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People often overlook Slovenia for their next holiday getaway. It’s no surprise as this small country of 2 million inhabitants is mainly unknown, despite its rich history. It’s not that visible on Instagram (just yet, but it’s getting there). It’s not on many people’s bucket lists. But, to be honest, that’s the great part about it. You can discover its beauty all for yourself! So strap in because we’re about to show you the 9 most fun things to do in Ljubljana in 2 days.

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Europe’s most eco-friendly capital

Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital is a small and quaint city. There’s plenty to explore here, but it’s also a great place to unwind and relax. It has a bit of everything for everyone, from castles to dragons to fairytale day trips.

You know how much we love eco-friendly travel, so it’s no surprise we loved Ljubljana! In 2016, it earned the title of the European Green Capital. Not bad for a country in a part of Europe that’s not really known for its environmentally-friendly ways.

The city center is now mostly car-free making it amazing for people like us who love to walk around! Plus, its public transportation use low-emission vehicles, plus there’s a new cycling network around the capital. All amazing things that are helping fight climate change!

The people of Ljubljana are laid-back, friendly and often smiling for no reason. Though we can’t really blame them. We would be smiling too if we lived in such a cute city… especially considering its abundance of bars and outdoor terraces.

Ljubljana is a small town. Pretty much everything you want is walking distance from the center of the old town. The streets are lined with delicious restaurants, cute boutiques and don’t be surprised if you stumble upon a market or two. You can criss-cross the canals, get lost walking around a maze of streets, fully taking in the beauty of this place.

The best time to visit Ljubljana

If you’re looking for heat, festivals and tons of outdoors drinking and eating, the summer is the best time to visit Ljubljana. The city comes to life with festivals drawing in tons of tourists. Even when talking to locals, we were told that the summer in Ljubljana is totally unreal! Just note, however, that it does get quite crowded then.

If you want to enjoy warm and sunny weather, without tons of tourists around, May and September are awesome for that. 

When we were there in November, the weather was cold but still bearable. There were not any crowds around and visiting places was quite enjoyable. If you’re looking to check out the Christmas markets, head to Ljubljana in December.

The best things to do in Ljubljana

As we mentioned, there isn’t a ton to do in Ljubljana, which is why two days is the perfect amount of time to see what we’ve lined out. It includes a trip to Lake Bled and a full day in Ljubljana. However, if you want to make two different day trips from the capital, consider spending a third day here.

1. Discover the Ljubljana castle

Perched on top of a hill, the Ljubljana castle keeps a watchful eye on the city. You can take the funicular up for 2.20 euros (or 4 euros for both ways), although the hike is not too long, and the funicular is not that spectacular. If you want to get a little workout in, there are also stairs to get up there.

It’s free to stroll around the Ljubljana castle and in its courtyard. If you want to check out the museum or go inside the castle, you will need to pay an entrance fee. As our world trip was coming to an end, and our pennies were counted, we just spent our time exploring the grounds. It was still really awesome!

From the castle, you can get beautiful views of the city. We loved walking around the grounds at night, seeing the lights of Ljubljana sparkle in the darkness.

2. Check out the bridges of Ljubljana

One of our favorite things to do in Ljubljana was walking around the canals and crossing all the famous bridges in the city. A map could be helpful (but you really don’t need one). Just walk around the Ljubljanica River, you will cross them all!

1. Admire the Dragon Bridge

By far, the coolest bridge we’ve seen in a while. Pointing you toward the Ljubljana castle, this bridge is guarded by four dragons. That’s one more than the Khaleesi had, making this bridge even cooler (especially for us Game Of Thrones fans).

The Dragon Bridge dates back to 1888 and was built in honor of the 40th anniversary of Emperor Franc Jožef I. It’s our favorite bridge in Ljubljana… and maybe in all of Europe! I mean, come on! It has four dragons on it!

2. Check out the Cobbler’s bridge

This is a decent bridge, with cool columns, but what makes it interesting is how it got its name. The Cobbler’s bridge is actually one of the oldest bridges crossing the Ljubljanica River. It dates back to at least the 13th century.

It didn’t quite look like what it does today. It started as a wooden bridge with butcher shops on it. Maybe the emperor of the time was a vegetarian like us because he didn’t like the stench from the meat, so he paid to have them relocated. The butchers were replaced by shoemakers and that’s where the name comes from.

If you look hard enough around the bridge, you may even find an art piece paying homage to them.

3. Cross the Triple bridge at least 3 times

We really wonder where the name for this one comes from! Just kidding, it’s actually pretty obvious. This bridge has three different passages. They connect and intersect across the Ljubljanica River. Made up of white stone and ornate columns that frame diagonal stairs, this is one gorgeous bridge! If you’re looking for underground walkways and bars, this is the bridge you need. Also, if you’re kinda nerdy like us, it’s fun crossing this bridge a few times, never on the same path!

As if that doesn’t make the bridge cool enough, it’s also in a prime location. Across the beautiful pink Franciscan Church and Prešeren Square.

3. Check out Prešeren Square

Prešeren Square is the central square in the city. It’s actually a major meeting point where they hold festivals, the Ljubljana carnival, concerts, sports, political, and protest events. It’s also here that you’ll find a few churches, restaurants and bars. It may not have much going on while you’re there, so it’s not a must unless you want to check out the next stop.

4. Admire Cerkev Marijinega oznanjenja

This is a beautiful pink Franciscan church dominating the square. The Franciscan Church of the Annunciation was built between 1646 and 1660, and actually replaces an older church that was on the same site. Its color is symbolic of the Franciscan monastic order.

Since 2008, the church has been protected as a cultural monument of the national significance of Slovenia. It’s quite imposing and beautiful so we understand why. Just make sure you don’t follow our lead on this one. Go when it’s actually open. We got there in the late afternoon, only to be greeted by locked doors!

5. Check out Vurnikova hiša

This beautiful pink building is just so cute! The Vurnikova hiša is one of the city’s most famous buildings. Built in 1921, with its intricately decorated facade, it stands out from the surrounding buildings. It’s celebrated as one of the finest examples of Slovenian national style architecture.

Unfortunately, the building is not open to tourists, but it sounds beautiful as much on the inside as it is on the outside. It comes complete with a large reception hall, a glass ceiling constructed from small blue squares of glass with an inbuilt decorative strip made from various colored bottles. 

To add to it, the staircase hall, on the first and second floors, is decorated with stained-glass windows depicting geometric motifs. Now if only we can find a way in! Can anybody hook us up?

6. Explore the Central market

We just love markets. We love seeing the locals come together, get friendly with each other, and just go on with their daily lives. It’s always a great place to people-watch… oh, and try local food!

There are 2 parts to this market. The outdoor part in the main square, as well as the indoor part.

7. Revel at the beauty of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas

It’s hard to miss the Cathedral in Ljubljana. Its dome dominates the cityscape although it was only built in 1842. Originally a fake dome was painted on the arch above the center of the cross.

Its location was originally where you could find a three-nave Romanic church. After the fire of 1361, it was re-vaulted in the Gothic style and then underwent several changes. It was burnt down again in 1469. Not such a lucky history! But luckily for us, what stands there today is beyond beautiful!

We really liked this cathedral. The way the doors had figures melted into them, the beauty of the decor inside, the intricate design all made it very special. Regardless of your faith, this is one beautiful place to visit!

8. Check out the fountains & statues

Ljubljana is home to many beautiful statues and fountains. They’re littered all over town, but unfortunately for us, they’re all covered for winter… While I’m sure this helps to preserve them, especially in the long term, we would have loved to see them! Instead, we got to see them all bundled up for the cold winter ahead.

Day trips from Ljubljana

1. Make your way to Lake Bled

Lake Bled is a fairytale land dream come true. We’re not sure if the residents of Bled know how lucky they are to live in such a beautiful place. We highly recommend you take a day trip there from Ljubljana and spend a whole day exploring its beauty.

This is a beautiful place to walk around, no matter what time of year you go. The lake, nestled in the valley, surrounded by mountains and cliffs is the best view you can ask for.

There’s not a ton to do here apart from the main attractions, such as the castle, the lake and its island, and the lookout point.

Going up to the Bled castle is a must. It’s beautiful to visit and brings you back in time with things like an old fashion forge, wine cellar, and print shop. Visiting the castle will only set you back 11€ per person, definitely worth it in our opinion.

There’s also a museum, which you get access to when you buy your ticket. It’s small but interesting, so take the 20-30 minutes and check it out.

The best time to go to the Bled castle is before 10 am before the crowds start coming in. Halfway through our visit, the tour nuses started rolling in and the good photo spots were instantly crowded with people trying to get selfies.

How to get to Lake Bled from Ljubljana

To get to Lake Bled, go to the main bus station in Ljubljana and take the bus to Bled (platform 7). It takes about 1hour and 20 minutes. Bled is the last stop and you can walk to the lake from there.

2. Go to Lake Bohinj

We didn’t have a chance to make it to Lake Bohinj, but it’s on our list for our next trip to Slovenia. Take the sights around this beautiful lake, go hiking and just enjoy the beauty and serenity of the place. If you’re in the area, and if you have an extra day, make sure you head there!

Where to stay in Ljubljana

When in Ljubljana, we stayed at Atticus B&B, and cannot recommend it highly enough. Equipped with dorms and private rooms, the B&B has everything you need to have an amazing stay. Another plus, the location is perfect! It’s close enough to everything you want to see, just a stone’s throw from the Ljubljana Castle.

The rooms are located on the last 2 floors of the building, in the attic. That’s where the Atticus name comes from, after all! But don’t expect them to be creepy like grandma’s old attic. These rooms are beautiful. With wooden beams and bright ceiling windows, they are so cozy. If we could have, we would have moved in! The beds are comfy, and we loved the multi-functional desk where we could get work done!

We adored having breakfast at the café downstairs. We had everything we needed to get the day started on the right foot. How can you go wrong when you’re being offered the most delicious chocolate croissants ever and a hot delicious coffee?!

The highlight of our stay, however, was meeting and talking to the owner, Minca. She was such a vibrant and sweet person. We saw her work tirelessly to help her other guests have an amazing time in Ljubljana. She had some great recommendations for us as well. Talking to her, it was impossible not to leave without a smile plastered on our faces. Minca, we hope our paths will cross again and expect to get a postcard soon!

Where to eat in Ljubljana

There are a ton of delicious places to eat in Ljubljana, and you have quite a selection of meals as well. From cheap eats to super fancy meals, there’s something for everyone. These are the two spots that we really enjoyed:

Gostilna Dela: Situated right in from of Atticus, not only is Gostilna Dela affordably priced, the food is excellent, with a menu changing every day (or so). But what we loved most about this restaurant, is their purpose. They offer vocational training to young people who are more vulnerable, like people without formal education, with disabilities or with special needs. We loved this about them. We also loved their pumpkin risotto!

Gujžina: A little more on the pricey side, Gujžina Prekmurska Gostilna is absolutely delicious. This is where you can try traditional Slovenian food, although they specialize more in the cuisine from the northeast of the country. They make the most amazing cheeses (we had sunflower seed and pepper), as well as melt-in-your-mouth knodels. Their gnocchi with pumpkin seed pesto was out of this world. We had never had pumpkin seed oil before, but after this meal, we have fallen in love, and want it on everything, all the time!

How to be eco-friendly in Ljubljana

As always, we want to be sure everyone travels in the most eco-friendly way possible! That’s why we want to share these few little tips with you to make your stay in Ljubljana as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible. Although Ljubljana is one of the greenest capitals in the world, so it’s pretty easy to do here!

1. Bring reusable water bottles and coffee mug: Tap water in Ljubljana is safe to drink, and it’s one of the best in Europe. So make sure you bring a reusable water bottle that you can fill up (we always have our Lifestraw Go with us!) And if you love to drink coffee, make sure you bring you reusable coffee mug too!
2. Eat as local and vegan as you can: This is the easiest way to reduce your environmental footprint. Eat as much local produce and food as possible, and especially, eat all the vegan options you can! It’s a delicious and easy way to reduce your carbon footprint.
3. Bring your own bags and refuse plastic bags: Like most places, they still offer plastic bags in grocery stores, at the local markets, and at various shops. So bring your own bag and do your little step to save our beautiful planet!
4. Walk or bike around: We walked all around Ljubljana and had a great time getting lost in its streets. It helped that our hotel was so centrally located to all the main attractions in Ljubljana.
5. Use public transportation to get around Ljubljana: Ljubljana has a great bus system that helps you get all around the city and the country quite easily. Although we didn’t use any of the buses in the city, we did use their bus to get to Lake Bled. The ride was clean, on time and very comfy. There’s not much more you could ask for!

What to do in Ljubljana in 2 days

1. Explore the Ljubljana castle
2. Check out the bridges of Ljubljana
3. Check out the Prešeren Square
4. Admire the Cerkev Marijinega oznanjenja
5. Discover the Vurnikova hiša
6. Explore the Central market
7. Revel in the beauty of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas
8. Check out the fountains & statues
9. Take a day trip from Ljubljana to Lake Bled or Lake Bohinj

Ljubljana and Lake Bled really stole our hearts. We came here with no expectations, but we were blown away by their beauty and the kindness of their people. You have all the charm of Europe, in the cutest little packages! Cozy, warm and friendly, we can’t recommend Slovenia highly enough!

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