Slovenia's most beautiful landscapes, my way

Bled and Bohinj from the viewpoints

The first lesson of Slovenian scenery is that height pays. Lake Bled is lovely from the shore, but from the Ojstrica viewpoint, 20 to 30 minutes on foot from Velika Zaka, the island and the castle fit in the same frame, and that’s where the postcard makes sense. Bohinj works the same way from the Vogel cable car, which the Tourist Board describes as having views of Triglav. To me, Lake Bohinj seen from above is the most complete landscape in the country, with the water, the valley and the peaks all at once. The ranking by sights and visits is in things to do in Slovenia.

Zelenci, the Soča and that coloured water

The second big theme is water. The Soča runs between pools and gorges in an emerald colour that looks retouched. Zelenci, near Podkoren, is a nature reserve with a blue-green lake fed by springs, and it’s a short walk, so it works even when you’re in a hurry. Higher up, the Triglav Lakes Valley holds seven permanent lakes and a few seasonal ones. You won’t see that from the car; it takes a proper mountain hike, and it’s the one I’d most like to have etched in my memory.

The Logar Valley and other rock-walled valleys

The Logar Valley is my favourite. It sits at the head of the upper Savinja valley, ringed by the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, and for the Tourist Board few Alpine valleys in Europe can match it. The 90-metre Rinka waterfall waits at the end. Way over to the west, in the Bohinj valley, the Savica waterfall drops 78 metres in two streams. If waterfalls are your thing, Slovenia’s waterfalls has them all. Villages have their own ranking in the prettiest villages in Slovenia, and views from above are in the best viewpoints in Slovenia.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Bohinj for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.

Strunjan and Piran, the prettiest coast

The Slovenian coast is short, 47 km according to the government, but the scenery is surprising for such a small stretch. The flysch cliff at Strunjan drops into Moon Bay, and according to the Tourist Board nothing on the eastern Adriatic stands taller. Close by, Piran is best seen from the high points of the old town, with the rooftops, Tartini Square and the sea on both sides. I’d do both on the same day.

Brda and Jeruzalem, the vineyard hills

The last kind of landscape I love is vineyard country. Brda, in Goriška, is all ridges with perched villages and the Alps behind, and from the 23-metre Gonjače lookout tower you can see the whole district. At the other end of the country, Jeruzalem is a hamlet of 46 people surrounded by vineyard hills, inside a landscape park in Pomurje. These are softer scenes with a different light, and they’re how I’d end a trip that started in the high mountains. The wines of each area are in Slovenian wine.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Bohinj for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.