How to Spend One Day in Ljubljana
Ljubljana offers a unique blend of history, culture and (very delicious) food, but as a modern capital that doesn’t feel overwhelming. It’s walkable, easy to explore and one of my all time favourites. Here is how to spend the perfect day in Ljubljana:
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Planning your trip?
How to get to Lljubljana:
✈️ Slovenia actually has 3 international airports, with Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU) being the biggest and closest to Ljubljana. From there you can get a bus to the city centre for just 4.60€. You pay either in cash on the bus or via the website.
🚆 Ljubljana is also very well connected by train and bus to many other European countries. I’d recommend checking the local train websites for your origin country for tickets (e.g. Bahn.de for Germany or MÁV-csoport for Hungary). For buses, the main one is of course Flixbus, though there are other local operators like Arriva/Nomago in Slovenia.
Where to stay in Ljubljana?
Overall, I’d recommend trying to stay close to Old Town and the Ljubljanica river, as from there most tourist attractions are easy to get to, there’s lots of restaurants and it’s super safe.
Best hostels and hotels in Ljubljana:
🛏️ AdHoc Hostel – super central location, decent rooms
🏬B&B Hotel Ljubljana Park – good location, clean, quiet
🏩Grand Plaza Hotel – 5-star hotel with insane views from the higher floors
Activities to check out:
One Day in Ljubljana, Slovenia
Map of things to do in Ljubljana:
Start the day at the dragon bridge
A good starting point for exploring Ljubljana is the dragon bridge, as it takes you straight to the centre. From there, you can walk the trail of the city’s sights along the river and explore both sides. Ljubljana is super walkable, so it’s more than possible to explore the main areas in just one day.
The dragon bridge features the symbol of Ljubljana and its mythical heritage, the dragon. It’s a really cool photo spot as you can often get the dragon with parts of Old Town in the background.
But why are dragons so important in Ljubljana? Well, it’s said to come back to the Greek Legend of ‘Jason and the Argonauts’, who were in search of the Golden Fleece. They came down the river Ljubljanica on their expedition, where they ended up defeating a dragon living by the riverside.
I can also always recommend joining a walking tour, even when you only have a day in a city. That way you see the most important parts of the city in just a few hours, get insights into its history and even a lot of local recommendations after the tour from your guide. Check out Ljubljana’s free walking tours here (tip at the end), or some paid ones below:
Wander the Central Market
I would recommend hitting the market earlier on in the day, as that is when most vendors are there and it’s at its liveliest. It’s a great place to grab some snacks for the castle or stock up on souvenirs.
The central market is just across the dragon bridge and hosts a variety of stands selling anything from food to clothing to handmade items.
It consists of the big square full of produce and food stands, as well as the street running along the river, which is home to covered stalls selling local delicacies such as honey, pumpkin seed oil and little dragon souvenirs.
Head up to Ljubljana Castle
One of the main sights in Ljubljana is its castle, and it’s worth it for the views alone. From the top of the castle hill, you can see all of Ljubljana plus the mountains in the distance on a clear day.
Getting up to Ljubljana castle can be a little bit of a hike (15 minutes semi-steep uphill) or a 5-minut funicular for 3.30€ one-way or 6€ return.
The castle itself has been there in some form for centuries, marking an important defensive point for the city, but also a vantage point for visiting royals. Nowadays, it’s a fun place to explore with a Slovenian history museum, Puppet museum and more, and often hosts events like the dragon festival in May and September.
Explore around Old Town and Town Square
Heading down from Ljubljana Castle, walk towards Town Square with the Robbov vodnjak fountain and further down Old Town via Stari trg street.
Here you’ll find lots of local shops selling delicacies like honey, secondhand shops (like Humana), delicious coffee stores (e.g. Arhetip Café) and just the cutest photo spots.
Cross the Triple Bridge to see the other side of the river
The Triple Bridge is exactly what its name says: three bridges that mark one of the most unique crossroads of Ljubljana. The middle bridge has been there since 1842, whereas the two on the sides were added around 1930, once again by Jože Plečnik.
Once you have explored the Castle side of Ljubljana, it’s time to cross the river and explore the other half. Here, along the river you’ll find countless restaurants and cafes to fuel up for more exploring. Most of them have gorgeous river and castle views.
On this side, you’ll also find the beautiful Prešernov Square with a current rain art installation. You could then follow any of the streets leading from the square for some shopping, though my favourite is Trubarjeva cesta, full of secondhand and local shops.
Go to Tivoli Park for some serenity and greenery
A short walk (max 15-minutes) from this part of Ljubljana is the huge Tivoli park, full of open-air galleries, playgrounds, lakes, fountains and so much more.
The park is a real nod to Ljubljana’s focus on sustainability and the great outdoors. Tivoli Castle and Cekin Mansion are also both still in the park and worth checking out!
Grab a sunset drink at Nebotičnik Skyscraper
There’s no better place to finish a successful day in Ljubljana than at Nebotičnik with a sunset cocktail.
The 13-story skyscraper is located right near the city centre and features a 10th floor restaurant and 12th floor café and terrace. Going up is free and drink prices are okayish for the view.
Enjoy some Slovenian food for dinner
While I was always too enamoured by the food to take pics of my savoury Slovenian dishes, let this dessert spread influence you that Slovenian food is incredible.
Ljubljana is packed with delicious restaurants, one I’ve tried and loved was Gostilna Sokol, but I have heard amazing things about Slovenska hiša Ljubljančanka (it’s always full so make a booking).
Would highly recommend trying Štruklji (I had a vegetarian version at Gostilna Sokol and it was delicious), Bled Cream Cake, Carnolian Sausage, potica and much more.
If you have extra time:
Go on a daytrip
There are actually so many good daytrip options from Ljubljana, that it’s 100% worth staying an extra day.
One of the easiest is Lake Bled, which is just a 1-hour bus ride away and has something for everyone. From stunning hikes to viewpoints, to the traditional boats that take you to the island, to a castle, Lake Bled has it all.
Other great options are Postojna Cave, Soča Valley and Triglav National Park.
More on Ljubljana:
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