Ljubljana

Introduction

ljublanica river

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Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia is a charming Central European city that has gained great popularity among travellers in recent years. It has regularly been compared to Prague and offered as a smaller, less busy alternative.

Although the largest city in Slovenia, its population is below 300,000 making it relatively small for a capital city. Despite its size, it oozes charm - from the river Ljubljanica running through the centre to the historical city centre. The ancient castle atop a hill looks down upon the city and can be seen anywhere from the centre of town. A mixture of Baroque and Art Nouveau style buildings dominate the architecture to the east of the river with more modern commercial buildings to the west.

Sights and Activities

Ljubljana Card

Visitors can buy the Ljubljana Card which offers discounts to many of the popular sights. It is valid for 72 consecutive hours and costs €12.50. It can be bought at the tourist information offices. For the latest information about this card visit the Ljubljanacard website.

Old Town

This is the historic centre of the city. Stone-paved and lined with well preserved Baroque/Art Nouveau style buildings and churches lining the riverfront. The old stone bridges over the river are a sight to see too. Museums are closed on mondays.

• Ljubljana Castle (Ljubljanski Grad) - Built on top of Castle Hill (Grajska Planota) it cannot be missed. Entrance is free however to ascend the tower for spectacular panoramic views of the city you must pay. At the moment the the tower is closed for renovation. However the Virtual Museum is still open. It is a 20-minute 3D film recalling the history of Ljubljana - not essential viewing but available in many languages. To get to the castle, you can catch the 'tourist train' from the main square (Prešernov Trg) every hour (€3 - adult, €2 - concession), walk up the steep hill (there are multiple paths each taking about 20 minutes) or the funicular (€2 - adult/rtn, €1.50 - concession/rtn) next to the puppet theatre.
• Cathedral - Twin-towered with single green dome. Small but pleasant. Has a daily market outside selling fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers.
• Franciscan Church (Frančiškanski Samostan) - Located right by Prešernov Square (Trg), painted in bright pink.
• Triple Bridge (Tromostovje) - one of Ljubljana's most recognisable sites. 3 beautifully designed bridges designed by Plečnik himself. Leads right onto Prešernov Square.
• Dragon Bridge (Zmajski Most) - one of the more photographed birdges. Guarded by four large dragons.

Museums

In general, check the Museums in Ljubljana website for more information about prices, opening hours etc. Some of the best include:

• City Museum
• National Gallery of Slovenia
• National Museum of Slovenia
• Architecture Museum, Plečnik House
• Railway Museum
• Contemporary History Museum - Located inside Tivoli park with a large tank in front of it. Sometimes can be hard to find. (€7 - adult)
• International centre of Graphic Arts - Also located within Tivoli park. Not much in terms of permanent works. (€3.40 - adult)

Churches

• Holy Trinity Church
• Orthodox Church
• St. Peter's Church
• Synagogue

Parks and Cemeteries

• Tivoli Park - about 10 minutes walk from the city centre. Also houses the city zoo. Rolling hills and swathes of green grass in this very large park.
• Žale Cemetery - 10 minutes walk northeast of the train station. Has a grand stone arch, final resting place for Plečnik.

Events and Festivals

• Ljubljana Festival held every July and August in the capital. It is mainly a musical and cultural event with jazz and classical music played on the streets.

Weather

Ljubljana has a moderate continental climate with warm summers and relatively cold winters. Temperatures in summer range from 22 °C to 27 °C during the day and around 15 °C at night. Summer peaks in July. Precipitation is quite high throughout the year, with some less wet conditions in winter. During winter, temperatures are between 3 °C during the day and around -5 °C at night.

Getting There

By Plane

Adria Airways is the national airline of Slovenia, based at Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU). International destinations served by this airline are Amsterdam, Barcelona, Birmingham, Brussels, Bucharest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Kiev, London, Manchester, Moscow, Munich, Ohrid, Paris, Podgorica, Priština, Sarajevo, Skopje, Stockholm, Tirana, Vienna, Warsaw and Zürich. It also has charter flights to about 20 destinations mainly in the south of Europe. About 20 other airlines (both scheduled and charter flights) have direct flights to Ljubljana as well. Low-cost airline easyJet regularly flies to/from London-Stansted (STN).

The airport is served by a highway exit off the A2 motorway and by bus service connecting it with Ljubljana and Kranj. A rail line to both cities is planned as well. The airport is located 20 kilometres north from the city centre. There are many minibuses outside the airport and is the easiest way to get to Ljubljana. The journey to the main train/bus station costs €5-8 and lasts 35-45 minutes. From there it is about a 10-minute walk to the old town centre. Minibuses will typically leave when full, pay onboard. Taxi's from the airport to the centre of town will cost around €40. Minibuses also wait outside to take you to other popular destinations such as Bled (33 kilometres).

By Train

The Slovenske železnice (Slovenian Railways) has an efficient train network of both intercity and local trains with regular departures to and from Ljubljana, with daily fast trains to and from Maribor. The train station is located next to the main bus station. The train station is just 10 minutes away from Ljubljana city centre by foot.

Direct trains also run to many international destinations from the main train station. Popular destinations include Prague (11 hours, €91), Zagreb (2.5 hours, €12.20), Venice (5 hours, €25), Budapest (9 hours, €50) and Belgrade (10 hours, €44.20). Direct trains also run daily to countries as far as Austria, Germany and Switzerland. For up-to-date schedules and prices visit the official website - international rail information. It is best to book tickets 1 or 2 days in advance for international journeys.

By Bus

There are many buses to and from Ljubljana to almost any towns and village in the country including Maribor, Bled and Koper.

The bus station is located next to train station is a 10-minute walk north from the old city centre. Just get on the bus and pay onboard. Alternatively you can buy tickets at the ticket counter in the main bus building.

The latest timetable can be viewed at the offical bus station website.
There is car rental information at the bus station kiosk.

Getting Around

By Public Transport

Avtobusna Postaja runs the Ljubljana city buses.

By Foot

Ljubljana is relatively small for a capital city. As such it is very easily walkable. Free tourist maps can be found at the Tourist information offices at the train station or city centre.

Drink

Around the city's main square, Prešernov Trg, and along the river Ljubljanica, there are many cafes and bars open until the morning.

Sleep

Budget

Learn

• University of Ljubljana

Keep Connected

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

Post

Posta Slovenije is the national postal service of Slovenia. It has relatively fast and reliable services. Post offices are generally open from 8:00am to 6:00pm Monday to Friday and 8:00am to noon on Saturdays. Only the larger central post offices keep longer hours and/or are open on Sundays. You can also use them for money transfers and some other simple banking services. Stamps are available here or at newspaper stands/kiosks. Domestic rates for sending postcards/standard letters start at €0.29. International rates start at €0.39 for postcards and €0.44 for standard letters. Parcels start at around €16 for delivery to other Europena Union Members. You can also use companies like UPS, TNT or DHL to send parcels, as they offer comparable prices and fast services.

External Links

• Official Governmental Website

Day Trips

The following places provide excellent excursion opportunities. You can either take them as a day trip with an organised tour group or choose to stay there for longer.

• Bled is a picturesque town with a fresh water lake surrounded by the Julian Alps. There are many (20+) coaches leaving regularly from the main bus station. It costs €6.20 and takes 1.5 hours.
• Postojna's main attraction is the huge caves and Predjama Castle north of the town. There are regular buses and trains.
• Škocjan Caves, located in the town of Divača. Bigger and better than the Postojna caves, it is also harder to get to. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.