Visiting Ljubljana for a day and thinking about what to do with just one day in Ljubljana? Although 1 day might seem short, my meticulously crafted hour-by-hour Ljubljana itinerary will ensure you make the most of your 24 hours in Slovenia’s dynamic capital city.
Don’t be fooled by it being one of the smallest European capitals, Ljubljana packs a punch in historical and cultural wonders, stunning architecture, urban spaces, charming cafes, and delectable cuisine.
With a relaxed and authentic vibe, Ljubljana charms its visitors to no end. I fell for it just in a day, imagine what would happen if you’d give it a little more time.
The city’s so compact that you can explore the highlights in a day without feeling rushed. Plus, the central location of Ljubljana makes it an excellent base for exploring Slovenia.
You can easily take a day trip from Ljubljana to Lake Bled, Vintgar Gorge, Kranj, and other beautiful places in Slovenia. In fact, you can take day trips to the neighboring countries!
Planning 24 Hours in Ljubljana: Quick Tips
Visa for Slovenia: Know if you need a visa for Slovenia. Third-country nationals may need to apply for a visa. If DIY scares you, you can get your visa fastly and effortlessly through iVisa. Also, OneWayFly is an excellent resource if you need to show proof of onward travel (flight itinerary) or hotel reservations.
Travel Insurance: Travel insurance is vital for peace of mind while traveling—no two ways about it. Get reliable travel insurance from Heymondo. They offer broader, more flexible coverage at good value for money and dependable 24/7 customer service.
How to Get to Ljubljana: You can fly directly into Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport or might drive to or take a bus or train to Ljubljana if coming from neighboring countries like Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia. Check out Skyscanner and WayAway for the best and most affordable flights to Ljubljana, Omio, or 12Go for trains and buses, and Discover Cars for rental cars. Know the basics of renting a car in Europe.
Airport Transfer: You can travel between the airport and the city through public transport (bus line 28) or airport shuttle (scheduled around flight arrival times), or a taxi. For a truly hassle-free experience, prebook the fast and reliable private transfer from the airport to the city.
Getting Around Ljubljana: You’ll concentrate on the Old Town, mostly, for your one day in Ljubljana which can quickly be done on foot or bike. If at all you get time to wander beyond, the extensive city bus system delivers. Make sure to have a guidebook and a pocket map before you set foot in Ljubljana that makes getting around the city easy.
Guided Tours: A tour with a local guide is the perfect choice if you’ve limited time on your hands or if you are interested in diving deep into the history and culture of the city. We use and recommend Viator and Get Your Guide to book guided tours.
Where to Stay in Ljubljana: Old Town and City Center, are unquestionably, the best areas to stay in Ljubljana, especially if you are a first-time visitor. Koseze, Mirje, Krakovo, Metelkova, Trnovo, and Poljane are other areas to stay in Ljubljana depending upon your travel style. We use and recommend Booking.com to find the best accommodation at great prices. It not only gives you a price match guarantee but allows you to cancel anytime without a fee. Bed and breakfast to the apartment, villas, and guesthouses to hostels, resorts, and homestays, it also offers lots of variety.
Essential Tips: As Ljubljana is designed for strolling, you need comfortable and super light walking shoes. I wear Skechers while hubby loves Adidas and mini-me has got Adidas too. Read our guides to the best shoes for women and the best shoes for kids for your European family vacation. Also, make sure to bring sunscreen, a sun hat, and sunglasses. Last but not least, consider buying the Ljubljana City Card which lets you skip the lines and use public transportation for free which saves a lot of time, money, and exertion.
Top Accommodation Options in Ljubljana
In the Heart of the City: City Hotel Ljubljana
Ultra-Luxury: Intercontinental
Luxury: Grand Hotel Union Eurostars or Austria Trend Hotel
Boutique: Zlata Ladjica Boutique Hotel or Bloom Hotel
Apartment: sLOVEnian ART STORY
Mid-Range: Occidental Ljubljana
Budget: B&B By The Way
Kid-Friendly: Art Hotel or Antiq Palace or Hotel Cubo
Top Ljubljana City Tours and Experiences
Ljubljana City Tour including Ljubljana Castle
Ljubljana Private Walking Tour with a Local
Ljubljana Small Group Food Walking Tour
Food & Wine Walking Tour
Explore Ljubljana with Legendary Pony Bike
Street Art & Alternative Culture Walking Tour
Ljubljana Women of Letters Walking Tour
Ljubljana for One Day: The Ultimate One Day in Ljubljana Itinerary
Ljubljana or City of Dragons or Emona – whatever you call it, the Slovenian capital is a sheer delight to be in. Long overshadowed by popular European cities bordering Slovenia like Vienna, Budapest, Zagreb, and Rome, Ljubljana is quietly making its place in travelers’ hearts and bucket-list.
European Green Capital shines through, no matter the season! Also, being the heart of Slovenia, Ljubljana makes for a perfect place to start your itinerary.
7:30 am: Early Breakfast @ Le Petit Cafe
Begin your day at Le Petit Cafe, a charming and cozy little café right in the heart of the Old Town. It’s open every day from 7:30 am to 12 am. The cafe’s warm ambiance, rustic charm, and friendly staff make for the perfect start to your day in Ljubljana.
I highly recommend trying the Slovenian specialty aka QUEEN of all Slovenian desserts, Potica with a cup of rich local coffee.
Potica (poh-TEET-sa) is a traditional holiday (Slovenians love to treat their loved ones with this delicacy even outside the holiday season) pastry or nut roll made of rolled-out leavened dough and filled with one of the various (over 80) fillings like walnuts, hazelnuts, chocolates, raisins, honey, cheese, and so on.
My favorite is the walnut-filled version!
If you don’t have a sweet tooth like me, you can try the savory versions with fillings like leek, tarragon, carob, chive, bacon, and others.
8:30 am: Visit Ljubljana Central Market
After a hearty breakfast, it’s time to immerse yourself in the local culture at Ljubljana Central Market (Osrednja Ljubljanska Tržnica), the main market in Ljubljana.
For those looking for an authentic Slovenian experience, there’s no better place than Central Market in Ljubljana! Strolling the main market is one of the mandatory things to do in Ljubljana.
The market is alive from 7 am to 3 pm with local vendors offering an array of locally sourced fresh produce like fruits, vegetables, and herbs, and specialty produce like honey, artisanal cheese, nuts, and wine.
Besides the fresh produce, you’ll also find local crafts and traditional souvenirs to take back home and food stalls to taste fresh local delicacies.
The most picturesque section of the market is the flower market, where vendors sell various vibrant blooms and potted plants.
10 am: Explore Ljubljana Old Town
A walk through the Ljubljana Old Town is the high point of your 1 day in Ljubljana.
The narrow maze of cobbled streets sprinkled with the iconic works of the Slovene architect, Jože Plečnik, and the buildings from different periods in history, charming bridges, riverfront walkways lined with atmospheric cafes and bars, the historic core of the city is one of the most beautiful and extraordinary old towns in Europe.
You can spend hours wandering the town and still not get enough of it!
If you are a DIYer like me, you can craft a self-guided walking tour, and if you feel overwhelmed when it comes to researching and planning, let others create the experience for you and guide you.
Though I’m an Independent traveler, I love guided tours for two reasons – you gain an in-depth understanding of the local culture and you can explore a lot including the areas you may not be able to see on your own in a short period of time.
For a time period as short as 24 hours, it makes sense to go for a guided tour option to get the most out of your visit.
Best Ljubljana Old Town Guided Tours
Ljubljana City Tour including Ljubljana Castle: This 2-hour group tour takes you through the key sights wherein you get to know about the city’s history, architecture, and culture from your local guide.
Ljubljana Private Walking Tour with a Local: This private tour lets you explore at your own time and pace as your own personal guide narrates interesting anecdotes about what life’s like in the city.
Ljubljana Small Group Food Walking Tour: This unique tour combines sightseeing and traditional food and wine tasting. During this tour, you’ll see the famous attractions up close, visit farmers’ markets, diners, and gourmet shops, and taste the city’s history and culture through its traditional delicacies and local beer and wine.
Food & Wine Tour: This food-themed guided tour is a beautiful way to explore Ljubljana from a local’s perspective. You’ll walk around the charming streets of Ljubljana with a wealth of delicious tastings and new learnings along the way.
Explore Ljubljana with Legendary Pony Bike: On this bike tour, you’ll follow your passionate local guide who’ll pedal past the city’s top attractions while drifting away a little in-between to take you off the usual tourist trail.
The best spot to start your exploration is Prešeren Square, the heart and soul of the historic city, the central square dedicated to the romantic Slovene poet, France Prešeren.
Some of the most recognizable buildings of Ljubljana bestow beauty and character to the square such as the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, Prešeren Monument, and Triple Bridge.
The twin structures of a church and a monastery steal the limelight with a pretty pink façade and copper turrets.
Right in the center of the square is the Prešeren Monument, a bronze statue of France Prešeren and the muse of poetry holding a spring of laurel above his head. Just across the monument is a building with a small statue of the poet’s love interest, Julija Primic on its exterior wall.
Ljubljana is known for its iconic bridges that gave it the moniker of City of Bridges. The oldest of all is the Triple Bridge, a group of three distinct pedestrian bridges across the Ljubljanica River, one central and two side bridges that blend into one.
The central stone bridge replaced the medieval wooden bridge in 1842 that was later on, around 1929, merged with the side bridges to form a bridge you see today by Jože Plečnik and it turns out to be one of his most notable works.
Just off the square is Ljubljana’s most vibrant and dynamic street full of trendy boutiques, unique stores, craft bars, cafes, and street art, Trubarjeva. Take a quick stroll down the street to take in its beautiful laid-back and friendly vibe.
Before you cross the Triple Bridge, take out some time to visit Miklošičeva ulica, home to some of the finest Art Nouveau buildings in Ljubljana. It’s just about 170 meters from Prešeren Square.
One of the most beautiful of all is Vurnik House (Vurnikova Hiša), designed by the architect Ivan Vurnik in 1921 as a Cooperative Business Bank Headquarters
The impressive facade with geometric patterns in red, white, and blue (representing the Slovenian tricolor) combined with elements of Slovenian iconography is the work of the architect’s Viennnese-born wife, Helena.
With vibrant wall paintings, a decorative glass ceiling, and stained glass windows, the interiors are equally stunning.
As you cross the Triple Bridge, you’ll set foot at the Central Market, another one from Jože Plečnik. If you find yourself in Ljubljana on Fridays from March to November, you must attend Open Kitchen (Odprta Kuhna), a lively food event (runs from 10 am and 9 pm) that brings you intriguing culinary adventures.
A little walk from the market is Ljubljana Cathedral (Church of St. Nicholas), a Baroque church erected in the early 1700s to replace a Romantic church from the 1200s. Adorned with beautiful frescoes, the church’s a work of art. The most outstanding feature is the entrance door engraved with a relief that depicts the history of Slovenia.
From there, head to another iconic bridge, Dragon Bridge, adorned with two imposing dragon statues on each end. The dragon is considered the symbol and the protector of Ljubljana and is also depicted in the medieval coat of arms – there’s a legend attached to how it became the defining image of the city.
Not far from the bridge is a lively street dotted with cafes, restaurants, and bars, Petkovšek Embankment, a perfect place to take a break, if you must have one.
Walk in the opposite direction past the Dragon Bridge to reach the city’s famous love bridge, Butcher’s Bridge, where lovers padlock their love and throw the key into the Ljubljanica River. You can find some interesting and weird statues and sculptures on and around the bridge sculpted by the renowned Slovenian sculptor, Jakov Brdar.
Walk across the Butcher’s Bridge to Town Square (Mestni Square), I’d recommend you try Slovenia’s iconic dish, štruklj, at Moji Štruklji Slovenije (My Dumplings of Slovenia) which offers over 20 different versions of these traditional dumplings.
A central point during medieval times, Mestni Square is home to Baroque-style buildings including the Town Hall. Fountain of the Three Carniolan Rivers aka Robba Fountain after its creator Francesco Robba stands in front of the Town Hall.
You must walk Ključavničarska Ulica aka Locksmith Street, an utterly narrow street near Mestni. A local sculptor, Jakov Brdar sculpted over 700 bronze faces with all kinds of expressions and emotions and arranged them in the middle of the alleyway making it a mysterious sight – now famous as the Faces of Locksmith Street.
As you walk further, you’ll venture into the former medieval part of the city. Here, Stari Square extends into Gornji Square and further into Levstikov trg.
Gornji Square stretches to the foot of Castle Hill, the site of the medieval castle, Ljubljana Castle
With peaceful courtyards and passageways and a row of vibrant medieval wooden houses and the Hercules fountain in its heart, Stari Square offers a little peace from the bustling town.
At the junction of Gornji Square, the 17th-century Church of St. Florian, renovated by Jože Plečnik in the 1930s, is worth a stop.
Levstikov trg was designed by none other than Jože Plečnik and the Church of St. James and St. Mary’s Column are the principal monuments here.
Cross the river to reach Križevniška Street, one of the oldest and prettiest streets in Ljubljana. Ahead of Breg Embankment, you can disembark on a promenade along the Ljubljanica River and enjoy a beautiful walk while taking in the view of the colorful houses on the other side of the river.
Also, don’t miss admiring the National and University Library, another mind-blowing creation by Plečnik, at Novi Square.
From here, a 2 to 3 minutes walk leads you to Kongresni or Congress Square (stop by Cobbler’s Bridge aka the Shoemakers’ Bridgeon the way), a lush central square where some of the most prominent buildings stand, the Slovenian Philharmonic being the celebrity attraction. Founded in 1701, it’s one of the oldest institutions of the kind in the world.
The square also holds national importance as it’s here that Slovenians declared their independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Yugoslavia.
If you are curious to know more about the man behind Ljubljana’s aesthetic, Joze Plečnik, and have time on your hands, you can plan a visit to Plečnik House where he lived and worked.
2 pm: Lunch @ Restaurant Hisa Pod Gradom
For an authentic Slovenian lunch, head to Hisa Pod Grandom, a traditional restaurant known for its hearty food.
A reincarnation of the 17th-century burgher house, the restaurant has a unique and medieval ambiance that along with the traditional dishes and warmth of the staff makes for a memorable dining experience.
4 pm: Ljubljana Castle
After a satisfying lunch, climb up to the iconic Ljubljana Castle, a medieval fortress perched on a hill overlooking the city.
Take the funicular for a quick ride to the top and explore the castle’s rich history through its museum exhibitions and historical rooms.
The panoramic views from the castle’s tower offer a breathtaking glimpse of Ljubljana’s beauty.
6 pm: A Coffee with a View at Nebotičnik Skyscraper
Overwhelmed? How about a coffee with a view? Make your way to Nebotičnik Skyscraper, a historic architectural marvel and one of the first tallest buildings in Europe.
Climb to the rooftop cafe, the Nebotičnik Cafe for a steaming cup of coffee, accompanied by an awe-inspiring view of the city’s skyline.
7:30 pm: Explore Metelkova District
The abandoned 19th-century army barracks complex is repurposed to create the city’s creative hub, Metelkova.
The complex is home to a host of museums such as the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum, the National Museum of Slovenia, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Slovenian Cinematheque, and the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, and is collectively called the Museum Quarter.
If you want to explore Museum Quarter, it’s open from 10 am to 6 pm except Mondays.
Behind the quarter is Metelkova Mesto, an eclectic, vibrant, and dynamic autonomous alternative cultural center filled with bars, galleries, street art, graffiti, and live creative venues.
A stroll through this bohemian district lets you experience the unconventional side of Ljubljana’s art and culture scene. The center has galvanized the alternative scene in the city for nearly three decades now.
You can visit here any time of the day to admire and photograph the artwork.
Just like Christiania in Copenhagen, the neighborhood is a bit rough around the edges and is infamous for sketchy characters. However, is completely safe to visit any time of the day.
You can take this street art & alternative culture tour with a local guide for an all-inclusive experience. The tour explores Metelkova, Rog Factory, ŠKUC Gallery, and Alkatraz Gallery.
8:30 pm: Dinner @ Druga Violina
For a unique dining experience, return to the heart of the city and dine at Druga Violina, a social enterprise restaurant that employs people with special needs.
Delight in their heartwarming hospitality as you savor traditional Slovenian dishes with a contemporary twist, knowing you are contributing to a meaningful cause.
One day might seem short, but I’m sure with this comprehensive itinerary under your belt, you can immerse yourself in a little bit of everything Ljubljana has on offer from its architectural splendor, cultural and historical treasures to delectable cuisine, and alternative art scene.
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