farther out
Bled - the most picturesque town in Slovenia, with a scenic lake with an island church, overlooked by a castle. Only 1 hour from Ljubljana.
Triglav National Park and the Julian Alps - a paradise for outdoor adventurers. Opportunities abound for hiking, mountaineering, rafting, canyoning, paragliding, skydiving, etc...Located just outside of Bled
Postojna - home to the remarkably huge Postojna Caves and the Predjama Castle
Å kocjan Caves - another set of remarkable caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Skiing
Slovenia's national sport. There are several ski resorts all across the country. One very good one is the Krvavec ski resort (http://www.rtc-krvavec.si/) in the Kamnik Alps. It is located about 35 kilometers north of Ljubljana.Izola, Koper, Piran, and Portorož are located on the coast of Slovenia and offer beautiful scenery. Do a little sailing or water sports or walk around the old city of Piran.
Kamnik - button-cute little town 45 min north of Ljubljana, just below the Kamnik Alps. It has a perfectly preserved medieval town center.
Zagreb, Croatia - 2.5 hours by train
Rijeka, Croatia - 2.5 hours by train
hills around the city
Å marna gora 662 m, is a popular and overcrowded, on weekends hill on the northern outskirts of the city. For 30-60 minutes of easy climbing you will be rewarded by a nice view over the entire city. Bus number 8 will take you to the foothill; get off at Tacenski most.
Off the beaten track, Krim mountain 1107 m, used to station a military and civilian communication center due to its strategic position overlooking most of Slovenia. With only the civilian part remaining, the top is open for public and offers a great 360 degrees panoramic view on clear days, especially after rain. The climb takes 2-3 hours beware of bears!, yet the most convenient access is by car. The last 4 kilometers of the road are unpaved and narrow, so even by car the journey will take about 30 minutes each way.
hitchhiking out of ljubljana
Hitchhiking in and/or out of Ljubljana is possible and widely practiced, but take the usual precautions as always with hitchhiking, especially if you are a girl, because hitchiking rapes and abductions have been reported.
North towards Maribor, Austria - from the main street, West of the Train station Dunajska Cesta take buses 6, 8 or 11 in direction of North. Get off in the station "Smelt", 15 minutes later, when you see the "World Trade Center" building. Ahead of you, you will see the highway. On the first turn to the right, go into the highway entry and stand on the side with your sign.
South towards Koper, Rijeka, Italy - from the city center Dunajska cesta, Kongresni trg take bus number 6 in direction south, till the last station Dolgi most. Get out, and on your left side you will side the entry lane into the highway. There will also be an entry to a parking of a small house, stand on the side there with your sign you will see where everybody else stands....
East towards Novo mesto, Zagreb, Croatia - from the city center Dunajska cesta take bus number 3 in direction south, till the last station Rudnik. Get out, and walk 200 meters more along Dolenjska cesta until you get to the crossroad and the entry point to the highway left turn, opposite to the railroad crossing. Stand on the side there with your sign the are some hitchhikers but not all the time ....