Ljubljana is the capital and largest city of Slovenia. The cultural, educational, economic, political and administrative center of the country. With a population of approximately 293,000 inhabitants, it is one of the smallest European capitals, the city not being crowded, it is certainly never boring. Ljubljana has a lot to offer both its locals and visitors, an interesting mix of different cultural traditions, one of Europe's newest top culinary destinations, unforgettable events and locations.
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Useful information
Accommodation - Where to stay in Ljubljana
In Ljubljana you will find a wide variety of accommodations, making a selection we can offer you some recommendations:
- Guesthouse Stari Tišler – This centrally located guesthouse will offer you comfortable rooms with free Wi-Fi access, an attentive and helpful staff, and in the morning you will be able to serve a buffet breakfast. The building is historical and has been completely renovated. Prices for one night's accommodation here, with breakfast included, start from 104 euros per person.
- City Hotel Ljubljana - The hotel is located in the heart of the city, and in addition to the modernly decorated rooms, with free Wi-Fi access and air conditioning, you will also be able to enjoy an à la carte restaurant and a bar. The rates for one night's accommodation here start from 137 euros per person, and breakfast is included.
- Grand Plaza Hotel & Congress Center - Located in the city center, Grand Plaza Hotel & Congress Center offers air-conditioned rooms, a fitness center, free Wi-Fi and a garden. Each room of this 5-star hotel has a view of the city, and guests can enjoy access to a restaurant and a bar. For one night's accommodation with breakfast included, you will pay 174 euros per person
Tourist spots Ljubljana – What are you visiting in Ljubljana
Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Castle is the most impressive and also the most visited castle in the capital of Slovenia. It was built in the middle of the 15th century, and today it is a very popular tourist destination. It offers its visitors a remarkable view of the city, hosts three restaurants, a wine shop, museums, and at the same time it is a place where many cultural events are held, and besides all these you can enjoy many activities, such as: the time machine, which will give you the opportunity to travel in the distant past; or an interesting adventure game, with elements of the "escape room" game, giving you the opportunity to discover the history of the city, and why not, maybe even save a dragon. You can find more details about timetables and prices here.
Preseren Square
Located at the foot of the emblematic Triple Bridge over the Ljubljanica river and dedicated to the beloved national poet France Prešeren, this square is one of the most famous public spaces in Ljubljana. Perched on the banks of the river, the square is connected to many of the city's main arteries, making it the perfect place from which to explore the city. The square is also known as a meeting place for festivals, sports events, concerts and political events. It was initially known as St. Mary's Square and developed after the Franciscan Church was built in the 17th century. The newly built palaces replaced the medieval houses that were destroyed by the earthquake of 1895. This square is a beautiful place to take photos and listen to street musicians, and to get a magical perspective of this vibrant city we suggest you visit at dusk.
Triple Bridge
It was originally built as a single bridge over the Ljubljanica river in 1842, and between 1929 and 1932 the architect Jože Plečnik added the two side pedestrian bridges, furnished all three bridges with stone railings and lamps, even changed its name the bridge. The stairs on each of the side bridges lead down to the terraces located along the Ljubljanica river. It is spectacular to see, especially in the evening, when the Ljubljana castle that watches over the city is illuminated, and all the surrounding elements create a wonderful atmosphere.
Dragon Bridge
The Dragon Bridge, adorned with impressive dragon statues, appears in the most recognizable images of Ljubljana. The four dragon statues, which look as real as possible, are a masterpiece of an interesting imagination since the bridge was built. Besides the attraction of the dragons, the bridge is a unique creation, considered to be an extraordinary piece of heritage and a superb example of Art Nouveau architecture, which flourished at the beginning of the 20th century. The bridge was built between 1900 and 1901, it was the first structure of reinforced concrete from Ljubljana and one of the largest bridges of this kind that were built in Europe.
Tivoli Park
Tivoli Park is the largest and most beautiful park in Ljubljana, located right in the center of the city. It was designed in 1813 by the French engineer Jean Blanchard and was created by uniting the parks that surrounded the Podturn and Cekin mansions. The park, which stretches over an area of approximately 5 square kilometers, is criss-crossed by landscaped paths, ornamental flowers, interesting trees and numerous statues and artesian fountains, thus becoming a well-known place for various outdoor exhibitions, for scenic photographs, and many sports activities.
Ljubljana Cathedral
The cathedral in Ljubljana was officially called the Saint Nicholas Church and initially, it was a Gothic church and at the beginning of the 18th century, it was replaced by a Baroque building. It is an easily recognizable landmark of the city, with a green dome and twin towers. The most remarkable improvements to the cathedral are from the 20th century, they include the main relief of the entrance door, which depicts the history of Slovenia, to mark the 1250th anniversary of Christianity in Slovenia, and on the side doors there are portraits of the bishops.
Central Market
The Central Market in Ljubljana is more than a place for shopping, it is traditionally a place for locals to meet and socialize. The Central Market consists of an open-air market, a covered market and a series of small grocery stores that you can find along the Ljubljanica river. Every Friday, from mid-March to the end of October, the market hosts a unique food market, where chefs from Slovenian restaurants prepare various dishes from international cuisine, but in case of bad weather, the Open Kitchen is cancelled.
Metelkova City
An alternative culture center that developed from a former army barracks and dates back to 1993, it has become one of the most famous tourist attractions in Ljubljana, here you will find a variety of artistic events and a large number of clubs that host different concerts. The center also offers art shows, exhibitions and an occasional festival. Running a vibrant program of events, it brings people together any night of the week. If you are interested in alternative art and alternative ways of life, you must definitely visit this part of the city.
National Museum of Slovenia
The National Museum of Slovenia is housed in a centrally located Neo-Renaissance palace, built between 1883 and 1885 according to the plans of Viljem Treo. In the museum's permanent collections there are prehistoric treasures of the National Museum of Slovenia - this exhibition brings together the most important archaeological finds from the museum's prehistoric collection, including the Neanderthal flute, which is considered to be the oldest musical instrument in the world; roman stories - exhibition that brings together archaeological discoveries from the period when the territory of today's Slovenia was part of the Roman Empire and over 200 stone monuments bearing Latin Roman inscriptions and dating from the 1st-4th centuries AD. You will be able to find details about the schedule here.
National Gallery of Slovenia
The National Gallery, the most important historical art museum in Slovenia, holds the largest art collection in the country, dating from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. It also hosts a permanent exhibition of works by Zoran Mušič, one of the most important modernist painters from Europe, and various temporary exhibitions. The permanent collection is composed of almost 600 works by Slovenian and European artists. The gallery also holds one of Ljubljana's greatest pieces of baroque art, the Fountain of the Three Rivers by Francesco Robba, whose original place was in front of the town hall, which is now occupied by its replica. At the same time, the gallery hosts a room, where events for children and families take place regularly and an extensive library. See more details here.
Congress Square
Piata Congresului is a historically significant baroque square that unites some of the most beautiful landmarks and attractions of the city. Explore Congress Square as part of a walking tour, focused on Slovenia's post-communist era or the city's vibrant art and food scenes, and here you'll find many important buildings and monuments. You will also be offered books and sunbeds during the summer to read interesting literature for free right in the city center.
Franciscan Church of the Annunciation
The church was built between 1646 and 1660. Its facade, built in the Baroque style, was completed around 1700 and renovated in 1993, it is adorned with a copper statue of Saint Mary, the largest statue of the Virgin in Ljubljana . There is a stone entrance staircase in front of the church, and the wooden door with reliefs of women's heads dates from the 19th century. Next to the church, there is a Franciscan monastery dating from the 13th century. The monastery is notable for its library, which contains over 70,000 books, including medieval manuscripts.
Robba Fountain
The most famous Baroque monument in Ljubljana. It was created between 1743 and 1751 by the sculptor and architect of Venetian origin, Francesco Robba, who spent most of his life in Ljubljana and is considered to be the city's greatest Baroque sculptor. The Robba fountain is modeled after the famous Roman fountains, and it is decorated with sculptures of three river gods representing the three rivers of the Slovenian province of Carniola: Sava, Krka and Ljubljanica, and in the center of the fountain there is a 10-meter high obelisk made of marble.
Town Hall
The City Hall of Ljubljana is the seat of the Municipality of Ljubljana. It was built by the master builder Petru Bezlaj, between 1717 and 1719 and an annex designed by Carlo Martinuzzi was added, the facade of the town hall reflecting Venetian architectural influences. Ljubljana City Hall has four exhibition spaces: a glass one, a historical one, a central one and a straight one. The main purpose of these exhibition spaces is to present projects by the municipality of Ljubljana, exhibitions organized through international and intercity partnerships, individual exhibitions and art groups are also exhibited.
Plecnik House
The Plečnik House comprises a complex of two neighboring houses and an adjacent garden, which, together with Plečnik's original furniture, library, drawing tools, personal items and a large archive of sketches, plans and photographs, are all part of the Plečnik Collection. The exhibition will give you a perspective on the life and work of Plečnik, focusing especially on the creations of the architect from Ljubljana, where he returned in 1921 after a successful career abroad. Architect Jože Plečnik has come a long way from being an apprentice in his father's workshop to becoming a highly regarded architect, a respected professor at the Faculty of Architecture in Ljubljana and the laureate of numerous national and international distinctions. His visions and original approaches continue to inspire architects and architecture enthusiasts from all over the world. You can find more details about the visiting hours here.
Lake Bled
If you get to Ljubljana, you must not miss Lake Bled. Located only about 55 km from Ljubljana, Lake Bled is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Slovenia. Located in the Julien Alps, Lake Bled is as serene as it looks in the photos and a visit to this romantic lake is as unreal as you would be led to believe. A walk around the lake will take between 1-2 hours, but you may need extra time to stop to take photos, because this is an extremely photogenic location. If you want to get a view of the lake from above, the best viewpoint is from Mala Osojnica, this hike will take around 1 hour, but allow some time to enjoy the view. It is a very popular day trip from Ljubljana, and there are several ways to get to Lake Bled, including public transport and car. see here more information. Regardless of the season in which you choose to visit this lake, it will certainly offer you wonderful landscapes.
Gastronomy & Restaurants
In Slovenian kitchens, the abundance of nature is transformed into incredible and unforgettable dishes, you will discover how nature and culture have intertwined in a plate full of traditional regional dishes, centuries old. The natural variety has endowed Slovenia with a multitude of products that chefs incorporate into their dishes, Slovenian cuisine developing from local traditions and local ingredients. Ljubljana and the region of Central Slovenia proudly presents its unique cuisine with an international influence. The most representative dessert is definitely Slovenska potica, a traditional festive pastry product with nuts; and the most typical drink is wine, because the three wine-growing areas produce a wide range of wines, including original wines, from 11 autochthonous varieties of winemaking grapes.
In the capital of Slovenia, you will certainly find many restaurants that serve delicious dishes, and we can give you some recommendations:
- Gostilna Sestica – one of the oldest inns in Ljubljana, it has one of the largest catering gardens in the center of Ljubljana. Here you will be able to enjoy delicious traditional dishes, which you can find in a very varied menu.
- Strelec restaurant - in a historical setting, you will be able to choose from a range of first-class seasonal and micro-seasonal dishes, prepared by chef Igor Jagodic and his team, with a unique recognized style and local ingredients of the best quality.
- EK Bistro – this bistro serves breakfast, brunch and cocktails in a modern setting. The perfect place where you can leave behind the hustle and bustle of the crowded streets of Ljubljana, where good taste will give you a very pleasant experience.
Ljubljana was designated the best European destination in 2022. Certainly, the capital of Slovenia will not disappoint you from any point of view, the city will offer you picturesque landscapes, buildings and stars full of history and culture, places where you can enjoy unforgettable dishes, and many outdoor activities.
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