There might be well over 50 things to do with kids in Slovenia, but sometimes you are feeling more adventurous and you are up for a trip abroad. Again you don’t have to go far, since Slovenia has four amazingly beautiful and diverse neighbors offering a variety of great activities and interesting sights. Plenty of them are just a couple of hours away. This is a list of our favorite day trips from Slovenia:

 

Grado

Distance: 94 km away from Ljubljana.

Don’t miss:  the best part of any trip to Grado is a chance to lounge on the beach while the kids play in the sand and sipping Italian coffee in the city center.

Kids will love: the beach and don’t plan too much of anything else.

Where to eat: picnic at the beach or hit the Ikea in Gorizia Villesse.

Pit stops: fascinating lagoon and an opportunity to observe wild horses, birds and other animals living in the shallow waters at the The Foce dell’Isonzo Regional Nature Reserve, the ancient Roman city of Aquileia – where a must see is the mosaic pavement in the Aquileia Cathedral.

Isonzo river that’s Italian for Soca river – the most beautiful river in the world.

Klagenfurt:
Distance: 85,4 km away from Ljubljana.

Why go?: In the Summer nothing beats swimming and building sand castles at the Lake Wörthersee, though the lake is a great starting point any time of the year. Then proceed to walk around the historically interesting old part of the capital of Austria’s Carinthia region: enjoy the Alter Platz Pedestrian Zone, Lindwurm Fountain & Maria Theresia Monument.

Kids will love: Minimundus.

Where to eat: IKEA or get a picnic basket and eat a meal by the lake.

What to see around Klagenfurt: fairytale Hochosterwitz Castle and the Tscehppaschlucht gorge.

Here is a list of other best castles in Europe.

Trieste 

Distance: 99 km from Ljubljana.

What to do?: if you ever just cross the Italian border, don’t return home without having a cup of their coffee. In Trieste however you can have that lovely cup along with some of the best views in the city center. When the kids get antsy take a walk along the harbor and snap a family photo on the square Piazza dell’Unita d’Italia.

Kids will love: riding the vintage cable car from Trieste to Villa Opicina.

Where to eat: I’d say eat back in Slovenia since it’s more affordable, but don’t leave without stopping at the supermarket and getting some of the food Italy is famous for: mortadella, fresh pasta and cannoli…

That’s not it: castle Miramare is a must see and well worth the admission price and if you are out exploring on a rainy or on a hot day Grotta Gigante (giante cave) offers a welcome distraction.

Zagreb: 

Distance: 140 km away from Ljubljana.

What to do: Croatia’s capital is full of great sights. We though never take the time to visit them all, we just do bits and pieces. But you will love the city center, Makismir park, Upper town, Mirogoj cemetery – might sound weird but it’s actually a serene place and riding the funicular railway.

Kids will love: the zoo located in the Maksimir park.

Where to eat: there’s an Ikea or you could try pizzeria Fianona.

 

If you are driving from Zagreb to the most beautiful Croatian region – Dalmatia, here is what to see along Zagreb – Split highway.

Porec: 

Distance: 167 km away from Ljubljana.

Why go?: we go for the change of scenery, to enjoy the sea and sunshine that’s why our favorite part is to walk around the city center, proceed to the harbor and then enjoy the path between the pines and the sea, stopping to play at the beach or at the huge playground just a few minutes away.

Kids will love: the beach, Dinosaur Park and Aquacolors Water park.
Where to eat: best pizza by far is at the Pizzeria Nono.

Don’t miss: a chance to visit the world’s smallest town – Hum on your way to Porec. You can also visit other lovely Istrian towns such as Rovinj, Vrsar or Buzet – famous for truffles.

 

These are just some of our favorite places to visit for a quick day trip. What do you recommend. Let me know in the comments.