8 Cool things to do in Ljubljana

Ljubljana is a very clean city, which contains many restaurants in the city centre. The city is gorgeous to visit and the most important city in the country, even though it is a relatively small capital with 280,000 inhabitants. It may not be the most vibrant city on the planet, but strolling around is definitely worth a visit. The things to do in Ljubljana are:

Walk the Dragon Bridge

The city of dragons should have some statues of these mythical creatures, and the best statues are on the Dragon Bridge. It is one of the many bridges in the city, but this is one to remember. There are multiple statues on the bridge, most of them of dragons, but take a closer look at the street lights on the bridge.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 5 minutes.

Walk around through the city centre

Ljubljana is a cute, clean, and pretty city to visit. Walk around to enjoy the beautiful buildings, the plentiful restaurants, and the many bridges. See the water, the squares, and the alleys to have a good time. Maybe make a reservation at a restaurant in the summer because they can fill up (even though there are many of them). You will pass the town hall, Ljubljana cathedral, and Congress Square, which are all cool to see.

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 5 hours

Feel the city centre at Prešeren Square

Prešeren Square is the heart of Ljubljana, with the beautiful red-coloured Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, my favorite building in the city. The inside is also worth a visit. There are many statues on the square and a funny fountain. Also, from here, there are many bars and restaurants to go to. This square is hard to miss (and you don't want to!).

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: Including a visit to the church, 45 minutes.

Doubt which one to take at the Triple Bridge

When this bridge was built, only one was made, but when traffic increased, there were many difficulties crossing the bridge, so 2 pedestrian bridges were built (one on each side), so traffic problems would reduce. Since 2007, they are all three for pedestrians, as parts of the city are car-free zones. The bridges connect the Old and New Ljubljana and are next to Prešeren Square.

Tourists occurrence: High

How much time needed: 5 minutes

See the Central Market and on Friday the Open Kitchen Market

Unfortunately, we were a bit late for this market, but we can still say some ingredients were being sold, which was cool. The market looks very serene and clean, but that makes it different. It has parts inside and outside. On Friday, there is an open kitchen market where chefs from Slovenia show their best.

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 1 hour

Get views from Ljubljana Castle

We did not pay anything to get into the castle, so we could see limited parts. The castle was a nice place to see some of the history of the city. From up in the castle, you have a great view of the whole city. You can have a drink there. The walk up is a bit steep, but not too rough.

Price: €12

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 1 hour (without really entering the castle), including the hike.

Spot nutrias on a boat tour through the city

There are many nutrias in Ljubljana, and you have a chance to see them in the water when walking next to the river, but when on a boat tour, you have the best chance. We saw one in the centre and 4 more in the suburbs. The boat tour is also great to get a different angle on the buildings and bridges of the city, so I would absolutely recommend doing one here.

Price: Depending on the tour, around €15

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 1-1.5

Visit the alternative Metelkova Mesto

Metelkova Mesto is an autonomous area in Ljubljana where many artists come, and you can party big time in the bars and clubs. It is very cool, with art and graffiti, and nice to walk around. Keep in mind that it is not appreciated when taking pictures of people in this area. Metelkova Mesto is a hidden gem; although it gets more popular, it is absolutely an out-of the box thing to do.

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 1 hour to look around and have a beer.

Things I have not done, but can be interesting

Tivoli Park
Museum of Illusions
The Skyscraper (Nebotičnik)

Final Thoughts

Ljubljana is a lovely city to be in and to wander around. The city is pretty small and easy to oversee. There are some very good sights to see here a full day. Is the city a must-do? When in Slovenia, it is, but if you compare the city with other cities in former Yugoslavia, it is not the most important one to visit. A day on your itinerary is always a good idea, and you will enjoy your time for sure.