Playful family holidays 

Slovenia is the perfect country for family holidays. Pristine nature found between the Alps, the Mediterranean, and the Pannonian plains is ideal for safe exploration by small children, and teenage spirits can find inspiration for energy or adrenaline release here. Towns are of manageable size and attain the highest places on safety rankings. Family-friendly activities, specialised tourist farms, small Alpine and Pannonian villages and water experiences promise great fun and strengthening of family ties. The warmer months are ideal for cycling or hiking, swimming in lakes or in the sea, and frolicking in water parks and swimming pools. Discovering nature can be adventurous for toddlers and teenagers who can test themselves on challenging rapids and while holding their breath on ziplines in adventure and bike parks. In winter, families can visit fairy-tale towns, ski resorts, and magical lands of ice. 

Families with toddlers 

Kingdom of nature and fairytale trails

Nothing feels better than an escape from town into unspoilt nature where you can stay with your toddlers in a small wooden house surrounded by views that trigger curiosity to explore the world of flora and fauna. In Ukanc in Bohinj, one of Europe’s most beautiful Alpine valleys, you can find the Land of the Goldenhorn where you can spend an active holiday in the heart of Triglav National Park while accompanied by the protagonists of Bohinj’s fairy tales.

The Shepherd Dwarf Trail in Krvavec, just a stone’s throw from Ljubljana, takes families through forests and vast meadows where they can hunt for pearls, visit the dwarf’s garden, and experience life in a shepherd’s cottage. Among the meadows of the Kozjansko region in the east, the Land of Fairy Tales and Imagination can be found where small visitors enter the world of fairytale heroes. If you stay in the glamping village of Terme Olimia with the starry sky as your roof, you will be surrounded by nature throughout your holiday. On the other side of the hills of the Celje region is the popular resort of Rogla, a year-round recreational centre and a true paradise for children. On the Treetop Walk, you can enjoy the forest from a new perspective and observe it from a child-friendly 37-metre-high panoramic tower.

Living with animals on a farm

Stress-free family holidays are not a myth. Climbing trees, running along meadows and meeting farm animals will delight and excite your toddlers. The smell of hay in the air, cold home-made juice, and lounge chairs under an apple tree are the perfect recipe for complete relaxation. The Slovenian countryside provides pleasant refuge at tourist farms. Outdoor holidays are the ideal playground for trying new outdoor activities. You will quickly feel at home at Firbas Homestead. 

You can sleep in a hayloft at night, feed animals in the morning, enjoy a hearty breakfast, and then sit on an old tractor or an e-bike and ride towards new adventures. At Urška Eco Tourist Farm in Zreče, you can step barefooted onto dewy grass, enjoy a breakfast while listening to roosters crowing and lambs bleating, take a nap in the hay loft and cool off in the swimming pool, all while enjoying its view of the surrounding meadows. Parents can enjoy Šlibar Organic Farm in Tržič just as much as the children since they can taste Slovenia’s premier organic beer there. Learn about the process of brewing in their small brewery while the children, surrounded by animals, enjoy carefree play at their small glamping house in the middle of a meadow.

Water games in the embrace of nature

Water parks in Slovenia excite all generations. There are not many things that make children as happy as a trip to a water world. They laugh, jump and can hardly wait for the sprays, waves, and slides to give them an adrenaline rush. The largest thermal water complex in Slovenia is the Thermal Riviera at Terme Čatež, with adrenaline-pumping slides, , a tropical storm, and even a pirate ship for the youngest. 

You can enjoy a world of fun experiences at the Termalia family wellness centre at Terme Olimia, where the pools, slides, and water pistols put the focus firmly on fun for the whole family. One of the largest water parks in Slovenia, Terme 3000, is waiting for you in the Pomurje plains, offering fun for children, as well as pools with unique, black thermal-mineral water or a barefoot walk along a path with four different surfaces for parents. The water world below the glass dome will captivate you at Thermana Laško, where a water amusement park for children and a recreational and massage pool with waterfalls and springs for adults will make you realise that a visit to a water park with your family is always the right choice.

Families with children under 12

Children's world of illusions and magic tricks

Slovenia is a safe and relaxed country with spacious areas that are perfect for children. Since a psychological break is just as important as a physical one, the capital of Ljubljana provides an attractive cultural offer for small travellers. The House of Illusions and its unforgettable adventures will completely confuse children and their parents. The illusionist playroom will challenge all your senses. Inquisitive and creative families will enjoy a visit to the House of Experiments, where families can bond by taking on the challenge of active problem solving. When visiting children’s events and museums, children expand their horizons and that is essential for their understanding of the world. The City Museum of Ljubljana organises cultural family experiences, creative discoveries of new horizons and opportunities for gaining knowledge in a fun way. 

Experiences in the company of knights and legends

Ljubljana Castle in the capital knows how to spark children’s imaginations. A family can explore together the numerous stories and legends spread throughout the castle, chase Friderik, the castle prison rat, and go back into the past with the help of a "time machine" and figures dressed in various period costumes. A day in the life of a knight can be experienced at Celje Castle, the largest medieval fortress in Slovenia, where you can fight like Count Frederick fought for his Veronica in the most renowned Slovenian love story of all. Don’t forget to visit the largest cave castle in the world. A big treasure was found in Predjama Castle, famous for its owner the bandit Erazem Predjamski, who supplied goods to the castle through underground tunnels. Ptuj Castle will impress with its collection of Shrovetide masks, which include Kurent, a popular figure among children who chases away winter and calls spring with his big hairy head and cowbells. 

Family camps in mountains and spas and on the coast

Slovenia is a top destination for families who wish to rest in nature on their holidays as numerous camps and glamping sites offer tranquillity and a green break. Koren Kobarid Campsite in the Soča River Valley was designed in harmony with nature. It offers accommodation in tents, eco chalets, or even a glamping cottage. Many outdoor activities are available for children, giving them a different view of life. Menina Camp, the most popular family camp in Slovenia, features its own adrenaline park and a lake and will give you the impression that you have arrived in a small family heaven. It also gives easy access adventures on the Savinja River. You can spend active holidays in the Pannonian Village in Prekmurje, the green haven of Slovenia, where luxury family accommodation is provided. Typical Pannonian straw-covered houses with modern amenities cater for peaceful and comfortable family vacations. The aromas of pines and seawater on the Slovenian coast have an intoxicating and calming effect. Make your holiday even more of a pleasure with boat trips or by sleeping in floating sea houses in Marina Portorož.

Families with teenagers

Great outdoor adventures

The valley of the Soča River with its pristine nature is ideal for spending leisure time, and rafting on the Soča is an unrivalled experience for all generations. Parents and even the most uncooperative of teenagers find their team spirit on the rapids of the emerald river as they try to keep themselves above water. The town of Tolmin is the place to be in the summer as it hosts internationally recognised music festivals. You can spend your holidays while listening to reggae or punk, and the festival season ends with a festival of blues and rock. Adventure parks, ziplines and bike parks will excite your hyperactive teen rebels. The zipline adventure at Kanin, a three-kilometre adrenaline descent, impresses with its panoramic views of the Bovec Basin and will give you the thrill of a lifetime as you hover 200 metres above the ground. The adrenaline Soča Fun Park is intended for teenagers thirsty for adventure and fun among the treetops. The adventure starts on a raft on the Soča rapids, continues on the courses of the adventure park, and ends in Indiana Jones style with a descent on the 300-metre long zipline, where you can admire the valley of the Soča in all its glory while zooming from one riverbank to the other. If your teenager is a passionate cyclist, they can burn off some of their energy on the 12 kilometres of trails at the MTB trail centre in Kočevje. Their adrenaline will pump during ascents, descents, jumps, and obstacles, just like the hormones in their teenage bodies.

Exploring towns with families

Teenagers love the hustle and bustle of towns and lively streets where music is played. Slovenia, the land of town festivals, offers an abundance of such entertainment to delight families with teenagers. The capital, Ljubljana, annually hosts the international festival of street theatre, Ana Desetnica, which presents colourful scenes in the streets and squares and hosts performances by excellent Slovenian and foreign actors. The international and multicultural Lent Festival in Maribor evolves over a series of evenings that are the epitome of summer and offer a great opportunity for socialising. Colourful lights, sounds, and rhythms by the Drava River, stalls offering local delicacies, and squares teeming with people from around the world make the town breathe, pulsate, and live. With its Alpine charm and town chic, Kranfest – the festival of culture, sport, and food – attracts to Kranj visitors of all generations and tastes.