“Cities get built out of poet’s dreams”- Marty Rubin
Ljubljana – the name is a sort of tongue twister but this Slovenian capital is nothing short of a charming discovery. Though a couple of years ago it was not as famous as its Italian and Croatian counterparts but recently Ljubljana is fast emerging as a sought after travel destination. This medieval Baroque city features picturesque cobbled streets, fabulous art nouveau style architecture, eye catching art, churches, bridges and all this overlooked by the hilltop medieval castle.
Green City
Downtown Ljubljana is a car free zone and is home to plenty of green places. No wonder Ljubljana was awarded the European Green Capital in 2016. Ljubljana was the first EU capital to adopt a Zero Waste strategy. The lovely parks scattered across the city are the lungs of town and it’s a heaven for cyclists and pedestrians. You will also notice electric golf buggy vehicles called Kavalirs on the streets which are mainly intended for the use of elderly, mobility- impaired people and visitors.
The cobbled pedestrian streets with its numerous outdoor cafes and eating joints are sure to charm you during your stay there. The whole city is neat and clean and the medieval arcades and bridges covered in colourful leaves are a vision to see. Ditch your plastic water bottles as the tap water in Ljubljana or Slovenia in general is perfectly safe to drink. Even in high end restaurants people don’t refrain from ordering tap water.
People and Culture
Ljubljana is home to four excellent universities so young people constitute a major part of the population. Students make up 13% of the whole population and the city itself is quite young too. There are plenty of bars and hip cafes lined along the river bank. It’s the perfect city to do pub crawl. On the Friday evening we arrived, we were picked up by our hotel’s Kavalir. The energetic vibe of the city, the buzzing evening and the bars swarmed with people were enough to let us not stay in our hotel room for long. The people over there surely do know how to have a good time and welcome weekend 🙂
The edgy cultural district of Metelkova hosts many concerts in the summer. Ljubljana is emerging big on the Festival scene. Nearly 10,000 events are held annually here. An insane number of festivals related to music, theatre, ballet, food, film and literature are held every year. You just have to pick the one activity you like most 🙂
Getting to Ljubljana
We flew from London Gatwick to Ljubljana Joze Pucnik Airport. The flight took just over two hours. Once we were out of the airport, our pre booked car was ready to be picked up. We booked the car from ATET. It took us around 30 minutes to reach the city centre. We didn’t fly home from Ljubljana but went to Salzburg via train.
Parking
As the old town is a car free zone, we parked our car at the nearest underground car park. It was just a ten minute walking distance to our hotel but they sent us an electric buggy.
Our hotel recommended us this underground parking located near/under Congress Square. It’s called Parking Kongresni Trg. Highly recommend this due to its close proximity to the city centre. It’s quite popular too.
Tariff
Day Tariff (7 am – 12 pm): Up to 3h – 1,20 €/h, more than 3h – 2,40 €/h
Night Tariff- (12 pm – 7 am): 1,80 €/night
Getting from Airport to City by Public Transport
By Bus
Alpetour is the company who is in charge of running buses to and from the airport.
From the Airport to the City Centre
The buses run from 05:00 to 20:00 during weekdays, after every hour. During weekends the buses run from 07:00 to 20:00, leaving every two hours.
From the City Centre to the Airport
Buses to the airport leaves from Bus Stop 28 at the main Bus station (opposite Train Station). You can buy the tickets from the driver himself or the counter inside the bus stop.
The journey will take around one hour and will cost €4.10.
By Taxi
Taxi rank can be found outside the airport. It is recommended to book one in advance. It will take around 30 minutes to reach the city centre and will cost at least €20.
By Shuttle Bus
Perfect for large groups with the convenience of door to door pick and drop, shuttle buses run to and from airport and neighbouring countries too. The main players in the game are GoOpti (starting from €9), Na Letalisce (from €8), NoMago, Markun Shuttle, MNJtransfer and ZUP Prevozi.
Where to Park
Our hotel recommended this very popular underground parking located near/under Congress Square. It’s called Parking Kongresni Trg. Highly recommend this due to its close proximity to the city centre.
Tariff
Day Tariff (7 am – 12 pm): Upto 3h – 1,20 €/h, more than 3h – 2,40 €/h
Night Tariff- (12 pm – 7 am): 1,80 €/night
Stay at Vander Urbani Resort
Located right in the heart of Ljubljana’s old town, Vander Urbani is a chic boutique hotel. It boasts of a rooftop infinity pool, amazing restaurant and a great selection of wine. Our room felt like it was straight out of a design catalogue. We were lucky enough to be upgraded to the Junior Suite with river view due to some sanitation issues in our room. The room was modern and spacious with the most beautiful view ever. The bed was large and comfortable. Breakfast was a mix of cold food, cereals, fruits and hot food cooked to order. Their restaurant is certainly worth trying. The staff do their best to help and provide information.
Getting Around
Ljubljana is best explored on foot. City centre is pedestrian friendly so walking is a great option. Alternatively you can rent bikes to navigate the city or use public transport. Buying a Ljubljana Tourist Card would be a great option. It will cost €31 (24 hours), €39 (48 hours), €45 (72 hours) and will provide access to unlimited use of public transportation and free entry to 15 excursions.
Places to See
Prešeren Square
It’s the main square of Ljubljana. Almost all the main events take place in this historical square. This square is named after the great Slovenia’s National poet France Preseren. You can find his statue in the square, facing his unrequited love and muse Julija Primic. This square is a great meeting point for all kinds of celebrations.
Dragon Bridge
Ljubljana has a lot of folktales and legends connected to dragons. The four dragons standing on the pedestals at the four corners of the bridge are an emblem for Ljubljana. Built in Art Nouveau style, it was built in 1901. The most interesting legend associated with these dragons is that they wag their tails whenever a virgin crosses the bridge.
Ljubljanica River
This river is the beating heart of the city, winding its way through old town. The riversides are dotted with tiny embankments which are perfect for strolling and sitting. You can enjoy drinks and coffee in an infinite number of bars and restaurants. The best way to experience the river is by boat or a stand up paddle board. Canal cruising is definitely the best way to spend some relaxing time.
Ljubljana Castle
Towering over the beautiful city centre, Ljubljana castle provides spectacular views of the city. You can either choose the short hike (10 -15 mins) or opt for a funicular. This castle dates back to the 15th century. It has undergone a lot of change and restoration since it was first built and many modern elements have been added to the castle. The views from the clock tower were epic. The main courtyard is free to enter but getting to the top of the tower will cost you €8. There’s a jazz pub, museum, cafe and a restaurant too.
Apparently the two castle restaurants Strelec and Gostilna Na Gradu are quite famous for their cuisine. Visiting the castle at the sunset coupled with a dinner date should be a good idea. Inside the castle chapel there was a man doing centuries old script writing for free. We got out names done for a little change for church charity. We didn’t spend much time at the castle as it started raining but it is definitely worth a visit.
Cathedral of St. Nicolas or Ljubljana Cathedral
This beautiful eighteenth century baroque church has undergone many transformations due to being destroyed in fire multiple times. Right from the main door to the stunning interiors, the ornate decor is very impressive. For €2 entrance fee you will be able to see paintings, frescos and sculptures.
Central Market
This outdoor market is very famous for fresh local produce. You can find fruits, vegetables, nuts, cheese, meat, craft and souvenirs. It’s equally famous among locals and tourists. The vendors are quite friendly. This market was also designed by Joze Plecnik. This market is open everyday except sundays.
Franciscan Church
This salmon pink coloured church is hard to miss as it is located right opposite the triple bridge. This centrally located catholic church has beautiful interiors and it looks equally beautiful from outside especially when lit up in the evening.
Congress Square
It’s a large park with lots of walking space, greenery and lovely buildings all around. We used to cross this park daily on our way to the car park. It is located right next to the underground car park.
Besides the above mentioned attractions, you can also visit these attractions too. As we were mostly out of the town during day time, we were not able to visit House of Illusions as it was always closed when we used to come back in the evening.
House of Illusions
Perfect for a rainy day. Kids are surely going to love it.
Tivoli Park
The biggest park in Ljubljana and a great spot to relax, picnic or play.
National Museum of Slovenia
It’s the oldest and largest museum in Slovenia
Metelkova
Quirky alternate part of the city full of sculptures, murals and street art.
Ljubljana is a perfect base to make day trips to Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj, Triglav National Park, Piran, Škocjan Caves, Postojna Caves, Kranj and Predjama Castle.
Read our post: Fairtytale Lake Bled and Vintgar Gorge
Until Next Time
Ljubljana deserves much more exposure and we are happy to see it creeping up the traveller radar.
