Ljubljana is an incredibly pleasant capital to visit. However, because they don’t understand Slovene and don’t know the secret places, tourists miss out on a lot of great things to do. I’ve lived in the centre of Ljubljana for over ten years and I see on a daily basis that visitors are a long way from taking advantage of all that there is to see and do in Ljubljana.
Don’t miss out on the best of Ljubljana!
To help you make the most of your visit to Ljubljana, I’ve listed the 7 most common mistakes made by French tourists. This article will help you to enjoy a great holiday in Ljubljana and make the most of its gentle way of life. Slovenia’s capital is incredibly restful yet lively. There’s a real dolce vita here and everyone feels really at home. You’ll feel it too when you’re there.
Mistake no. 1
Not spending at least one evening in Ljubljana
On summer and spring evenings, the atmosphere along the river Ljubljanica is magical. Ljubljana is cosy, soft, relaxing and very lively all at the same time. It’s a night-time version of Slovenia’s Dolce Vita! Every summer, the city organises a dozen or so major free cultural festivals. Ljubljana spends 3.5 million euros every year on culture alone. Tourists and locals alike can enjoy hundreds of free shows and concerts. The programme includes free operas, free outdoor symphony concerts, small guitar concerts and more. Chairs are set up outside, so all you have to do is sit back and enjoy. For these sometimes grandiose shows, you pay nothing!
Summer evenings are always magical in Ljubljana
During the summer months, if you plan a day trip to Ljubljana and leave around 7pm, you’ll miss out on the best of the Slovenian capital. Whether you’re 20, 40 or 60, you’ll find a corner of the city that appeals to you and you’ll love your summer evening in Ljubljana. You should therefore include at least one evening in Ljubljana in the programme of your trip to Slovenia!
Mistake no. 2
Not straying far from the old town and pedestrian streets
If your visit is confined to the pedestrianised streets of Ljubljana, the old centre of the Slovenian capital may seem a little small. At the end of certain pedestrian streets, you really shouldn’t turn back.
Here are 3 tips for discovering the whole of Ljubljana and not just a small part of the Slovenian capital:
- First of all, make sure you’ve visited the six pretty streets of Ljubljana
- Venture into the surprisingly bucolic little village of Krakovo with its vegetable gardens. This district is located to the south of the Old Town
- Then take a seat on one of the terraces in the Trnovo district.
- Then walk along the Ljubljanica River until you reach Spica, following the map for this pleasant walk.
Walk along the Ljubljanica river and leave the pedestrianised streets of Ljubljana
Finally, hire a bike and cycle around the immense Tivoli Park (a park as big as Central Park in New York!). If you follow these useful tips, Ljubljana will immediately seem bigger and more interesting. As well as its dolce vita, you’ll have had a taste of the green side of Slovenia’s capital.
Mistake no. 3
Looking for parking in the city centre
Ljubljana is one of Europe’s greenest capitals. At the instigation of its mayor, Zoran Jankovic, the city centre has been completely closed to cars, street by street. Over 19 years, I’ve seen the old centre transformed into a haven of peace. The calm of the city is one of the things you’ll love about Ljubljana. On the downside, if you arrive in Ljubljana by car, you’ll lose time if you’re looking for free or cheap parking in the city centre (even around the city centre, you have to pay €0.80/hour or €0.60/hour).
No free parking spaces within a three-kilometre radius of Ljubljana’s old centre
For several years now, there have been no free parking spaces in the centre of Ljubljana, or in the surrounding streets. The number of paid parking spaces in the centre of Ljubljana is also decreasing every year.
Mistake n°4
Not knowing about the kosilo for lunch
Between 11am and 3pm (sometimes 4pm), several restaurants in the centre of Ljubljana offer Kosilo, reduced-price lunches for Slovenian employees taking a break. Waiters rarely, if ever, offer them to tourists, as these cheap menus are not very profitable for restaurateurs.
Lunch in Ljubljana: Some restaurants offer delicious menus at very affordable prices
Now that you know about them, you can ask the waiter for them and take advantage of this great deal. Unfortunately, as the years go by, I’ve noticed that these cheap lunches for Slovenians have an unfortunate tendency to disappear during the high tourist season.
Mistake no. 5
Taking the funicular up to the castle
As you stroll through the old town centre, you’ll always be able to see Ljubljana Castle. A funicular will take you up there. The departure station is on Market Square. To climb up to the castle, tourists naturally head for the funicular ticket offices. Since it was built in 2006, 6 million visitors have taken the funicular, but they’ve all made a mistake.
There are much better things to do than take the funicular up to Ljubljana Castle, and what’s more, it’s free.
Two pretty secret pedestrian streets lead up to Ljubljana Castle in a much more entertaining way than the funicular. It’s not intuitive when you’re visiting the city, but going up and down the castle via these lanes will prove more interesting than the castle itself. Remember that once you’re in the courtyard surrounded by its walls, Ljubljana Castle won’t seduce you.
Remember: climb up to Ljubljana Castle via secret alleyways!
Follow these 3 tips to get to the castle
Go up the Reber alleyway ( when you climb the stairs in this alleyway, remember to turn around so you don’t miss the beautiful view over the whole of southern Ljubljana and the mountains) and go down the Ulica na grad alleyway. This small street will take you directly to the market square.
Walking up to the castle has a number of advantages:
- You’ll discover secret parts of Ljubljana.
- You’ll save €4 on a funicular ticket (€4 = 2 cappuccinos in Ljubljana).
Once inside Ljubljana Castle, climb up to the northern rampart to enjoy the view of the Julian Alps, then head north down the small dirt track that winds through the forest and leads to the market square (avoid this path if it’s raining).
The most beautiful panoramic view of Ljubljana
Finally, you should know that the best view of the Slovenian capital is not, as most tourists think, from the castle. You have to climb to the top of Yugoslavia’s first skyscraper, Neboticnik – 1933.
- Once you’re up there, you’ll have a 360° view of Ljubljana, the Julian Alps and the castle.
- Ideal for sipping an Aperol Spritz at around 7pm on a fine summer’s day, one of my favourite summer bars in Ljubljana.
Mistake n°6
Not looking up at oldbuildings
Following the great principles of architecture, the buildings of Ljubljana, and in particular the many buildings in the Viennese Secession style, are much more decorated on the upper floors than the lower ones. It’s obvious once you get to grips with this principle.
During your visit to Ljubljana, you’ll often have to look up or you’ll miss out on some of the most beautiful buildings!
The ground floor of old buildings is in a simple style, but if you look up to the top floor, you’ll always discover beautiful statues, magnificent sculptures and lots of ornamentation. To sum up, when you wander around Ljubljana, don’t just look up at people and shops, but also look up at the sky!
Mistake no. 7
Not knowing who Joze Plecnik is
Don’t snub Plecnik, the famous Slovenian you absolutely must get to know before visiting Ljubljana. I fully understand that not everyone is interested in the subject, but you should be. Plecnik is the architect who gave the Slovenian capital its current face. Following the earthquake of 1895, which destroyed part of the Slovenian capital, he was given the space to rebuild Ljubljana and give it a new lease of life by scattering his architectural creations around it. There are few cities in the world where an architect has had the opportunity to change the morphology of a capital city to such an extent and impose his own style.
From 1921 to 1957, he worked to transform a provincial town into a capital by methodically implementing an original vision. Today, we owe to him the gentle atmosphere that reigns in Ljubljana, the magnificent central square with its three bridges, the large market in the city centre, the university library, the banks of the Ljubljanica, etc.
Plecnik gave Ljubljana its current face
It is largely thanks to Plecnik that you will have a great time in Ljubljana. Before you visit Ljubljana, find out more about Plecnik’s work or, once you’re there, visit the museum dedicated to him. You’ll be able to recognise Plecnik’s work and his distinctive columns scattered throughout the capital as you stroll through the streets of Ljubljana.