LJUBLJANA: 25 best things to Do & places to check out

We got stranded in Ljubljana.

We were supposed to fly out of Slovenia, but the airline we booked filed for bankruptcy and cancelled all their flights — including ours. It definitely threw a wrench into our plans because we were backpacking around Europe with a limited budget. While we were trying to figure out our next steps, we decided to extend our stay in Ljubljana. It [turned out to be] a blessing in disguise.

Prior to this, we had seen only a little bit of Ljubljana because it was raining a lot during most of our stay and we focused more on the Slovenian countryside. but staying longer meant we had more time to explore the city and enjoy more of what it has to offer!

Yes, we got stranded in Ljubljana. but it [turned out to be] a good thing!

Here are 25 of the best things to do and places to check out in Ljubljana. We also added a sample Ljubljana itinerary in the end.

WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?

THINGS TO DOOld town walking Tour
River Cruise
Stand-up Paddling
Food Tour
Urban Train
Day trips from Ljubljana

PLACES TO VISITLjubljana Castle
Ljubljana Cathedral
Town Hall (Mestna Hiša)
Triple Bridge (Tromostovje)
Prešeren Square
Dragon Bridge (Zmajski Most)
Central Market
House of Illusions
Park Špica
Botanical Garden
Plečnik House
Križanke Church and Monastery
Congress Square
Republic Square
Tivoli Park
Krakovo
Metelkova Mesto
National museum of Slovenia
National Gallery

SAMPLE LJUBLJANA ITINERARY
TOP APARTMENTS & hotels IN LJUBLJANASearch for more Ljubljana Hotels!

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THINGS TO DO

Old town walking Tour

Ljubljana’s old town cradles several centuries-old structures that mostly reflect Roman and medieval design. The historic center fuels the tourism industry of the city. You may do this on your own or by joining a guided tour, giving you a deeper insight into the rich history of both Ljubljana and Slovenia as a whole while exploring with a group.

Here are the usual stops:

Ljubljana Cathedral

Town Hall (Mestna hiša)

Triple Bridge

Preseren Square

Dragon Bridge

Central Market

There are free walking tours to choose from. Although this is free, it’s still recommended to give a tip at the end of the tour, especially if the guide did a terrific job. It depends on you how much you want to give, but it’s usually around €5 each. feel free to add more if you really enjoyed it. For more info, check Ljubljana free Tour.

Schedule: 11AM (Daily; afternoon tours are added during peak months)
Meetup Point: Prešeren Square

However, some free walking tour groups can be so big that you’ll get a difficult time hearing what the guide is saying. If you want to be in a smaller group and you have money to spare, you can just join a paid tour. Klook is offering a package that has Ljubljana Castle in the itinerary. It also includes roundtrip funicular (cable car) tickets.

✅ book tour HERE!

River Cruise

The Ljubljanica River is the most important body of water in this part of Slovenia. Historically, it aided trade and commerce in the city back in the Roman period. Today, boats shuttle tourists who choose to go sightseeing on a river cruise. The relaxing journey lasts for 45 minutes. This is perfect for those who are not fond of too much walking.

Schedule: 10AM, 11AM, 1PM, 2PM, 5PM, 6PM, 7PM, 8PM (Daily, April – November); 1PM, 2PM, 3PM (Daily, November – March)
Price: €10 (Adult); €5 (Children 4-12 y/o)
Boarding Spot: Ribji Trg Pier

Stand-up Paddling

Aside from the cruise, another activity while in the vicinity is stand up paddling down the calm waters of Ljubljanica River. This is perfect for adventurous travelers, even beginners! before you proceed, you will be briefed first on the basics of stand up paddling. You will be joined by your instructor as you explore the city center on a paddleboard. The package is inclusive of photos.

Schedule: twice a day (Morning: 9AM or 10AM; Afternoon: 5PM or 6PM)
Price: €39 (inclusive of instructor fee, equipment rental, and photos)
Departure Point: Špica Cafe

Food Tour

Being at the crossroads of Slavic, Germanic, and Roman cultures, Ljubljana’s cuisine is a melting pot of flavors. Its food scene offers a wide array of international dishes — Pannonian, Mediterranean, Balkan, and Alpine among others. If you are seeking gastronomic adventure, the city is laden with restaurants and food places that will make your check out worthwhile.

If you want to learn more about the food scene of Slovenia, a guided tour will take you to places where you get to taste different dishes and sample some wines while listening to stories and information shared by your local guide.

Urban Train

In Ljubljana, you’ll find several electric-powered vehicles roaming the historical core. one of them is the Urban, a train that can take you to the key tourist spots in the city from the town Hall and Ljubljana Castle to Krakovo and back to Old Town.

The ride also provides a pre-recorded narration of information and history per stop. A roundtrip takes 1 hour and 15 minutes. You can alight whenever you want and board again using the same ticket, just like how hop-on-hop-off bus functions. keep your ticket and don’t lose it. The ticket is only valid for that day.

Schedule: 11AM, 1PM, 3PM & 5PM (departs every two hours)
Fare: €8 (Regular)
Departure Point: town Hall

Day trips from Ljubljana

Slovenia is one of the smallest countries in Europe. In fact, you can actually explore it in a day — getting from one end to another. located at the heart of the country, Ljubljana, the capital, is also the choice jump-off point of travelers to other destinations in Slovenia. here are some of the attractions in Slovenia outside Ljubljana.

Lake Bled. located northwest of Ljubljana, Lake Bled is a famous tourist destination boasting an island that nestles ancient buildings; the most prominent is the 17th-century Church of the Assumption. Bled Castle, located on the northern portion of the lake, is visible from the island.

Postojna Cave. located southwest of Ljubljana, Postojna Cave is one of the longest cave systems in the country. This tourist-favorite karst cave features many interesting stalagmites, stalactites, cave “halls”, and other rock formations. It even has its own cave train!

Predjama Castle. also located southwest of Ljubljana, this Renaissance castle piques the interest of tourists for its unusual location — built within the opening of the cave. The original castle was destroyed and underwent reconstructions. The castle that we see today was built in 1570.

Skocjan Caves. located further southwest of Ljubljana, Skocjan Caves system is one of the largest in the world. It was recognized as a UNESCO world Heritage site in 1986 for its natural and cultural merits. and in 1991, it was listed in Ramsar’s Wetlands of international Importance.

For more day trip options, we compiled some of the best destinations in Slovenia in another post. You can find it here: best SLOVENIA DESTINATIONS!

PLACES TO VISIT

Ljubljana Castle

Ljubljana Castle dates back to the 11th-century. constructed atop a hill, this imposing historic structure is not hard to spot, making it one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. The castle grounds present a panoramic view of both the old town and the commercial city center.

Address: Grajska planota 1, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Daily)

There are three ways to get to the castle:

By hiking. For those who are fit and love exploring on foot, you can take this option. You can either do it by yourself or join a group tour.

By urban tourist train. We’ve explained how the urban Train works. In summary, it’s like a loop bus. Fare: €8.

By funicular. The funicular is a cable car. The lower station is located at the foot of the hill. It’s close to the central Market. Fare: €2.20 (one-way); €4 (roundtrip).

Exploring the castle grounds requires no fee. but if you want to enter other establishments such as the watchtower, chapel of St. George, museum of Puppets, and/or the Slovenian history Exhibition, you need to pay the entrance fee. The regular ticket is €13. This amount is inclusive of the admission fees for the castle’s viewing tower, virtual Castle, museum Puppetry, Slovenian History, and the two-way funicular fare.

For other special attractions, you also need to pay additional fees to experience them — escape Castle, Behind Bars Guided Tour, or the time machine Guided Tour. See the rates for other tickets here!

Ljubljana Cathedral

Ljubljana Cathedral graces the Cyril and Methodius Square, commanding attention with its green dome and twin belfries. It is visible from nearby town Hall, central Market, and Ljubljana Castle.

Its history dates back to the 12th-century when the original church follows the Romanesque design. It was reconstructed with Gothic design architecture after a fire destroyed the first one. The present-day Baroque design was constructed in the 18th century. The interior features painted frescoes by Italian Baroque painter, Giulio Quaglio. It’s also notable for its sculpted bronze doors.

Address: Dolničarjeva ulica 1, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Opening Hours: closed from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Entrance Fee: €2 (church interior); free (taking photos outside)

Town Hall (Mestna Hiša)

The town Hall is the seat of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It features Venetian facade, grand staircase, and four exhibition halls or galleries.

The Baroque structure is located at the town Square, which also bears the replica of the Robba Fountain with an obelisk. If you want to see the original fountain, you can check out the national Gallery. The town Hall’s origin can be traced back to the 15th century.

Address: Stritarjeva ulica 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Opening Hours: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Entrance Fee: FREE

Triple Bridge (Tromostovje)

First constructed in 1842, the wider central bridge (main bridge) used to be a medieval wooden bridge. Today, two narrower bridges flank the main bridge — one on either side. These side bridges were meant for pedestrians; consequently, this addition to the original structure gave rise to one of Ljubljana’s famous landmarks.

The Triple Bridge links the historic center to the modern business district separated by the Ljubljanica River. From the central Market (old town side), the bridges lead to Prešeren Square (downtown side).

Prešeren Square

Prešeren Square is Ljubljana’s central square. It used to be a busy crossroad until it was transformed into a square in the 19th century. This elliptical-shaped square is a car-free zone and a popular events venue. This is also the usual meeting point for free walking tours.

It greets tourists who pass through the Triple Bridge coming from and going to the old town. It features a monument dedicated to France Prešeren, the country’s national poet. surrounding the square grand buildings such as the old palaces and the red 17th-century Franciscan Church of the Annunciation.

Dragon Bridge (Zmajski Most)

Built in 1901, Dragon Bridge is regarded as the most stunning Vienna Secession style bridge and protected as a technical monument. following its construction style and material, this reinforced concrete arch bridge mainly serves vehicles.

The bridge got its name from the four imposing dragon statues that became one of the defining features of the city.

Central Market

If you want to get a glimpse of Ljubljana’s culture through its local products, the central Market will give you more than what you are willing to bargain for. the market stretches between the Dragon Bridge and the Triple Bridge, consisting of an outdoor market, an indoor market, food stalls, and shops lining the old town side river banks of Ljubljanica.

From March to October, there’s a weekly open-kitchen event where chefs prepare and serve different international cuisines. This happens every Friday at central Market’s Pogačarjev trg square area.

Address: Adamič-Lundrovo nabrežje 6, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Opening Hours: outdoor Market 6AM – 6PM (Weekdays/Summer), 6AM – 4PM (Saturday/Summer), 6AM – 4PM (Monday – Saturday/Winter); indoor Pogačarjev trg Square 7AM – 4PM (Weekdays), 7AM – 2PM (Saturdays); indoor Plečnik’s Colonnade 7AM – 4PM (Weekdays), 7AM – 2PM (Saturdays); closed (Sundays)

House of Illusions

Image courtesy of Klook
The museum sets up over 40 interactive exhibits that are meant to trick the guests through illusions. You’ll encounter holograms, puzzles, and the rotated Room. The Playroom will challenge your problem-solving skills with logical games. Some other highlights include the Mirror Room, Vortex Tunnel, and the Anti-Gravity Room. book this tour through Klook for convenience. All you need to do is present the voucher emailed to you once at the museum.

✅ RESERVE A TICKET HERE!

Park Špica

Located south of Ljubljana Castle, Park Špica is actually a river embankment of Ljubljanica that was formerly a beach spot until it was transformed into a park.

There’s a long footbridge nearby that is made for pedestrians and cyclists. The park’s relaxing atmosphere and stunning view attract locals and tourists alike.

Botanical Garden

Crossing the footbridge from Park Špica, you will reach the Botanical garden (University of Ljubljana Botanical Garden). established in 1810, it is said to be the oldest botanical garden in Southeastern Europe and the most important in Slovenia. It nurtures more than 4,500 species and subspecies of plants and trees, earning the title “The green soul of Ljubljana”. It also has a glasshouse and tea house where you can rest after a refreshing stroll.

Address: Ižanska cesta 15, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Opening Hours: 7AM – 7PM (Daily, April – may & September – October); 7AM – 5PM (Daily, November – March); 7AM – 8PM (Daily, June – August)
Entrance Fee: €2.80 (Regular); €1.30 (Red