Ljubljana is Slovenia's colourful capital city. It was the first visit for both me and my partner and neither of us knew what to expect - but I suppose with Jana in the name it was sure to be good? It truly was; we fell in love with the airy, bright streets, the colourful facades, the green river winding through it all, the secondhand shops and designer boutiques intermingled…
I first visited Slovenia back in 2022 for a summer hiking weekend with Ela, a friend I'd met a few years earlier down in New Zealand while working at a hostel together. I fell in love with the gorgeous scenery of that hike, a wonderful trek past the lakes of the Seven Lakes Valley in Triglav National Park, the country's only national park.
→ Check out my complete guide to hiking the Seven Lakes Valley in Triglav National Park!
Then, while on a wintery roadtrip through Austria, my partner and I popped across the border near Graz to visit Maribor, Slovenia's second-largest city and see their little Christmas Market.
So, when we had a long weekend open for an adventure, my partner and I decided that, with Slovenia being just a few hours' drive from where I currently live in neighbouring Austria, that it was high time we explore the rest of the country. And thus my next visit to Slovenia was born.
→ Check out my complete roadtrip itinerary for western Slovenia!
We first visited Ljubljana from 3-4 May 2025; I have updated the original post to add in a few more things we did in Ljubljana on our way to Croatia a few weeks later. This post was first published 4 May 2025 and last updated 29 May 2025.
By flight: Ljubljana International Airport is the largest airport in Slovenia, located just north of the city. From the airport, it's just a 20-minute drive or you can take a direct bus for half an hour straight into Ljubljana.
By car: We traveled to Ljubljana by car from my home in Salzburg in neighbouring Austria. Our favourite place to park in Ljubljana is near the famous Dragon Bridge.
→ Check out my complete roadtrip itinerary for western Slovenia!
By train: Ljubljana is serviced by a train station just north of the city with trains arriving from across Europe. Tickets can be bought with Slovenske železnice. It's just a ten-minute walk from the train station into downtown Ljubljana, or you can choose to take a bus from the station.
By bus: FlixBus services Ljubljana with direct connections from 209 cities!
Crossing the Italian-Slovenian border
Stop at Lake Bled on your way to Ljubljana!
The old town of Ljubljana, where most of the tourist attractions and great restaurants are located, is easily walkable. You might also want to join a walking tour with a local guide to learn more about the city.
If you'd like to get somewhere quicker or a bit further away, a great network of buses services the city.
To get up to Ljubljana Castle, we drove with our car as you can park at the top, however it is also just a 15-20 minute walk, depending on from where in the city you start. A funicular railway also connects the city with the castle.
We booked our weekend trip to Slovenia rather spontaneously so didn't have many options left by the time we were looking for a hotel in Ljubljana; either the options didn't look great or they were too expensive!
Instead, we ended up staying at a delightful hotel - with our very own private sauna - just 30 minutes outside the city in Škofja Loka, a pretty and sleepy town on the Selška Sora river. The service was exceptional, the room was super comfortable, the price was hard to beat and the breakfast was great. Aside from being a bit of a way outside the city, if you have your own car, it's the perfect choice!
→ Book your stay at the Hotel Lonca.
→ Check out other places to stay to suit your budget and accommmodation type.
Ljubljana has an amazing variety of delicious restaurants - and especially lots of vegan and vegetarian options, which I really appreciated! I still have lots of restaurants on my list to try for future visits, but here is where I've dined so far in the city:
Tri Marije Coffee Trailer
This adorable little trailer at the Central Market might just serve up Ljubljana's best coffee.
Located at: Central Market
I recommend: oat milk iced latte
Gelateria Romantika
The gelato here has been voted best in the city and I have to say, I agree. They've got classic flavours but also some really fun twists, all made in-house.
Located at: Dvorni trg 1, on the river
I recommend: hazelnut, mint stracciatella, sage lemon, pistachio, matcha green tea
Le Petit Cafe
We've been here for lunch twice now because we love their delicious bistro menu and their adorable outdoor courtyard. We also want to come back and try their brunch!
Located at: Trg francoske revolucije 4
I recommend: everything, but we especially loved the gnudi (dumplings) and their seasonal soups
Babu's Asian Street Food
The delightful chef, Babu, serves up mouthwatering and authentic Asian dishes from his little street food booth. It's SO good. Literally everyone on Google Maps agrees, too.
Located at: Miklošičeva cesta 14
I recommend: pad Thai
Gostilna Vida
We have been here twice for dinner and truly love it. You can tell the staff loves their job and the menu is a mouthwatering mix of flavours that come together beautifully and with clear thought. Highly recommend.
Located at: Gornji trg 15
I recommend: soba noodles stir-fry, marinated cauliflower, burrata - and Tobi loved the steak and the fish!
Other places we still want to try but can't (yet) personally recommend:
- Veganika - Gornji trg 33
- Vegashi Vegan Fusion - Borštnikov trg 1
- Petit 181 - Dvorni trg 1
- Gujžina vegetarijansko - Mestni trg 19
It was the first visit to Ljubljana for both me and my partner and neither of us knew what to expect — but I suppose with Jana in the name it was sure to be good? It truly was; we fell in love with the airy, bright streets, the colourful facades, the green river winding through it all, the secondhand shops and designer boutiques intermingled…
Here is everything we did in Ljubljana during our weekend trip, plus a few extra things we did when we drove through a few weeks later on our way to Croatia:
See the Dragon Bridge
Built in 1900, Zmajski most has a bunch of dragon statues and it's a popular spot to snap a photo. I also loved people-watching here and spotting kayakers on the bright green river below.
Wander through the Central Market
Depending on what time of day and week you visit, you can find various markets going on here including fruit, vegetables, coffee, gifts, gelato and home decor. It's also where the great little coffee trailer is located from my eating guide above!
Spot the pink church and the Triple Bridge
The 17th century Franciscan Church of the Annunciation (Frančiškanska cerkev Marijinega oznanjenja) is famously painted bright pink and a tourist hot spot in the city. Just outside, a triple bridge crosses the Ljubljanica River.
Wander along the colourful riverfront
One of our favourite parts of our visit was simply wandering along the Ljubljanica River, enjoy the views of the picturesque, colourful buildings, stopping in at different shops and market stalls and hearing chatter from people enjoying a meal.
Shop at the Sunday Flea Market
Every Sunday, you can browse the delightful antique stalls of the Ljubljana Flea Market. Tables full of home goods, art, jewelry, decor and more await digging through. We took home three gorgeous vases.
Walk down the pretty street of Križevniška ulica
After lunch at Le Petit Cafe, walk down this pretty street and take some photos with the Church of St. James (Župnijska cerkev sv. Jakoba) framed perfectly across the river.
Go secondhand shopping
Ljubljana has a fabulous selection of vintage and secondhand stores. Here are some of my favourites:
- Textile House - Trubarjeva cesta 27
- 2nd Chance (designer) - Trubarjeva cesta 32
- Vintage Shop by Textile House - Resljeva c. 1
- Relay of Youth Vintage - Trubarjeva cesta 16
- Humana Vintage - Stritarjeva ulica 5
Take in the view of the city from Ljubljana Castle
Overlooking Ljubljana and providing an epic backdrop to the capital city from all angles, this castle was once a medieval fortress built in the 11th century. If you're in the city, make sure to take the time to head up and take in the panoramic views of the city from above!
You can walk up from Ljubljana in about 15-20 minutes, take the funicular or drive.
I have been to Slovenia a few times over the last few years and have loved every visit I've been on no matter the time of year. Click on the photos below to check out my guides for everywhere else I recommend in Slovenia:
Seven Lakes Valley Hike, Triglav National Park
Maribor
Soča Valley
Zelenci
Lake Bled
Lake Bohinj
Predjama Castle
Grad Haasberg
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
