September in Slovenia, the best balance of weather and crowds

September rain, no drama

September drops to 15.6°C in Ljubljana on the official series, 15.3°C in Maribor and 17.9°C at Portorož. What stands out is the rainfall. September is the wettest month of the year in Ljubljana (179 mm), at Postojna (182 mm), at Portorož (138 mm) and at Kredarica (242 mm). That doesn’t mean whole days of downpours, but you do want a fallback plan. Mine is caves and museums, which don’t depend on the weather, so here are Slovenia’s caves.

Lakes and mountains in September, calmer

In September Vintgar Gorge, whose season ends in October, and Bled Castle, open until 8pm, are both still running. The difference from August is the crowds. Bled, Bohinj and Jasna are peaceful and you can enjoy the viewpoints without waiting your turn. And if you coincide with the cattle coming down from the mountain pastures, Bohinj holds its «cow ball», according to the Tourist Board, a very local celebration whose date the valley’s tourist office announces each year. Higher up, temperatures drop quickly, with Rateče averaging 11.3°C and Kredarica just 2.9°C, so for any walk above the tree line I’d carry warm layers as well as rain gear. The whole valley is in Bohinj.

The coast in September, still mild

The air at Portorož averages 17.9°C in September, well below August’s 22.5°C. Without an official sea reading I won’t promise long swims, but for strolling round Piran, Izola or the Sečovlje salt pans it’s a superb time of year. If you like the coast without the crowds, September is your month, and the low evening light over Tartini Square is one of the loveliest things the Slovenian Adriatic has to offer.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Bled on Expedia and filter by area before price.

September’s holidays, working days

The official calendar has two national holidays in September, the 15th, for the return of Primorska to the homeland, and the 23rd, Sports Day, but both are working days. Nothing closes and nothing changes for visitors. The full list of holidays and days off is in Slovenian public holidays.

Harvest time, wine starts calling

Towards the end of September the country moves into my favourite season for the wine regions. Brda, the Vipava Valley and the Karst are a short hop from the coast, and October and November bring the new-wine festivals, with St Martin’s Day as the high point. The regions and their grapes are in Slovenian wine, and how autumn carries on is in Slovenia in October. The full season, September to November, is in Slovenia in autumn.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Bled and pick one that fits your day.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Bled on Booking.com and filter by area before price.