Slovenia was for a long time Europe’s hidden gem, but nowadays it is one of the most poplar travel destinations on the continent. In 2019 Slovenia was named the “Hottest Destination of the Year” at Virtuoso travel week in Las Vegas. Needless to say, this is bringing more and more people to visit this little country resulting in tourist crowds in the most popular tourist destinations. This 7 tips will help you find less known places in Slovenia.
Less Known Places in Slovenia
On the other hand, a lot of beautiful places remain unvisited by tourists, making them even more special for those brave travelers that want to experience more than just a classic postcard photos.
1. Visit Bohinj Lake instead of Bled Lake
While Bled Lake is truly amazing with the island in the middle, it is often overcrowded, especially during the summer vacation. Did you know that next to Bled is another beautiful lake? Bohinj Lake is the largest natural lake in Slovenia famous for its breathtaking scenery all year long. The lake is much colder than lake Bled, but the bravest visitors freshen up in it during the hot summer days.
2. Visit a Cave but not Postojna Cave
Did you know that Slovenia has a lot of caves equally beautiful to Postojna cave? If you book in advance you can visit many caves. One of the most beautiful is Škocjan Cave, less than one hour away from Postojna and with fewer tourists. You can even discover some of them on the underground boat ride, but make sure to book in advance, since they accept much less visitors than Postojna cave.
3. Visit Izola instead of Piran
Piran is a cute little town on the Slovenian coast but it is definitely overcrowded during summer. Only 10 minutes drive from Piran is another small town Izola. Izola is popular among Slovenian tourists although in recent years more and more foreigners visit this little town. Make sure to visit it before it becomes overcrowded like Piran.
4. Hike in Pohorje instead of Triglavski narodni park
Triglav National Park is a very popular recreational spot, and every year many visitors decide to climb Slovenian highest peak Triglav (2864 meters / 9,395.2 ft). If you like hiking and your goal is not to climb the highest peak but simply have some recreation, you can go hiking in the eastern part of Slovenia, in Pohorje with its highest peak Črni Vrh (1,543 meters / 5,062 ft).
5. Visit Tolmin Gorge instead of Vintgar Gorge
Vintgar Gorge is a beautiful natural phenomenon but it is very overcrowded. On the other side of Triglav National Park is much lest touristy Tolmin gorge. For now.
6. Enjoy bathing in Nadiža River instead of Soča River
Soča River Valley is a popular destination for summer sports and activities, such as kayaking, rafting and bathing. If you want to do all of that but don’t want to get lost in the tourist crowds you can go bathing in the nearby Nadiža River, much less touristy but equally amazing.
7. Discover Eastern Slovenia
Tourist often skip Eastern Slovenia making it a perfect destination for those who love to travel away from tourist masses. Here you can enjoy green nature, rivers, castles, thermal spas and much more.