Looking for the top 12 things to do in the Slovenian capital – Ljubljana? Here you go! And best of all, we’ve arranged juicy discounts for you in most of these places. All you have to do is bring your free copy of Hello Ljubljana hand fan with you!
With a car-free centre, historic architecture, beautiful parks and busy riverbanks lined with cafes, pubs and clubs, Ljubljana is one of those picture-perfect cities that fell straight out of a fairytale.
You’ll be oohing and aahing walking down the pedestrian-only district at the pastel-coloured Secessionist and Baroque buildings, beautiful bridges along the Ljubljanica River and quaint squares.
But don’t be fooled by the quiet city’s outlook, this city lives 24/7 all year long!
Ljubljana Castle
If you’re already in Ljubljana, you’ve probably noticed a big castle on a 375m-high hill east of the Old Town, overlooking everything below. So, it’s not hard to guess that one of the reasons to visit Ljubljana Castle are the jaw-dropping city vistas. The other reason is the beautiful medieval fortress itself, only lacking a maid in distress to be rescued.
The Ljubljana Castle now hosts two restaurants, a coffee shop, a gift shop, a jazz club, a museum about puppetry and an escape room. It’s easy to get there. You can enjoy a short ride with funicular from Krek Square to the top, take the Urban Train, riding the No. 32 bus to the Ljubljanski grad stop or biking or walking from the Ljubljana Old Town neighbourhood.
Union Beer Experience
Are you a beer fan? No? Then skip this one. Yes? Then make sure not to skip this amazing experience. About half million people have taken the beer tour organised by the local Union brewery and you’ll find nothing else but 5 stars reviews on every available online platform.
Make sure to bring your friends! This tour will give you plenty of info to talk about over a pint of your favourite Slovenia beer. A friendly guide will take you through more than 150 years of history of brewing in Ljubljana. You’ll get an exclusive tour of the modern production line, take part in tasting at the old inn and get the first hand experience in brewing using Virtual Reality. We think this is quite a treat for a beer fan, wouldn’t you agree?
The Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana
Ljubljana is a small picturesque city, with a vibrant cultural scene and contemporary creativity. The key role in city’s exceptional artistic life plays MGML (The Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana), which encompasses top 10 museums and galleries in Ljubljana. MGML Card gives you free entrance to all of them.
If we had to choose top 3 MGML places to visit, we would definitely suggest seeing chronological presentation of Ljubljana’s past in City museum of Ljubljana, exploring contemporary art in an inspiring environment of Cukrarna.art and getting to now the life and work of the famous architect Jože Plečnik, who left an indelible mark on the cityscape of Ljubljana in PLEČNIK HOUSE .
Shopping centre CityPark
Make sure to give yourself enough time to really enjoy this shopping heaven. Fashion lovers will find the most exciting labels offering fresh fashion trends, a wide range of clothes and footwear and countless opportunities for a perfect shopping experience.
Flight Simulator #1
Was being a pilot always your dream? Or you are just wondering what it feels like to land an ultra modern passenger plane with a speed of 250 km per hour? Here’s your chance to be a pilot in Airbus A320!
Flight Simulator #1 reproduces all elements of aircraft control and gives the feel of actual flight conditions. The interior of the AIRBUS A320 simulator, the pilots’ seats, all the buttons, and displays repeat the actual cabin. The touch, the feel, the panorama, everything is so realistic that for a while, while you are piloting, you will forget that you are in a simulator in Ljubljana.
Under the guidance of an experienced instructor, you can complete the essential aspects of a flight task, such as takeoff, landing, and flight, even if it’s your first time at the controls of an aeroplane. You can choose almost any place worldwide for a flight! Did we mention that your instructor is a real pilot?
House of Illusion
Among others you can get a photo in a room that totally defies the laws of gravity, you can have your friends head for your lunch, have a party in the middle of the day and only for the brave – a walk through the Vortex tunnel. The museum is open every day from 9AM till 10PM in the centre of Ljubljana on the Congress square 13.
Guided Ljubljana Boat Tour Barjanka
After experiencing the city of Ljubljana from above (Ljubljana Castle), here’s an idea how to get a whole new perspective of the city – from the water! Boat Barjanka will take you on a magical cruise along the Ljubljanica river, with an experienced skipper born and bred in Ljubljana. He’ll tell you many city’s historical and modern curiosities, while you enjoy many of Ljubljana’s striking landmarks and architecture.
The boat leaves every half or full hour all year long from the river’s west bank – the Dvorni trg pier. You can choose to sail in both directions. It has an enclosed bar, which gives you a perfect shade during the summer and protection from the rain during the winter. You can have a drink or two from the bar. It’s family friendly and even your four-legged friend is welcome aboard.
Barbarella Plant Bistro
Ljubljana is not really known as an epicentre for vegan or vegetarian restaurants. If you have a plant-based craving, we have the best place for you! Omnivores will enjoy the meals as much as those who choose to avoid meat altogether.
After the great success of the amazing vegan & vegetarian juice bar Barbarella, our favourite chef opened a plant-based bistro under the same name in the centre of Ljubljana. Barbarella Plant Bistro creates colourful and thoughtful meat-free dishes with local organic ingredients and a touch of exotic elements.
Sidle up to a table on the beautiful terrace or sit inside for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Whether you choose a cold-pressed juice, a nutritious smoothie, a kamut sandwich, a fragrant soup, a bowl of salad or rice and/or a good dessert, they will nourish you and give you positive energy for the day of exploring Ljubljana. On the menu you will also find a variety of nutritious gluten-free dishes.
Boutique lePotica
Don’t fill up on savouries and pass on the sweet stuff when out for a meal. Make sure to leave some room for the sensational desserts from Boutique lePotica, a cute small shop in the centre of Ljubljana.
“Potica” is a name for a traditional Slovenian nut cake, known mainly as a traditional festive cake for Christmas and Easter. “Lepotica” means beauty in Slovenian. So, altogether, you will find some beautiful miniature nut cakes in this cute shop, made out of the traditional dough with rich and indulgent fillings: chocolate, tarragon, nuts, poppy seeds and more.
Beside many rich and indulgent flavours of miniature potica, perfect to enjoy alongside your coffee or tea, there is a wide assortment of hand-made baking moulds, cookbooks and souvenirs.
Zoo Ljubljana
Only 10 minutes’ drive from Ljubljana city centre you’ll find the best place to spend the most interesting day, especially if you travel with young ones. Along with a variety of animals and a small petting zoo, your kids will have a chance to make friends with the local youngsters.
The zoo is located in the beautiful city park called Tivoli, with lots of shade, nice walking tracks and kids playground with water and sand. A great place to spend a hot summer day! So, if you really want to create nice family memories, make sure to plan at least a whole afternoon for your visit to zoo.
Urban Train Tour
Walking tours are awesome if you are in great shape and don’t mind the winter temperatures or summer sun. But, if you are traveling with kids or don’t feel like walking for any reason, the very best way to see all the city’s highlights and learn about them is by fun Urban train. You simply hop on the train and get an audioguide available in 11 languages.
The train ride takes about an hour and half. It starts in the vicinity of the Town Hall, goes to the Ljubljana Castle, then takes you alongside the banks of the Ljubljanica River over the Trnovski pristan Embankment, through the contemporary centre of Ljubljana, past the Opera, the Modern Gallery and the Prešeren Square with the Triple Bridge, returning to the starting point.
Slovenia Explorer
Slovenia Explorer creates personalised itineraries based on your interests and preferences, for private small groups of 2-8 people. With the best user rating among Slovenian tour operators, with countless satisfied customers who have had unforgettable experiences, you are in safe hands. And the best part is, you can book all their services directly online.
Vezenina Gift Shop
You can’t leave Ljubljana without a souvenir to remember it by and a couple of gifts for your loved ones. Here’s the best place to get them all! Extremely kind owners of this loveable embroidery shop use old-school machines to produce unique products with funny and motivating slogans and drawings.
Everything here is handmade in front of you in a minute based on your wishes. Don’t believe us? Visit Vezenina at Stari trg 4 and find out by yourself.
WOOP Trampolin park
WOOP! Ljubljana Trampolin Park is definitely no.1 place for anyone traveling with kids or simply in a mood for hopping, skipping or jumping. On 3500 square meters you can enjoy 100 trampolines, escape rooms, VR games, bowling, laser tag, challenge games, dodgeballs, foam pits, gymnastic cave, trapeze, slackline, karting plus many more activities.
Kids as young as three are welcome, but ages 3 to 6 must be accompanied by a participating adult. It’s located on the east side of town in the BTC City Ljubljana, one of the largest shopping centres in Europe.
Cukrček Chocolate Shop
If you have a sweet tooth, Chocolate shop Cukrček will be your top spot in Ljubljana. This small Slovenian family business has been producing high quality handmade chocolate products with love and dedication for over 25 years. Their unique mixture of traditional Slovenian sweets and inovative products has made them famous beyond Slovenian borders.
Their most famous chocolate innovation are the unique Prešern chocolates, filled with nougat and hazel, named after the most famous person in Slovenian history. If you have a strong character and manage not to eat them all, they will make a perfect gift for your friends and family back home.
The Ljubljana Card
Are you one of those travel junkies that want to see it all and get the most of your trip? Then Ljubljana Card is the best choice for you to explore the city in a comfortable way and at the lowest cost. You get a free admission to 20+ museums and galleries, the Ljubljana Zoo and several other attractions with just one card! Among other things, the card includes a free guided city tour, free travel on city buses, 24-hour access to WiFree Ljubljana, a ride on the funicular to Ljubljana Castle, a tourist boat cruise and four-hour bicycle hire.
You can buy this magical card online or at the Slovenian Tourist Information Centre (STIC) in the city centre (Adamič-Lundrovo Nadbrežje 2). There are several card validity periods i.e. 24, 48 or 72 hours which begins to run from the moment the card is first used. It comes with a booklet, the Ljubljana Card Guide, that contains a city map showing where you can use the card.
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