One Day in Ljubljana

Ljubljana is quite possibly my favourite city in the world. Navigable by foot, easily explored, and with a strong focus on green areas, car free zones and on local history, Slovenia’s capital captured my heart right after I first visited it. Read on for my guide on how to spend a perfect day here.

Ljubljana street — How to spend a day in ljubljana

Prešeren Square and Triple Bridge

Start your morning where the locals do at Prešeren Square. The name comes from France Prešeren, Slovenia’s greatest poet whose monument stands at the centre of the square. Just next to it, you can see the stunning salmon-pink Baroque Franciscan Church. Originally, it was painted red, which is the symbolic colour of the Franciscan order, but today it has faded to the a more eye catching pastel hue. Entrance is free, and it’s worth poking your head in for a squiz.

Just next to the Prešeren Square, you’ll find the Triple Bridge which connects old town with the modern city of Ljubljana. Back in the day they only had the old central bridge, but due to the high traffic, they added two pedestrian bridges in 1930. It’s a cool spot to sit and watch the flow of pedestrians, and won’t cost you a dollar to do so.

Coffee and Breakfast

Just up the road from Prešeren Square you’ll come upon the Central Market of Ljubljana – an open-air daily market with products from local farmers. While the handcrafted souvenirs are hugely over-priced and kitsch, the farmer’s produce is certainly worth sampling - you’ll be able to pick up whatever fruit, veggie or protein you need for a price half what you’ll pay in a supermarket. However, it’s hard to argue that a carrot will do for breakfast, so I’ll suggest that you stop by the closely located Cafe Cokl and then walk back down the canal to Tozd, a café specialising in third-wave coffee, brunch specialties, and also has a swap-n-go library out the back. The walls are bedecked year round with art by local artists, which adds a certain ambience to your latté. If looking for another coffee, why not read our guide on the best cafés in town over here?

Explore Trubarjeva cesta and central canal

There are a heap of nice, narrow streets around the city centre. However, start of with Trubarjeva cesta. The street is lined with independent shops, book stores, gift shops and some fairly decent cafes. Don’t miss to take a stroll around it! Also, check out the Dragon Bridge with the dragon statue just around the corner. While you’re in the area, take a walk along The Canal that lines the River Ljubljanica, where you’ll find more bars, restaurants and cafés. However, go for some of the antique stores that line the canal - several have some amazing antique books on offer, and some generally weird curios on offer.

Needing some food inspiration? Hit up our guide on the three best meals in Ljubljana over here!

Hike to Ljubljana Castle

You can reach the Ljubljana Castle by taking the funicular which leaves from the same square as the central market, but walking is way more fun, less touristy, and free. You can reach the Castle by a range of different streets, but my favourite is going by Gornji trg, a beautiful little street that I’ll talk a little more about down below. The walk up will only take you fifteen minutes, and you’ll pass by churches, some precariously perched houses, and some of the best viewpoints in town. Once you reach the top you’ll be treated to views of Ljubljana Castle. Built in the 15th century, the restored castle is costly to enter (15 euro), but has a tower that can be climbed for the most amazing view of town you’re gonna get.

Looking for a glass of wine? Why not read our guide to wine, food and drinking in Ljubljana over here!

Explore Gornji Trg street

Once you descend castle hill you’ll come once again to Gornji trg. It’s one of the most picturesque streets in Ljubljana and a great place to shop, take photos and possibly grab a bite to eat. Restaurant Gostilnica 5-6 kg is right at the top of the street, and is thoroughly worth sampling. We opted for the venison ragu which was scrumptious. Afterwards, stroll down to the beautiful Stari trg street where you’ll find many nice shops and cafe bars.

HANG OUT AT Tivoli Park

Tivoli Park is the biggest green space in town and a local hangout for students and families to walk dogs, get into the sun, and get away from the hustle and bustle of old town. You’ll find playgrounds, fountains and sport facilities throughout the park as well as alleys with art exhibitions. If visiting in summer, pick up some wine at Wine Store Storija on your way there, take a bottle to the park and relax, it’s the perfect place to drink something fresh, clean and vibrant. You won’t be alone in doing it either.

Have a wine at Wine Store Storija

If my earlier note didn’t convince you to check out Storija, let me note this; this is the home of the best Slovenian wine. I wrote a whole post about Storija over here, but if you’re feeling thirsty after your (mild) exertions throughout the morning, definitely stop by Storija for a wine or two. The owner, David, sells wine by the glass and bottle, and will definitely recommend wines to any curious about getting to know Slovenian wine a little better. We spent a solid three hours here chatting to him and some local guys and had one of the best nights of our entire trip in the process.

Looking for a few wine bar options? Read our guide to the best wine bars in Ljubljana over here!

Check out Metelkova

Developed from a squat, Metelkova is a lively, cultural and artistic urban area. The epitome of what happens when local government lets creatives take the reigns, Metelkova is a fantastic testament to creativity, freedom and bohemian culture. With an abundance of bars and clubs, it’s a great place for a night out, meeting locals and a social and intellectual gathering. Public art and graffiti covers the whole area, some of which is pretty impressive. A must visit for anyone coming to town.

Have Dinner at Parma Pizza

No visit to Ljubljana would be complete without a visit to the city’s oldest pizza restaurant, Parma Pizza. Having survived the fall of Yugoslavia, the rise of tourism, and the scourge of thin crust pizza throughout Europe, Parma Pizza has been serving up delicious, gooey, thick crust pizza for nearly 50 years, and seems likely to keep going into the future. Every item on the menu is handcrafted to be delicious, filling and absolutely unique to Ljubljana. Stop by, have at least a pizza to yourself and try the blueberry juice. Try the blueberry juice.

And there you have it! One (hopefully) perfect day in Ljubljana! If you like what you’ve read, please hit subscribe below. Any questions or comments, drop us a line in the box below!

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