Things to Do in Ljubljana

Cars have been kept out of Ljubljana’s old centre since 2007, so most of the best activities start the moment you step outside. You can cover a lot of ground here without spending much.

Start with the free options

The Old Town squares of Mestni trg, Stari trg and Gornji trg are pedestrian-only and sit beneath the castle cliff. Robba Fountain stands in front of Town Hall, and the Dragon Bridge, Triple Bridge and Butcher’s Bridge are all within a few minutes of each other. A forest path climbs Castle Hill in 10 to 15 minutes if you would rather walk than ride. Tivoli Park, the city’s largest, is a short stroll west of the centre. Details on the landmarks are in the sightseeing page .

Castle and funicular

The castle is the one paid activity most visitors do. Entry without the funicular is €15 for an adult at the ticket points and €13.50 online. Adding the funicular brings it to €19 at the box office or €17.10 online. The funicular on its own costs €6 return or €3.30 one way, and the ride lasts about a minute. The last ticket is sold one hour before closing, and Ljubljana Castle lists current hours and the family tickets.

On the river

Wooden electric boats and a larger tourist boat sail the Ljubljanica under the three central bridges. Expect roughly €16 adult for the 50-minute wooden boat and about €10 for the one-hour Žaba tour, with child fares around half. You can compare river cruises on GetYourGuide or simply buy at the quay. The cruise is also included in the Ljubljana Card, covered on the attraction tours page .

Getting around

• Bikes: BicikeLJ has more than 80 stations. Registration costs €1 for a week or €3 for a year, the first hour of every ride is free, and later hours cost €1, €2 and then €4.
• Kavalir shuttles: free electric cars carry anyone with heavy bags or limited mobility around the pedestrian zone between 06:00 and 22:00. The glazed car runs all year, and open cars operate from April to the end of October.
• LPP buses: a single ride is €1.50. Ljubljana has no trams or metro, so buses are the only public transport inside the city.

Food as an activity

On Fridays from March to October, Odprta Kuhna fills Pogačarjev trg with open-air stalls from local chefs, usually at €15 to €28 for a few dishes. Between meals, štruklji, the rolled cottage-cheese pastry, run about €4 to €6.50 at the market colonnade.

A day outside the city

Lake Bled is 55 km north-west and Postojna Cave is 46 km south-west, so both fit into a day. The day trips page sets them out by distance.

Tip

Pick a morning for the castle, since the light on the old roofs is best before lunch, and leave the river cruise for late afternoon when the café terraces fill. Book the castle online to save €1.50 a ticket.

• Ljubljana
• Slovenia
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