sheltered bay of Krivica, backed by pine trees with beautiful clear water.
Today you will return to the mainland and drive north back into Slovenia, to Ljubljana.
You have a full day to explore Ljubljana, Slovenia’s impossibly pretty capital. Here the tree-lined streets weave between attractive squares that are lined with pavement cafes. Imposing baroque churches painted in pastel colours look out over handsome cobbled streets and the Ljubljianica River threads through the city, crossed by picturesque bridges.
Transfer back to the airport for your flight home.
Call us and we will be happy to provide you with a free-of-charge no obligation itinerary and quotation designed for you.
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Croatia & Slovenia in pictures
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