Ljubljana
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Transportation and Accommodations
Getting There
As the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana is easy to get to by plane. The airport is rather small but has direct flights from some locations in Europe. If traveling from the United States, you'll need to connect along the way, most likely in Frankfurt, Munich or London. Traveling to the city center from the airport does not take too long. By taxi, the journey is about 30 minutes and costs approximately 50 euros. There is also a bus which takes about double the time but also reaches the city center.
As Slovenia is part of the EU, it means you can cross into other EU states without much trouble or even a passport check. This makes it easy to visit by car if making a road trip across a few different places.
Getting Around
The city of Ljubljana is quite small, and thus quite walkable. If preferred, you can rent bikes as well or hop in a taxi to reach where needed. However, the main area is very easily walked.
Accommodations
Grand Hotel Union
Located very central and a perfect location to explore the city. It is historical in that it is the city's first modern hotel. The hotel has very nice rooms and is a lovely place to stay when visiting the city.
Things to do and see
Ljubljana Castle
The city feels to be centered around castle hill, with Ljubljana Castle sitting above the rest of the city. For those who enjoy getting their steps in, it takes about 15 minutes to climb from the base to the Castle. If an uphill walk is not appealing, there is also a funicular which you can buy tickets to allow you to skip the walk up. The funicular takes you right to the base of the castle where you can then choose to purchase tickets to explore the castle.
If you choose to visit the castle, you will need to purchase a ticket and can then take an audio tour of the castle grounds. Plan for about 1.5 hours to wander through the different rooms and listen to the audio tour. The castle also has a small café, a nice restaurant, and a wine tasting option.
Old Town
Wander the old town and along the Ljubljana river to feel the medieval charm of the city and enjoy wandering the car free streets. Stop for a coffee, beer or glass of wine and just people watch as the day goes by
Triple Bridge
Found in the Old Town, the triple bridge is literally a group of three bridges extending from Preseren Square across the Ljubljanica river. It originally started as one bridge, but two additional bridges were built to be able to accommodate the traffic.
Dragon Bridge
This bridge gets its name of the dragon statues on the end of the bridge.
St. Nicolas's Cathedral
Ljubljana Cathedral and the main church in the capital.
Day trip to Lake Bled
Perhaps the highlight for some, be sure to add a day trip to visit the area around Lake Bled. At the center of the lake you'll see an island with a church on it. Interestingly enough, this is the only island in Slovenia. When visiting the beautiful Lake Bled, you can enjoy the views around the lake, hop in a row boat and check out the island, or join a larger boat where a skipper will do the paddling.
Food and Drinks
Ljubljana is known for having a high concentration of fancy, Michelin restaurants. With that in mind, you can plan a fine dining experience or enjoy a nice dinner at a cheaper price or simply find a casual spot for drinks and snacks.
Food
Julija
Well-regarded restaurant in the Old Town. This restaurant is often booked in advance so plan to make a reservation if keen to enjoy a dinner here.
Spajza Restaurant
Quaint Slovenian restaurant with a cozy atmospheres. Tables are distributed across a few different rooms and a courtyard in nice weather. Another spectacular food experience as the menu provides a variety of options and the dishes are delicious. A few favorites included the filet, octopus salad, scallops, and truffle pasta.
Altroke
Delicious restaurant on a pedestrian only road with a variety of options from seafood to meat to pasta and more. The plates here are well worth making a booking in advance, and the staff is very friendly. Don't miss the truffle pasta and octopus
Central Market
On Friday evenings, there are a variety of food stalls which is great for a different option for all
Wine Bar Suklje
Nice wine bar along the water with a good atmosphere and tasty charcuterie boards
Slovenska Hisa
Located along the river, with lots of nice outdoor seating, grab a table here on a nice day (or rainy and sit under the umbrellas!) for a drink and a snack. They do a few nice charcuterie boards.
Cafes and Treats
Crno Zrno
Specialty coffee shop
Gelateria Romantika
With a few locations across the city, this is a delicious gelato spot with both basic and more unique flavors. Don’t be afraid to try something new here!
Vigo
A gelato spot with more frills, this gelato is quite tasty with the option to add chocolate on top or make a more decadent dessert
Traditional Slovenia Dishes
- Potica: rolled dough cake with different fillings including walnut, taragon, poppy, chocolate, and cinnamon.
- Gibanica: layered cake with pastry, poppy seeds, apple, walnuts, and cottage cheese
- Kremsnita: a vanilla custard cake with whipped cream and puff pastry
Other Notes
Duration
One day is all that is needed for a visit to Ljubljana. Plan a half to full day to explore the city and enjoy a meal, but it is recommended to leave the city and explore more of Slovenia. Consider heading out to Lake Bled to visit Slovenia's only island, hike in the Julian Alps, or make your way to the coast for some sunshine and swimming in the Adriatic Sea.
Plan to stay in Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj or Kranjska Gora to enjoy the mountains. Check out my Lake Bled page for ways to enjoy the Slovenian mountains and countryside.
Currency
Slovenia is part of the EU and therefore uses the euro for currency. Although many places do accept credit or debit card, there are more reasons to carry cash as smaller shops may only accept cash.
Additional Slovenia adventures
After a night in Ljubljana, plan to leave the city and explore all the outdoorsy activities the country has to offer
Navigation
Transportation and Accommodations
Things to do and see
Food and Drinks