Slovenia Budget Travel Guide: A European gem at a lower price
Slovenia has all of the appeal of its neighbors Italy, Switzerland, and Austria but for a much lower price tag.
It’s packed with equal parts natural treasures — think snow-capped mountains, alpine lakes, and unreal underground caverns — and cobblestone streets and castles in charming towns and villages like the capital city Ljubljana.
Use this Slovenia budget travel guide, so you can visit without breaking the bank.
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Slovenia Budget Travel Guide
Cheapos take note the next time you’re planning a trip to Europe. Slovenia may be just what you’re looking for. Here are our top tips for making the most of your time and money in Slovenia.
Tips for getting to Slovenia for less
While currently there are no direct transatlantic flights into Slovenia’s main airport in Ljubljana, there are deals to be had for folks willing to make a stop or two. We recently found deals on Turkish Airlines or Air Serbia with stopovers in Istanbul or Belgrade, for a Saturday-to-Saturday trip. For an even cheaper flight into Europe, consider flying into Venice via Madrid with American Airlines or Iberia. We found flights starting under €400. From Venice, you can hop a bus, train or rideshare into Slovenia, or even all the way to the Slovenian capital starting at €12, although we’d recommend renting a car.
If you’re already in Europe, direct flights into Ljubljana from major European airports can be pricey. To reduce costs, consider making a connection, or flying out of secondary airport such as London’s Luton Airport. Another cheap option is flying into Venice with a budget carrier. It’s only a few hours from Slovenia’s gorgeous Adriatic coast.
Getting around Slovenia on a budget
Public transport
Trains and buses are certainly reasonably priced and widely available around Slovenia, but they don’t always help you explore the beautiful countryside.
Renting a car
For maximum flexibility on where you go and stay in Slovenia, we’d recommend renting a car. Roads are in pretty good condition and toll-ways throughout the country are a breeze to navigate, you just buy a tag to stick in the window for however many days you’ll be driving, and parking is free of charge or cheap at most accommodations. Which brings us to our next point — a vehicle means having a lot more flexibility in where you sleep. Besides, renting a car is as reasonable or more so than taking transit, especially for folks who aren’t going solo. Weekly rates start at around €100. Search for car rentals in Slovenia.
Villa Istra is a 4-star stay in Slovenia with rooms around $100 if you book early.
Budget accommodations in Slovenia
Cheap hotels
Accommodations in Slovenia are a serious bargain, including in Ljubljana, the country’s biggest city. For the best possible prices on hotel rooms, try to time your visit for September through late fall. Slovenia is a popular destination for sports like skiing in the winter and hiking during the summer demand during these seasons can spike up prices a bit.
Search and book more than 4,000 hotels in Slovenia
Furnished apartment stays
Clean and fully-equipped vacation apartments start at around €40 per night, especially on the outskirts of cities and around the Slovenian countryside. They’re not luxury by any means, but they’re a cheap way to explore the country. The downside? Some only accept cash.
Search for vacation rentals in Ljubljana
Get out in nature! Slovenia has beautiful mountains to explore. Photo: Bernd T.
Cheap and free things to do in Slovenia
Packed with beautiful scenery, from rolling hills terraced and seeded with grape vines for its famous wines to an Adriatic coastline every bit as beautiful as the Croatian and Italian portions, much of what there is to be seen in Slovenia comes with no entry fee.
Here are our top picks for sightseeing in Slovenia that won’t cost you a bundle:
Piran
Walk along the beach and sunbathe in Piran for a warm escape to the Adriatic Sea. The city is also an excellent place to eat seafood on budget — we had a generous calamari platter for two with wine for around €10 per person in the Old Town. The scenery here is stunning!
Search for hotels and vacation rentals in Piran
Ljubljana
Hike through the forest park on the outskirts and walk around the castle for sweeping views of Slovenia’s capital and largest city. Parts of the Castle are free to enter such as the ramparts, the dungeons, and of course, the gift shop featuring locally made souvenirs. Skip the funicular unless you’re exhausted, it’s all downhill back to the city center. Read our budget guide to Ljubljana for more tips.
Ptuj
Stroll picturesque cobblestone streets and check out the free Carnival exhibit featuring traditional costumes and photos at the city castle in Ptuj (pronounced Ptooey), the oldest continuously inhabited city in Slovenia.
Lake Bled
This bright blue glacial lake with a castle perched behind it is worth a stop on your Slovenian itinerary. Take a few laps around the edge of Lake Bled in Bled to soak in the views of the picturesque church on the island in the middle. If you’re feeling spendy and the weather cooperates, you can always spring for a €12 ride in a traditional Pletna Boat out to the island in the middle to get a closer look at Assumption of Mary Church.
Search for accommodations in Bled
Lipizzaner
Get a glimpse of the famous Lipizzaner horses at the Lipizzaner stud farm for free (skip the guided tour unless you’re really crazy for horses). Note that you will have to pay €3 for parking if you don’t spring for the tour.
Exploring the famous Skocjan Caves is well worth the entry fee. Photo: TravelingOtter
Skocjan Caves
In addition to the above, there is one major attraction in Slovenia that shouldn’t be missed and is worth every last cent of the steep €16 entry fee: Skocjan Caves.
Complete with an underground river and chambers with up to 140-meter tall ceilings, the caverns are definitely one of the most memorable caves, scratch that, natural phenomena we’ve ever had the privilege to visit. If there was only time to see one thing in Slovenia, this would top our list — the inside of these caves feels like something out of a movie, a place that could only exist in a fantasy world. This despite the fact that the caves can only be explored on a guided tour with 50 to 100 other visitors.
That said, there are a couple of things to consider when visiting the caves:
1. There are lots of stairs and walking involved — the tour isn’t a good choice for anyone that’s not 100% independently mobile.
2. Don’t be fooled into booking the less expensive self-guided tour — while it’s very nice as an add-on, it can’t compare to the guided tour — trust us, we did both just to be sure.
Grilled trout is a local delicacy in Slovenia. Photo: Joel B
Cheap eats in Slovenia
For the best prices on food, put some distance between you and major attractions before searching out a restaurant. That said, even the eats at busy tourist sites seem cheap when compared to elsewhere in Europe. For example, at the restaurant at Skocjan Caves, a sandwich the size of an adult’s forearm is €5 and a cappuccino is €1.5.
Set menus for lunch
In Slovenian cities like Ljubljana and Maribor, restaurants offer fixed-price menus at lunch that are reasonably priced and generous with portions. Lunch menus start at around €8.
Try other cuisines
Budget-conscious folks can feast for even less at ethnic restaurants offering Bosnian, Serbian, and Turkish specialties.
Don’t shy away from pizza
Pizzas are also very, very cheap here, with Italian-style pies starting at €5. Also, if you’re working towards a degree or certification, bring your ID, in some cities, restaurants offer discounted meals specifically for students.
Your tips for Slovenia
Have you been to Slovenia? Share your favorite stories and tips in the comments below!
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