Ljubljana - Capital of Slovenia

Slovenia has been named the world’s greenest country. From the Alpine peaks to the Adriatic coast, wherever you look you are surrounded by beautiful nature and lots of greenery. Somewhere in the middle lies the green capital – Ljubljana. Known for its bridges across the river Ljubljanica, this town is one of the smallest European capitals. Visit Ljubljana and discover the perfect blend of bustling urban life and nature!

Since Slovenia is a moderately small country, its capital – Ljubljana is also one of the smallest capitals in Europe, with less than 300.000 residents. It is located in the heart of Slovenia, which makes it a perfect starting point when visiting Slovenia or Balcan region.

The city of Ljubljana stands on a place where an ancient Roman city of Emona stood. It is known by the name Ljubljana since the 12th century when it was first mentioned in a written document. In the Middle Ages, both the city and the Slovenian culture began to flourish.

In the centuries that follow, Ljubljana changed its appearance more than once. It was first built in the Renaissance style and then renovated in the Baroque style. Later, in the 19th century, the town was under the influence of Romanticism – some of the buildings were renovated and a few new bridges were built across the river. At that time Ljubljana was also a home to the most famous Slovenian poet – France Prešeren, whose poem was later adopted as Slovenia’s national anthem. Today, the main town square bears the poets name.

After the earthquake in 1895, most of the town was rebuilt in the Art Nouveau style. But the appearance that Ljubljana has today is mostly a work of Jože Plečnik, the famous Slovenian architect. It was sometime between the two world wars that this visionary left his mark in Slovenian capital. Until this day, Slovenians are proud to show off with his work, which includes The Triple Bridge, National and University Library, Central Market, Trnovo Bridge, Cobblers’ Bridge, and Križanke Complex, just to name a few.

Ljubljana is one of those places that you can easily visit in just one day but also has enough to offer if you decide to stay for a longer period of time. Most of the main attractions are located in the city center, along the Ljubljanica river. A different and cool way to see all the highlights of this beautiful city is a boat ride along the Ljubljanica river. Your alternative is to explore Ljubljana on foot or to rent a bike. Don’t worry, you can manage to see everything in just a few hours!

Ljubljanica river and its bridges

River Ljubljanica is the soul of the city. As it flows through the city center, it divides Ljubljana into two halves. On one side of the river, we have the old town and the access to the castle, while the other side is a commercial and political part of the city, along with the main square – Prešern square.

With its numerous bridges, picturesque embankments, and tree-lined walks, river Ljubljanica is the favorite place of both tourists and locals. You can take a boat ride along the river, explore all the bridges that criss-cross it, or just relax in one of many riverside cafés and enjoy the view.
There are 6 bridges located in the very center of Ljubljana. These are, from north to west, the Dragon Bridge, the Butchers’ Bridge, the Triple Bridge, the Fish Footbridge, the Cobblers’ Bridge, and the Hradecky Bridge.

Fish Footbridge (Ribja brv)

Next one is the Fish Footbridge. What distinguishes this bridge from the others is that it is made of glass and illuminated by LED-lights. The Fish Footbridge was formerly made of wood, but it got its new „glassy appearance“ after the renovation in 2014. It connects the Kongresni square and the Town Hall.

Hradecky Bridge (Hradeckega most)

The Hradecky Bridge is located a bit further from the center, but it is another work by Jože Plečnik, so it’s worth to mention. It is a cast-iron bridge, which was also one of the first hinged bridges in the world.

Prešeren Square (Prešernov trg)

The central square in Ljubljana is Prešeren Square. Located in the heart of the city, near the river Ljubljanica, the square was named after the most famous Slovenian poet – France Prešeren. The square is located right next to the Triple Bridge, which connects it with the Central Market.
The Prešeren Square was formed in front of the medieval town’s entrance, as a junction of all the streets that lead to it. This happened in the 17th century when the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation was built on the junction. Today, the square has a circular form and is covered in granite block pavement. Many interesting and architecturally valuable buildings can be found at the Prešeren square. These are palaces such as Central Pharmacy building, Urbanc House and Hauptman House, to name a few. At one side of the square stands Prešeren Monument, while at the other side a bronze scale model of Ljubljana is set.

Ljubljana Central Market

The Ljubljana Central Market spreads from the Triple Bridge to the Dragon Bridge, over two squares – Pogačar and Vodnik square. It consists of an open-air market, held in squares, and the covered market, located in a colonnade along the riverside. Since the colonnade was another design by Jože Plečnik, it is often referred to as “Plečnik’s Market“.
Apart from fresh fruits and vegetables, the market offers different meat products, fish, bakery goods, dry fruits, sweets, and flowers. You can also buy fresh milk here, as well as honey, and other similar local products.

Ljubljana Castle

Ever since the Middle Ages, Ljubljana Castle has been standing on a hill above the city. The castle is one of Ljubljana’s main tourist attractions since it has one of the best views of the city. Ljubljana castle might not be as attractive as the Bled Castle, but it would be a pity not to visit it while in town.
Just the walk up to the castle is a great experience itself since you are passing the ancient path through the forest and parks. But if you are not fond of walking up the hill, you can take a ride in the funicular, or just hop on a local bus.
Once you reach the top of the hill, you have several options. You can just walk around and explore the castle surroundings by yourself, or you can buy a ticket for the guided tour and learn everything about it. You can visit the Permanent Exhibition of Slovenian History, Museum of Puppetry, Viewing Tower, or The Penitentiary. There is also a restaurant, jazz club, and shop at your disposal.
The ticket to the castle will cost you 7,50 EUR. However, if you want a guided tour, the cost of the ticket will be 12 EUR (but it includes the funicular ticket, as well!). Visit the official website of Ljubljana Castle to find more info.

Tivoli City Park

The largest park in Ljubljana is Tivoli City Park. Located only 10 minutes walk from the city center, Tivoli park is one of the reasons why Ljubljana is called a green city. It is Ljubljana’s largest and most beautiful city park. Situated at the foot of the Rožnik hill, it covers the area of 5 km2.
Tivoli park is a home to the Tivoli Castle (today known as the International Centre of Graphic Arts), Cekin Mansion (a.k.a. National Museum of Contemporary History), fish pond, a small botanical garden with a glasshouse, children’s playground and a sports park. It also hides numerous monuments and tree-lined walks. The most picturesque among them is the Jakopič Promenade, which is nowadays used as an outdoor venue for exhibitions.
Many events take part in the park’s area, as well as at the next door Tivoli Hall, which is intended for concerts and sports events.

Ljubljana Botanical Garden

Ljubljana Botanical Garden is another green area of the town that is worth a visit. It is much smaller than Tivoli Park, but it contains more than 4.500 different species of plants. For a fee of 2,80 EUR, you can spend a day surrounded by a beautiful nature and even learn something new. The garden is located only 15 minutes walk from the city center. Check the link for more info.

Story of a Dragon

Dragon is the most recognizable symbol of Ljubljana. Ever since the Middle Ages, it was depicted in the Ljubljana coat of arms. The image of a dragon on the top of the tower of Ljubljana Castle was an inspiration for many different stories.

Legend has it that Argonauts, the Greek mythological heroes who were passing the area, were attacked by a monster from the lake. After a long struggle, Jason, one of the heroes, has defeated the dragon and killed him. He then founded the city of Ljubljana on that same spot. The monster eventually became known as the Ljubljana Dragon and became the symbol of the whole city. Today, you can see an image of a dragon on the Slovenian flag, on the Ljubljana coat of arms, on football team crest, but also in many sculptures all over town.

Apart from sightseeing, there are many different activities that you can take up while in town.
For example, you can visit one of many of Ljubljana’s museums or galleries. Besides from the above-mentioned museums that are placed in Ljubljana Castle and Tivoli Park, you can take a tour of the National Museum of Slovenia, National Gallery, Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova (MSUM), City Museum of Ljubljana (MGML) or Museum of Illusions.

If you are a nature lover, just grab a picnic basket, go to the Tivoli Park and make a day of it! Those of you that are more active nature lovers, and enjoy hiking, should consider climbing the Rožnik Hill, which rises above the park.

While in Tivoli Park, you can also pay a visit to the Ljubljana ZOO, which is located a few minutes from it. For a price of 8 EUR for the adults and 5,50 EUR for children, you can take your whole family on an excursion and explore the animal world together with your children.

To all the beer-lovers, we recommend a visit to the Brewery Museum at Ljubljana’s Union Brewery. The brewery is located just across the street from Tivoli Park, and 20 minutes walk from the city center. After learning about the history of the brewery and beer making in Slovenia, switch to the nearby Union Pub, where you can test everything you’ve just heard while drinking their fine beer.

And, at last, when you get tired of everything, just hop on one of the boats and take a ride along the Ljubljanica river. This kind of activity is especially recommended for couples in love!

Green Ljubljana

Don’t let this title fool you! Ljubljana wasn’t named the green capital just because of its parks and lots of greenery that is present in the town, but also because it’s one of the environmentally friendly towns. The historical center of Ljubljana is closed for motor traffic. The only exception is the urban tourist train and electric vehicles called Kavalir. You can stop one of the Kavalir vehicles on the street, or call one to pick you up at any time, but please note that this option is available for elderly, disabled or mothers with children. If you prefer a more active way to get around and explore Ljubljana, there is a great number of bikes for rental. As you will see, most of the local residents choose this way of transportation, as well.

You can get to Ljubljana by car, plane, train, bus or organized transfer. Since Slovenia is a small country, you can easily get from one place to another in just an hour or two. Ljubljana has a great central position within Slovenia, which makes traveling even easier.

If you’re arriving by bus, check out the links below for the detailed bus schedules and plan your trip! The central bus station is located only a few minutes walk from the old town.

Ljubljana main bus station
Zagreb main bus station
Flixbus bus schedule

When taking a train to get to Ljubljana, you should get off at the central station that is located next to the bus station, a few minutes from the center of Ljubljana. You can catch a train from Zagreb, Klagenfurt, Villach, Trieste or Venice, but you must note that the train takes more time to get to Ljubljana then bus or car. Plan your journey here. 

If you are taking a plane to get to Ljubljana, you will be happy to know that the Ljubljana airport (Jože Pučnik Airport) is only 30 minutes drive from the town’s center. You can easily find a taxi or a local bus to reach the center. Your other options are airports in Portorož (1h20 from Ljubljana), Maribor (1h20 from Ljubljana), Zagreb (1h45 from Ljubljana), Trieste in Italy (1h20 from Ljubljana) or Klagenfurt in Austria (1h30 from Ljubljana).

How to get to Ljubljana from Bled

When heading from Bled towards Ljubljana, first take Ljubljanska cesta to Lesce. Just follow the signs for Ljubljana and get on a motorway A2/E61. Follow A2/E61 and take the exit toward Ljubljana-Podutik/Ljubljana-Koseze. Continue on Podutiška cesta, following the signs „Center“. Next, turn left onto Šišenska cesta, then right onto Vodnikova. Finally, turn right onto Celovška cesta, which leads straight to the town center. Altogether it takes about 50 minutes to get there.

How to get to Ljubljana from Zagreb

If you are driving from Zagreb to Ljubljana, get on the motorway A2/E70 following the sign Ljubljana/Slovenija/Krapina. Continue on A2/E61 and follow the signs Ljubljana jug. Take exit 32 toward Ljubljana-jug/Kočevje/Škofljica and continue onto Route 106. Turn right onto Dolenjska cesta (following signs for Ljubljana), continue onto Karlovška cesta and, finally, turn right onto Predor pod Gradom. Just continue straight forward until you cross the Dragon’s Bridge (Zmajski most) and you will be in the town’s center. It will take you about 1h45 to get from Zagreb to Ljubljana (if there is no traffic at the border).