14 Most Wonderful Forests and Natural Parks in Slovenia

If you are a tourist in Slovenia, you will absolutely look for the most beautiful landscapes and sceneries in the country. Slovenia offers 34 landscape parks and several other forest and nature parks. When looking for a wonderful place to breathe some fresh air or go for a walk in the middle of nature, Slovenia is ideal.

Among the most beautiful forests and natural Parks, you will find the Triglav National Park. It is a must-see for tourists in the country. However, do not forget smaller forests and regional parks such as the Kozjansko Park and Nostranjska Park.

Parks and forests are part of the most wonderful places to visit during a trip abroad. To help you prepare your visit to the breathtaking parks in Slovenia, here are the 15 most wonderful forests and natural parks in the country.

1. Triglav National Park

The Triglav National Park is by far the most beautiful park in Slovenia. Located in the Alpine Valleys, the Triglav Park offers wonderful views of the Julian Alps and of the highest mountain in Slovenia: the Mount Triglav.

This mount is extremely important in the Slovene culture. It is present on the flag and the coat of arms. The mountain is 2,864 meters high (3,132 yards high).

In the Triglav National Park, you will find extreme biodiversity. The flora and fauna are incredible.

If you ever visit the Triglav National Park, be sure to go over the whole park. There are many natural surprises for you all over the region such as the great gorge of the river Soča, the Kozjak and Peričnik waterfalls, or the Pokljuca Plateau.

The National Park is the best park for both tourists and natives. Climb up to the top of the mountains to observe the breathtaking views, go for a kayak trip in the rivers or a swim in the lakes. You will always find something amazing to do in the Triglav National Park.

2. Kozjansko Regional Park

This 206 square kilometers regional park hosts 17,000 visitors a year. It is one of the biggest protected areas in the country, and a great place to visit for a ballad in nature.

In this regional park, you will find diverse landscapes such as subalpine hills, vineyard hills, and plains along the river Sutla.

It is also a park with great biodiversity which is the home to more than 70 endangered species. The fauna is still mostly unexplored, we only know about birds, amphibians (like frogs), and some insects.

Every year in the Kozjansko Regional Park is held the Kozjansko Apple Festival in October at the Podsreda market town. It is an opportunity to understand the importance of apples in this region and participate in the hike organized through the orchards, the workshops, lectures, and exhibitions.

3. Notranjska Regional Park

In the Notranjska Regional Park, you will find one of the only intermittent lakes of Slovenia: the lake Cerknica. It is also one of the largest of Europe.

This lake appears every year, so you will have to calculate your visit if you want to see this amazing phenomenon. However, you can still visit the Notranjska Park when the lake is dry and enjoy paddling, fishing, hiking, and grass mowing.

The park is 222 square kilometers, so the only thing to see is not the lake Cerknica. If you are worried you will not have enough things to see in the regional park, do not! The landscapes are very diverse, from mountain peaks to meadows, with bridges, streams, and forests.

You can also go for a guided tour into the Križna Jama Cave. With its 22 emerald-green lakes, it is one of tourists’ favorite cave to visit. The Cave has also a crystal-clear stream, and bones of ancients cave bears that you can observe to feel like a true archaeologist. 

4. Debeli Rtič Landscape Park

The Debeli Rtič Landscape Park is located near the sea, on the border between Slovenia and Italy. Its name means “Thick Little Cape” and it covers an area of 23.8 hectares (59 acres).

For those who love to breathe the sea breeze, this park is the best choice. It is the ideal place to observe the natural seashore and underwater reef funds.

Standing on the cliff, above the sea, is an unforgettable memory, and a great opportunity for a wonderful holiday picture.

The Debeli Rtič is also perfect for long hikes along the trail. An educational trail has been set up to let you go for a walk as you discover all the secrets of the park. From the seashore to vineyards, you can explore the park and keep your health at the same time.

This cape has been protected as a natural monument since 1991, particularly because it is the home of the only salt meadow in the country and on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

5. Goričko Landscape Park

The Goričko Landscape Park is the second-largest natural park in Slovenia. Its surface is of 46,200 hectares (114,000 acres).

The Goričko Landscape Park is ideal if you want to see otters. It is one of the best-preserved animal species in the park. Otters live in the numerous bodies of water all over the park. It is also the best place for country walks, picnics, cycling, walking, and hiking.

The park may be in one of Slovenia’s most arid regions, it still has several marshes and wet meadows to give the landscape this wonderful aspect.

The oak forests are also very well preserved. Many animals live in the forest, you might spot them during your hike! You will have the possibility to meet Slovenian red deers or an adorable hazel dormouse.

In the south-eastern part of the lake, you will find Bukovnik Lake. This is an artificial lake, but it is still beautiful. It was first created for aquaculture, but nowadays it mostly used for water sports and fishing. It is also a shelter for many amphibians, including endangered species such as the aquatic frogs “šejek” and “Orešek”.

6. The Kolpa Landscape Park

In the Kolpa Landscape Park, you will find one of the cleanest rivers of Slovenia: the River Kolpa. It is also the warmest river in the summer.

In this park, there are a lot of activities for sports aficionados. You can go canoeing, paddleboarding, rafting, or kayaking. You could also take a hike across the park and stop for a swim in the river.

The adrenaline parks are amazing for families. You will have the possibility to ride a bmx bike between the trees, jump with a tarzan, try canoing in the air, zip-line, and many other activities worth going to this park. It is suitable for everyone over four years old.

7. The Ljubljana Marshes Nature Park

The Barje nature park, commonly known as the Ljubljana Marshes is located in the south of the capital. It is a marvellous place worth going for a visit if you are a tourist in Slovenia.

The Ljubljana Marshes are full of history and mysteries to discover. Between the hundreds of species of birds, butterflies, and other animals, or the archaeological sites on the UNESCO list, you will never get bored during a visit in the marshes.

For ornithology fans, or even for simple tourists looking for a ballad in the middle of the water meadows, the Ljubljana Marshes are a must-see.

You will not have the time to see everything in just one visit, we advise you to take a guided tour to have the chance to understand everything and see the most important parts of the park.

The Ljubljana Marshes are also very important historically. There were inhabited since Prehistory, and we can still see settlements from this time. It is also in the Marshes that was found the oldest wooden wheel in the world.

8. The Logar Valley Landscape Park

The Logar Valley is one of the most beautiful parks in Slovenia. Choose this park for hiking, cycling, horseback riding or even a photo safari. The scenery is so beautiful you will be left without words.

The area is very well protected and preserved. It has won the international CIPRA Future in the Alps Award.

To have the perfect visit you could imagine, take the Trail through the Logar Valley. This historic and ethnographic trail is very educational. It is the best way to take a walk in beautiful landscapes while learning about science, history, and nature.

What also makes the Logar Valley unique is its great number of waterfalls all over the landscape park. The most important one, and the one you cannot miss is the 90 meter-high waterfall called Rinka Falls.

9. The Pivka Lakes Nature Park

The Pivka Lakes Nature Park is also called Pivka Basin, Pivka Valley, Pivka Region or simply Pivka. In this park, you will find several lakes, but they are quite unique.

The Pivka Lakes are extraordinary. They are what we call seasonal lakes, which means they appear and disappear depending on the season. There are 19 seasonal lakes in the Pivka Lakes Nature Park, so you must check which season is best to be able to see them, otherwise, you walk in the park will not be as amazing.

The landscape changes every day which gives the Pitvka park an exclusive and exceptional look. You could visit the park daily and have something new and different to see every time.

The most well-known lakes between the 19 are called Lake Petelinje and Lake Palčje. The second one is the biggest lake in the park. It is about 1.9 square kilometers (0.73 square miles).

10. Račna Karst Field

The Radensko Polje Regional Park, also named Račna Karst Field, is a karst field you can visit located in the North of the Lower Carniolan region. The name of this park comes from the settlements of Velika Račna and Mala Račna. 

Karsts are a very Slovenian landscape, and you cannot say you visited the country if you have not been to one of the Caves or walked through parks such as the Račna Karst Field.

Karsts have always interested researchers across Slovenia. This karst field has been studied since the first railway was installed in 1893 when several karsts were discovered in the region.

The park itself has a total area of 4 square kilometers (1.5 square miles). Over there you can observe the ruins of the medieval Boštanj Castle, St. Martin’s Church, or the Kopanj Hill that was used as a refuge during prehistory and the Ottoman empire.

Go for a hike across the Račna Karst Field, you will not be disappointed. You might also have time to visit the town of Velika Račna, where you can observe a large baroque chapel.

11. Sečolvje Salt Pans Nature Park

For centuries, salt has been of great importance in Slovenia. It all started with salt production by monasteries in Piran in 804.

The Sečovlje Salt Pans are a great park for families and tourists to visit. It has been active in salt production since the 13th century. 

The Secovlje Salt Pans Landscape Park are 1,600 acres (647 hectares) and are the largest evaporation pond for salt in Slovenia.

Such a scenery is incredible, and you will not see it every day. It is also the home of more than 270 bird species, a great reason for amateur ornithologists to visit.

The southern part of the park is where the production of salt has been abandoned. It is now a refuge for animals and plants, creating a new and exceptional atmosphere worth-seeing. In this part of the park, you will see birds, vast fields of halophytes and over 100 abandoned and demolished buildings.

12. Strunjan Landscape Park

The Gulf of Trieste houses one of the most beautiful picturesque parks in the country. This unique piece of nature is the result of a millennium work of art created by nature with the sea. Alongside the park, you can observe little typical Istrian housing, symbolizing the cultural heritage of this place, given by the locals.  

In Strunjan Park, you will find Slovenia’s only sea lagoon but also the Adriatic’s highest cliff. The different landscapes combined offer a unique experience that will leave you breathless, but also give the region an impressive hot spot concerning biodiversity. 

Nearby, the Strunjan salt pans are the smallest preserved ones in the Mediterranean area and are definitely worth the sight. There, you will learn more about their 700 years long history and have the chance to observe the amazing animal and plant species that succeeded to adapt to extreme salinity. 

13. Tivoli Landscape Park

Approximately ten minutes walking from the city center of Ljubljana in Slovenia, you will find the Tivoli Park, which extends over several kilometers. It is a real oasis of greenery that allows tourists and locals alike to escape the pace of the capital.

The green lung of the city is the ideal place for all your outside activities since it offers many possibilities in its 5-kilometer square. With its immense green spaces, walking paths, magnificent buildings, and numerous statues, the park is full of wonders that will never cease to surprise you. There is even a zoo in the heart of the park’s forest.

However, Tivoli Park’s ultimate must-see is its amazing forest if you are looking for huge natural species, vegetation, and even animals. Nearby the Bird’s home, your eye might caught a squirrel or two while taking the Jesenko Forest Trail. 

It is an educational path where you will have the chance to go on in search of 30 different species on a three kilometers long walk before reaching the Tivoli Mansion. Then, you can continue your tour by walking down the Jakopič promenade and visiting the Rosarium of Tivoli. 

14. Skocjanski zatok Nature Reserve

In this huge Nature Reserve of 122 hectares nested in Koper, on the verge of the Adriatic coast, you will find a natural gem reflecting the town’s insular past. It offers at the same time a great frame for all kinds of relaxation and sports activities, and many attractions that will allow you to learn more about animals and plants thanks to observation. 

This is Natura 2000 area is partly accessible to disabled tourists, which will also be able to enjoy the reserve’s 2 unique variety of species and 5 habitat types. In Skocjanski zatok, you will find an amazing amount of animal species, from exotic birds to Camargue horses and Podolian cattle.

However, the reserve’s main attraction remains its wonderful birds, dragonflies, and butterflies, that are giving the place wonderful colors. In the background, you can enjoy the sound of frogs croaking.  

In the End

Forest and Natural Parks in Slovenia are unforgettable. They are the perfect place to relax, go for a hike, discovering nature, and the Slovene biodiversity. You could even go cycling or mountain biking for the more adventurous. No matter what you are looking for in the parks in the first place, you will necessarily enjoy breathing the fresh air in the mountains, near the lakes, and in the middle of the most beautiful Slovenian forests.