Volčji Potok Arboretum, the garden of two million tulips

The Souvan family’s garden

Visit Kamnik counts it among the most important historic gardens in Slovenia, and in 1999 it was declared a cultural monument of national importance. One of its best-known parts is the French garden designed by the estate’s former owner, Leon Souvan. Within the grounds there is a gallery devoted to the sculptor Janez Boljka with a display about the Souvan family, and on the long loop, the ruins of a castle and a lookout tower.

Today it holds nearly 5,000 species of trees and plants and is designed to be seen in every season. Besides the gardens there are glasshouses with a permanent cactus display and, in the warmer months, tropical butterflies, plus seasonal shows such as orchids.

When to visit Volčji Potok: tulips and beyond

The big moment is spring. From mid-April to early May the park is given over to tulips, and Visit Kamnik speaks of two million flowers every year, one for every Slovenian. That is when it is busiest, so I would go on a weekday and early.

The rest of the year the park changes with the seasons, from early spring to its winter sleep, and hosts events all year round. For families there is a big playground with trampolines, slides and climbing walls, and an exhibition of life-size dinosaurs and whales.

Opening hours, tickets and the route

The park opens every day, including weekends and public holidays. From March to October it runs from 8am to 6pm; in November, December, January and February it closes at 5pm. Last entry is an hour before closing. In 2026 tickets cost €11 for adults, €9.50 for pensioners and students, €6 for children aged 3 to 18 and €30 for a family, covering one or two adults with up to five children. Dogs pay €5. You buy at the ticket office or online.

The arboretum itself suggests two loops, always starting on the left-hand path. The short one is just over 2 km and takes between sixty and ninety minutes, with the glasshouses, the gallery and the café. The long one is over 4 km and includes the castle ruins and the lookout tower. From March to October, and only in good weather, a little road train also runs a circuit of 30 to 40 minutes.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Kamnik before prices climb.

Fitting the arboretum into a day

The arboretum is a few minutes from Kamnik, so it pairs naturally with the medieval town, or with Velika Planina if you have two days. I would make it a morning plan and leave the afternoon for the town. Coming from the capital, it is in day trips from Ljubljana, and Domžale lies on the way. If you are timing your trip for the tulips, my guide to spring in Slovenia covers what else to see in those weeks.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Kamnik before prices climb.