LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA
ULTIMATE GUIDE
Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, is a charming city worth checking out. Enclosed by rolling hills and following the curve of the Ljubljanica River, it has a well-preserved old town with baroque buildings and a lot of inviting cafes. While it definitely has curb appeal, Ljubljana is known for its relaxed vibe, friendly atmosphere, and interesting cultural scene – a great place to include in your exploration of Slovenia.
HOW TO GET to ljubljana
From the airport, you can take the bus or rent a car. If you rent a car, don’t forget to get your international driver’s license! If you’re visiting the Lake Bled area and Ljubljana, it might make sense to rent a car for the Lake Bled portion of your stay, then return your car and hop on the bus to get to Ljubljana. You definitely don’t need a car in this city. Everything is within walking distance, and the city can get congested with traffic.
BEST TIME TO VISIT ljubljana
We visited in September during shoulder season and felt that it was the perfect time to visit. It wasn’t too hot or cold. There were some crowds, but nothing too crazy.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED HERE
Two days in Ljubljana will give you enough time to leisurely see all of the sights. We only had a day and a half here and while we did get to see everything we wanted to see, we would have appreciated a few more hours so we didn’t feel as rushed.
Language and Currency
Slovene is the official language in Slovenia, but we spoke English the entire time and had no trouble communicating. Most of the restaurants had English versions of their menus available.
Euros are accepted everywhere. We were a little shocked at how high some of the prices were.
EAT
Štruklji
Goulash
Le Petit Cafe
Le Petit Cafe is a great spot for breakfast. Sit outside and enjoy the sidewalk culture. Get the Eggs Benedict or the Quiche of the day.
EK Bistro
EK Bistro is another good breakfast choice, where you can dine al fresco. The Shakshuka is very good, as well as the Savory Pancakes. They also have free wifi here.
My Dumplings Of Slovenia (Moji štruklji Slovenije)
If you only go to one restaurant, go here. Štruklji is a traditional Slovenian dish, where dough is rolled with delicious fillings. The shape is similar to a cinnamon roll, but much flatter. Our favorites, which are extremely hard to pick, are the traditional meat and cottage cheese dumplings, and the raspberry-pistachio dumplings. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with any of the dumplings here.
Abi Falafel
Check out Abi Falafel for lunch or dinner if you’re craving Arabic food – think hummus, falafel, etc. Portions are big, prices are reasonable, and the taste is yummy.
MUST-SEE sights in ljubljana
Prešernov Trg Square
Start here in the main downtown square. From here, you’ll see the Triple Bridge and the Franciscan Church of Annunciation.
Triple Bridge
The Triple Bridge is a collection of three bridges. When the first bridge was built, there was much less traffic, but as time went on, two additional pedestrian bridges were built. Now, no cars really drive in downtown Ljubljana, so all three are pedestrian bridges.
Franciscan Church of the Annunciation
Stop by the salmon-colored church, right in the main square.
Vurnik House
This building showcases Slovenian National Style architecture. Its richly decorated facade, which features geometric patterns, floral motifs, and stylized figures. Also, it’s just pretty to look at and take a picture in front of.
Cobblers’ Bridge (Mesarski Most)
I know what you’re thinking, another bridge!? While this bridge also crossed the Ljubljanica River, the bridge design is pretty cool. You’ll also get a sweet shot of the castle in the distance from this bridge.
Dragon Bridge
The Dragon Bridge might be the most famous bridge in Ljubljana. Decorated with dragons, it definitely catches your eye. The hot debate is deciding how many dragons are on the bridge. Try and count them all to see if you’re right!
Central Market
Central market is a bustling, open-air market in Ljubljana. Here you’ll find fresh produce, meats, fish, and some restaurants and food stalls.
Ljubljana Cathedral
Check out this gothic church in downtown Ljubljana. On the side of the Cathedral, you’ll find a famous bronze door called the “Slovene Door”. On this door, you’ll find the history of Slovenia etched in bronze.
Metelkova
Metelkova shows a more alternative, grungy side of Ljubljana. Here you can find some grungy bars and graffiti. There are lots of signs indicating that the locals do not want their pictures taken, so please respect their wishes. We recommend visiting during the day time.
Ljubljana Castle
End your day with a visit to Ljubljana castle. Try to time it so you can watch the sunset here. It’s absolutely breathtaking, and not just because you have to hike up a giant hill to get there. If you’re hungry, or would like a drink, there is also a restaurant up top that you can dine at while appreciating the view. If you want to visit the museum, tickets are €12, but walking around and going to the overlook are free. You have a couple options for getting to the top:
Hike – And I do mean hike. You will be climbing up a steep uphill for a good 10-15 minutes.
Funicular – Done walking for the day? Take the funicular. It’s €4 per adult.
Drive – If you do have a car, you can drive to the top of Ljubljana Castle.
DO
Free Walking Tour
We’re suckers for a free walking tour. They’re usually great, with knowledgeable tour guides that offer a transparent view into life in their country. Our tour in Ljubljana was no exception – we loved it. If you do the free walking tour that we did, you will visit most of the sites listed above under “SEE”. You will not visit the Ljubljana, which is a must see.
The company we toured with also provides a historical tour, which goes into more detail on the communist period when Slovenia was part of Yugoslavia. While our tour guide answered many questions people had about communism in Slovenia, if we had more time, we would have also joined this tour to understand more about this complicated time period.
Take a relaxing boat ride down the waterway
NOT DONE TRAVELING?
Check out our guides of nearby areas:
Bratislava, Slovakia
Lake Bled, Kranjska Gora + Nearby Nature