Stunning Slovenia: Self-Launched

Fly or train into Ljubljana. Skip the taxi rank: Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (Brnik) is connected to the city by the Nomago/Alpetour airport bus for about £5–6 (35–50 min to Ljubljana bus station), or by train to Ljubljana station. Check into a hostel or budget guesthouse in the old town or near Tabor/Trubarjeva. Spend the afternoon wandering the car-free centre: Prešeren Square, the Triple Bridge, the riverside market colonnade and the dragon bridge. Grab dinner at Odprta Kuhna (the open kitchen food market, Fri–Sat in season) or a cheap burek and salad; expect £10–12.

🚌Airport bus or train from Ljubljana Airport, ~£5–6

🛏Old-town hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, ~£18–24/night

• →Self-guided wander of Ljubljana old town
• →Prešeren Square and Triple Bridge
• →Riverside market and Plečnik colonnade

Do the city on foot — Ljubljana's centre is pedestrianised, so this is what the guided tour does anyway. Free walking tours (Ljubljana Free Tour / Ljubljana Walking Tour, tip-based ~£5–10) leave daily around 10–11am from Prešeren Square and cover the fish market, town hall, Triple Bridge and castle hill. Then take the Ljubljana Castle funicular up (~£5 return, or £4.50 one way) — the castle courtyard is free, and the viewing tower and history exhibitions are self-bookable tickets (~£10 combined). Afternoon: kayak or paddleboard on the Ljubljanica (£15–20), or just sit in the Metelkova district. Evening: budget dinner in the Trubarjeva area, £10–12.

🚌Walkable; tram day ticket ~£1.50 if needed

🛏Old-town hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, ~£18–24/night

• →Tip-based free walking tour of Ljubljana (~£8 tip)
• →Ljubljana Castle funicular and tower ticket (~£15)
• →Optional Ljubljanica kayak (~£18)

Take an early direct train from Ljubljana to Maribor (~2h15, £9–12 one way on Slovenske železnice, book same-day at the station). Walk Maribor's old town yourself: Lent riverside, the Old Vine House (world's oldest grapevine — tasting flight ~£7–10), Glavni trg and the plague column. Mid-afternoon take the local train to Ptuj (~35 min, ~£3.50), Slovenia's oldest town — climb to the castle, see the Dominican monastery and the Drava embankment. Return to Ljubljana by train (Ptuj–Pragersko–Ljubljana, ~2h, ~£9). Doing this as a DIY day trip replaces the tour's minivan; a small-group Maribor & Ptuj wine day tour via GetYourGuide (~£75–90 incl. tastings) is the alternative if you want wheels and a driver.

🚌Ljubljana–Maribor train ~£10; Maribor–Ptuj train ~£3.50; Ptuj–Ljubljana ~£9

🛏Old-town hostel dorm or budget guesthouse, ~£18–24/night

• →Maribor old town self-guided walk
• →Old Vine House wine tasting (~£9)
• →Ptuj castle and old town

Catch the morning train Ljubljana–Postojna (~1h, ~£6) or the bus, then use the free/cheap Postojna shuttle or local taxi (~£5–8) out to Predjama Castle. Book the combined Postojna Cave + Predjama Castle ticket direct with Postojna Cave (postojnska-jama.eu) or via GetYourGuide — roughly £38–45 for both, including the cave's underground train ride. Cave tours run on fixed hourly slots, so reserve ahead in summer. Late afternoon continue by train/bus from Postojna toward Koper via Divača/Sežana or direct bus (~1h45, ~£8–10). Check into a hostel or guesthouse in Koper's old town. Note: if you're claustrophobic, Predjama alone is a fine day — the castle is the star.

🚌Ljubljana–Postojna train ~£6; local shuttle ~£6; Postojna–Koper bus/train ~£9

🛏Koper old-town hostel or budget guesthouse, ~£22–30/night

• →Predjama Castle entry (~£16)
• →Postojna Cave with underground train (~£25)
• →Evening stroll in Koper old town

Take the coastal bus from Koper to Piran (~30–40 min, ~£3 one way, frequent in season) — this is the exact run the tour minivan makes. Piran is tiny and walkable: Tartini Square, the Venetian campanile (climb it, ~£3), the city walls, and the seafood at the harbour. Coffee on the square, a swim off the Punta or Fiesa beach, and a cheap plate of sardines or squid for lunch (£9–12). Bus back to Koper in the late afternoon and wander Koper's Tito Square, Praetorian Palace and the beach at Žusterna. A self-guided walking audio guide for Piran on GetYourGuide is ~£6 if you want the commentary.

🚌Koper–Piran bus ~£3 each way

🛏Koper old-town hostel or budget guesthouse, ~£22–30/night

• →Piran city walls and St George's campanile (~£5)
• →Swim at Punta/Fiesa beach
• →Koper Tito Square and Praetorian Palace

Bus or short train from Koper/Sežana to Lipica first thing; the Lipica Stud Farm (the original home of the Lipizzaner) has a self-bookable guided stable tour from ~£14–18, plus the option of a riding display or carriage ride. Then head north by bus toward Nova Gorica and up the Soča Valley — the Sežana–Nova Gorica train plus a local bus to Kobarid works but is slow, so plan on a full day: alternatively, a Kobarid/Soča small-group day tour from Ljubljana or a Bovec-based operator run via GetYourGuide is ~£85–110. In Kobarid, don't miss the Kobarid Museum (WWI Isonzo front, ~£7) and the walk to the Kozjak waterfall and the Italian ossuary. Overnight in Kobarid, Bovec or push on to Bohinj by evening bus/train (Jesenice line + bus to Bohinjska Bistrica, ~£8–10).

🚌Koper–Lipica bus ~£3; Lipica–Nova Gorica–Kobarid regional bus/train ~£10–12; onward to Bohinj ~£9

🛏Bohinj/Bohinjska Bistrica guesthouse or hostel, ~£25–32/night

• →Lipica Stud Farm stable tour (~£16)
• →Kobarid Museum (~£7)
• →Kozjak waterfall walk
• →Optional Soča rafting/kayak (~£45) in Bovec

Bus or train from Bohinjska Bistrica to Bled (~35 min, ~£4). Bled is easy on foot: the lakeside path to the castle (entry ~£13 self-booked), the cliff-top views from Bled Castle, and the traditional pletna boat out to Bled Island church (~£15 per person return, buy at the boathouse). Swim at Velika Zaka or grab kremšnita cake by the lake (£3). In the afternoon take the bus back to Bohinj (~25 min, ~£3.50) and ride the Vogel cable car (~£22 return, self-bookable at the base station) for the Triglav National Park panorama. Evening back at the hostel/guesthouse in Bohinjska Bistrica; note the last buses from Bled run until about 8–9pm in season.

🚌Bohinjska Bistrica–Bled train/bus ~£4; Bled–Bohinj bus ~£3.50

🛏Bohinj/Bohinjska Bistrica guesthouse or hostel, ~£25–32/night

• →Bled Castle entry (~£13)
• →Pletna boat to Bled Island (~£15)
• →Vogel cable car (~£22)
• →Lake Bohinj swim

Take the morning train from Bohinjska Bistrica to Ljubljana (~2h, ~£8) — the line runs through the Bohinj tunnel and is scenic. If you have time, hop off at Radovljica for an hour (the gingerbread museum and old town square) or at Lesce-Bled. Back in Ljubljana, store bags at the bus station (£3–5) and do last-minute wandering: the Križanke complex, Tivoli Park, and one final stroll along the Ljubljanica. A cheap farewell dinner of štruklji and a local wine is ~£14, versus the tour's included farewell dinner. Airport bus back to Brnik (~£6). If your flight leaves early, sleep near the station and take the first bus.

🚌Bohinjska Bistrica–Ljubljana train ~£8; airport bus ~£6

🛏Departure day (or budget guesthouse near the station, ~£22)

• →Scenic train through the Bohinj tunnel
• →Radovljica old town stop
• →Tivoli Park and Ljubljanica final wander