Looking at including Slovenia in your next trip to Europe? Here is a great option for spending three lovely days in this stunning country that are filled with family friendly activities.
Love this itinerary? Look in my shop for more Slovenia itineraries, or work with me to curate your perfect Slovenia itinerary, customized for your needs.
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 3 Nights Near Lake Bled
🛏 Option 1 - Tourist Farm Dolinar Krainer: This is my TOP recommendation for staying near Lake Bled. This farm is located a few minutes outside of the city. It is up in the hills above the lake, about 10 minutes away.They offer apartments that are great for families, and the most satisfying breakfast, including farm fresh goat cheese each day. I know that Iza, the owner, will take great care of you if you stay here!
This is our favorite place to stay near Lake Bled. It is not right in Bled, so you will need a car to get up here (it is about 10 minute outside of Bled). This farmstay has lovely apartments that accommodate families well, and the most delightful breakfast each morning (including goat cheese from the farm's goats). I promise if you stay here, you will be well taken care of!
Add to
Details
🛏 Option 2 - Camping Bled: We discovered this place while we were walking around Lake Bled and I immediately put it on my short list for family friendly accomodations near Lake Bled. The apartments are fully equipped and have spectacular views (they call them "glamping" but these are way better than that). They have a nice beach on the lake which would be fun for kids in the summer, and they also offer family activities.
If we were looking for a family friendly place to stay, right on the banks of Lake Bled, THIS is where we would go. The campground has a great beach for the kids to play on, and super cute little camping cabins with great views that are really reasonably priced!
Add to
Details
📆 Day One: Lake Bled
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.
Lake Bled is truly one of those places that looks like a fairy tale! Our kids had fun walking around the lake, and the photos were just as pretty as you see in the pictures. The walking is easy...the path is paved and easily doable for stroller. There are different photo viewpoints around the lake, so if you can spend a couple hours walking the whole path, I think this is the best experience.
Add to
Details
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!)
Bled Cream cake with a view. A must if you are visiting Lake Bled.
Add to
Details
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.
If you want a beautiful viewpoint of the lake and island, and you are feeling adventurous (or your kids are a little older) this is the easiest hike to attempt to get wider views. It is supposed to take 10 minutes each way (triple that with kids), and it is marked on the tourist maps around town.
Add to
Details
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 the traditional way to get out to the island...being an Oarsman who propels the Pletna boats if a protected profession. There were 22 original families who were chosen to ferry pilgrims across the lake, and many of the oarsmen today still descend from those original families. The ride takes about 20 minutes each way.
Add to
Details
Or, if you are feeling adventurous, you can rent your own and DIY your trip to the island!
This is definitely the more adventurous way to get across the lake (and quite a bit cheaper than seats for a family on the Pletna boats). Our kids had a lot of fun helping row there and back (and it gave them something to do to burn off some energy!)
Add to
Details
🍽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!
This was one of our favorite restaurants of the trip. The pizza was as great as the reviews say, and it was really family friendly!
Add to
Details
🕐 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.
Spectacular views from here...definitely worth a visit.
Add to
Details
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.
The views from the top are fantastic, and we all had a great time here riding the chairlift up and taking the alpine coaster back down. This is a nice way to wrap up the afternoon with kids...something fun that they can look forward to.
Add to
Details
If you are looking for more adrenaline from your afternoon, you should absolutely check out the longest ziplines in Europe!
This wasn't her during our visit, but this is definitely on our list for next time we are near Lake Bled! It looks like a blast!
Add to
Details
📆 Day Two: The Vintgar Gorge and Lake Bohinj
🕘 9:00am
The Vintgar Gorge is a super rewarding hike with kids. It really looks as pretty as it does in the pictures (if you want those nice photos with no people in them, plan to get here by 9am when it opens as this is one of the most popular hiking trails in Slovenia.)The trail is easy and level, but it can be narrow in spots, so I would not suggest it for strollers.
This place really is as beautiful as it looks in the pictures, and it is a SUPER easy and fun hike with the kids. If you are fixated on getting those pretty photos you see with no one in them, get here EARLY (9am). This is one of the busiest hikes in Slovenia...
It was an easy 3 km hike total (1.5 km each way.) It is an easy trail, but skinny in spots, so I would not recommend it with a stroller.
This is my top recommendation for family friendly dining near Lake Bohinj. The food is kid friendly, and there are beautiful views of the lake from the outdoor tables. Oh, and when we were there, there was a fun little playground...and goats. Enough said.
They have a super cute little guesthouse that you can also stay in!
If you feel like we did at this point in our trip, a really great burger might be welcome. This is a realle solid burger place.
Add to
Details
🕐 Afternoon Options
There is more to do here than you will have time to do in one afternoon.
Ribčev Laz is the largest town in the area, and the spot where you will want start your explorations after you have had lunch. You can park for free at the tourist information office
This is the largest town around Lake Bohinj, and a great place to start your exploration. You can park for free at the tourist information office, and get pictures by the iconic bridge and church that make this little town so well known.
The Vogel Cable Car was a highlight of our time in this area. The ride to the trop was thrilling, and the views of the lake from the top were unbeatable.
When you get off the cable car, don’t be in a huge rush to exit. Some of the best photos are right from the cable car platform, and once you exit, you will not be able to get there again.
This is a stunning waterfall and and an iconic photo stop. If you have small kids, I would think twice about this hike. It was 500 steps and was challenging for me as a relatively fit adult.
This is a low key way to see the lake from a different perspective.
Add to
Details
📆 Day Three: Ljubliana
Ljubljana Castle and Funnicular, Free Walking Tour, Ljubljana Central Market, Dinner at Gostlina Sokol, ice cream for dessert at Vigo. This is doable in one day because Ljubljana is so compact and all of these things are in the same area.
The castle is really lovely and not something you should miss. There are stunning views of the city from the ramparts, and the castle has lots of nooks and crannies for the kids to explore. make sure to take the nearby funicular up for more family fun!
Our kids LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED this place so much, we went back at least twice during our visit. This would be a great way to entice them to go on the free walking tour (which I admit, can be a little boring for kids), as it is nearby where teh tour starts and ends.
We love visitng local markets. Looking at the local culture through the lens of its food is a great way to learn about the place that you are visiting. Slovenia is a very "farm to table" sort of country, and so their market is filled with local vendors who make their products from the land.
Touristy? Yes. An experience that you should have with kids while you are in Ljubliana? ABSOLUTELY! We loved our meal here...the atmosphere inside the restaurant was really fun!
Vigo Ice Cream is a mmust if you are visitng Ljubliana. Their creative flavors were a hit with us and our kids alike.
Add to
Details
❓❓❓ Are you looking for some other short Slovenia itineraries? I created a guide with three different ways to see Slovenia in 3 days. There are two other great itineraries that I have curated for you from our own Slovenia adventures, which you can find here.
Hey! I am Shanna. I am a family travel expert who has been to over 45 countries, and I can't wait to help you plan an enriching, life changing trip with your kids!
It is easy to plan a pretty trip with lots of fun stops and neat things to see (heck, AI can even do this for us now). Why should you work with me? The difference is that I have been an ACTUAL travel agent in real life.
It is really easy put together all sorts of fun things on an itinerary on paper, but being responsible for creating dozens upon dozens of trips for families that actually happened and worked gives me a whole different level of expertise that most of the folks on this site don't have.
It means that I am only going to put reputable suppliers into your itinerary that I KNOW will give you the experience that you are looking for. It means that I am going to look at your itinerary from a bird's eye perspective, looking for friction points or possible problems. It means that I feel a higher level of RESPONSIBILITY for making sure your trip goes as planned.
Travel experience is irreplaceable, but it is also SUBJECTIVE. Having been a travel agent means that I combine my extensive travel knowledge WITH hundreds of hours of actual education about destinations.
I have spent over 25 years of my life in the travel industry, including time in the hospitality/hotel world, the airline world and also as a travel agent.
Having visited over 45 countries, I truly believe that travel changes lives. It has given our kids a deeper perspective on the world. Travel has made them flexible and adaptable. It has opened their hearts to other cultures and shown them that our actions truly have global consequences. THIS is my why.
As a family, we seek out immersive, authentic travel experiences that enrich our lives, deepen our understanding and help us create lifelong family memories. Life is so busy. I love helping families make uninterrupted time to be together creating those memories.
