Things to do in Bohinj, Slovenia in Winter

First, you have to know that Bohinj is an area – not a town. It’s a big valley in northwestern Slovenia centered around periglacial Lake Bohinj (Bohinjsko Jezero) and in Triglav National Park. Second, you need to know that there are a lot of things to do in Bohinj in winter.

The Bohinj area is not as well known as Lake Bled, but it is one of the most beautiful places in Europe. The Bohinj Valley is a 20 km long, 5 km wide basin in the Julian Alps. The Sava Bohinka River runs through it. Because people are more familiar with things to do in Lake Bled, Bohinj is less crowded with tourists and a little wilder.

If you were reading carefully, you saw the words “alps, lake, and river.” Those geologic features practically guarantee outdoor fun.

If you don’t want to plan your own fun, try one of these Bohinj tours.

As you can see from the video (below), our fun was thwarted a bit by the ice and rain, but the Bohinj Valley really is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. If you like winter sports in Slovenia, or anywhere, this is the place for you. And it the weather isn’t quite what you are looking for, there is indoor fun to be had as well.

I had my Patagonia Torrentshell Jacket to keep my dry (I should have brought rain pants, too!).

What to do in Bohinj

SNOWSHOE Or cross-country ski

The Pokljuka Plateau in Triglav National Park (Triglavski Narodni Park) is between Lake Bled and Bohinj and you can easily access it from either area. Anders and I snowshoed up there as one of the things to do in Lake Bled, and we could have departed from our hotel in Bohinjska Bistrica just as easily.

Bohinj is the best place to cross-country ski in Slovenia and there are more than 70 km of groomed tracks in the valley and on the Pokljuka plateau. The trails are groomed for classic and skate skiing. Backcountry skiing is also big here.

At Vogel Ski Center, primarily an alpine ski area, there are some cross-country ski trails and room to snowshoe. Stay off the downhill runs, of course. While the groomed trails are shortish, the view from there is supposed to be spectacular. We originally planned to take the cable car up to Vogel Ski Center and snowshoe around the base, but since it was raining, we opted out.

The Sports Centre Triglav Pokljuka, on the Pokljuka Plateau, where Anders and I snowshoed, has many kilometers of groomed Nordic and biathlon ski tracks. You’ll need a private car or taxi to get there, as buses don’t run that way in winter.

Rent snowshoes or skis from Hike & Bike or at one of the ski areas.

Check the current ski conditions here.

Alpine Ski

Vogel Ski Centre is just a bus ride away from the small towns around Lake Bohinj. The bus stop and parking are at the bottom of the mountain. A cable car takes you up to the lodge and lift service begins there. Since you start high above the lake, you can take in beautiful views over Lake Bohinj and the Julian Alps while you ski.

In addition to 193 acres of varied ski terrain, there is a children’s park with magic carpet lifts, tobogganing, and a carousel. The website says, “Parents can watch their children from the terrace in front of the Viharnik Inn at the upper Vogel cable car station.” I assume they mean with a Snuggler in hand.

Access the ski area via the Ski Bus, regular bus, private car, or taxi.

Aquapark

Given the weather and the proximity to two high energy kids, were lucky to find Bohinj Vodni Park right across from Hotel Tripič, where we were staying. The boys slid down the two water slides, spidered up the climbing wall. There are also saunas, a gym, and massage rooms for those whose main goal is not to tire out their kids.

hike to Slap Savica

Despite the rain, we decided to get out and take a short hike to Slap Savica, a 338-foot double waterfall. France Prešeren, Slovenia’s famous and revered poet, wrote, “As in its wrath, its foam flies to the skies!”

The waterfall didn’t seem that wrathful to me, in fact it was a delicate stream landing in a turquoise pool. Savica had been frozen just a day or two before, but now the water was rushing over the limestone and the creek was roiling.

We took a taxi to the trailhead and the bus home. In winter, the bus runs to the village of Ukanc and the Vogel Ski Center stop. We walked back along the road to the Vogel bus stop because the trail to Ukanc was crazy-icy. If it wasn’t icy, the trail would be the nicer way to go. Both routes are about 4 km.

Mostnica Gorge

Mostnica is an alpine river, punctuated by gorges and waterfalls, running through the Voje Valley. Start the walk in Stara Fužina. Entrance to the area is free in winter. More information here.

Ice Skate

Like at Lake Bled, you can ice skate on Lake Bohinj when it freezes thoroughly enough, which is not every winter. There are also a couple human made ice rinks.

Bohinj Accommodations

We stayed at Hotel Tripič in Bohinjska Bistrica. The family room had a bedroom, living area, and a huge loft. It was roomy and comfortable, perfect for a family.

We loved staying at Hotel Tripič and think you will too.

If there is one thing I learned from traveling in Slovenia, it’s that half-board is the way to go. Not only did we have a huge and tasty breakfast, a several-course dinner was included in our stay. Hotel Tripič was ideal for exploring the Bohinj Valley and close to the aquapark.

You can find the best deals on other accommodations in Bohinjska Bistrica on TripAdvisor.

How to get to Bohinj

A top Slovenian destination, Bohinj is easily accessed by car, bus, or train.

Bus timetables.

Train timetables.

Do you have other recommendations for things to do in Bohinj in winter? Leave them in the comments!

More things to do in Slovenia:

• Slovenia Travel Planning Guide
• Things to do in Bohinj, Slovenia in Winter
• Things to Do in Winter at Lake Bled, Slovenia
• Free Things to Do in Ljubljana, Slovenia in Winter (and almost free)
• Fun for Kids in Ljubljana, Slovenia (grown ups, too!)
• Adventure Trekking in Postojna Cave, Slovenia

And one more things…. our friends from WorldTowning visited the area in October and it rained — a lot. Now we are starting to wonder if all those sunny photos are faked :)! The only way to find out is to take a summer trip ourselves.

This article may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You will never pay more when buying a product through our link. And we only recommend products that we truly love! Thank you! I appreciate your support!