If you’re tired of the usual tourist hotspots and yearn for an enchanting destination that’s off the beaten path, then Ljubljana Slovenia is the perfect destination for you! Ljubljana is the charming capital of Slovenia and is a true hidden gem! From the medieval castle, to the charming Old Town squares, Ljubljana is brimming with delightful surprises at every turn.
See the wonders of Ljubljana for yourself in our full video guide below!
We spent 5 delightful nights in the city so we could dive into the heart of Ljubljana’s colorful culture, uncover its hidden gems, and to take a day trip to see some of the best caves in the country.
So, get ready to learn everything you need to know before you go to Ljubljana including how to get around, where to stay, and 17 things you will love to do in Ljubljana!
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How To Get Around Ljubljana
Ljubljana is a well connected with plenty of public transportation options including loads of buses and a few trains that connect the larger cities. We used the bus system exclusively to get around to and from the airport and found it easy to navigate with Google Maps.
You can pay cash for the bus ride from the airport, however, for all other city bus trips, you will need to be a Urbana public transport card. You can get these transport cards at the main bus station, tourist information centers, and at most kiosks scattered around the city. The card itself cost €2 euros and each single fare is €1.30.
Alternatively, you can purchase a Ljubljana Card which includes unlimited bus rides for the duration of your 24, 48, or 72 hour pass, plus admission into many Ljubljana’s top attractions including a walking tour, boat ride, and funicular ride. The Ljubljana Card is definitely a convenient and affordable way to see the best of Ljubljana very quickly.
We did rent a car to see the rest of Slovenia, so to find an affordable rental car in Slovenia click here!
The 17 Best Things to Do in Ljubljana
Although the Ljubljana Card can give you a lot of great options of things to do in Ljubljana, here’s a list of 17 things we loved to do in Ljubljana.
1. Take a “Free” Walking Tour of Ljubljana
One of our favorite things to do when we first arrive into a new city is to take a “free” walking tour. These tipped based tours are a great way to get oriented to the city while learning a lot of the history and all of the little insider tips that you miss when you wonder around by yourself. Just be sure to ask your tour guide their favorite restaurants for try local food. This is a great way to find some delicious hidden gems!
2. Preseren Square
Most walking tours start in Preseren square because it’s the most central meeting spot in the Old Town. Plus, it has some of the most scenic views in the city as well as two of the main attractions on this list.
Built in the 17th century, this statue was named after the national poet Frances Preseren who is considered the most famous Slovene poet ever. This square is also where you will find the pink Franciscan Church of the Annunciation and the famous Triple Bridge that crosses the Ljubljana River. In this area, locals and tourists alike gather for food and festivities with local street performers adding to the vibe by playing music. It’s a bustling area that has a great vibe any time of day or night and is a must see when you come to Ljubljana.
3. Franciscan Church of the Annunciation
The Franciscan Church of Annunciation is located on Preseren Square and is the iconic pink church that you see on many pictures of Ljubljana. Originially this church was painted red to represent the Franciscan monastic order, but over the years the color faded to this shade of salmon pink. Locals prefered the pink color, so they decided to repaint it pink over the centuries. This church was originally built between 1646 and 1660, and if you go inside, you can see some lovely frescos painted by Matevž Langus.
4. Triple Bridge
Directly across from the The Franciscan Church of Annunciation, you will see Triple Bridge which is a collection of 3 bridges, one large one in the center, and two small ones on either side crossing the Ljubljana River. Originally, there was only one stone bridge here, but in the 1929, the stone bridge was expanded to include the 2 small footbridges and maintaining one main bridge for vehicles. At the time, this was their situation for dealing with traffic congestion.
Since 2010, Ljubljana’s Old Town has been closed to vehicular traffic, leaving the entireity of Triple Bridge to pedestrians. This environmentally conscious move makes walking through Old Town such an enjoyable and peaceful experience. You really will feel like you are taking a step back through time.
5. Love Lock Bridge
While we’re on the subject of bridges, you will also want to see Love Lock Bridge in Ljubljana, where lovers pronounce their undying love. Symbolically, couples are known to lock their love to the bridge and throw the key into the river in the hopes of keeping their love alive always.
Apart from the hundreds of sentimental locks, the Love Lock Bridge also offers a great view of Ljubljana’s other bridges and the backside of the market hall. You can also catch a relaxing river boat cruise from this location as well, and activity we will discuss a bet later on this list.
6. Dragon Bridge
Further down the river, you will want to check out Dragon Bridge, which as 4 ornate dragon scupltures at each end of the bridge. The level of detail on these dragons is impressive to see in it’s own right, and with the backdrop of the orange colored roofs of the Old Town, the dragons really stand out in a beautiful way.
On the bridge, you will also see the years 1848 and 1888 written on the side of the bridge. This is to commemorate the 40 years of rule by Austrian emperor Franz Josef I of the Habsburg dynasty because at that time Ljubljana was part of the Austrian Empire.
7. Central Market
Going to the local outdoor market is a great way to experience local life, so make sure to take a walk through Ljubljana’s Central Market. Central Market has loads of fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers. During our stay, they also had a street food festival, so there were a lot of savory foods to sample as well.
8. Try the Traditional Food in Ljubljana
Our tour guide recommended we try Moji Struklji restaurant for traditional Slovene food. Moji Stukji is nearby the Central Market and specializes in struklji, with is a fluffy buckwheat dough roll that can be savory with cheese, vegetable, and meats or can be made sweet with fruits or chocolate. My favorite things to eat here was the sausage, which had so much flavor, but it was so interesting to try so many unique flavors that we never have before.
9. Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle sit a top a hill in the center of Old Town Ljubljana. You can ever walk 10 minutes up the steep hill, or pay €3.30 to take the funicular to the top of the hill. We opted to make the hike up the hill to burn off all of our struklji lunch calories and it really was a good workout.
You can see part of the Ljubljana Castle for free, but we opted to get tickets to see the history exhibits, puppet museum and the famous viewing tower which offers the best views of the Old Town. This castle also offers a restaurant and a wine bar if you would like to sample any food or drinks while here.
10. River Cruise in Ljubljana
The Ljubljana river cruise was really a relaxing experience. It is about a 45 minute ride, and is a great way to take it easy after a long day of walking around Old Town. Be sure to wave at the passing kayakers and locals sitting beside the river as you enjoy seeing the city from an entirely different perspective.
11. Riverside Restaurants
We also really enjoyed the vibe at all of the riverside restaurants, and can highly I recommend you having lunch, dinner, and even just a drink here. The buzz of the people that frequent the area is entertaining alone, and we enjoyed several meals while people watching here.
We ate at different restuarants every time and the food was always delicious, and we enjoyed trying the fish, burgers, (we even tried a horse burger one night), local wines, and beers. These riverside restaurants make fun but delicious stops during your stay in Ljubljana.
12. The Skyscraper
The Skyscraper, built in 1933, was Slovenia’s first skyscraper and is currently the 6th tallest building in the country. When you go to the Skyscraper, but sure to go to the rooftop bar for drinks or a meal and take in the fantastic views of the city. From the rooftop, you can see a great view of Ljubljana Castle on the hill and the rest of the cityscape. They are usually playing some nice music as well, so the cool atmosphere gives you that top of the world feeling.
13. Congress Square
Congress Square is one of the largest squares in Ljubljana and frequently host open-aired concerts and events. This square also has some incredible archeticuture that surround it. There is the church pictured above called the Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity, one of the main buildings of Ljubljana University, and just for fun, The House of Illusions is also nearby.
14. Walk the streets at night
The city is vibrant at night, so be sure to walk the streets and take in the ambiance. We enjoyed hearing live music playing at some venues and from the street performers on the bridges. Plus, seeing the castle all lit up at night is something spectacular and lovely to see as well!
15. Rent a Bicycle
Ljubljana is one of the most bike friendly cities in the world, so it’s if you can experience that bike culture for yourself while you are there. Use the BicikeLJ website and app to find one of the many city bicycle rental stands around the city. You can pick up a bike from any stand and drop the bike off at any stand, all for the low cost of €1 per week! Rides that last under 60 minutes are free, however, if you ride over 60 minutes without returning the bike, you will be charged €1 an hour.
Riding a bicycle is such an enjoyable way to see some of the attractions that are a bit further away on our list.
16. Tivoli Park
Tivoli Park is the largest park in Ljubljana, so it’s great to see its beautiful gardens by bicycle. The park is not a must if you are short on time, but it was enjoyable way to spend a morning cycling and exploring.
17. Metelkova Art Center
We also rode our bicycles to Metelkova Art Center to see the graffiti here. This is another spot that is not a must-see, but was nice for a quick spot to see some cool street art.
Day Trips from Ljubljana
If you have additional time in Slovenia, you should consider a day trip to see the caves of Slovenai. We rented a car to see Skocjan Cave which has the largest underground cave chamber in the world, Predjama Castle which is a unique castle build into a cave, and Postojna Cave where you can take an enchanting train ride through one of the most beautiful caves in the world. It was a great day-trip to take!
There are also tours that will take you to just the Predjama Castle and the Postojna Cave which makes a nice convenient options as well.
How Many Days in Ljubljana is Enough?
Ljubljana can be seen in 2-4 nights. For two nights, it’s best to take a walking tour, see the castle, and take a river crusie. If you have three nights then you can add a visit to the Skyscrapper and riding a city bike to the Tivoli Park and the Metelkova Graffiti Park. And, if you have four nights, then add a day trip to see the amazing caves of Slovenia!
Where to stay in Ljubljana?
Most of the main attractions in Ljubljana are in the Old Town so it’s best to stay inside of the Old Town itself or within walking distance of it. If you decide to stay further away to take advantage of the lower accommodation prices, then just make sure that you are close by a bus line.
Click here to shop for your Ljubljana accommodations!
Is Ljubljana Worth Visiting?
Definitely! We were really impressed by how interesting and lively Ljubljana was. We loved hearing the history by day and enjoying the street performers and people buzzing around by night. It’s a charming little town that will leave a big impression on you!
Now that you know about Ljubljana, check out these other great Slovene destinations below!
- Discover the Best of Lake Bled
- Enjoy the seaside town of Piran
- Explore the hidden gems of Eastern Slovenia in Maribor
- A Road Trip to Kranj and Skofja Loka
- Take a train to Zagreb, Croatia’s capital!
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