Best events and things to do in Slovenia in October

October is a great month to visit Slovenia if you are looking to escape the crowds and still explore the outdoors.

This month is the peak of Autumn, so you will see the colors turning from green to orange. It is a very unpredictable month in terms of weather, but it can also be one of the best times for exploring as well because it is much more empty.

We have lived and traveled through Slovenia for over 5 years now, so we have seen it across all seasons. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how it is to visit Slovenia in October.

Weather in Slovenia in October

October may not be the best month to visit Slovenia in terms of weather because it is a bit of a rollercoaster.

Over the past few years, the weather in October has been quite unpredictable. Even though you have good chances of getting beautiful sunny days, the temperatures can drop quite fast if the weather turns and starts raining.

Here are the average temperatures throughout this month:

October in Slovenia is also a month known for rain. It doesn’t normally rain all month long, but we tend to get some heavy rains and gloomy days with the season change.

Our best tip to make the best of your time in Slovenia in October is to be flexible with your itinerary. Instead of having everything jammed-packed in just a couple of days, try to give yourself room for flexibility.

If you can, add a day or two to the trip and make reservations that you can cancel. This way, you can see how the weather is and adjust your plans if needed.

For example, if you see that it is raining in the Soča Valley but sunny at the seaside, you can spend a day in Piran instead.

Read also: The best time of the year to visit Slovenia

Things to do in Slovenia in October

With the arrival of autumn, there are so many options for things you can do in Slovenia in October! Here are a few of our favorites:

• Go hiking on lower altitudes – Short day hikes like the Martuljek Hike or Krn Lake are the best for this time of the year
• Visit popular places that are not so full anymore – Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj, for example
• If the weather turns bad during your trip, spend a day at one of our thermal spas. Slovenia has so many of them, one of the coolest ones is Rimske Terme.
• Visit the vineyards when they are having their yearly harvest, known in Slovenian as “trgatev”. Most vineyards have the harvest either in September or October (depends a lot on the weather) so you may catch one during your trip. Some of our favorite wine regions are Vipava and Brda.

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Lake Bled in October

Visiting Lake Bled in October is actually an amazing thing to do because it is much more empty than during the summer.

I personally really like exploring the Bled area around this time of the year. You will not only find that the places are quieter, but prices are typically also lower.

Vintgar Gorge is normally still open in October as well, it is located just close to Lake Bled. You can also go to Lake Bohinj this time of year. There are many hikes around the area that tend to be open during October.

Unfortunately, the sled in Stara Fuzina closes in September, as they start getting ready for the winter season. But, you can still go up to the Ojstrica viewpoint if you visit Lake Bled in October (in fact, this viewpoint is accessible all year round).

Hiking in October

Slovenia is a very popular destination for hiking and other outdoor sports. If you want to go hiking in October, you will have to be mindful of the weather.

It’s hard to say upfront what will be open and what not because the season is different every year.

Normally, the huts and hikes in higher altitudes are already closed in October. The ones in lower elevations are usually operational during weekends as long as the weather allows it.

Before you go hiking anywhere in Slovenia in October, make sure to check the weather forecast carefully. Once you know which hike you want to do, you can use hike.uno for updated information on the weather.

Pro tip: You might be better off swapping hut-to-hut hikes for day hikes. These have higher chances of still being open. Check our list of the best hikes in Slovenia for some ideas of where to go.

Events happening in Slovenia in October

• Autumn Restaurant Week (Tedna Restavracija). This is an event where some of the best restaurants in the country offer a pre-defined menu with quite affordable prices. It’s a great time to try different places to eat in Slovenia. Normally, the autumn restaurant week takes place in October but they haven’t yet announced the dates for 2024. You can keep an eye on the event and make reservations here: https://vivi.si/en/
• Ljubljana Marathon: it will happen this year on 19 & 20 of October. You can apply and check all details here: https://ljubljanskimaraton.si/en/ 
• Pier of Tastes in Izola: A street food event where you can try various different cuisines and dishes from the Istria region. 
• Open Kitchen in Ljubljana: An event happening every Friday in the city center (as long as the weather allows it) that gathers some of the best restaurants in Ljubljana for a street food market.

Prices in Slovenia in October compared to other months

One of the best things about traveling in the shoulder months like October is that the prices tend to decrease as availability goes up.

If you will be visiting Slovenia in October, there is usually no need to book things with too much time in advance. The country is normally not very busy and tickets to attractions or accommodations don’t tend to sell out.

Since October is considered a shoulder season, some attractions will have discounted prices compared to the summer months. Tolmin Gorge is a great example of this, as they have ticket prices that vary per month.

Just bear in mind that some outdoor places may be closed already for the season (especially by the end of October).

What to pack for visiting Slovenia in October

Since the weather here in Slovenia tends to be quite unstable in October, the best thing to do is make sure you pack enough variety of clothes to make you ready for anything.

Here are our tips:

• Clothes in layers – temperatures tend to get lower in October, especially in the mountains. Layers are the smartest way to deal with it instead of carrying heavy winter jackets.
• Windbreaker or fleece jacket – these are very good to have this time of year!
• Rain jackets (especially if you will be going hiking or outdoors)
• Comfortable shoes

More about visiting Slovenia

• Best things to see in Ljubljana
• Comparing Ljubljana to Bled
• Driving in Slovenia as a foreigner
• Best SIM card for Slovenia
• Exploring the Slovenian seaside