Bohinj: Best Travel Guide
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I don’t know how many things you know about it, but Bohinj is one of those places where you can envision yourself getting old and spending your days watching gorgeous mountain views and drinking hot cocoa. This article is meant to be a Bohinj best travel guide that you could find .
During our trip to Slovenia, unfortunately, we spent only 2 days in Bohinj and that’s my only regret from that trip. If I knew how astonishing and unique Bohinj is, I would have planned at least a week in this dreamy land. What I’m trying to say is that with certainty Bohinj should be a bucket list item.
Is Bohinj worth visiting?
I’m starting this article by answering one of Google’s most asked questions. Is Bohinj worth visiting? I know that Bled and especially Bled Lake are more famous than Bohinj but more famous doesn’t always mean better or more beautiful. On that note, I wrote a travel guide featuring Bled, with all the best things to visit and do, which you can check here.
To not keep you wondering, the short answer is YES, Bohinj is definitely worth it! And you will see why throughout this article, but here is a short list of the reasons that will convince you to add this place to your travel bucket list:
- If you like to visit underrated places, especially hidden mountain villages, then you need to visit Bohinj. We traveled to Bohinj from Bled and the whole trip felt like we were entering an authentic idyllic place. This part of the country felt secluded and it was love at first sight.
- If you love mountain views with mountain lakes, gorgeous waterfalls and hiking trails through charming gorges, then Bohinj is for you (more about this further in this article).
- Maybe this is a weird one, or it may seem corny, but if you are a fan of delicious pies eaten in a mountain valley, then you definitely need to add Bohinj to your bucket list (just wait until you see the photos)
- If you prefer places with fewer crowds and with a more serene atmosphere, then you should definitely visit Bohinj. All the time we spent there felt like therapy and it did wonders for my mental health. We spent our evenings roaming the village or staying near the lake and enjoying all that peaceful energy.
How to get to Bohinj:
Depending on your travel plans or itinerary, there are several ways to get to Bohinj. Assuming you are coming from the capital, Ljubljana you can rent a car, take the bus or the train. If you are visiting Bled, you can also take the bus.
That being said, in terms of traveling in Slovenia, if you can, of course, I highly encourage you to rent a car. Visiting by car will make the Slovenia experience memorable because this is such a wonderful and picturesque country. You will fall in love with every mountain landscape and all the greenery.
Where to stay in Bohinj:
I visited Bohinj only one time, but I really need to recommend this accommodation, because it was perfect!
Apartment House Jager was the ideal place for us. Our room had a beautiful mountain view, as you can see in the photos below (and yes, you are encouraged to gawk at them as much as you want). Breakfast was also included and it was very good. The host was welcoming and took such good care of us. He also provided us with a map and explained how we could get around. Remember the amazing pies I mentioned at the beginning of this article? Well, our host was the one that recommended we do a well-known hike to get the delicious goodies. Hikes and pies?! Hook me in!
No matter how much research I do before a trip, often the best tips come from the hosts. And it makes sense, the locals know all the secrets, the secluded places or the best restaurants.
Our mornings at Apartment House Jager were perfect! We woke up facing a magnificent mountain sight, we ate a delicious breakfast and drank our coffee while making plans for that day. I don’t know about you, but this is the ideal traveling morning.
Pro tip: while searching for a place to stay in Bohinj, try to find one that has a view facing the mountains. Believe me, waking up and enjoying your hot coffee or tea on the balcony will become a cherished memory. I mean, just look at these photos…this was our view from Apartment House Jager.
Things to do in Bohinj:
Walk around Bohinj during the evening time
I fell in love with the atmosphere and serenity of this secluded village from the first breath of fresh air I took in Bohinj. Our walk took place during the evening and as we strolled through the picturesque streets we witnessed how people enjoyed their day-to-day lives.
Bohinj reminded me that beauty and happiness often come from simple and mundane things. While walking through the cute little houses, we observed people in their gardens finishing the last chores of the day. We admired all the flowers that the narrow streets were decorated with and every wooden bench that invited us to rest and be part of the story. In my opinion, Bohinj tells a story. A story about people living close to nature, about exquisite landscapes and adventures that wait for you to wake up every morning and be part of them.
That evening reminded me how much I miss the silence and serenity of a mountain village. It made me think about my childhood which I spent mostly with my grandparents in the countryside. How simple, but perfect and memorable were those days, when we ate fruits and veggies from my grandmother’s garden, when we enjoyed our meals outside every evening and when we spent our night in tranquility reading books and waking up to the sounds of birds or chickens. Maybe you think I’m a little off track here, but these kinds of feelings are proof of how magical a place can be. And I will never stop reminding you that traveling isn’t only about checking landmarks off your lists or taking photos for Instagram. Traveling is also about special and magical moments which transpose you to another time, or about the memories you make that will warm your heart every time you remember a certain trip.
If you are living in a big and crowded city, like me, Bohinj will appear very cozy to you and almost bizarre (the calmness can be strange when you live in the city). I’m so used to the city’s awful noise, that I find this level of simplicity ideal for my mental health. I know there are a lot of travelers like me out there, people that will appreciate a simple place like Bohinj, instead of a very popular landmark. This article is for you, my friends, written straight from my heart (and hey, I’m not a cheesy person at all).
Hike Mostnica Gorge and Voje Valley
The gorge starts in Stara Fuzina village. There is also a parking lot available if you are traveling by car.
If you love to include hikes on your travel itineraries, or if you love to spend as much time as possible in nature and admire mountain landscapes, I highly recommend you add Mostnica Gorge to your bucket list when you visit Bohinj.
Also, I would add that if you are a pie lover, then most definitely add Mostnica Gorge to your itinerary, because at the end of the trail you will be impressed by the best pie you are going to taste. I almost want to go back to Bohinj only to eat that delicious homemade dessert again.
Mostnica Gorge is a place where you can witness nature being at its best, with interesting reshaped rocks, crystal clear waters, waterfalls and rich flora. The whole trail is made of unique and picturesque landscapes that will catch your eye at every step. This is not one of those boring hiking trails, where every step looks like the previous one.
The trail starts with the gorge, and after that, it follows an easy hike to the Voje Valley and Okrepcevalnica or Mostnica slap waterfall, which can be found at the very end of the trail. When you walk through the gorge, look out for a unique and interesting rock formation that is shaped like an elephant. We almost missed it and it was so ironic because we captured it in a lot of photos. Can you spot the elephant in the picture below?
Now, about that amazing pie, I already mentioned. In Voje Valley you will find Koca na Vojah. This is a mountain hut that offers a variety of homemade foods, like soups and pies.
After we visited the waterfall, we decided to eat something and drink coffee at the hut. And let me tell you, that was the best decision ever. We got two pies with our coffee: blueberry and apricot. When I stare at the photos I want to cry, because the pies were so gooooood. Without exaggerating, that moment with my coffee and my pie in Voje Valley was my favorite moment of the entire trip. I still daydream about it.
Visit Bohinj Lake
You can’t visit Bohinj without going to Bohinj Lake and taking in all the beauty. There are some amazing views from the shore. We spent a few hours on the shore, ate ice cream, fed the ducks, relaxed and took a lot of photos. And girl, take that flowery dress on you (or boy, whatever floats your boat) because near lake Bohinj you will capture shots to die for! I was sad that I didn’t think to dress up a little, but I didn’t expect so many Instagram-worthy angles.
Find the best-secluded spot near Lake Bohinj
If you are still with me on this article, I’m so happy that you got to this point (imagine confetti flying around). If you are going to take one thing from this post (except for the pies, of course, let’s not get crazy here, the pies are the gem and masterpiece in this post), it will be this one. This can’t be a Bohinj best travel guide without a secluded spot.
I think this is the second highlight of the Slovenia trip, after the amazing pies. How many times have I said “pies” in this article?.. Well, I will tell you, not enough times for sure (and this is not even used as a main keyword for the SEO strategy, but never mind that, this is me being a nerd as usual).
Back to what I was saying before I got distracted by food, as I usually do. I found this hidden spot by accident on a fellow travel blogger’s website, while doing my research for the trip.
Pro tip: Travel blogs are the best for finding hidden gems or underrated places in the world. To be honest, I always find the best travel information (the best value sort to speak of) by skipping the first page of Google, where you usually find well-known tourist websites that promote paid tours or only famous attractions. I use Pinterest for my trip research because chances are travel bloggers have the best content. It really depends on your travel style. If you want to see all the popular landmarks, doing your research on Google is enough. But, if you want to go deeper and find secluded viewpoints, detailed itineraries and places that aren’t that popular for the large public, then go on Pinterest. On that note, you can keep track of all my upcoming articles by following me on Pinterest (link), because this is the platform I’m most active on.
As I already mentioned, I found this place in another article and if you want to check her blog, please check it out here. Girl, if you ever come across my article, thank you for writing that blog post. It really made my travel experience in Bohinj memorable.
That being said and following the belief that sharing is caring, I want to share with you the details you need to get to this cool place. Bellow, I made this custom map for you (and by custom I mean I basically drew on Google Maps the secret trail that will get you there – I’m that fancy).
Follow the trail on foot from the parking lot that is close to the camping area of Bohinj Lake. Make sure you get there an hour before sunset to have enough time to take photos with the best lighting. Golden hour near a lake with mountains in the background sounds unreal, I know. The best part is this place is so hidden that so few tourists get there, so you will have that part of the lake all by yourself. We spent a few hours there and I think that during that time we saw only 2 people that were passing by.
Another tip: you can pack your dinner or snack and drinks and enjoy them near the lake. There is a bench, a pontoon and big rocks where you can rest your legs.
Now I will leave you with these amazing pictures…
Savica Slap
Savica Slap is one of the main attractions in Slovenia and it’s located on the western side of Lake Bohinj. This Bohinj travel guide couldn’t be complete without this magnificient waterfall.
To visit the waterfall you will need to pay for a ticket (very affordable, 3 euro/pers).
I think this is one of the most impressive waterfalls I saw. To get to the waterfall you will have to take part in a hike that includes a lot of stairs. Not gonna lie, there is a lot of them (approx. 500), but the hike overall it’s easy to do and you will also witness some outstanding mountain views along the way. If that number scares you, believe me, the whole adventure is worth the effort. Also, don’t worry because along the trail there are benches and places where you can rest your legs.
After you get to the top you will arrive on a plateau and from there take several more stairs down to get to the waterfall. There is a gate that separates the waterfall and the stairs, probably for safety precautions. And if you are asking if you could swim there, the answer is definitely no. That gate being there should tell you that already, so please be safe and don’t get around it.
One thing that stayed with me from this place was the vibration and the sounds that the waterfall was creating. We spent several moments near the gate with our eyes closed and just listened to the sounds. After our visit, we felt more energized and something changed in our overall mood. I highly encourage you to do the same and please reach out and let me know how it felt. Seriously, I’m very curious to know about your experience.
I hope that this Bohinj travel guide was useful to know and it made you fall in love with this place, as I did. If you plan to visit Slovenia and are curious to know about another amazing destination, please check out this article about Bled.