Travel time with Jules - Mini-Travelguide Daytrip to Ljubljana

1 day in Ljubljana - mini travel guide for a day trip to Slovenia's beautiful capital

Slovenia's capital located on the river Ljubljanica is easy to explore in one day as the city's main attractions are quite close to each other. Particularly the picturesque houses on the banks of the river give the city its charm and because the city center is largely car-free you can enjoy this beautiful atmosphere to the full. With about 300,000 inhabitants, Ljubljana is also much less densely populated than many other European capitals, which makes a city trip there very pleasant.

Arrival

If you arrive by car like we did, I recommend the parking lots Tivoli I and Tivoli II at the Tivoli city park. You can park there by the hour or at a reasonable daily rate. From here you can reach the city center in about a quarter of an hour on foot. If you arrive by public transport, it will take you about 20 minutes to walk from the main train station to the center of Ljubljana.

Getting around

Ljubljana is very easy to explore on foot, as the main attractions in the Old Town as well as the castle are not too far apart and therefore easily accessible. You can also explore the city by bike, as cycling is allowed in the pedestrian zone, which is largely car-free. Only the steep path up to the castle could be very tiring without an electric motor. There is also a funicular railroad which you can use if necessary.

Sightseeing tour

From the parking lot you first cross the Tivoli Parc to get to the city. If you arrive at the train station, I recommend you visit the Tivoli-Parc after your city tour. Make sure to walk past the Tivoli house (Grad Tivoli). The scenery there is perfect for a photo stop, especially because of the beautiful flower planting in summer. On your way to the city center you will also pass the National Gallery building. Arriving in the city center, Prešeren Square (Prešernov trg) with the red Franciscan Church of the Annunciation (Frančiškanska cerkev) in the heart of the old town is the starting point of your sightseeing tour. Also the famous three bridges, the Tromostovje are located here. From here you walk along the riverbank until you reach the Dragon Bridge (Zmajski Most), which is named after its stone dragon sculpture and is one of the most famous landmarks of the city. From here you cross the nearby Central Market and turn right at the end of the square onto Vodnikov trg. Here you will find a row of architecturally beautiful houses, some of whose facades are decorated with pretty flower pots in the summer months and there are also many nice little shops. On this way you will get to the famous St. Nicholas Cathedral (Stolnica Sv. Nikolaja), to the fountain Robbov vodnjak and to the town hall. Follow the road further and you will reach the upper square (Gornji trg), where you keep left and turn onto the street in stari trg. From here you turn at the corner onto the street in Reber.

From here you will start your way up to the castle (Ljubljanski grad). Now follow the signs up the hill. The ascent takes about 10 minutes and is really worth it. Already on the way up you will catch one or the other beautiful view and when you reach the castle you will have a great view over the red roofs of the city. Be sure to walk around the castle to admire the scenery from all sides. If you don't want to go up the hill, you can also take the funicular from the market place. From the castle you walk back down the same way you came up.

Back at your starting point you walk to the bridge of St. Jacob (Šentjakobski most) on the bank of the river. From here you have a great view of the beautiful houses on the riverbank and the castle hill. From now on you walk along the riverbank back towards the city center until you reach Prešeren Square. This path along the river Ljubljanica was my favorite way in Ljubljana. The houses and bridges along the riverbank, including the Cobbler's Bridge (Čevljarski most) and the glazed bridge in front of Prešeren Square, from where you can see the Franciscan Church, show Ljubljana at its best. The path along the river bank near Breg to Prešeren Square takes about a quarter of an hour. But you will need much longer if you like this path as much as I do and you stop for a photo or two along the way.

Restaurants & Cafés

You will certainly enjoy the most beautiful view while eating at one of the restaurants located on the river bank near the Prešeren Square. But if you are just a little hungry or want to eat cheaper, I recommend you to look in the side streets near the Dragon Bridge, n Trubarjeva cesta street, for example, there are a number of small restaurants and snack bars where you can eat at a good price and sometimes even better quality. Don't be put off by the many graffiti in this area, which looks a bit run-down compared to the typical tourist area, because that does not say anything about the quality of the food. The best way to find out is to look at the Google ratings. I can highly recommend you Abi Falafel, where you can get vegetarian falafel sandwiches. In the side streets near Prešerenplatz there is also a burger restaurant called Hoodburger, which has received awards for its great burgers. You can also enjoy a coffee directly at the Tromostovje or on the river bank for reasonable money and enjoy a great view for example at Kavarna Tromostovje.

Free toilets

Free toilets are located at Prešeren Square. You can find them when you descend the stairs next to the bridges.

Personal recommendation

It is the best decision to make your day trip on weekdays and start early in the morning when the city is still very quiet even in the summer months. In general, compared to other European capitals, Ljubljana - even though it is becoming increasingly popular - is rather spared from large tourist masses, which makes a city tour very pleasant.