Slovenia: Lake Bled + Triglav National Park
Usually for four day weekends, we try to fly out on Thursday night after work or first thing Friday morning so that we can make the most out of our time off. For this trip, the flights that worked were a little later in the day on Friday so we ended up losing a good portion of the weekend to travel time, which wasn’t ideal.
To get to Lake Bled in Slovenia, the easiest thing for us to do was either fly to Trieste, Italy or Venice Italy and rent a car to drive. Trieste would have been much closer, as it’s almost at the border, but when we bought our flights, going in and out of Venice was a lot more affordable. It was about a 3 hour drive, which wasn’t bad. The drive was easy and there were only a few tolls on the Italian side. Once on the Slovenian side, we did need to have a e-vignette for the car, which is basically a digital toll pass. I was able to buy this online while we were driving out of the airport. Make sure you are purchasing from the official website!
Once we arrived in Bled, we grabbed a quick McDonald’s dinner (yes, we are those people that like trying McDonald’s in different countries — check out this NY Times article about it) and got checked into our AirBnB. We were in a nice location, close to the lake and cafes. If it had been clearer while we were there, the views would have been lovely. It wasn’t a life changing AirBnB, but it was what we needed. If we were to go back, I would probably stay closer to Lake Bohinj or deeper into Triglav National Park (we considered a few farm stays). But as this was a shorter visit, the convenience of staying actually in Bled was what we needed.
Bled
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Cerkev Marijinega Vnebovzetja): This church sits on an island in the middle of the lake and is one of the most iconic images of Bled. You will see it wherever you are walking or driving around the lake. We took one of the pletna boats, a gondola like row boat with a canopy, from the shore over to the church. It took about 20 minutes both ways and we had about 45 minutes on the island itself to explore. Our favorite part was going into the church to ring the “wishing bells.” You actually get to pull the large ropes in the center of the sanctuary to ring the bells in the bell tower. My biggest recommendation is to head to the ticket office as soon as you get off the boat to get your entry tickets for the church. Because I dragged my partner and son straight to the church, we had it all to ourselves before the crowds from the other boats made their way there. The ticket also included entry to the bell tower, which as fun to climb and gave beautiful views.
Lake Walking Path: There is a walking path that goes around the entire lake. We probably walked 3/4 of the way around. There are cafes and restaurants scattered around, as well as the boat rentals and playgrounds. I highly recommend stopping in one of the cafes for a coffee and a piece of the Bled cream cake! We were there in early November but I imagine during the summer it is even more active and busy with things to do, like swimming and paddle boarding.
Mala Osojnica Hike: The trailhead is here and we parked here. We found this guide to be incredibly helpful because things were not marked very well. As it mentions, the trail is not very well groomed and gets very slippery when wet so you definitely want sturdy shoes when doing this. It was a bit harder than we thought (especially carrying our toddler in a back carrier) but the views were absolutely worth it. Because we hiked it at sunset we didn’t make it all the way up to the further viewpoint but felt like the lower (still high) view point was more than enough.
Cevapi: I’ve probably mentioned this in every Balkans-adjacent blog, but I love cevapi, a fantastic meat dish usually served with fantastic bread, roasted red pepper spread, a cream cheese like spread, and onions. We happened upon a small diner in Bled that had amazing Cevapi and the kindest staff we have ever met. My partner still talks about how good the food was here and how nice the waiter was to our toddler.
Triglav + Bohinj
We spent our Sunday diving deeper into the natural beauty of Slovenia, with a day full of exploration in Triglav National Park and the Bohinj Valley. This region feels like stepping into a storybook—lush, quiet, and breathtaking at every turn. Here are a few of our favorite highlights:
Lake Bohinj: This serene lake is less crowded than nearby Lake Bled, and in our opinion, even more beautiful. Surrounded by towering alpine peaks, it’s the perfect place to slow down and breathe in the fresh mountain air. You can rent paddle boats, dip your toes in the water, or simply walk the shoreline trail and take in the views. It’s peaceful, clean, and surprisingly quiet—even in the summer months.
Mostnica Gorge: A must-see in the area! The Mostnica Gorge is a narrow, crystal-clear gorge carved by the Mostnica River, stretching about 2 kilometers through the Voje Valley. It’s easily accessible from the charming village of Stara Fužina. The walk through the gorge is family-friendly and incredibly scenic, with footbridges, waterfalls, and moss-covered rocks lining the path. There’s also the option to continue hiking beyond the gorge up into the Voje Valley toward traditional alpine huts and restaurants—we opted for the shorter loop this time.
Ljubljana
After our nature-filled weekend, we headed into Ljubljana, Slovenia’s compact and charismatic capital. It’s one of those cities that instantly feels inviting—colorful buildings, pedestrian-only streets, and a river that winds right through the heart of the city. We loved just walking around the Old Town, especially along these charming streets:
Mestni trg (Town Square)
Cankarjevo nabrežje (a lovely riverside promenade)
Breg (great for galleries and cafes)
Trubarjeva cesta (a bit more eclectic and funky)
Some city highlights for families or curious travelers:
The Museum of Illusions: Super interactive and fun for all ages. Optical illusions, puzzles, and playful exhibits that make for a great break from walking
Dragon Rolls Pastry: A local sweet treat inspired by the city’s famous dragon legend
If you’re planning a trip to Slovenia, I highly recommend following @Mauka.travels on Instagram. Their travel tips and local insight were so helpful for planning our stops and finding hidden gems along the way.
This trip was the perfect mix of mountains, lakes, and city charm—Slovenia truly surprised us in the best way. We’re already dreaming of coming back.
We rounded out our weekend by spending our final day in Venice before our flight, which you can read about here.
