The small European country of Slovenia is rich in history, culture and natural attractions, with tourist attractions ranging from historical to natural wonders. Slovenia attracts tourists year-round, and winter is almost as busy as summer. Visitors are drawn as much for the scenic beauty of this tiny Central European country as they are for splendid cities like Ljubljana and Maribor and charming coastal towns like Piran and Izola. In order to help guide you in building a trip itinerary, below are some of the top tourist attractions in Slovenia that are sure to make your trip to this beautiful country extra special.

1. Lake Bled – the most stunning and romantic place you could ever imagine

In Slovenia, there is a real place that looks like it came from the fairy tale world! That place is beautiful Lake Bled which is a gorgeous glacier lake that was formed at the end of the Ice Age. With an iconic church nestled in a tiny island in the middle of the lake and a spectacular medieval Gothic castle built on a 100-meter cliff overlooking the lake, it’s a fairytale setting. (Image by Vicente Villamón / CC BY-SA 2.0)

 

2. Postojna Cave – the most-visited cave complex in Europe

The Postojna Cave is a stunning underground system of passages, caverns, magnificent halls and stunning stone sculptures that are more than 20 km long. It is the most visited cave in Europe and the only cave with a double-track railway in the world, where visitors can experience a thrilling train ride through the extraordinary beautiful underground landscape. Visitors explore almost six kilometres of the cave. Around 4 kilometres of the system is covered by an electric train, which takes you to the Big Mountain cavern. The ride under magnificent arches, adorned by stalactites resembling chandeliers, and through narrow passages is an experience you will remember for the rest of your life. From there, a guide accompanies you through halls, chambers and galleries in one of four languages. (Image by Donald Judge / CC BY 2.0)

 

3. Lake Bohinj – the jewel between Slovenian Alps

Lake Bohinj is Slovenia’s largest glacial lake. It’s located in the Triglav National Park in the Slovenian Alps, only 26 km from more touristy Lake Bled. The area of Lake Bohinj is stunningly beautiful with magnificent views of the lake, the picturesque Bohinj mountains, pastures with horses and cows, and charming alpine villages. Lake Bohinj is many times visited by tourists as an add-on to the more famous Lake Bled, although Bohinj is a great destination in its own right. It’s a wonderful quite place to rest and unwind as you breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the beauty of the untouched nature in Triglav National Park. (Image by ufoncz / CC BY 2.0)

 

4. Lipica Stud Farm – the cradle of the famous and elegant Lipizzaner horse

The Lipica Stud Farm is the cradle of the famous and elegant Lipizzaner (a.k.a. Lipizzan) horse. These magnificent creatures are characterised by a perfect and noble physique, the ability to learn, graceful movements, liveliness, and good nature. Lipica is one of the most important and one of the most beautiful cultural and historical monuments in Slovenia, with the history reaching back to the year of 1580. It’s recognized as the oldest European stud farm continuously breeding one of the oldest cultural horse breeds. (Image by Gorupka / CC BY 2.0)

 

5. Predjama Castle – the architectural masterpiece built in the mouth of a cave

The Predjama Castle is a beautiful renaissance castle built in the mouth of a cave in the idyllic village of Predjama in the Karst region of Slovenia. It was constructed in the Gothic style in the 13th century and is considered to be one of the more significant architectural masterpieces of that time. To prevent easy access, the castle was built under a natural rocky arch high in the stone wall. Visit to the Predjama Castle is possible 365 days per year. It’s truly a very unique and very romantic sight throughout the year – during the spring and summer months the castle’s surroundings is covered with blossoms and flowers, in the autumn months it’s clad in a variety of different colors of surrounding forests and it’s especially magical in the winter when everything is draped in white. (Image by Stephen Colebourne / CC BY 2.0)

 

6. Bled Castle – the oldest castle in Slovenia perched high above Lake Bled

Above the incredibly beautiful glacial Lake Bled, on a mighty steep cliff rising 130 meters high, is the iconic Bled Castle. It’s one of the most visited Slovene sights with over 300.000 annual guests. Bled Castle is the oldest castle in Slovenia. It was first mentioned in 1011 as Castellum Veldes (Veldes is the German name of Bled). Later on it was devastated by two earthquakes, ransacked in a peasant uprising, and finally beautifully renovated and restored in the 1950s. The entrance to the castle is particularly interesting due to its Gothic arch and drawbridge across a now filled-in moat and once you enter the castle, you’ll probably be surprised with the amount of things to do in the castle – there is a chapel, a restaurant, two courtyards, a museum, printing works and a wine cellar with wine tasting. The castle can be reached by car, but if the weather is nice, we would definitely suggest taking a 15-minute walk on a beautiful path towards the castle. (Image by Mihael Grmek / CC BY-SA 3.0)

 

7. Bled Island – the fairytale island with an idyllic baroque church on it

When people say that a place is like something from a fairy tale, often they are exaggerating, but that is not the case with this charming little tear-shaped island which is in the middle of an emerald green glacial Lake Bled with magnificent Bled Castle perched high on a cliff and overlooking this fairytale kingdom. It has such an extraordinary beautiful setting that photographs of it are regularly found in travel magazines and it’s without a doubt the most recognizable place in Slovenia. (Image by James Southorn / CC BY 2.0)

 

8. Church of the Assumption of Mary – the idyllic church on Bled island

The Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, also known as The Church of Mary the Queen or Our Lady of the Lake is located on a a tiny, tear-shaped island in the middle of an incredibly beautiful glacial Lake Bled in Slovenia. Before the church was built, Bled Island was once home to temple consecrated to Ziva, the ancient Slavic goddess of love and fertility. The temple disappeared during battles between the followers of the pagan religion and Christians, who destroyed the altar and built a church. In the 15th century, it was rebuilt in the Gothic style and a new presbytery, a freestanding bell tower and the main altar were built. In 1509 the church was damaged by an earthquake to such an extent that it required thorough renovation, and this was carried out in the Baroque style. Only the frescoes in the presbytery and a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary were preserved from the previous Gothic church. The present form of the church dates from the 17th century when it was renovated after another earthquake. The main altar with its rich gold-plated carving, dates from 1747. (Image by Lemsipmatt / CC BY-SA 2.0)