The best guide for spending one day in Ljubljana including the best things to see and do in Ljubljana, Slovenia plus day trip suggestions to Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj, Predjama Castle and Postojna Cave, Škocjan Caves, Kamnik and the small town of Radovljica. If you’re planning a trip to Slovenia then Ljubljana will be your first stop.
Legend has it that the tiny Slovenian capital of Ljubljana (pronounced lyoo-BLYAH-nah) was founded when Jason and the Argonauts, having successfully stolen the Golden Fleece from King Aetes, sailed up the Ljubljanica River and slayed a dragon. Today there are dragons everywhere in this tiny European city and the fire-breathing creature has become the symbol of the capital.
But dragons are only one reason why this beautiful bijou city should be on your travel wish list.
Ljubljana has only been the capital of Slovenia since 1991, the same year that the country declared independence from Yugoslavia, but its history dates back more than 5,000 years.
Most visitors to Ljubljana concentrate their time in the city to the historic old town, lined with fairytale streets, cobbled squares, and a hilltop castle that overlooks the car-free centre. Running through the middle is the Ljubljanica River, once part of a major trade route and today popular with visitors who cruise up and down the glassy waters on tourist boat cruises.
The Slovenian capital is a small city and it’s easy to see the highlights during one day in Ljubljana. We visited Ljubljana as the first stop on our 10-day Slovenia itinerary and spent three nights here with one full day in Ljubljana. We then used the city as a base to do day trips to Lake Bled and Lake Bohinj.
If you are planning a trip then in this 1 day Ljubljana itinerary, I will walk you through how to get to Ljubljana, the best things to do in Ljubljana, where to stay in the city, some recommended restaurants, and day trip ideas.
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1 DAY IN LJUBLJANA ITINERARY
Table of Contents
I’ve highlighted the most important sights on the map below to help you plan your visit and have detailed how best to organise your one day in Ljubljana. Sights are marked in purple, accommodation in yellow and restaurants in green.
Map courtesy of Google My Maps
Ljubljana Highlights
- Ljubljana Castle might not be the grandest of castles but it enjoys a storied past having watched over the city for millennia from castle hill. Visit for panoramic views over the city.
- Preseren Square one of the main squares in the city centre and a great spot for photos.
- Open Kitchen takes place on Friday evenings between March and November when more than a dozen local restaurants set up food stalls opposite the central market.
- A boat tour along Ljubljanica River is a wonderful way to see the city.
Is one day in Ljubljana enough?
Ljubljana is a very small city and the main attractions and sights are within easy walking distance of each other. We spent three nights here but only dedicated one day in Ljubljana with the other two days reserved for day trips.
Despite not having more time in the city, we definitely got a good feel for the capital. Ideally, I think two days in Ljubljana would be perfect.
Day 1 in Ljubljana
Given its small size, Ljubljana is easy to get around on foot and the best way to start your time in the city is through a self-guided walking tour of the following sights and attractions. This itinerary is designed to take you on a loop of the city centre, taking in the main highlights of the capital city of Slovenia.
There are a couple of places that this itinerary doesn’t include such as Tivoli Park, the largest park in the city, as you will be hard pressed to fit this into your schedule along with everything else. If, however, you have longer in Ljubljana then you may want to take a stroll around the pathways that crisscross this lush green expanse.
If you want to join a guided tour then the company the Ljubljana Free Tour runs a free walking tour daily led by a local guide, choose from the Classic City tour or the Old Town and Castle tour. They also run a Communist Tour; this one costs 15 / per person.
Another option – particularly well suited for those with an interest in history and / or architecture – the City Tourism Office run a Joze Plecnik-themed walking tour that follows in the footsteps of the famed urban designer who helped shape Slovenia into the city that it is today.
As well as the Triple Bridge, the two-hour walk includes the National and University Library, the Križanke Summer Theatre and ends at Plecnik’s house that is today a museum.
If you are keen to explore Plecnik’s Ljubljana then I can also recommend the book Slovenology: Living and Traveling in the World’s Best Country. Written by American author and art historian Noah Charney who lives in Slovenia, he details a Plecknik-themed walking tour in one of the book’s chapters.
Preseren Square
Start your day in Ljubljana at Preseren Square (Prešernov trg square) one of the main city squares, home to the large pink Church of the Annunciation. Standing almost alongside is a statue of the great Slovenian classical poet, France Prešeren. Follow his gaze and you will see a small bust of Julija Primic in a wall. The daughter of a wealthy merchant, she was his unrequited love and the inspiration for many of his poems.
Also in Presernov Square is a bronze model of the city of Ljubljana. While it’s not a stand alone attraction, it’s good to see while you are here. Plus, it is right nearby Stow 2 Go, one of the best places in Ljubljana to stop for a cup of coffee.
If you happen to visit Slovenia during the summer, as we did, and find it a little too hot to handle then you may well want to bookmark Preseren Square for a return trip. Given that Slovenia typically experiences 300 days of rain a year, the city has installed a cooling sprinkler system in the middle of the square where you can, as the sign says, experience “The area with Ljubljana’s own weather”.
Leading off Preseren Square is the city’s famed Triple Bridge (Tromostovje). Designed by artist and architect Jože Plečnik – Slovenia’s answer to Antoni Gaudi – the three pedestrian bridges span the Ljubljanica River, linking the central Prešeren Square with the historic medieval town on the southeastern bank. Standing on the bridges and looking back towards the Church of the Annunciation is a great place to snap a photo.
Central Market
Crossing the Trip Bridge you will arrive at Ljubljana’s Central Market, consisting of an open-air market located in Vodnikov Square and the city’s porticoed market. The so-called Plečnik’s Covered Market houses a series of food shops, cafes and restaurants along the river. The marketplace bursts to life every Saturday with local producers selling fresh fruit and vegetables, flowers, local Slovenian projects including honey and wine.
When we visited during the summer months there were a handful of artisans selling their wares under the shade of the covered market including a glass artist who had a wonderful range of hand blown glass dragons for sale.
Near to the market area is one of our favourite places in Ljubljana, Vigo ice cream. This ice cream parlour serves what we unanimously decided is some of the best handmade ice cream we’ve ever tasted in a range of flavours that included chocolate orange, coconut, and cheesecake.
While exploring the market area you will also come across Butchers’ Bridge which connects the Central Market’s colonnade with the embankment on the other side of the river. So-called because it stands in the middle of where the butchers stalls once stood, the bridge was only actually built in 2010. Today it’s the city’s “love bridge”, covered in a multitude of padlocks.
Carry on walking away from the Triple Bridge and you will quickly reach Dragon Bridge, another one of the city’s most famous bridges (Ljubljana is home to 17 bridges in total). The Dragon Bridge, so-called because of the mighty dragons that stand on top of the abutments.
Ljubljana Castle
Walk up towards Ljubljana Castle that first constructed in the 11th century as a royal residence. It later functioned as a military hospital, prison, quarantine station for prisoners of war in the First World War and later, during the Second World War, it was occupied by the Nazis.
What you see today dates mainly from the 15th century and the complex is home to a museum, an escape-room-type adventure game and a Michelin-starred restaurant. We opted instead to wander the castle grounds and soak up the views – it’s a great way to see the city layout.
Access to the castle is via a 10-minute walk or a funicular ride. However you choose to access the castle, however, don’t miss the large metal door near to the funicular railway entrance. Knock three times slowly and you may hear a dragon roar.
Ciril Metodov Street (Ciril Metodov Trg)
Once you are back down from the castle, walk along the cobbled Ciril Metodov Street and stop at Klobasrna for lunch. This small cafe sells a range of Slovenian specialities including Cheese Dumplings (Struklji). These rolled dumplings come with a variety of fillings and are typically steamed – the walnut flavour was our personal favourite! T
he cafe is almost opposite Ljubljana Cathedral (also known as the cathedral of St. Nicholas). Make sure to look at the bronze doors that depict the history of Slovenia. They were commissioned to mark the 1250th anniversary of Christianity in Slovenia. The side doors feature portraits of bishops.
Continue walking along this street and you will see the Town Hall, which hosts regular art exhibitions.
Mestni Street (Mestni Trg)
Ciril Metodov Street runs into Mestni Street and this picturesque street is the perfect place to enjoy a leisurely walk in the Ljubljana’s old town. The cobbled road is lined with shops, restaurants, cafes and bakeries.
A boat tour along the Ljubljana River
When you are ready turn right down any one of the lanes and they will lead you back to the riverside. There are half a dozen boat companies operating on the river (if not more) so take your pick as they all follow the same route and charge the same amount for the 50-minute tour along the Ljubljanica River.
This is the perfect way to get a different view of Slovenia’s capital and learn some Slovenian history as you pass under the city’s many bridges.
Heading downstream the boats pass Center Rog, a former bicycle factory that produced the popular Yugoslavia-era Rog bicycles. Today the centre is home to workspaces for designers and artists as well as a public library, cafes, shops and TaBar, a fun Slovenian-style tapas bar.
Heading upriver the tours enter the Ljubljana Marshes, an area of wetlands and peat marsh that are classified a World Heritage Site. This area (it’s the largest wetland in Slovenia) dates back millennia and is where the world’s oldest wooden wheel was found in 2002. It’s estimated that the wheel is between 5,100 and 5,350 years old. Today you can see the wheel on display in the City Museum.
If you have more time in Ljubljana then you can return to the marshes on a day trip; the area is well-known for its rich wildlife with over 100 species of birds, 89 species of butterflies, 48 species of dragonflies, roe deer and otters.
Metelkova Mesto
A short walk from the Old Town is Metelkova Mesto, the city’s celebrated “alternative cultural centre” . Housed within former military barracks, this small but colourful neighbourhood is covered in street art and today is where you’ll find the city’s coolest bars and clubs.
Have dinner at Baščaršija
Our favourite restaurant in Ljubljana was Baščaršija the interiors or which are decorated as a small Balkan village might look. It serves traditional Balkan cuisine and is excellent. Not knowing what any items on the menu were, we simply let our waiter order for us and enjoyed a fantastic meal. The highlight was the Ćevapčići, a type of grilled meat typically served with flatbreads, raw sliced onions and kajmak, a butter-cream cheese hybrid.
Day trips from Ljubljana
Slovenia’s small size means that there are dozens of day trips within easy reach.
Lake Bled
It’s just 55km from Ljubljana to Lake Bled and you can be rowing across the fairytale lake in 45 minutes if traffic is on your side. If you don’t have a rental car then regular buses depart from the city centre to Lake Bled and take between 1hr – 1hr 20 minutes.
Set at the foot of the Julian Alps, the 2.1km-long lake is best known for its movie-poster scenery: a church, the Church of the Assumption, perched on a single island in the middle of the dazzling teal waters. There are various ways to reach the island and the two most popular options are travelling by gondola or hiring a rowboat. Make sure to try the town’s famous cream cake while you are here.
Lake Bohinj
Lake Bohinj is another easy day trip from Ljubljana. This is the biggest lake in the country although is nowhere near as well known with visitors as Lake Bled, despite being less than 30km away.
We loved Lake Bohinj and spent a happy afternoon swimming in the clear waters, eating lunch at the excellent Restaurant Kramer on the lakeshore (great pizzas, burgers and pasta dishes available, cash only) and jumping off the jetty into the blue-green waters. There are walking trails to enjoy, including the kid-friendly walk to slap Savica (Savica waterfall).
Kamnik
We discovered the town of Kamnik after reading the book Slovenology: Living and Traveling in the World’s Best Country and are really glad that we stopped by. In spite of its compact size, Kamnik is home to three castles, an expansive botanical garden (including a hedgerow maze) and the remains of a medieval wall among other sights. It’s also home to the quick and tasty restaurant, Orient, that serves up huge portions of Ćevapčići.
Radovljica
Radovljia is just a short drive from Lake Bled so you can visit the two in one day if you have a car. It’s a very small town so might not merit an entire day but it is pretty. The small pedestrianised old town houses a number of shops (don’t miss the excellent Radolška čokolada chocolate shop) and the Museum of Pharmacy and Alchemy (sadly closed when we visited). Whatever you do, however, make time for pizza at the Baffi House of Pizza, it is excellent.
Predjama Castle and Postojna Cave
Postojna Cave Park is Slovenia’s poster child for underworld adventures (you’ll spot an advert for it at Ljubljana Airport), home to the first underground cave railway and olms, a rare aquatic salamander thought for a long time to be baby dragons.
A few kilometres away is the wonderful Predjama Castle, built at the mouth of a cave nearly 400 feet high. Built over 800 years ago by the knight Erazem of Predjama, the fortress is a complex of caves and tunnels and is best explored on a tour. If visiting during high season then make sure to book your tickets in advance.
Škocjan Caves
Postojna Caves might be the most famous but if you can only visit one cave system then I would recommend Škocjan Caves, home to one of the world’s largest underground river canyons. These incredible caves can only be visited on a tour and our descent underground felt akin to hiking through the mines of Mora in Tolkien’s Middle Earth. If visiting during high season then make sure to book your tickets in advance.
Where to eat in Ljubljana
There are lots of really good cafes and restaurants in Ljubljana. During our time in the city we enjoyed a handful including the already mentioned TaBar, that serves Slovenian-style tapas, and our favourite, the Balkan restaurant Baščaršija.
It’s worth pointing out that meat is a staple on almost all menus and vegetarian options are slim. As for vegans, in our experience, the salads come laden with cheese! That said, I have been recommended a good vegan restaurant, Güjžina, by a friend and Slovenia expert who also recommended Most and AFTR.
Where to stay in Ljubljana
Ljubljana is so small that you can stay anywhere in or near the Old Town and you will be well placed for exploring the city.
We stayed at Hostel Celica, next door to Metelkova Mesto. The hostel is a really fun place to stay (it was once named the “hippest hostel in the world” by Lonely Planet) and it’s certainly unique. Housed within a former military prison, the cell blocks have been artistically transformed into private rooms and no two are the same.
However, if hostels are not your thing then Hotel Heritage is a great place to stay.
Find other accommodations in Ljubljana using the map below that details hotels and holiday rental accommodation.
Getting to Slovenia
Slovenia is home to three international airports: Ljubljana, Maribor, Portorož. We flew direct from London to Ljubljana with British Airways, arriving and departing in the evening.
Getting from Ljubljana Airport to the city centre is relatively easy. Bus number 28 runs between the airport and Ljubljana Bus Station and takes under an hour (47 minutes to be exact). The bus runs at least once per hour between 5am and 9pm seven days a week and costs €3.30 on weekdays and only €1.30 on weekends. Alternatively you may wish to book a private transfer.
