3 Day Slovenia Itinerary with Kids: 2 Days in Ljubljana, 1 in Lake Bled
Unless you are LITERALLY just passing through one city on the way to somewhere else, 3 days in Slovenia is the minimum amount of time to “see” something of Slovenia.
Ljubljana and Lake Bled are two of the most visited parts of Slovenia for a reason. Seeing these highlights will give you a small but sweet taste of what the rest of Slovenia has to offer.
If you won’t have a car, getting between Ljubljana and Lake Bled is an easy connection with trains regularly throughout the day. There are also a number of wonderful tours that you can take to see Lake Bled from Ljubljana.
🛏 Where to Stay for Three Nights in Ljubliana
Because you will be exploring Ljubliana for two days and Lake Bled for one day in this itinerary, it makes most sense to stay in Ljubliana. Here are some great choices for you!
🛏 Option 2-City Hotel Ljubliana: This hotel has a beautiful rooftop restaurant and rooms to accommodate a wide range of family sizes (including triples, quads and adjoining rooms). They serve a lovely breakfast on the rooftop that is included (note on breakfast - it looks like they have some range of options for gluten free and special diets.)
🛏 Option 3-Meščanka Apartments: These apartment in Ljubljana's old town have an ideal location and have space for families. This would be a great choice, especially if you needed a kitchen or more room to spread out.
📆 Day One (Ljubljana)
🕘 9:00am
Get a good overview of Ljubliana and get the tour out of the way first while your kids are fresh. I will be honest...this was a little dry for the kids, but we did learn a lot and we covered a lot of ground. Look for ways to make it interesting for them (maybe some bubbles or making a game out of it...or candy...bribes always work!)
...Then reward them with a stop at Puffy L'il pancakes on your way to the castle! This little pancake stand was a favorite on our trip (we stopped here more than once...)
Or, if you need an option that is not pancakes, check out this fun local candy shop!
🍽 Lunch
We love visiting local markets when we travel. Learning about a place through the food that they eat is such a great hands-on education for kids. Pick up picnic supplies here and head over to Tivoli Park for a picnic!
If you happen to be visiting on a Friday from May to October, check out the Open Kitchen. A number of local restaurants set up stands with some delicious local foods to try and experience (this is in the same area as the market.)
🕐Afternoon
Spending some down time hanging out in local parks is something that we really enjoy and try to include on all of our trips. It is important for kids to have some unstructured time amidst the hustle of sightseeing.
Interacting with local kids and seeing how local families spend their leisure time can be an important cultural experience for kids, and our kids always enjoy the new friends that they make (even if they don't speak the same language).
I know that this is not a dining option that is for everybody (it isn't my thing), but it is definitely a unique local dining option close to Tivoli park.
📆 Day Two (Ljubljana)
🕘 Morning
Ljubliana Castle is a fun stop that you won't want to miss, so tackle it first thing in the morning. You can take the funicular up or walk (our kids thought that the funicular was fun). You can get some great views of the city exploring the ramparts of the castle, and there are lots of fun nooks and crannies for the kids to explore.
🍽 Lunch
This centrally located, reasonably priced spot for quick bites gets great reviews for nice sized portions. A nice outdoor space for the kids to run around and platters of kid friendly finger foods makes this a top family restaurant choice in my book!
🕐Afternoon
The House of Illusions in Ljubliana was a really fun stop for our kids. They never seem to get tired of these places, and there were some great photo opportunities to be had there.
🍽 Dinner
Dinner at Gostlina Sokol is a little "touristy" but it is still a worthwhile and fun stop for families. The inside of the restaurant as a very "old and medieval" we all enjoyed. Authentic...probably not. Fun and worthwhile...definitely!
After dinner, I left you some free time to wander the old town with ice cream, and take some of those gorgeous night photos!
Follow dinner up with ice cream at Vigo while wandering around the old town getting some fantastic pictures of the old town lit up at night.
📆 Day Three (Lake Bled):
Lake Bled is about a 45 minute drive or train ride from Ljubliana. Get an early start and head up to lake Bled. Walk around the lake and take the boat ride across (you can save some money and rent your own boat and row across for an adventure or take one of the traditional Pletna boats across). have lunch at Pizzeria Rustika for some really great pizza, and then eat some of that amazing Bled cream cake. Wrap up the afternoon with a trip to Straza Bled Adventure Park for some fun and spectacular views.
🕘 Morning
Lake Bled is a magical place. It is one of those rare places that really do look as pretty in a photo as they do in real life. The walk around Lake Bled is easy (though I don't recommend it with strollers).
There are impressive and varying views of the magical island from different spots around the lake, so if your kids are up to it, I suggest taking a couple of hours and walking around the whole lake.
Make sure you stop here for your iconic slice of Bled Cream Cake! This impressive photo spot is a little up the hill from the lake, but the views are some of the best! A little cake will help give your kids some energy for walking around the lake (or, save it as a reward for at the end!)
If you are looking for more impressive views of the lake, this is a great trail to consider. It will take about 30 minutes each way, and it is moderately challenging, as you will be climbing.
There are two ways to get out to the iconic island. You can take a traditional Pletna Boat out there, or you can have an adventure and rent your own boat and row! They are both fun (our kids loved rowing and it made it seem like a little adventure). Rowing is definitely the more budget friendly option for 3 or more people.
This is a link to the Pletna Boats...
Or, if you are feeling adventurous, you can rent your own and DIY your trip to the island!
🍽 Lunch
The reviews are spot on about this popular local pizza place in Bled. Fabulous pizzas and a super family friendly atmosphere made this a hit on our trip!
🕐 Afternoon
Bled Castle is one of the most popular things to see in Slovenia. It is the oldest castle, and it has an impressive perch, high up on the cliffs above the lake.
We had so much fun riding the chairlift and doing the mountain coaster from the top. The views from the top of the lake were really worthwhile. You should definitely make time for this while you are visiting Lake bled.
If you are looking for more adrenaline from your afternoon, you should absolutely check out the longest ziplines in Europe!
Head back to Ljubliana when you are done, with your camera filled with magical pictures and your heart filled with memories.
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