Slovenia by Campervan: 5 Days Between Mountains and Historic Villages

Slovenia was our first destination since starting our “Balkan Tour”; we had very few expectations, and that’s how we discovered this country with our own eyes, wonder after wonder. As soon as we crossed the border from Gorizia heading towards Nova Gorica, a whole range of nature nestled among the mountains opened up in front of us, a feast for the eyes, bend after bend, village after village, which immediately made us reconsider our expectations.

We decided right away not to buy the vignette, mandatory if you choose to drive on the motorway network instead, and to take slightly rough but manageable little roads with a vehicle like ours (a 5.40-metre van) and decidedly rewarding for the views.

Itinerary

On this tour we decided not to aim for the seaside tourist spots Slovenia offers, but to cross the country enjoying the mountains, visiting the capital and other villages rich in history. Here are our stops:

Day 1: Kranj

Day 2: Ljubljana

Day 3: Celje

Day 4: Maribor

Day 5: Ptuj

From here you can continue your Balkan trip like we did, heading into inland Croatia, or head back to the coast to return to Italy. Your choice!

Kranj

This town was our first pleasant discovery in Slovenia. Often forgotten or only passed through by those heading to the famous Lake Bled, it rises between two rivers and is nestled among the mountains.

Strolling through its little streets, though, you’ll notice a push towards the future when you see the splendid public library, which also offers a wonderful panoramic view over the town.

The main square, Slovenski trg, is surrounded by four buildings representing four different historical eras, and from here you can comfortably reach the Prešeren Theatre and the church with a bell tower you can climb. Crossing the bridge, you can admire a small canyon from above, reachable via a side staircase that leads to a peaceful walk immersed in nature.

During World War II, several underground tunnels were dug in the city of Kranj, still intact today and open to visitors with a guide or during special events.

The whole town can be explored on foot or by bike, but if you need it, a handy free electric shuttle will take you wherever you need to go.

As we mentioned at the start of this article, we chose to only drive on main roads. Starting from Nova Gorica, the sat nav gave us two options: go via Ljubljana or cross through the mountains. We chose the latter, unaware that it would take us along a stretch of road, the 608, spectacular but unpaved, through a rock canyon that might make you sweat quite a bit, though rewarding you with truly striking mountain views. If you’d like to take on this challenge too, pay particular attention to the length of your vehicle!

Where to sleep in Kranj

We spent a peaceful night for free near the sports centre. The centre can be reached on a 20-minute walk, and lovely walks start right from this car park — great if you’re travelling with pets. Wi-Fi access available.

Ljubljana

We talk about the picturesque capital on the banks of the Ljubljanica river in a dedicated article (which you’ll find here). It absolutely deserves a visit!

Where to sleep in Ljubljana

To visit the city we parked in the centre (for the modest sum of €0.50 an hour), while for sleeping we stayed overnight for free just outside the city near a school. A peaceful night, Wi-Fi available at the bus station. The only issue with this car park is that you risk getting blocked in because people park everywhere! 

Celje

Nicknamed the city of princes for historical reasons, in Celje you can admire the Princes’ Palace, standing in the middle of the Old Counts of Celje Square, now turned into a museum telling the city’s history.

From here you can comfortably reach Slomškov trg, home to the Abbey Church of St Daniel, the children’s museum with 300 toys, the statue of Josip Pelikan, a pioneer of photography, and that of Alma Karlin, a writer and traveller from the early 1900s, located near the station.

Along the riverside instead you’ll find the Central Library and the statue of the raftsman, commemorating the river route rafters used to transport timber to and from Celje. From here you can admire the castle, standing in a panoramic position, reachable both by car and with a half-hour walk from the centre of Celje.

Where to sleep in Celje

The city offers various places to sleep, both for free and in campervan areas. We decided to move to a free campervan area a few kilometres away, nestled in the hills.

Maribor

Maribor too boasts an imposing castle, though located right in the historic centre and decidedly less scenic than others perched on the country’s hills. We preferred to get lost among the picturesque little streets and reach the Lent district, home to the “oldest vine in the world”: for over 4 centuries this vine, a UNESCO Heritage site, has produced grapes used to make an excellent red wine, whose production is limited and reserved for the lucky few (we hope to be among them one day!).

Don’t miss a look at the façade of the post office building, standing near the huge Cathedral, next to a little street of venues ranging from local cuisine to Bosnian to Irish, plus the classic slice of pizza.

Where to sleep in Maribor

Not far from the city centre, about fifteen kilometres away, there’s a handy campervan stopover area with free services, immersed in nature and close to numerous walks.

Ptuj

The city of Ptuj rises along the Drava river in the north-eastern part of the country and is known as one of Slovenia’s oldest cities.

You can’t miss the town castle, Ptujski grad, dating back to the 13th century, and the Dominikanski samostan, an old Dominican monastery that today hosts classical music concerts.

Ptuj’s historic centre is very pleasant, dotted with very distinctive little houses and buildings, where you can also admire the Cathedral of St George and the Monument to Orpheus.

Where to sleep in Ptuj

We stayed overnight for free in a car park together with other campervan travellers. The centre can be reached on a 10-minute walk. There are no facilities, but free Wi-Fi is available in the town.

Thoughts on Slovenia

Our trip through Slovenia aboard the van was short but intense, and full of wonders for the eyes. We always felt safe, warmly welcomed by the locals’ greeting (“Dober dan”), in a country that might seem rural but is very much ahead of the curve in terms of respecting the land: well organised, dotted with bike paths, with roads in good condition and genuinely, genuinely clean.

Have you ever been to Slovenia? Any other unmissable destinations you’d recommend for the future?