If you’re looking for the perfect short road trip across one of the most beautiful parts of Europe, you NEED to check out this 6 day road trip itinerary from Trieste, Italy, to Lake Bled, Slovenia. It was the perfect trip to celebrate my birthday while enjoying the perfect combination of hiking, adventure and outdoors alongside some amazing foodie experiences and local wine. It’s also one of the most budget-friendly road trips I have done in Europe and a super easy route to drive.
Road tripping is such a great way to explore Europe and to get off the beaten track. I’m all about finding the lesser known hidden gems and hiring a camper van or car when you travel gives you the opportunity to step off the same routes that everyone else is doing. Italy is one of my favourite countries, but taking this road trip pushed me to explore Trieste, a region I might not have travelled to otherwise. It also meant discovering waterfalls where I was the only person there when driving from Italy to Slovenia. There are always new places to explore, even when visiting popular destinations, you just need to try travelling a little bit differently.
This blog post covers the following:
- Road Trip Planning: Italy to Slovenia
- Hiring a Car: Driving From Italy To Slovenia
- 4 Tips for Hiring A Car In Italy and Slovenia
- A 6 Day Road Trip Itinerary From Italy to Slovenia
| Road Trip Essentials |
| Hire a Car in Italy |
| Hire a Car in Slovenia |
| Find hotels or hostels |
| Find activities for Lake Bled |
| Get an eSIM |
What city in Italy is close to Slovenia?
Trieste, Italy’s capital of coffee, is the closest city to Slovenia and sits just over the border. If you’re planning to road trip to Slovenia, while you can fly into Ljubljana, I actually found that both flight times and prices were better from the UK if you flew into Trieste, in Italy. This was what inspired my road trip as I was determined to explore Slovenia and the Julian Alps. Trieste is a lesser-known gem to us Brits, so it’s a great opportunity to explore a much quieter Italian city, that still exudes a unique seaside charm that I haven’t experienced elsewhere.
>> Find cheap flights from the UK to Trieste
>> READ: 16 Tips for Finding Cheap Flights for any Destination in 2024
How many days are needed in Slovenia?
How long is a piece of string? Slovenia is just a small country within Europe – 12 times smaller than the UK to be precise – but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot to see. You could easily spend weeks or even a month on a road trip in Slovenia and you still wouldn’t see everything. If you’re on limited time or annual leave, I suggest just picking a few key areas that you want to explore – for instance I chose Trieste, Lake Bled and a stop-off in-between. That gave the perfect distance to drive over six days, with day trips plus luxury and budget hotels in Lake Bled and Trieste. It meant we could enjoy an active and adventurous Lake Bled itinerary, but while still relaxing and taking a slow pace for the trip.
>> READ: The 6 Best Backpacker Hostels in Lake Bled
Can you drive between Italy and Slovenia?
Yes, it’s very easy and budget-friendly to drive from Italy to Slovenia and makes a great road trip even for those who are nervous to hire a car abroad. Car hire from Trieste Airport starts from just £19 a day. If you fly into Trieste and hire a car at Trieste Airport, you can then drive the 94km between Trieste and Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, in 1 hour and 20 minutes. There are lots of places you can stop off along the way to explore, including beautiful waterfalls and hikes. Then you can easily drive to Lake Bled and the Triglav National Park if you wish to explore further.
4 Tips for Hiring A Car In Italy & Slovenia
1. Unlimited Fuel & Named Drivers
Hot tip – always book a car with unlimited fuel to avoid getting stung by extra fuel costs. The distance between Italy and Slovenia is quite low so you’ll likely only fill up when you return to the airport to drop off the car like we did. You can also keep car hire costs low with just one named driver and pick a comprehensive insurance just in case.
2. Taxes & Vignettes
You will pay an additional tax on your car hire for crossing the border from Italy to Slovenia – it’s €13 – and you also need to get the vigneta (vignette) to drive on the Slovenian highway – get it online for €16.
3. Download Offline Maps
Download offline maps for easy navigation on your road trip, or do what I did and get an eSIM for Italy and one for Slovenia. It makes life much easier, plus helps you spot any speed cameras and plan your route on the go! I use Airalo which is available in 200+ countries and it makes travelling so much easier!
4. Check for Parking!
Make sure you book accommodation with private parking, or street parking close by. It’s easy to forget until you arrive and not every city is easy to find parking in. Trieste was great for city parking, there was a big multi-storey car park right by our accommodation which we used. In Lake Bled, we chose an accommodation which had private parking as it’s more limited around the lake.
A 6 Day Road Trip Itinerary From Italy to Slovenia
If you’re looking for the perfect 6 day road trip itinerary – I’ve got it covered. We had the dreamiest and most relaxed road trip from Trieste, Italy, to Lake Bled, Slovenia. There are so many routes you can do – you could easily include a pitstop in Llubljana or even do this road trip backwards!
Day 1 – Arrive in Trieste
- Fly into Trieste Airport
- Pick up your hire car at Trieste Airport
- Drive to the city and park at Park San Guisto
- Stay at CASA Room Apartments Diaz 8
- Walk along the waterfront and stop for a sunny drink at Il Piguino
- Explore the city on foot and check out sights including Canal Grande di Trieste, Serbian Othodox Church and the Roman Theatre of Trieste.
- Pop into Gelato Marco for delicious gelato
- Wander the streets and visit the vintage and antique stores.
- Sunset drinks at Pier The Roof
- Dinner at Ciò che piace – try the lobster!
Day 2 – Drive to Lake Bled
- Start the morning with a coffee and pastry at White Cafe – they also do great sandwiches!
- Spend the morning exploring Castello di San Guisto and Catthedrale di San Giusto Martire – make sure you’re carrying cash so you can go up in the tower!
- Pick up your luggage and the car to start your drive over to Slovenia.
- Drive out of the city and stop at Waterfall Rosandra / Slap Glinščice for a short hike and to visit the waterfall
TOP TIP: If you want to hike down to the waterfall, follow the trail up until you reach a wooden bridge. It’s not clearly marked so stick with it, you will know when you are there. It won’t look accessible to reach the waterfall but it is an easier climb down than it looks. Start to descend down the valley until you reach the waterfall. Make sure you wear good trainers and take it slow.
- Take a dip in the fresh mountain waters then hike back to the car
- Drive to Lake Bled
- Stay at Apartments Ledrar in Bled
- Sunset walk and drink at Grand Hotel Toplice lakeside bar
- Dinner at Old Cellar Bled
Day 3 – Explore Lake Bled
- Start the morning by picking up delicious pastries from Pekarna Planika
- Then take a stroll around Lake Bled (6km walk)
- Stop to hire a rowing boat (from Rent a Sup/boat Vila Bled €10 cheaper than others!)
- Row around the lake and to Bled Island
- Explore Bled Island & visit Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary where you can ring the bell to make your wish come true!
- Continue your walk around the lake & head up to Bled Castle
- Enjoy a traditional Bled cake at Bled Castle Restaurant with a view of Bled Island
- You can also enjoy a wine tasting at Bled Castle – just look for the wine cellar (it’s cheap & no booking required!)
- Finish the day with dinner at Tales of Us – try the truffle octopus!
- Before a nightcap at Devil’s Bar Bled
Day 4 – Adventures in Triglav National Park
Option 1:
- Pick up picnic supplies at the supermarket, pack water and sunscreen
- Head to Vintgar Gorge early to miss the crowds – 5.5km hike easy
- Drive to Savica Waterfall – 1.8km hike moderate
- Stop at Vogar Viewpoint for a view of Lake Bohinj
- Finish the day at Waterfall Kozjak – 3.5km hike easy
- Dine out at Garden Restaurant or Art Cafe Bled – but be sure to book ahead as they can get busy!
Option 2:
If you fancy more of a challenge, or have an extra day to explore Triglav National Park, I really recommend the full day hike that we did while visiting. The Seven Lakes Valley Day Hike is around 20km and passes several beautiful alpine lakes and huts. The scenery is incredible and the hike is very challenging. It’s not for the faint-hearted but oh so worth it for those who go for it. We only saw 5 people the entire day!
Day 5 – Lake Bled & Driving Back to Italy
- Take a sunrise hike up to one of the main Lake Bled viewpoints – I recommend Ojstrica
- Get adventurous on Europe’s longest zipline or go tobogganing
- Take a wild swim in Lake Bled
- Visit the Postojna Cave park and nature reserve
- Take a clear kayak tour of Lake Bled
- Drive back to Trieste
- If you fancy a treat – try the 7 course seafood tasting menu at Chimera di Bacco
Day 6 – Last Day in Trieste
- Enjoy a slow morning and a last wander around Trieste
- Get a coffee and a pastry
- Check out of your accommodation
- Drive to Miramare Castle – enjoy a stroll around the grounds & castle
- Visit the coffee shop for a cake
- Make your way back to Trieste Airport to drop your hire car and fly home
Check out these awesome activities:
