Slovenia, Austria, and Croatia Itinerary: 10 Day Guide (+Map)
One of the most scenic destinations we have ever been to was without a doubt Slovenia, yet it still seems to be so little talked about in the travel world! Though directly east of Italy, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, Slovenia still seems to fly under the radar for a lot of people.
Which to be honest – just means less crowds! Yippee! While Slovenia does have some international airports, there often aren’t many flight options directly into the country itself. We suspect these logistics might be a barrier for some people to explore Slovenia, so we’ve created the itinerary below to help outline an itinerary that will show you all Slovenia has to offer, along with a couple stops in Vienna and northern Croatia! Happy traveling.
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10 Day Travel Itinerary: Vienna, Slovenia, Northern Croatia
Before we dive into each stop, we wanted to provide an overview of what the trip will look like! Generally speaking, this itinerary is a multi-city roadtrip starting from the north and moving southward.
The primary focus of the trip is to explore Slovenia in full, with bonus stops in Vienna and a couple northern destinations in Croatia before you fly back home!
We also would like to note that this guide focuses on how to coordinate the trip yourself, but there are also guided tours if you prefer to outsource any of your planning!
Stop One: Vienna, Austria
We recommend starting the trip by flying into Vienna, Austria. One of the biggest international hubs in the world, Vienna is far more than just a layover location, and you should absolutely build in a night or two (depending on your arrival time on day 1) to explore the city in full. For a complete guide on how we recommend spending your day in Vienna, check out our itinerary linked below!
- Duration of Stay: 2 Nights
- Where To Stay: Boutique Hotel Das Tigra (Hotel), Hotel Sacher Wien (Luxury), Joe & Joe (Hostel)
Stop Two: Lake Bled, Slovenia
One of our absolute favorite spots in Slovenia is the town of Bled! With a beautifully blue lake that remains refreshingly cold year round and snow-capped mountains in its backdrop, Bled is stunningly picturesque and the perfect spot to unwind for a couple of days.
- Duration of Stay: 3 Nights
- Travel Time: 4 hours and 20 minutes from Vienna
- Where To Stay: Hostel Lukna (Hostel), Adora Hotel (Luxury), Hotel Starkl (Hotel)
If you’re up for it, we recommend taking a day trip to the Soča Valley while you’re staying in Bled as well!
Stop Three: Ljubljana, Slovenia
The capital of the country, no trip to Slovenia is complete without a night in Ljubljana. A beautiful city with colorfully painted buildings and a boat-filled moat cutting right through its heart, it’s definitely worth spending a day in Ljubljana to diversify your tour through Slovenia and check out its biggest hub.
- Duration of Stay: 1 Night
- Travel Time: 42 minutes from Bled
- Where To Stay: AS Boutique Hotel (Luxury), The Fuzzy Log Hostel (Budget), Hotel Ljubljana (Popular)
Stop Four: Postojna Caves
The next stop is one of the most famous destinations in Slovenia: the Postojna Caves! While a part of most people’s itineraries, I recommend just stopping by during the day on your way to the next destination in Slovenia along the coast, as opposed to finding a place to stay near the caves themselves.
- Duration of Stay: N/A
- Travel Time: 43 minutes from Ljubljana
Stop Five: Piran, Slovenia
A beautiful getaway on the southern coast of Slovenia, our next recommendation for your trip is Piran! This beach town was an idyllic place to take a swim in the gulf and enjoy a sunset along the water!
- Duration of Stay: 1 Night
- Travel Time: 1 hour 15 minutes from Postojna Caves
- Where To Stay: Second Life Hotel (Hotel), Hostel Alieti (Hostel)
Stop Six: Baška, Croatia
Since Slovenia has no major international airports, the remainder of the trip will explore northern Croatia so that you can easily leave from Zagreb without too much driving! The first stop over the border for this itinerary is a beach town on the island of Krk called Baška!
- Duration of Stay: 1 Night
- Travel Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes from Piran
- Where To Stay: The Seafront Baska Apartment (Apartment), The Hotel Heritage Forza (Hotel), The New Lovorka Apartment (Budget)
Stop Seven: Plitvice Lakes
One of Croatia’s northern national treasures is the Plitvice Lakes National Park! This scenic UNESCO World Heritage site is home to dozens of waterfalls and is extremely picturesque. While there aren’t any major towns to explore outside of the park, we do recommend spending a night nearby so that you can have as much time as you want to explore the waterfalls.
- Duration of Stay: 1 Night
- Travel Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes from Baška
- Where To Stay: The Plitvica River House (B&B), The Grand Lakes Rooms (Hotel), The House Mara (Budget)
Stop Eight: Zagreb, Croatia
Lastly, to end your trip we recommend spending a night in Zagreb! This city is the capital of Croatia and has a lot to explore year round by ways of festivals, restaurants, museums, and beautiful architecture!
- Duration of Stay: 1 Night
- Travel Time: 2 hours from Plitvice Lakes
- Where To Stay: The Sky City Center (B&B), The Esplanade Zagreb Hotel (Luxury), The Emma Room (Budget)
From Zagreb you can fly back home to your local airport. Please let us know what your favorite part of the trip was in the comments below, happy travelling!
About the Author: Hi, I’m Jill! I am a biomedical & mechanical engineer who loves traveling during my free time. My hope is to help make it easier for others to plan their dream trips by providing firsthand experience from the places I’ve been! Read More.
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