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Discover Slovenia by motorhome, with the help of the great family instagramer @ 4_enautocaravana. A trip that will make you fall in love through the story of a trip to the great emerald green country of Europe.
This Catalan family of four is undoubtedly one of our favorite Instagrammers in the caravanning and campervan world . Their posts add value to the motorhome and campervan community and help inspire us to plan and decide on our next trips. For me, they're one of those Instagrammers who definitely provide added value with their posts , so don't hesitate to follow them! What are you waiting for?
They are a family of four who love to travel, especially on road trips in a motorhome. Twelve years ago, as a family of two, they became curious about the world of motorhomes but didn't decide to try it until a few years later. Then, with their four-year-old, they started traveling in a motorhome and haven't stopped since. Traveling in a motorhome has opened up a world of possibilities they never imagined. They love traveling with their little home on wheels, and their only regret is not having discovered it sooner!
And today this adventurous and traveling family are going to tell us about a great trip to a great destination and route by camper: Slovenia by motorhome.
Slovenia is undoubtedly one of the most incredible countries we've visited in our snail camper. For those who don't know, it's a small republic in the European Union located between Italy, Croatia, Austria, and Hungary.
After the Ten Days' War, it became independent from the former Yugoslavia in June 1991 and at that time, it was already the most developed country in that federation and culturally it has always been closer to Italy, Austria and Germany than to the Balkan countries.
In 2016, it was declared the world's first green country by the Global Green Destinations Conference for meeting 96% of its standards. The respect its population has for nature, along with the environmental policies agreed upon by various political groups more than 30 years ago, have made this country a fantastic place to enjoy nature in its purest form, and, for those traveling with young children, without the need for long hikes.
Practical guide to Slovenia by motorhome
Currency: the Euro
Language: Slovenian, although the level of English that most of the population has is high and in the coastal area many speak Italian.
Overnight stays in motorhomes: Overnight stays in motorhomes (MCs) or campervans are not permitted anywhere and are enforced by the police, with the risk of fines. You must stay in campsites, designated areas, or other areas specifically authorized by law. Similar to the Netherlands, Switzerland, Corsica, and recently Portugal, overnight stays in motorhomes in Slovenia are only permitted in authorized locations.
Tolls: To drive on the highway , you need to buy a vignette (this is equivalent to paying all the tolls at once). There are vignettes for 1 week, 1 month, and 1 year, which can be purchased at gas stations, kiosks, or at gas stations and toll booths before entering the country. It's worth noting that there are few highways, so you should consider whether it's worthwhile to travel on them or if you should opt for secondary roads. In our case, of the 3 weeks we spent traveling, we only bought a 1-week vignette to travel south (in 2019 it cost €15 for 1 week in a Class 2 vehicle). For the rest of the trip, it was more convenient to travel on secondary roads, so buying the 1-month vignette wasn't cost-effective.
Our trip to Slovenia by motorhome in figures
Date: August 2019
Duration: 22 days
Distance : 4048 km
Driving time: 70h and 13 min
What to see in Slovenia by motorhome: 22 destinations for 22 days
KOBARID
The most noteworthy feature is the Kozjak Waterfall (although it is not one of the most impressive you can see in the country and they are certainly very crowded).
The path up starts right outside the campsite and in about 20-30 minutes you will reach the waterfall.
Halfway along the trail, you'll find some well-preserved World War I trenches , partially hidden among the vegetation. You'll also come across a suspension bridge that crosses the Soka River.
A place that seemed spectacular to us to relax and feel the wildness of the Soca River is a corner next to the road called Otona (GPS 46.274070, 13.570419), there is a space enabled on the side of the road to park.
From there, a path begins, soon veering left to continue along a rocky trail. Further down, about 400 steps lead you to the Soca riverbed. It 's highly recommended to sit there for a while.
Just before reaching Koren Camp (about 700m from the village of Kobarid), you'll cross Napoleon's Bridge . Another place you can visit is the Planika Dairy's cheese factory and museum (although we can't comment on it because we didn't visit; it doesn't open until 10am).
Overnight Kovarid in motorhome:
Camping Koren Camp
BOVEC
You can leave your vehicle next to a hotel (GPS 46.315793, 13,494260) and walk about 20 minutes to the Boka waterfall viewpoint , which has a 106m drop.
If you want to climb to the top, the walk becomes longer and more complicated for children.
At the Bovec Sport Center (at the entrance to the village) there is a motorhome area in the same parking lot. You can book a canoe or raft trip down the Soča River there, or a treetop adventure course with zip lines and suspension bridges …
Bovec overnight in motorhome:
Area with water services (GPS 46.3328, 13.5386)
PLUZNA
A tiny mountain village where the Virje waterfalls are located . There's a parking area 500 meters from the waterfalls, which we only recommend for cars or small campervans. For larger motorhomes, it's best to park wherever you can in the village and walk another 10 minutes to the waterfall.
VRSIC STEP
This is the highest mountain pass in Slovenia . The ascent and descent of this pass is 9km long with a 14% gradient and 50 hairpin bends, which are marked with signs.
At the top you'll have spectacular views of the Julian Alps at an altitude of 1611 m (so it's best to bring a sweater).
On the way down towards Kransja Gora you will find a wooden chapel surrounded by forest, the Ruska Kapelica (GPS 46.442849, 13.768916) with a parking lot right in front.
KRANSJA GORA
Lake Jasna is a highlight (you'll see it signposted as Jezero Jasna in Slovenian). It's actually two artificial lakes connected by the confluence of the Velika and Male rivers. There are swimming areas and a beach, although the water is very, very cold.
Overnight Kransja Gora in motorhome:
Spik campsite (very nice and clean, good playground and grass pitches, although with few showers) about 2km from Lake Jasna (there is a bike path there).
ZALENCI
A 5-minute drive from Kranjska Gora, we arrived at a nature reserve near Ratece where there is Lake Zalenci , which is considered the official source of the Sava Dolinka River.
If you look closely, you can see small bubbles that come out of the bottom of the lake, which is the underground water that is emerging. The water remains constant throughout the year at 5-6ºC and bathing in it is not allowed.
PLAN
We recommend you visit the Planica ski jumping slopes at the Nordijski Center Planica.
We were entertained for a long time watching some training sessions, the truth is that it was a real show for all four of us.
PERICNIK
There is a small parking lot right where the trail to Pericnik waterfall begins , where they charged €3 in 2019 for 2 hours (enough time for the visit).
But the track to get there is somewhat narrow and there is a lot of up and down traffic, so if the motorhome is large, we recommend you park a couple of kilometers before on the side of the road and finish arriving on foot.
This is one of those waterfalls you absolutely can't miss. Walking behind the 56m waterfall is truly breathtaking (we recommend bringing a raincoat or something similar).
bled
Lake Bled is the typical Slovenian thing that appears in any travel catalog (and consequently is very crowded) but it is by no means the most beautiful.
If you have time, it is fine to dedicate a day (or a half) but if you have not been there for many days it is something that we consider dispensable.
You can swim in the lake (there are several designated beaches around it), cycle around it , take a boat to the Church of Our Lady of the Island , or visit the old town center and the castle.
There is also the Straza Bled recreation area with a mountain slide (similar to the rodelbann in Germany) and other jumping attractions for adults and children to have a good time.
And for children, at the entrance to Bled there's Dinopark, a dinosaur park with life-size statues scattered among the trees. We felt it was poorly maintained and, for the price, not worth it from an adult perspective, although the children certainly loved it.
Overnight Bled in motorhome:
Camping de Bled (in August only if you have a reservation but don't even try); Sobec camping; AC area of Mercator supermarket (GPS 46.3703, 14.1185) with water and electricity about 1,5 km from the lake.
VINTGAR
Upon arriving at the Vintgar Gorges there is a free parking lot (parking 2) signposted for motorhomes and campers a 5-minute walk from parking lot 1 which is paid (€5 and overnight stays are not allowed).
It is a journey of approximately 1,5 hours round trip where you follow the gorge to a small waterfall.
LJUBLJANA
The country's capital.
We recommend visiting the castle, which you can reach by funicular or on foot , and where you'll find the highly recommended puppet museum .
We spent a few hours visiting The House of Experiments (ustanova Hise Experimentov) with more than 60 experiments to do, which the children enjoyed very much.
The Metelkova neighborhood is a concentrated example of urban art.
A curious place is the Museum of Illusion where, between optical effects and brain teasers, you can have a very entertaining time.
And Tivoli Park is an ideal place for a stop, a picnic or some playtime for the little ones in the family.
We also found the natural history museum very interesting , but with children that usually just means playing.
Overnight Ljubljana in motorhome:
Camping Ljubljana, has a bus stop just 150m away that takes you right to the city center (line 6 or 11) in 15-20 min. Ljubljana is a city that invites you to walk, its triple bridge, the bridge of the butchers, the bridge of dragons (symbol of the city), the market, the Preseren square where they say it always rains (less when we went because it was in plays)…
RADOMLJE
Radomlje is where we find the Arboretum Volcji Potok , an immense park, with an area dedicated to sculptures of cetaceans, of moving dinosaurs, with a fantastic children's play area, a greenhouse with butterflies and many gardens.
VELIKA FLAT
The typical excursion is to go up to Velika Planina by funicular and chairlifts (or funicular and on foot) and once at the top walk to the shepherd village made in the traditional way in the middle of the Julian Alps.
Velika Planina overnight in motorhome:
Camping Kamp Alpe, at the foot of the Velika Planina funicular. It has very few plots and the services are very austere. The reception is the same place where they sell the tickets for the funicular.
UNDERMINE
A MUST that you cannot miss to enjoy the charm of the Julian Alps is the Solcava Panoramic Route.
In which, through different farms , each with its own artisanal specialty , a tour of the area is made.
You can take the opportunity to buy some of their products (natural energy bars, cheese, sweets ...).
Solcava overnight in motorhome:
Camping Kamp Smica, in Luce.
LOGARSKA DOLINA (LOGAR VALLEY).
At the entrance to the Logar Valley there is a toll for motor vehicles because it is a protected area with 7km of road crossing the valley.
At the end of which is the Rinka waterfall (15-20 min walk from the parking lot to the base of the waterfall, and 1 hour more if you want to climb to the top).
In the same valley, next to the Penzion Na Razpotju, is the Pravljicni Gozd (Forest of Tales) . A walk through the forest offers a curious journey through 21 traditional tales (mostly Slovenian) told through wooden figures or little houses made of logs.
CATEZ OF SAVI
Slovenia has a large number of water parks built around thermal springs . It's a relatively common feature of the country.
We opted for Terme Catez in Catez of Savi, but there are many options. In this case, campsite entry includes access to the thermal water park, where the water in the various outdoor pools ranges from 28 to 34°C.
Overnight Catez of Savi in motorhome:
Camping Terme Catez.
POSTOJNA
The Postojna Caves are among the most famous, and consequently one of the most touristic.
We recommend buying your tickets online, combined with those for Predjama Castle , even if it's the day before, and downloading them to your phone. This saved us a lot of time queuing.
The visit begins with a train ride in large groups and ends with a mass walking tour; we felt a bit like we were being herded. Photography is allowed, and despite wearing sweaters and long trousers, we finished the visit feeling a bit chilly, so we recommend bringing a light jacket or sweater.
At the end of the visit, you'll be able to see some specimens of Proteus anguinus (humanfish) , which lives only in Slovenian caves and has no eyes or skin pigmentation. A curious animal. You'll also see it and learn more about it if you visit the vivarium , which you can combine with a visit to the karst cave exhibit and the butterfly display. In our opinion, all three are skippable.
Postojna overnight in motorhome:
Postojna AC area a few minutes walk from the Caves.
PREDJAMA
From Postojna Caves to Predjama Castle , if you have already bought your ticket you can take a free bus that will take you there in 20 minutes.
It can be reached by motorhome but there is not much space to park, at least large vehicles.
This castle built into the rocky wall of a cave is spectacular, and the visit with an audio guide in Spanish is highly interesting, including for children. Highly recommended.
SKOCJAN
We liked the Skocjan Caves much more than the Postojna Caves.
We make the visit at 17:XNUMX p.m., the last in the afternoon, but what the guide tells us is the one that usually has fewer people.
The group is very large but they divide us into English or Italian, we do not speak Italian but as the group is very very small we decided to try our luck and see what happens. And the truth is that due to the similarity to Catalan and Spanish, it is very easy to follow, even for children.
These caves are much larger and more imposing. The entire route is on foot and there are areas where you can see the underground river in the background.
It is less illuminated and photos cannot be taken inside. The feeling is that of being in a much more authentic and impressive place. If you are only going to be able to see some, keep these.
PORTOROZ, PIRAN AND IZOLA, THE SLOVENIAN COAST
Slovenia has only a few kilometers of coastline ; the beaches are not sandy but pebbly at best, or even concrete.
These three towns are among them. Portoroz is very touristy and commercial.
Piran is closed to vehicles; you have to park in designated parking lots at the entrance, all of which have a height restriction of 2 meters. We couldn't visit it, although from the photos it has a mini St. Mark's Square, similar to the one in Venice.
Izola is a beautiful picturesque village, with its church and bell tower reminiscent of those in Italian cities, and a promenade along the beach where you can cool off.
DIRECT
Where you will find the Antonijev rov Mercury Mine Mining Museum , the only mine in the world where mercury is in a liquid state.
You can complete the excursion with a visit to the Topilnica Hg mercury smelter, which has an interactive museum to learn more about mercury. We didn't visit it.
Another charming spot in this village is its Divje Lake (Divje Jezero or called Wild Lake in English). It's a small, artificial turquoise lake where the famous olm lives in its deepest part.
Overnight in Idrija in a motorhome:
There is a private area with 3 parking spaces (on the land of the owner's house GPS 45.9987, 14.0258) that looks very good, and the owner is also one of the mine guides. But we arrived too late at night and we slept without any problem in the Mercator supermarket parking lot on arrival in town.
BOHINJ
Lake Bohinj is a place where, depending on which side you visit, you get one impression or another.
The most touristic and commercial area , where there is a Zlatarog on top of a rock welcoming the visitor and which you find upon arrival, is full of people bathing and strolling.
In contrast, the opposite side feels like a slice of heaven on earth. We recommend the Fairy Trail , which starts past the Zlatarog campsite. Along the way, you'll find various panels featuring fantastical characters from Slovenian tales and legends, along with character stamps that we believe you can use to stamp a notebook or passport, which the tourist office should provide.
Through this small path you reach the lake, on a river beach of white pebbles with impressive turquoise water surrounded by the Julian Alps.
You can easily drive up to the paid parking lot of Savica Waterfall (GPS 46.288823, 13.801744) by motorhome via a paved road that is not excessively narrow, starting from opposite the Zlatarog campsite.
From the parking lot there is a path with about 500 steps that takes you quickly to the 78m high waterfall.
About 15 minutes from the waterfall and a mere 7-8 minutes walk from the Zlatarog campsite is the cable car to the Vogel ski slopes (parking here is free) which are located at an altitude of 1537m, and the same ticket allows you to then go up by chairlift to Orlova Glava (at an altitude of 1682m).
The views of Lake Bohinj from above are spectacular although we could not enjoy them much because of the thick fog that day.
There are also a multitude of hiking trails for all levels.
Overnight Bohinj in motorhome:
Camping Zlatarog on the shore of the lake (it fills up very quickly, it is difficult to find a place); Bohinj AC area with water exchange and electricity although somewhat removed from the lake.
TOLMIN
The road from Bohinj to Tolmin is a very narrow road and somewhat uncomfortable for motorhomes, although we did it.
To visit Tolmin Gorges by motorhome, you have to park in parking lot 2, which is about 2km from the entrance of the gorge trail.
You cannot get to parking 1 by motorhome, but there are transfer vans every few minutes that take you up to the throat for free.
The route is about 3km and in our opinion, they are not as spectacular as those of Vintgar.
Thank you very much for the great collection of information that you provide on your page. He's being a great help to me in planning my trip to Slovenia.
Thanks to you Martin and thanks to @ 4enautocaravana who wanted to share this beautiful trip through Slovenia. Sharing is living in this world of caravanning and that is how we understand it. On the way back, tell us how we would love to know
Moltes gràcies pel relat, m'ha enchanted, so much so that we may be able to encourage fer-hi visit this study. If the pandemic issue ens ho permet. Jo also wrote to meu blog, I value the feina that heu fet. Fantastic !!!
Gràcies Carme! Really here the merit the tea @ 4enautocaravan that have been exhibited super be that viatge that vàren fer 🙂 Deixa ns per here the teu blog we will be delighted to follow you 🙂
The meu blog is:
cal-maitanquis.blogspot.com
Hi has a mica of tot, desitjo that he followed d'utilitat and distracted.
Greetings !!!
Great the route!
Would it be too much trouble to ask about the approximate budget for this trip? We are considering making our first trip in AC, debuting with Slovenia but we need to know better the budget that it can cost us.
Thank you!
Good Nacho, because in the first place it depends if you rent or is your motorhome. It also depends on the things you want to do there, tickets and restaurants can take a good bit of the budget. Another thing to consider is that the overnight stay is not free, it is prohibited, so normally you have to pay for camping or private area in most cases. Budgets are very variable, it depends on each one a little 🙂
Good family. Would you recommend me to take the motorcycle or is it not necessary? I tell you because I do not have a motorcycle license and in Slovenia if they ask for it, if it was interesting to take it then I would play it. There are a lot of police on the roads? Thank you, a greeting
Good Jose Manuel, motorcycles always help to avoid uncomfortable situations on narrow roads, but as you can see in the trip that is explained, he did not take a motorcycle and nothing happened. In the end, it is to adapt 🙂
Hi there. Is there a road that you could not access by going in a caravan?
According to the measurements, if they are the same as the motorhome, you should not have a problem
That we couldn't access, no, but the Solcava panoramic road at that time was not very well indicated (I don't know how it will be now) and we took the wrong road (which ended up being a path). We had a lot of trouble there...
Good morning family: I have just "kidnapped" your story for the trip to the Balkans that I am going to start next week.
Thank you very much for sharing your experiences and providing detailed information that is pleasant to read.
Know that you are going to "accompany" us on the journey.
Strength and Health!
A big hug from everyone!
Thank you very much, all noted, now let's see what we do and what we don't! But to begin with, your help is a pleasure, again a thousand thanks!
Sharing in this world among all is fundamental 🙂 Happy super trip planning!
Thank you very much. Blogs like this one from Kucavana also help us a lot to plan our own. Sharing our trips is for us to return a pinch of what other travelers have offered us.
Hello and thank you very much for the info!
It's great and it's a pleasure to see people who share without further ado 😉
You don't have the itinerary posted? It would be good to know about distances and travel times,
Thank you very much
Hello Ranel, you have the itinerary explained 🙂 A big hug and thanks for leaving us your comment!
Good afternoon, I would like to know if, when going in August 2023, do you think we will have problems staying overnight in the campsites without a reservation, since we do not know the exact days of arrival in Slovenia, since we will go through the Alps instead of the Côte d'Azur. All the best
It's hard to get wet in something like that. Currently, August, wherever it is, can be difficult anywhere, comrades. If you want to be safe, it is always better to book 😉
Molt intetessant la route. Do you know the budget spent on these days? Pel that fa to campsites, motorhome areas, parking lots,…
Moltes gràcies