Slovenia tips anyone?

[Sortingfinances2]

I'm looking at booking a 2 week trip at the start of the school holidays.
I've found good flight prices but accommodation is quite expensive.
Any recommendations?
We'd like to do a few days on the coast, Ljubljana, lake bled/bohinj and somewhere off the beaten track.
Using public transport.
Would it be better to stay longer in Ljubljana and do day trips out?
Me and 3 teens.
All suggestions appreciated!

Cant offer much specific advice I'm afraid but we went to Slovenian and Croatian coast 6 or 7 years ago (pre children) using public transport and had a fabulous time.

We flew into Venice as we found it was cheaper and the flights more convenient. We then got the train round to Trieste. From Trieste there is a good coach service along the coast.

We found we were able to get good hotels in Piran and then Porec on the day (but appreciate this wont be an option for you if you're with children). And from memory the coach to Ljubilana was around 2 hours. The coach services we went on were all well run (and they speak English!)

Piran, porta roz, izola. Koper is nice but not loads to do. Anywhere on the coast really, is lovely. Lljublijana is a brilliant city. Could have a day trip to Trieste as well.

I recommend the Postojna caves and the nearby Predjama castle- my kids loved both.

And yes to Trieste too.

Ooh we enjoy the stud farm too!

Maribor - wonderful place and people

We stayed in apartments which worked out a bit cheaper. One was Postojna Cave Rooms and Apartments I think.

Amazing, thank you! Flights to Trieste look best value at the moment. I'll look at Venice too - would be fun to add that on. Staying a night in Trieste to start with sounds like a good idea. Then down the coast and up to Ljubljana and the lakes.
@Fitterbyfifty did you do the caves as a day trip from somewhere or stay near them?

@Sortingfinances2 if you do go to Trieste, miramare castle and also Duino castle are both stunning.

I’d recommend a walking tour of Ljubljana, it’s the perfect size for it and the history is fascinating. The markets are great too!

Can’t speak much to day trips but lake Bled was beautiful! Worth taking a swimming costume so you can have a dip

I was really underwhelmed by lake bled. It's pretty, but very feeling and (a few years ago!) packed, to the point of having to queue to walk down paths, with Russians.

But Ljubljana is fantastic, and I also rate Bovek for walking/ cycling/ rafting type things.

• fake feeling. Lots of the buildings are brand new plastic!

Slovenia is fortunately like a second home now.

Usually car hire is pretty reasonable and no where is really far from anywhere so apart from maybe staying closer to the coast for a few nights Ljubljana is a great base. Radovljica is also a good base.

You can easily do day trips across the borders too if you want to add some extras countries to your visited list of they are not already on it.

As mentioned postojna caves and castle is a great trip.

So many waterfalls and natural parks you can visit.

Bled is definitely a highlight and the views from the castle are amazing back over the lake.

If you have any more specific questions happy to ask my Slovenian DP

Bled is beautiful; the town is nothing special but the lake really is. So blue, so warm. It's easily reachable by bus / coach from Ljubljana.

There is a beautiful gorge with waterfalls under a boardwalk - Vintgar Gorge - a few miles outside of town - you can get a bus there, but go early in the day before it gets crowded.

Make sure you walk round the lake and have an ice cream or coffee at Vila Bled which was President Tito of Yugoslavia's summer home - it has a tearoom with an amazing view of the island and cool eastern bloc vibes.

Two main places to swim; under the castle there is a pay-to-enter complex with changing rooms and inflatables etc. Or a grassy "beach" at the far end of the lake (opposite end to the town), where you can swim freely and hire SUPS etc. Swimming is kind of discouraged elsewhere but you can slip in in a few places on the SE side, between town and Vila Bled.

Loved Ljubljana - it's not huge (2-3 days is plenty) but great atmosphere. Recommend a walking tour. One architect is responsible for much of the city - can't remember his name but he's so significant that we also visited his own house, on the edge of the city, now open to the public.

I would do three nights in each and then pick another destination or two to add on the trip.

DH and I visited Lake Bled in 2019. It was absolutely beautiful. We stayed at Jazz B&B, which was basic but comfortable (fresh waffles and bacon for breakfast was amazing!) and a short walk from the lake front. We went hiking, white water rafting and canyoning with a local company called 3glav, who also picked us up from the airport. Loved it and I'd love to go back and see more of Slovenia.

Jazz B&B: www.booking.com/Share-K2qEgU

3glav: www.3glav.com/

We stayed at the Eco hotel in Bohinj and would highly recommend visiting lake Bohinj - we much preferred it to lake Bled. The hotel also provided a card which we could use for free bus rides and around the area but I’m not sure if that’s still available. The hotel website says it has an aquapark but I think that’s overstating it a bit.

I thought Slovenia was really beautiful and loved our time there.

Love Slovenia. We stayed in Kranjska Gora up in the mountains and it was beautiful. Go to Lipca - the Lipizzaner stud farm.

Oh we loved Slovenia - wish I could have seen more of it. The best stops we did were Postojna and Skocjan caves, Predjama castle, Bled, Velika Planina (gorgeous), Skofja Loka, little town of Radovlijca. Ljubljana is lovely and has a great market day - we used it as a base since we didn't have a car.

I can't say enough about the caves - must see IMO

I would add we were without a car but a car would have really really been helpful

Lake Bohinj is also stunning but much colder than Lake Bled for swimming. Higher altitude and without thermal springs.