Ljubljana ("lee-oo-blee-AH-nuh") is the small but delightful capital of Slovenia. While the city's population had grown to 295,500 in 2020, the sights and amenities are concentrated in the charming old centre. It's full of artists, museums, and galleries, it's friendly and easy to reach, and it's a good base for exploring the rest of the country.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Ljubljana stands at the entrance to a plain in an otherwise mountainous region, the confluence of several river valleys, so it's been a focus for settlement, trade and transport since prehistory. The first known city was the Roman Colonia Iulia Aemona; in medieval times it became Laibach and this name is still used by some German-speakers (as well as modern Slovenia's most notable cultural export, the band of that name). It fell under the gravity of Austria-Hungary and was a duchy or province of the Habsburg Empire until 1918. For much of the 20th century it was part of Yugoslavia until independence in 1991.
The centre of Ljubljana is small enough to cover by foot. You can pick up a free city map at a tourist information centre or in the train station. Navigating or finding a street is easy as streets are clearly marked. There is also a system called BicikeLJ (iOS, Android apps) where you can rent bikes (first hour free, second hour €1, third hour €2, each additional hour €4). It is designed for short-term hire. It has 300 bikes on 30 stations around the inner city part and you can subscribe with a credit card online.
In 2021, seven works in Ljubljana by architect Jože Plečnik were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. These are the Trnovo Bridge, the green promenade along Vegova Street, the promenade along the embankments and bridges of the Ljubljanica River, the Roman walls in Mirje, the Church of St Michael, the Church of St. Francis of Assisi and the Garden of All Saints (Plečnik’s Žale). 1 Triple Bridge (Tromostovje) (At the heart of the old city). The central span is from 1842: it became a bottleneck so in the 1930s footbridges were added on each side, fanning out slightly.
Hot Air Balloon Flights (Balonarski center Barje), ☏ +386 1 512 9220, info@bcb.si. These launch at sunrise for one-hour flights, weather permitting. The launch spot is chosen on the day so the wind carries you over the historic centre. The whole programme is about 4 hours so reckon on a very early start. From €180 pp. (updated Jun 2021) Football: 1 Olimpija Ljubljana, Stožice Stadium. They play soccer in PrvaLiga, the top tier. Their home ground (capacity 16,000) is off the ring road 2 km north of city centre.
1 Odprta Kuhna. Apr–Oct, F 10:00–21:00. Odprta Kuhna means "open kitchen". It's a collection of food stalls on Pogačarjev trg, just south of Triple Bridge. (updated Jul 2021) 2 Hot Horse, BTC City, Šmartinska 152; Tivoli Park, Celovška 25, info@hot-horse.si. M–Sa 10:00–22:00, closed Su & holidays. Horse-burger chain with four city outlets. Huge burgers and other dishes; you order and pay first at the machine. €4-12. (updated Sep 2021) 3 Nobel Burek, Miklošičeva 30. 24/7. Open non-stop, so it's popular late at night. Different kinds of burek (a leafy dough pie filled with mince meat or cheese).
Most of Ljubljana’s bars tend to cluster on the streets running parallel to the river, radiating from Prešernov trg, which is the main square in Ljubljana. The more interesting bars tend to be on the backstreets, rather than directly facing the river. Part of the joy of this city is stumbling across these places, but these are few to start you off. Cheaper bars can already be found just outside the old town and near university buildings. The application Tap Water Ljubljana is intended for all who wish to quench their thirst and refresh themselves during the spring and summer months with freely available water from fountains found in 17 locations throughout Ljubljana, mostly they are in ci…
Ljubljana is one of the safer capitals you'll visit in Europe. Remarkably safe during the day, you should have no problems wandering at night, provided you are not desperately looking for trouble. With that said, be wise to not wander into the rougher parts of Ljubljana at night, though they are located far from the city centre and not commonly frequented by tourists. Areas to avoid include Fužine, Rakova Jelša, Štepanjsko naselje, southern Vič (near and south of the motorway), western parts of Šiška, and Moste.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Ljubljana typically sees ~27°C daytime highs and 10 rainy days.
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