The capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana is among the most attractive cities in Europe, nestled below the Alps with beautiful Italianate Baroque architecture buildings and the calm Ljubljanica River meandering its way past willow trees and under stone bridges.
It is also a proudly green city and the centre of modern Slovenia, being the perfect base from which to explore the rest of the dramatic country – from Alpine lakes to colossal caves and from vineyards to the Adriatic. It is a great setting in which to unwind and discover, with a good number of fascinating museums and galleries too. So what should you do when in Ljubljana?
Ljubljana Itself
First of all, we recommend visiting Prešeren Square (named after the Slovenian national bard), which is the centre of Ljubljana. This is a beautiful square with the pink Franciscan Church of the Assumption dominating it, while the iconic Triple Bridge leads over the Ljublanica. This was designed by Jože Plečnik, a Slovenian architect who also designed much of the city centre along the Ljubljanica, explaining its similar architecture styles; he also did a great deal of work in Prague, with Ljubljana resembling a smaller, more Alpine Prague.
Prešeren Square
Walk around this area and you’ll find beautiful buildings, including the Town Hall (with the beautiful Robba Fountain in front of it), Emporium Gallery, Čuden House, Hotel Union, Vurnik House (designed with traditional Slovenian patterns), and Congress Square. Congress Square is a laid-back square a stone’s throw from the river with cosy cafes, famed for the main building of the University of Ljubljana (once a seat of Slovenian regional parliament), the war memorial and the impressive Baroque Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity. Republic Square is also nearby and while this brutalist square may not be as beautiful, it is where Slovenian independence was declared and is therefore of great historical importance.
The Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity
Strolling along the Ljubjanica is highly recommended, taking a detour every now and then for nearby attractions. Start by the unusual Trnovo Church and then the beautiful Križanke Outdoor Theatre in a former Teutonic monastery. Head past Cobbler’s Bridge, Triple Bridge, Butcher’s Bridge and Dragon Bridge and make your way to the city’s market, which is a good area to pick up Slovenian produce.
Being an Alpine country, they are famous for their dairy products, with milk vending machines in the area. We also recommend trying Slovenian cheese as well as sausage (they even make bear sausage), local wine (Slovenian wine is of excellent quality) and plum brandy. The Ljubljana Cathedral is also in this area. Follow this down past the extraordinary St Joseph’s Church and eventually to the beautiful Sluice Gates.
Of course, we recommend visiting Ljubljana Castle, which dominates the city atop a hill and provides fantastic views, from which you can see the nearby Alps and unusual buildings like the Ljubljana power plant. You can climb up or get a funicular up to the top, although the climb isn’t too strenuous. There are also restaurants at the top to reward you.
Ljubljana Castle
If you have time, be sure to visit Tivoli Park, which is a sprawling park with beautiful buildings, including the Swiss House and Tivoli Castle. It also provides good views of the city. Nearby, you’ll find Slovenia’s Opera House, the National Gallery, the National Museum of Slovenia (which is well worth visiting, it houses a Neanderthal flute made from bone, as well as impressive remnants of Roman and Slavic settlers in the area), and the Orthodox Church, a stunning Serbian Orthodox building that serves as the centre of worship for the Orthodox community in the predominantly Catholic country.
The Ljubljana Orthodox Church
Also keep an eye out for the nearby Russian and American embassies, which face each other and is the only place in the world where they do so. The Skyscraper (once the tallest building in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) is relatively close by, being one of the city’s most interesting buildings with good views too, while the Cyanometer is also close by, which changes colour to match the colour of the sky.
Metalkova
There are quite a few more interesting sites in Ljubljana a little further away, with one of the most notable being Metalkova, an autonomous cultural centre and squat in the former headquarters of the Slovenian army, now filled with unusual artworks. The Union Brewery is also worth seeing, which is where Slovenia’s favourite beer is brewed, while the city’s mosque is also nearby. This is a beautiful modern mosque that has taken a great deal of campaigning and controversy to build, with campaigning for the mosque for the city’s Muslim Bosniak population since the 1960s. It was completed in early 2020 and is among the most interesting buildings in the city.
Ljubljana Mosque
Food and Drink
Ljubljana is a city filled with relaxing cafes, wine bars, delis and restaurants, being a good place to familiarise yourself with Slovenian cuisine, which is very similar to the cuisines of Central Europe. Slovenska Hiša by the Ljubljanica River in the centre is a good spot to discover Slovenian classics, including Slovenian sausages, along with a Slovenian beer or a glass of wine. Slovenian white wines (75% of wines in Slovenia are white) are particularly good, especially Slovenian Pinot gris. Makalonca is also nearby, which is a bar right on the river. There are also restaurants like Pop’s Place, which sells the best burgers in the city.
Slovenian wine
Slovenia is famous for its cream cakes, specifically the Bled Cream Cake and the Gibanica. You can try these traditional cakes, along with many others and a cup of coffee at Kavarna Zvezda in Congress Square. We also recommend Cacao, which does an excellent tiramisu, for those with a sweet tooth. For a traditional Slovenian bakery, head to Dunajska Pekarna, which makes delicious cream cakes.
Zvezda
Potica is another Slovenian sweet delicacy, which is a traditional nut roll similar to a brioche, and it is readily available in many shops. We enjoyed all the food and drink (especially the wine, which has been produced in the area for thousands of years, long before the Romans) we had in Ljubljana and wish we’d had more time there, but we had to curtail our trip due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ll definitely be back to explore its food scene more as we were very impressed with its wines, cheeses and food in general.
Further Afield
Ljubljana is a great city with clearly plenty to offer visitors and it is also in a great position to explore the rest of Slovenia. From the caves in Postojna and Škocjan (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and the Alps, with its ski resorts to its mountain towns, to vineyards and the Adriatic coastal towns like Piran, there is surprisingly large diversity in Slovenia.
Lake Bled
We particularly recommend visiting Lake Bled, which is easily accessible via taxi or public transport from Ljubljana and is the birthplace of the Lake Bled Cake. Take a stroll around the lake and enjoy the scenic views with a picnic, pop into its castle and St Martin’s Church and have an original Lake Bled Cream Cake from the Park Hotel next to the waterfront with a glass or wine or Slivovka plum brandy. They also serve an unusual pine brandy which has a rather indescribable taste.
Bled Cream Cake
All in all, Ljubljana and Slovenia in general are well worth visiting, with a relaxed and diverse atmosphere in a country that we found to be particularly welcoming. We’ll be back for more!
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