Family Holidays to Slovenia

Visit Slovenia for your perfect family friendly outdoor holiday in the sun

Your family holiday to Slovenia will begin in no time at all, as flights from the UK will get you here in just over two hours.

Slovenia is one of the most diverse countries in the world, with breathtaking snow-capped Alps, vast caves, lush green forests and quaint market villages and coastal towns. There really is an endless list of places to discover and explore in Slovenia, but what might surprise you is that there’s also plenty of places to take the kids.

Portoroz is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Slovenia and also doubles as a resort town popular with families. It’s full of bustling promenades lined with fantastic restaurants, and beaches dotted with parasols and sunloungers. A long list of fun outdoor activities are available for families to enjoy including cycling, horseback riding and chilling out on the sand. For any music lovers in the family, Portoroz has its own cultural venue with an outdoor amphitheatre that hosts concerts throughout the year.

Best family friendly beaches

Slovenia may not have the longest coastline, but what it lacks in grandeur it makes up for in family friendly activities and amenities. Portoroz is by the far the most popular seaside resort and has a nice stretch of white sand with piers leading out to the Adriatic Sea. There’s also a promenade lined with cafes and restaurants and several playgrounds by the water for kids to enjoy.

For a different type of swimming experience in Slovenia you can head inland to Lake Bled. While not a beachfront, it is a hotspot with lots of watersports activities for the family. There’s also hiking, cycling and canoeing facilities and a medieval castle in the background to top the whole experience off. Of course most people come to Lake Bled to swim in the pristine turquoise waters.

Best family activities in Slovenia

After soaking up the rays on Portoroz beach the kids might be itching to have a bit more excitement at one of Slovenia’s amusement, water and theme parks. Pustolovoski Park is located in the Slovenian forest with ropes, obstacle courses and ziplines to make your way through the wood. It’s a fun day out for any adventure seekers. If you have very small children they’ll enjoy a trip to Dino Park Bled where they can walk through fields of impressive dinosaur statues as well as replicas of Stonehenge, Easter Island and the Egyptian pyramids.

Underground trains and cavern castles

The most popular and well set up of Slovenia’s many caves, Postojna Caves have an electric train that takes you through part of the 20-kilometre cave network. Riding past wondrous stalactites and stalagmites you’ll reach the Concert Hall where displays of the blind aquatic salamander known as the human fish are kept. Kids won’t ever have seen anything like this strange creature that dwells in the caves.

You can combine your ticket here with one to Predjama Castle with a free shuttle bus between the two in July and August. This four-storey 13th-century fortress sits on a huge cliff at the mouth of a cave and tells the interesting story of Erazam, a 15th-century highwayman who used it as a hiding place before being hit by a cannonball while on the toilet.

Active kids adventures

From Bled you can take a cable car up to the mountaintop to take in the scenery – just remember to bring an extra layer. If you’re travelling in winter, hire some skis or snowboards and whizz down Straza ski slope that looks over the lake and castle. Sporty’s Snow Park is ideal for children to gain their confidence before heading out onto the piste.

Another activity for thrill-seeking kids and adults alike is white water rafting down the ultra-turquoise Soca River. Your kids might recognise the scene from Disney’s Chronicles of Narnia, part of which was filmed there. You can try out the sport between April and October, which is suitable for kids over and around 10 years of age.

If it’s not for your little ones, the nearby waterfalls and stunning landscapes will be just the ticket. Or take a trip to the Triglav National Park, which houses the Vintgar Gorge, for trails that follow the path of the river gushing below. An easy but exhilarating path, at times it passes over wooden bridges and cuts into the rocks.

Lake swims and cream cake

Northern Slovenia is where you’ll find the scene that adorns postcards across the country. Lake Bled is a brilliant blue colour, only punctuated by a tiny island with a chapel on it. Kids will enjoy taking a traditional wooden pletna boat across to the island where they can climb 99 steps to ring the church bell three times and make a wish. To one side is a tall rock mound atop which perches the medieval castle.

Swimming in the lake is another fun pastime from the swimming areas on the northern and western shores – the lake is Blue Flag certified and a fairly constant 26°C. And before you leave you must try the famous Bled kremsnita – dessert similar to a vanilla slice cream cake.

Ljubljana's delights

Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, gets a big thumbs-up from kids for the excellent Tivoli City Park, Ljubljana Zoo and the castle that peers down on the old town.

The most fun way to get up there is via the funicular, which leaves from Krekov trg every 10 minutes and gives views across to The Alps on the way.

If you have older children you might all enjoy the steep walk up from Stari trg through the narrow old town streets. Highlights of the castle include the 90-minute Time Machine tour by costumed guides and the Slovenian history exhibition.

Other family holiday destinations

For other family friendly holiday spots you don’t need to look far, just check out some of Slovenia’s neighbours like Croatia, Italy and Montenegro. But if you’re set on the natural beauty of Slovenia then have a look at our travel guide for more information on how to book your holiday. While you’re here, peruse some of our favourite family friendly hotels in Slovenia.

Croatia | Montenegro | Italy | Malta

Riviera Hotel

Overlooking the bay of Pira, you’ll have plenty of things to keep you occupied this holiday with an indoor and outdoor swimming pool as well as the largest Wai Thai massage centre outside of Thailand. While you’re enjoying a day at the spa, kids will love taking part in the fairytale yoga activities or joining in on the tennis and mini-golf games. If you’re travelling with a large group, there are family rooms available that overlook the promenade of Portoroz and the water. This is also a dog friendly hotel, so feel free to bring along the family pooch.