Lovely Ljubljana, the Greenest Capital of Europe
Slovenia’s capital is one of the Europe’s greenest capitals. In 2016 it was the European Green Capital. Car traffic is restricted in the centre, leaving the banks of Ljubljanica River free for pedestrians and cyclists. Ljubljana is one of the underrated gems and it is often overlooked when it comes to a city break in Europe. This city absolutely deserves more exposure. Ljubljana is the capital in Slovenia. As I come from Slovenia, I know Ljubljana very well. In my Ljubljana Travel Guide I will share my tips on what to do and see, what to eat in where to stay.
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Discover the Green Capital of Europe
The charming old town of Ljubljana is very easy to get around on foot. The old town is almost car-free, so you’ll find only electric golf buggy known as kavalir. The city is surrounded with nature. There are mountains and trees behind and the city is set along the Ljubljanica river. The river gives the centre a completely different vibe. Many cafes and restaurant are located by the river and I could spend all day in this part of the city. And there is a lot of small local shops in the Old town, which gives a charm to the city. Go visit one of them during your Ljubljana travel.
Where to stay in Ljubljana and for how long?
Ljubljana is actually quite small city and you can visit the highlights in one day. But you shouldn’t spend just a few hours in Ljubljana. With a one night stay you can get a nice impression of the town. Of course, two or three nights is better as you can enjoy the city vibe a little longer.
Where to stay?
There are many great places to stay in Ljubljana, located in the city centre, which is great to explore the beautiful capital of Slovenia. Your choice depends on the budget, so I’m going to leave you a few suggestions for every budget.
$ (less than 50€) – Boutique Hostel Angel, The Fuzzy Log, Hostel Tivoli
$$ (50-100€) – Stella Sky, Urban Boutique Hotel Center, City Hotel Ljubljana
$$$ (100-200€) – Hotel Slon, Hotel Lev, Radisson Blu Plaza, Hotel Heritage, Hotel Cubo, Grand Hotel Union
$$$$ (200€+) – InterContinental Ljubljana, Grand Plaza Hotel, Zlata Ladjica Boutique Hostel
One of my favorite places was hotel Lev. There is only a few-minute walk to the larger tourist sights in the old city centre. The room in the 13th floor was absolutely amazing. The beds are super comfortable and you feel like you are sleeping in the clouds. Not to mention the view. Stunning.
The best time to travel to Ljubljana? You can visit Ljubljana all year round. If you want to enjoy the charming city centre, you should visit in the spring or summer, when you can enjoy in one of the cafes by the Ljubljanica river. In the peak summer season there is a lot of tourists and it can get really hot. My favorite months are May, June, September and winter months.
And of course you should think about visiting Ljubljana in festive December, when Ljubljana gets really festive and beautiful with all of the lights and Christmas trees. There are many Christmas markets around the city and even one on the Ljubljana Castle.
What to do in Ljubljana?
Ljubljana’s main attractions are perfect for exploring the city on foot. The walking distances are not far, since most attractions are very close to each other. Discovering Ljubljana by bike is also a great experience. Ljubljana is really charming as it is “sandwiched” between the castle and the Ljubljanica river. As mentioned before, there are tons of cafes and restaurants on the riverbanks and there is nothing better than sitting by the river on a sunny day. But as a traveler, you don’t want to spend all your day sitting by the river and drinking coffee or beer. So let’s find out what to see in Ljubljana.
First of all, let me tell you that Jože Plečnik is responsible for a lot of the great architecture. As you will see during your Ljubljana travel, his designs can be seen everywhere, most notably in the form of Triple Bridge.
Ljubljana Castle
The Ljubljana Castle is perched on a hill above the Old town and from there you can enjoy a beautiful view of Ljubljana. There are several paths that lead up to the top. For those who don’t want to walk to the top, there is a funicular, which provides easy access to the castle. A return ticket costs 6€ for adults. You can buy tickets here or in the funicular station.
You shouldn’t expect the majestic castle but I think that it’s worth to visit the castle just for the view alone. If the weather is on your side, you’ll see the mountains.
Tromostovje ( The Three Bridges & Prešeren Square)
As the name of the bridge suggests, three stone bridges lead more or less parallel across the River. This place is the most visited in Ljubljana. The middle bridge has a long history. In the beggining there was only one bridge and they asked Plečnik to make the bridge wider. Instead of this, he added two more bridges for pedestrians and clearly he has made a tourist attraction.
When you cross the Triple Bridge, you will reach Prešeren Square, the main square of Ljubljana. Prešeren square is the place where people meet and hang out. Here are some important building, including the salmon-pink-coloured Franciscan Church.
Franciscan Church
This is the main eye-catcher when you’re exploring the old town. It’s a pretty baroque church from the 17th century and it’s a real masterpiece that dominates Prešernov trg. If you are looking for an instagrammable place, you are in the right place.
Central Market
You can combine your Castle visit with a visit to the Central Market Square (on Vodnikov trg). The market is open every day (except Sundays and public holidays) and every Friday between the end of March and October there is an event Odprta kuhna (food market). This is a great opportunity to meet Slovenian chefs and taste Slovenian and international dishes.
The market is mostly open air, but it has a stretch of covered halls lined by more pillars. It’s hard to miss the market arcades, which are located directly next to the central marketplace. And guess what? This was designed by Jože Plečnik too.
Historical Old Town
Parallel to the river banks runs Mestni trg and together with Stari trg it forms a boulevard with some small local and international shops. You’ll find well-known brand there, but my favourite shops are those small local shops. One of my favourites is Čas za kavo store as you can find perfect gifts for you or your beloved ones and the owner of the store is super friendly.
You should not leave Ljubljana without at least taking a stroll down the street.
Take the boat trip on Ljubljanica river
You have to start exploring Ljubljana on foot and do a walking tour, but taking the boat trip on Ljubljanica is a great way to finish your visit. You will see the city from different angle. The ride takes about one hour and the round tour with the boat is 14€/person (for kids 6-12 years 7€). The winding river offers a great alternative to sightseeing on foot.
Dragon Bridge
Ljubljana’s bridge game is really strong. The Triple Bridge is not the only famous bridge in Ljubljana. There is also the Dragon Bridge which is named for 4 obviuous reasons. It is exciting for art and architecture lovers and there are many legends about the Dragon Bridge. The most charming of them is that when a virgin crosses, the dragons wag their tails.
Metelkova – alternative side of Ljubljana
This is an unusual place near the Ljubljana train & bus station. This used to be a Yugoslav army barracks and these days this is a place for all forms of art, music and Bohemian nightlife. During the day, Metelkova is great for observing art. In night hours, the nightlife really becomes alive. You can have a drink or go partying, but I would recommend going with a few of your friends, for safety reasons. I am not really into alternative scene, so I rather stay out of places like this.
Tivoli Park
Recharge your batteries and enjoy the greenery of Park Tivoli. The park is not far from the city centre and very easy to get to. If you are a nature lover, then this is the place to go. Very clean and a very nice place for a stroll.
What to eat in Ljubljana? My tips on cafes and restaurant
You can eat really delicious food in Ljubljana. You can also eat pretty cheap (for European standards) in Ljubljana. And there is a lot of choice for every taste, no matter if you are a meat lover, seafood lover or vegetarian.
Restaurants
- As a Slovenian who knows Ljubljana’s places to eat very well, I would recommed Slovenska hiša (Slovenian House). As the name suggests, this place offers traditional Slovenian dishes, which are presented in a modern way. Slovenska hiša has two different locations with slightly different concepts. Slovenska hiša by the Ljubljanica river (location: Cankarjevo nabrežje 13) offers traditional Slovenian meat or cheese platters.
If you want to have lunch or dinner in peace, you should go to Slovenska hiša – Figovec (location: Gosposvetska cesta 1). Must try is prekmurska gibanica.
- Want to try another Slovenian delicacy? It’s time for Carniolian sausage (called kranjska klobasa in Slovenian language). You should visit Klobasarna (location: Ciril-Metodov trg 15). They serve carniolian sausage (half or whole sausage) with mustard, horseradish and bread roll, soup (with carniolian sausage) and rolled pastry.
As I said before, I gurantee you will find something for your taste if you decide to travel in Ljubljana. I just wanted to present you some options with traditional Slovenian food, as I love to try local dishes everywhere I go.
Looking for something sweet to eat? One of the most popular hotspots for locals and tourists is Cacao. The location of cafe is great, as it is located on the river where you have a beautiful view of Ljubljana’s famous market arcades and Ljubljanica river. I think that this place is a little bit overrated, but it depends on your own taste.
Another hotspot in town is a place with a fluffy pancakes – Puffy Lil’ Pancakes. The name pretty much says it all you need to know about this popular takeaway spot on Čopova street (few steps away from Triple Bridge). Small cute delicious pancakes.
Cafes
Talking about cafes, you will find a lot of cafes on a river banks. Here are my top choices:
- Lolita Cafe – high ceilings, exposed brick walls, great views through window and super comfortable seating. What else could I wish for? Oh, delicious cakes, pies, mousses and other sweet delights are just cherry on the top. Love it!
Address: Cankarjevo nabrežje 1
- Divine Cafe – location by the Ljubljanica is perfect, but what I love the most is their tea. I love the smell of the tea and it is one of the best I’ve had in Slovenia. And I love tea as much as I love coffee.
Address: Cankarjevo nabrežje 7
- Lockal na Petkovšku – Lockal is the closest bar to Butcher’s Bridge and the contagiousness of the lovelocks has firmly set in. The locks and the romance they signify play a large role in Lockal. The focus is on local products. Expect Slovenian beers, Slovenian teas, Slovenian lemonade and by the way, they serve the most instagrammable milkshakes in city.
Address: Petkovškovo nabrežje 23
Fun fact: in Slovenian language lokal means café.
As you can see, my top three cafes in Ljubljana are located on the river bank of Ljubljanica. As I said before, I could spend all day sitting by the river.
If you want to enjoy in a beautiful view of Ljubljana and Ljubljana Castle go for a drink in Nebotičnik Cafe.
Also, you can enjoy in a cup of coffee and something sweet in the Kavarna Zvezda – my favorite location of Kavarna Zvezda is in the Hotel Slon.
Patisseries
On my last visit to Ljubljana, I discovered a new treasure in the old part of the city. It’s La Mousse Goose, a patisserie where you’ll find delicacies that stand out in both appearance and taste. A shop selling lovely boutique cakes with a French twist and with the interior which is a feast for the eyes, is located at the Stari Trg.
Getting to Ljubljana
Do you want to travel to Ljubljana by car? Then you will need a Slovenian vignette (it will cost you 16€ for 7 days). If you’ll come by car, you can make a stopover or roadtrip to other city in Slovenia – lake Bled or Bohinj, Maribor, on the Slovenian coast, etc.
If you will be arriving at Ljubljana Airport, you can take a taxi to the city centre (this will cost you around 50€), but if you book transfer in advance you will pay around 9€/person (GoOpti). You can also go by bus. The ride will cost you 4,10€/person, so this is the cheapest option. You can find timetable on the AP Ljubljana site. If you travel on weekend, the price is reduced and you will pay only 1,30€.
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Do you have any question? Feel free to ask. Have you also been to Ljubljana and you have some more travel tips to share? I’m looking forward to hear your opinion.
Alan Sedgwick
April 17, 2021I have visited almost all capitals in Europe and Ljubljana is rivalled only by Lisbon for my favourite! A really beautiful city with a very relaxed vibe, I would recommend it highly.
Viola
October 21, 2023Your article about Ljubljana has piqued my excitement for my 2024 visit! Your descriptions of the green landscapes and the city’s charm have convinced me that it’s a must-see destination. Thanks for all the tips! I can’t wait to experience the beauty you’ve so eloquently captured.
Jasmina
November 2, 2023I’m so happy to hear this! I am 100% sure that you’re going to love it!
Han
October 21, 2023I visited this beautiful city on a quick stop whilst in Slovenia a few years ago and will definitely return to visit the places you’ve recommended!
Jasmina
November 2, 2023I’m so glad to hear that you will return to visit Ljubljana! Ljubljana has improved a lot through years and it’s even more beautiful now!
Terri
October 21, 2023What a great post. This country is high to visit on my list to visit. I am so sad that I couldn’t add it to my itinerary when I visited Croatia.
Jasmina
November 2, 2023Thanks Terri! I hope that you will visit Slovenia soon – it’s such a gem with lots of places to visit!
Alina
October 21, 2023I visited Ljubljana in 2017 and absolutely loved my time there! As you said, it’s such a green and beautiful city and I’m planning to go back soon 🙂
Jasmina
November 2, 2023Oh, I love to hear that you’re planning another visit! It’s definitely worth it 🙂