Hiking, Boating and Cycling

A Slovenia Family Holiday

DAY 1 Arrive in Slovenia and Head to the Julian Alps

Your Slovenia family holiday starts today with a direct flight to Ljubljana from London at around lunchtime. The flight takes just two-and-a-quarter-hours. On arrival, collect your hire car (and car seats - if required), and drive to your first destination: a lovely wood-clad lodge near Lake Bohinj in the shadow of the Julian Alps. The drive will take an hour, so you'll have time to stretch your legs this afternoon before supper at the hotel and an early night after a long day for the children.

DAY 2 A Scenic Drive to Soca

You have another active day ahead of you today on your family holiday to Slovenia as you make your way to Soca, which sits on the other side of Trigavski National Park. The drive takes a total of two hours as you have to loop around the perimeter of the park, but you'll have extra time to stop off along the way. We recommend spending some time at the pretty valley village of Kranjska Gora, and nearby Lake Jasna - the ideal spot to stretch your legs and soak up the scenery.

As you continue on your way from the lake towards Soca, you'll drive via the Vršič Pass, one of the most scenic roads in the world with its hairpin turns and dramatic views of the Julian Alps.

Once you arrive in Soca, grab some lunch before you get ready for your activity-filled afternoon. You'll have the choice of canyoning, kayaking or rafting on the Soca River, and you can even add on some time hiking and cycling if you feel like it. The river is famous for its deep emerald colour and brisk rapids, and it always draws in watersports enthusiasts, particularly fans of kayaking and fishing, as well as photographers and people looking to relax in pristine natural surroundings.

If you want to end the day with a spot of culture, we can organise a trip to the Kobarid World War One Museum - a 30-minute drive away - or alternatively you can head straight to your hotel just a few minutes' drive away where you'll be staying tonight.

DAY 3 History and Horses in Lipica

There's a two-hour drive ahead of you today, but the scenery as you snake along the border with Italy makes the long journey all the more enjoyable, and the destination is more than worth it. Your destination is a stud farm that dates back to the 16th century, situated in the village of Lipica. The original home of Lipizzaner horses (of Spanish Riding School in Vienna fame), there is a strong equestrian history and tradition here, which you'll learn about on a carriage ride and a private tour of the stalls.

You'll have ample time to roam and explore the farm - including a lunch break for you to enjoy a picnic - and once you're finished you can drive to Portoroz, a coastal Istrian village around 40 minutes away where you'll be staying for the next three nights.

DAY 4 Explore Piran Old Town and Parenzana

You'll have the opportunity to explore both sides of the Slovenian-Croatian border today. Start your morning in the coastal town of Piran with a private tour. With a strong Mediterranean vibe, Piran is often referred to as Slovenia's prettiest town and the Old Town is a particularly lovely place to explore on foot and get lost in winding, cobbled streets.

After stopping for lunch overlooking the water, you'll cross the border into Istria, Croatia, to take a cycling tour of Parenzana with a private guide. Once a narrow-gauge railway which connected Trieste with Porec from 1902 until 1935, this route is now popular with cyclists who want to get lost in nature and the bridge is a particularly scenic spot to stop and soak up the unspoilt Croatian landscapes. We can also arrange a visit to the Fonda Fish Garden or organize a trip to go truffle hunting.

DAY 5 Postojna Cave

Today you'll be leaving the south-west coast behind and head towards the next stop on your Slovenia family holiday - Otocec. Along the way you'll visit Postojna Cave for a two-hour guided tour through the web of tunnels and halls which are filled with jagged karst limestine formations. Just 15 minutes away from the cave is Predjama Castle. Perched high up in a vertical cliff, in the idyllic village of Predjama, this castle is popular year-round, surrounded with wildflowers during the spring and summer and becoming a snow-blanketed winter wonderland during the colder months.

From the castle it's a 90-minute drive towards Otocec, where you'll be staying for the next three nights. Check into your luxury lakeside hotel and take the rest of the evening to relax and settle in.

DAY 6 Explore Ljubljana

We recommend rising early today to ensure you get a full day in the country's capital, Ljubljana. It's just a 50-minute drive to the capital and once you're there you can park up your car at your hotel before heading out to explore with a guide on a private guide.

Your guide will elaborate on Ljubljana's history at the crossroads of Europe and show you some of the more secret corners of Slovenia's capital. Visit the Town Hall, learn about the city's architectural evolution up to and including the input from national hero Joze Plecnik, famed for his idiosyncratically Slovenian adaptations of Art Nouveau. He has been called 'Ljubljana's Gaudi' in acknowledgement of his influence on the city's architecture (as Gaudi had on Barcelona), and your guide will show you Plecnik's architectural masterpieces such as the Napoleon monument and the Triple Bridge, always with an eye on keeping the children entertained.

Then take to the water of the Ljubljanica River which loops around the Old Town making this technically another of Slovenia's river islands. The one-hour cruise along the river and offers you another perspective on the city, this time from the comfort of your flat-bottomed wooden boat.

Back on dry land, it's time to tackle the focal point of the entire the city: Ljubljana Castle, perched on a wooded hilltop with spectacular views out over the city and beyond. Take the funicular ride and then wander around the castle with your guide, learning about its interesting history and unusual quirks, such as the 19th century well crane that hoists water as well today as when it was installed. Soak up the superb views back across the city before returning to your hotel and out on the town for one last dinner in the Slovene capital.