Day trips from Rijeka
13 hidden towns and nature spots within 150 km of Rijeka, picked by Europe Revealed. Sorted from nearest to furthest.
50 km01 · Hidden townMotovunA walled hilltop village above truffle forests in the Istrian countryside.
Easiest by car. Park below the village and walk up.
50 km02 · Nature spot · SloveniaŠkocjan CavesA huge underground canyon with a river roaring far below a bridge.
Trains run to Divača, then a shuttle or a 3 km walk to the caves.
55 km03 · Nature spot · SloveniaPostojna CaveKilometres of caves explored on a little underground train.
Trains and buses from Ljubljana take about an hour, then a short walk.
70 km04 · Hidden townRovinjPastel houses rising straight out of the sea around a hilltop church.
Buses run from Pula, about 45 minutes. The old town is car-free.
70 km05 · Hidden town · SloveniaPiranA tiny Venetian-style town on a point, with a marble square by the sea.
Buses run from Ljubljana (about 2.5 hours) and Koper.
90 km06 · Nature spotRastokeA tiny village of mills built over waterfalls, near Plitvice.
Easiest by car. It's right on the road between Zagreb and Plitvice.
95 km07 · Hidden town · SloveniaŠkofja LokaOne of Slovenia's best-preserved medieval towns, with a castle and a stone bridge.
Trains and buses from Ljubljana take about 30 minutes.
105 km08 · Nature spotPlitvice LakesSixteen terraced turquoise lakes linked by waterfalls and wooden boardwalks.
Buses between Zagreb and Zadar stop at both entrances. By car, park at Entrance 1 or 2; Entrance 2 is closer to the upper lakes and usually quieter.
115 km09 · Nature spot · SloveniaLake BohinjBled's wilder, quieter neighbour, surrounded by the Julian Alps.
Buses run from Ljubljana and Bled.
120 km10 · Nature spot · SloveniaLake BledA glacial lake with a church on an island and a castle on the cliff.
Buses from Ljubljana take just over an hour and stop in the centre. Lesce-Bled train station is 4 km away. Parking by the lake is limited and paid in summer, so come early.
120 km11 · Nature spot · SloveniaVintgar GorgeWooden walkways along a bright green river in a narrow gorge near Bled.
A shuttle bus runs from Bled in summer. It's also a pleasant walk of about an hour.
130 km12 · Nature spot · SloveniaSoča Valley (Bovec)An emerald river cutting through alpine gorges.
Easiest by car, over the Vršič Pass in summer or via Italy.
140 km13 · Nature spotPaklenicaTwo dramatic limestone canyons rising straight from the coast.
Easiest by car from Zadar, about 40 minutes, to the park entrance at Starigrad.Questions
Day trips from Rijeka: good to know
What are the best day trips from Rijeka?
Our favourite hidden places near Rijeka are Motovun (50 km), Škocjan Caves (50 km), Postojna Cave (55 km) and Rovinj (70 km). All 13 are on this page, sorted by distance.
How far are these places from Rijeka?
All of them are within about 150 km of Rijeka in a straight line, close enough for a day trip by car, and many by train or bus too. Check each place for how to get there.