How many days do you need to explore Ljubljana? As the city is rather small and compact, you could explore it in one day, but that is not enough time in my opinion. Because Ljubljana (in German "Laibach") has so much to offer, I would have loved to stay even longer than 3 days.
The capital of Slovenia was elected in 2016 as the greenest capital in Europe & is very advanced in environment & sustainability. It is also very safe. Wondering what to do in Ljubljana? Below are a few ideas ...
Traveling by night train from Zurich to Ljubljana is the ideal way to travel. Train travel is the most ecological, and you don't lose time because you travel while sleeping and save the cost of a hotel. I arrived at the train station in Ljubljana at 08:00 in the morning. Ready to explore the city!
First of all, I would like to mention that there is a Ljubljana Card for visitors. It's best to order it online in advance and then you can just pick it up at the tourist office in the city center. The price includes a city tour (walking), a boat tour and other attractions such as museums, zoo etc ... You can also use all public transport and the funicular to the castle for free. You also have free wifi throughout the city - although I have to say that the reception was not very good and only really worked at a few points.
Ljubljana is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited. The old town is full of historic buildings, all built in different eras. Some places are influenced by the Italian style, others date back to the time of the Austrian Empire. The old town is car free and is therefore especially great to explore walking or by bike. There are a few electric trolleys that will take you to a desired location within the walking zone free of charge.
The Ljubljanica is a river that flows through the old town and the promenade is lined with cafes, restaurants and bars. You can sit outside almost everywhere. There are also plenty of small stores. As the city is very compact, everything is quickly accessible. The greatest thing for me was strolling in the old town.
Ljubljana Castle or Laibach Castle is a must see when visiting Ljubljana. With a funicular, which by the way was built by a Swiss company, you can go up the hill in a few minutes. The funicular is located near the market square and the Dragon Bridge. Alternatively, you can also walk up / down for about 15 min. You have a great view from the tower - but you need a ticket as well as for the other museums on the castle (included in the Ljubljana Card). Alternatively, the wall offers a good view too and in the middle of the castle is a large square that is also often booked for weddings. It has a cafe and a restaurant to enjoy the day.
Ljubljana offers a variety of museums. I found the history museum quite interesting as Ljubljana offers a diverse history. Built as "Emona" a Roman city, it was occupied by many kingdoms. It belonged to the Austrian Empire, then to the Habsburgs and before Slovenia became independent to Yugoslavia. Apart from the more serious museums, you also find entertaining one like House of Illusions or art museums.
A bit outside the city center there are shopping malls with big name stores but I didn't go there because I was too busy eating ;)
How long should you stay in Ljubljana? In 3 days I have seen a lot but still not everything. Ljubljana is worth a whole week of vacationing. You can visit the artists' quarter Metelkova or the ZOO. I was also told that there are great hiking routes and wineries that you can explore on a day trip.
If there's one thing you can do really well in Ljubljana, it's to eat! On every corner there is a cafe, a restaurant or a bar. And the best: you can sit outside almost everywhere. Whether a meat, fish or vegetarian/vegan lover, everyone will find delicious dishes. In Ljubljana, you can find every kind of restaurant. From cheap places in the alleys to extravagant places in the old town: the choice is incredible.
My personal favorite was the restaurant Gostilna Vida. By the way, you pay with euros in Slovenia. Almost everywhere you can pay with card or contactless, which I loved. Only the handling of tips was a bit troublesome because they don't accept "digital" tips. Simply increasing the amount and then paying with card does not work. Apparently for tax reasons. Whereas I have to say that I prefer to pay taxes on tips instead of getting none at all. So the "coins" I had were already spent after a few restaurant visits.
Every Friday between May and October, when the weather is nice, there is a food festival in Ljubljana called "Odprta kuhna", which means "open kitchen". In the marketplace by the church, numerous stalls line up & restaurants from Ljubljana or the region present their cooking skills, wine tastings or sweet delights that make the perfect souvenir. It was a blast! I spent lunch & the evening there. Unfortunately, I couldn't eat as much as I wanted but you can see restaurant names on the stand so I have written them down and will visit them in the course of my next stays. :)
* The original blog article (in German) about Sightseeing and Activities in Ljubljana, written by Martina Raissle, is available here.