Types of Girl about the Globe (GatG) – City GatG, Cultural GatG
If you are planning a trip to Slovenia, make sure to visit Ljubljana and spend a few days in the capital city. With the feel of a small town, this city is perfect for solo female travellers and visiting Ljubljana Slovenia is not only safe but friendly and colourful too. This central European capital is a hidden gem and is definitely worth a visit.
With a sustainable vision for development, the capital Ljubljana is one of the cities with green spaces of nature in both the heart of the city and outside. I loved my time here and share my favourite places to visit in Ljubljana and things to see in Ljubljana.
Things To Do When Visiting Ljubljana
1. Take a Ljubljana Walking Tour
One of the reasons that Ljubljana is so beautiful is due to the design of the famous architect, Jože Plečnik. Similar to Gaudi's work in Barcelona, Plečnik's work is all around the Slovenian capital. And you can take a Ljubljana walking tour to see the Ljubljana places to visit. Starting from the Town Hall you walk through the historical city centre (the old town) admiring the Art Nouveau and Baroque architecture. A boat cruise is also included in the walking tour.
If you don’t want to walk around the city you can take advantage of the free four-hour bicycle hire or hop aboard the green urban electric train that takes you to all of the main tourist sites and each Ljubljana must see.
* Check prices, dates and availability: Ljubljana City Tour
2. See The Bridges and Dragons
The city is known for its picturesque bridges and symbolic dragons; it’s adorned by bridges covered in padlocks symbolising a couple’s love. The Ljubljanica River is the soul of the city and there are several walkways to cross it. The Triple Bridge is one of the most stunning with the Franciscan Church in the background. The Dragon Bridge is the most iconic and crossing this bridge takes you to Resljeva Cesta where you can spend some time sitting at one of the outdoor cafes and watching the world go by. You can walk to the bridges yourself or take a walking tour to find out more about the history.
* Check prices, dates and availability: Ljubljana City Tour
3. Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana has many castles but the Ljubljana Castle is definitely the most impressive and one of the Ljubljana things to do. Once a medieval fortress it was built in the 15th century to defend against Ottoman invasions. It later became a state penitentiary and then during WWII a quarantine station for prisoners of war. Today it is one of the city's main attractions and is reachable by foot or the funicular.
It is also a place of culture with art exhibitions (which are sometimes free) and a documentary showing the history of the fortress. The castle courtyard is free but make sure you go to the viewing tower for beautiful views of the city.
If you're searching for things to do in Ljubljana at night, the castle is open until late depending on the season that you're visiting. You can see the city lit up at night and maybe even watch one of the movies that they may be showing at the same time too.
* Check prices, dates and availability: Ljubljana Castle Tour
4. Take a Boat Cruise
You have to experience this famous river and what better way than to take a boat cruise along the Ljubljanica River. The ‘Ljubljanica’ is a wooden board that offers rides from the pier on the Breg embankment. There are also options to take a sunset boat cruise too.
Or instead of cruising along the river in a boat, you could paddle board or kayak along the river and see the city from the water's edge, some of the more unusual things to do in Ljubljana.
* Check prices, dates and availability: Ljubljana Boat Cruise
5. Taste The Local Food and Drink
As the saying goes “When in Rome…” So on your Ljubljana visit, you should definitely sample the local delicacies whether it’s on a Taste Ljubljana Food Tour or a Ljubljana Beer Experience, learning about the brewing history in the city. Try the tripe stew and goulash or even both together as a dish called “little mixed” which you can find at Sestica restaurant.
Try the Trzin sausage or Dol pri Ljubljani, a roasted knuckle of veal dish, or tuck into Komenda, a port roast with sautéed potatoes. If you are vegetarian, sample Kamnik, a cheese from Velika planina, For a snack the Vodice pretzels, or Trojane doughnuts are traditional too.
To sample the best of the city's nightlife you could join the Pub Crawl Ljubljana to delve into the capital's best bars and dance clubs. It's a great way to meet others when you're solo too.
* Check prices, dates and availability: Ljubljana Food & Wine Tour
6. Open-Air Cinema
If you’re visiting Ljubljana between mid-June to the beginning of August one fantastic activity to do at night is to watch a film under the stars. Ljubljana’s Castle courtyard turns into an open-air cinema where you can a variety of premiers and films from the past season in a magical setting. Movie screenings begin at 21:30. If you’re travelling outside of the open-air season, then just spend some time in one of the bars in Preseren Square.
* Check all Ljubljana Castle events
Ljubljana Sightseeing
Whether you take a guided tour of the historical city centre and Ljubljana Castle, see the National Gallery, or taste the local dishes and beer, hopefully, this list of Ljubljana things to do will keep you busy during your time in the Slovenia capital. If you are planning to make the most of the Ljubljana sightseeing, it may be worth purchasing a Ljubljana Card.
Depending on how many days you stay, you can either purchase the 24, 48 or 72-hour card and then swipe your card at the card reader on the bus for unlimited travel within your chosen period. You also get access to a guided tour of the city, a free boat cruise and a free funicular ride all the way to the castle. It comes with 24-hour Wifi access too if you don't already have roaming on your phone.
You can purchase the card either from your hotel or from the Ljubljana Tourist Information Centre which is located at Adamič-Lundrovo nabrežje 2, 1000 Ljubljana. The office is open from 08:00 to 18:00 every day and has all the Ljubljana info you need for your visit.
N.b. Solo female travellers can save a 10% discount with the Solo Travel Card. Just take the pledge and I'll email you your personalised virtual card in return. The discount applies to the Ljubljana Tourist Card and guided experiences of Ljubljana. * Take the pledge here
FAQs
- Where is Ljubljana? It's the capital of Slovenia which is located next to Austria, Italy, Croatia and Hungary. Nowhere is far in Slovenia so it's easy to explore the country from Ljubljana.
- Is Ljubljana worth visiting? Yes! It's a gorgeous city with a lovely feel to it.
- How many days do you need in Ljubljana? I spent 3 nights in the capital and then stayed in Lake Bled for a few nights. Three nights was enough time for me to explore.
- When to visit Ljubljana? This depends on what you're planning to do in Slovenia. If you just plan to sightsee then the best time to visit Ljubljana is the Spring or Autumn (April to May and September to October). In the summer months the Ljubljana weather typically doesn't get hotter than 26 degrees Celsius so it's a good time for rafting down the river if you enjoy the heat. Visit in the month of December and you'll be here for pretty Christmas markets.
- Is Ljubljana safe to visit alone? Completely. I travelled here solo and felt extremely safe. Slovenia has a very low crime rate so it's perfect to visit there alone.
- Is Ljubljana worth visiting for someone who is travelling solo? Yes! This is what another solo female traveller had to say: “I loved this charming city! Everyone was friendly, the food was amazing and beautiful scenery around every corner. Also centrally located to explore the rest of the country with ease. I highly recommend a visit.” – Haley Sullivan
Save 10% on Ljubljana tours at the Visit Ljubljana Tourist Office with your FREE Solo Travel Card
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