Ljubljana itinerary: 3 amazing days in Slovenia’s capital

Arriving in Ljubljana

Ljubljana’s city center is about a 30-minute drive from the airport. You can take the shuttle bus, regular bus, or a pre-booked taxi to your hotel. I’ll share more about this soon in my Ljubljana travel tips article.

Check into your hotel

If you arrive around midday, you can head straight to your hotel to check in and freshen up a bit. I spent my first night at Vander Urbani Resort and the following two nights at AS Boutique Hotel (I couldn’t get a room there for the first night).

AS Boutique Hotel was fantastic. I was a lot less enthusiastic about Vander Urbani Resort. It’s not a bad hotel at all, and the location is excellent, but the interior really wasn’t my style and felt pretty outdated.

Food and drinks at Odprta Kuhna

If you’re visiting Ljubljana between March and October, try to plan your trip so you’re there on a Friday. As long as the weather is dry, you’ll find the Odprta Kuhna (“Open Kitchen”) food market in a central part of the city from 10 AM until 9 PM.

It’s the perfect place to start your city trip. Around 50 restaurants and wine bars set up stalls here with all kinds of delicious food and drinks. Grab whatever looks good and join the locals sitting on the steps while people-watching.

Address: Pogačarjev trg 1, Ljubljana

Tasting menu at Georgie Bistro

The food market has so many tasty options that you could easily make dinner out of it. But if you’d rather sit down for something special, make a reservation at Georgie Bistro.

This really feels like a full evening out, but in a relaxed and informal setting. The menu changes constantly and features creative dishes made with local ingredients and international influences. You can order à la carte, but I’d definitely recommend going for the 5, 7, or 9-course tasting menu and letting them surprise you.

Address: Čufarjeva ulica 5, Ljubljana (closed on Sundays)

Brunch at EK Bistro

You’ll find restaurants all along the river, many of which also serve breakfast. One popular brunch spot is EK Bistro. It’s located along the river too, but just beyond the Dragon Bridge, so the area feels a little less touristy.

Definitely try to go on a nice day though, because there’s barely any seating inside.

Address: Petkovškovo nabrežje 65, Ljubljana

Explore the Central Market

Walk back a little and cross the famous Dragon Bridge toward the Central Market. This lively market is where locals come to buy fresh produce every day of the week except Sunday, between 7 AM and 4 PM.

It’s a really fun place to wander around and maybe pick up something yourself. On the side of the market, you’ll even find a “milkomat,” a machine where you can fill up bottles with raw milk.

Address: Adamič-Lundrovo nabrežje 6, Ljubljana

Admire Saint Nicholas’s Cathedral

Right next to the market is Saint Nicholas’s Cathedral. It’s an impressive building with a beautifully decorated interior. Entry costs €3, but make sure to check the opening hours before you go.

Since it’s right next to the market, it makes sense to combine the two, but otherwise definitely come back later if needed.

Address: Dolničarjeva ulica 1, Ljubljana

Cukrarna: Art in a former sugar factory

We’ll be walking back and forth a little today, but like I said before, the distances in Ljubljana are really small. From the market, follow the river back in the direction of where you had breakfast this morning, but this time stay on the opposite side of the water.

After about a 15-minute walk, you’ll reach Cukrarna. This modern art space has a long and interesting history. The exhibitions change regularly, so it’s worth checking the website before your visit. But honestly, I already thought the building itself was worth seeing.

Address: Poljanski nasip 40, Ljubljana (closed on Mondays)

Coffee at Center Rog

There’s a café at Cukrarna if you feel like having something there, but I walked back toward the city center instead. Definitely stop by Center Rog as well.

This used to be a factory where Rog bicycles were made. The industrial feel is still very much there, but today it’s a creative hub filled with studios and production labs. On the first floor, you’ll find Kavarna Specialka by Goat Story, which served my favorite coffee in Ljubljana. There’s also a spacious outdoor terrace.

Address: Trubarjeva cesta 72, Ljubljana (closed on Sundays)

Relax in Tivoli Park

Tivoli is a huge city park on the edge of the center. It’s a lovely place for a walk among the trees or to sit in the grass with a book for a while. You enter the park via Jakopič Promenade.

Dinner at JAZ by Ana Roš

Real food lovers travel to Slovenia specifically to eat at Hiša Franko, Ana Roš’s three-Michelin-star restaurant. It’s also known from the Netflix series Chef’s Table. The restaurant itself isn’t located in Ljubljana though.

If you still want to try Ana Roš’s food without the three-star price tag, definitely book a table at JAZ. The dishes are beautiful, the restaurant is gorgeous, and my personal highlight was the bovški krafi for dessert. These are Slovenian dumplings filled with pear, bread, cinnamon, and butter sauce. Yes, they’re incredibly rich, but there are only two of them and they’re so good.

The restaurant is part of AS Boutique Hotel, so if you’re staying there like I did, you can basically roll straight into bed afterward.

Address: Čopova ulica 5a, Ljubljana (closed on Sundays)

Breakfast at JAZ by Ana Roš

If you can’t get a dinner reservation at JAZ by Ana Roš, breakfast or brunch is another great option.

For guests staying at AS Boutique Hotel, this is also where breakfast is served. There’s an extensive buffet, and you can also order a warm dish à la carte.

Coffee at Črno Zrno

Coffee lovers will definitely recognize Črno Zrno, which has been named one of the best coffee shops in the world.

Stop here on your way to the castle for a caffeine boost. The café itself is tiny and narrow, tucked inside a medieval building decorated with beautiful blue-and-white tiles.

Address: Gornji trg 17, Ljubljana

Visit Ljubljana Castle

You really can’t miss Ljubljana Castle (Ljubljanski grad), which you can see from almost everywhere in the city. Because of the amazing views over Ljubljana, this could also be a great activity for your first day, but for me it worked out better on day 3.

There are two ways to get up there: walking or by funicular. Walking is very manageable. The path is fairly steep, but it’s not a long walk. The funicular takes you up in just a few minutes from the square behind the Central Market.

There’s a lot to see and do at the castle, so make sure to set aside enough time. You can enter the castle grounds for free, but if you want to visit exhibitions or climb the viewing tower, you’ll need a ticket.

Address: Grajska planota 1, Ljubljana

Lunch at Vino & Ribe

From the funicular, it’s about a 10-minute walk to Vino & Ribe, a great spot for a simple lunch.

The focus here is fish and wine, with the fish prepared in different ways. I was lucky enough to sit outside because of the nice weather, but there’s indoor seating too.

Address: Stari trg 28, Ljubljana

Spend the afternoon at Ljubljana’s art museums

If you still want to visit an art museum during your Ljubljana city trip, there are two that are absolutely worth it, and easy to combine if you have enough time.

That afternoon I visited both Narodna galerija, Slovenia’s national art gallery, and Moderna galerija, the museum of modern art. Neither museum is very large, and they’re located directly across the street from each other.

Address National Gallery of Slovenia: Prešernova cesta 24, Ljubljana (closed on Mondays)

Address Museum of Modern Art: Cankarjeva cesta 15, Ljubljana (closed on Mondays)

Casual dinner at Pop’s Aperitivo

Pop’s has become somewhat of an institution in Ljubljana. The restaurants are especially popular for their burgers and pizzas. The newest location is Pop’s Aperitivo, which was conveniently located right next to my hotel.

The restaurant is spacious both inside and out on the terrace, so you can usually get a table without much trouble. The menu focuses on Italian dishes like pizza and pasta, plus really good cocktails.

Address: Čopova ulica 5a, Ljubljana

Brunch at Kavarna Rog

I really loved all the terraces along the river. Kavarna Rog, located next to Center Rog, is another great brunch spot.

The atmosphere is similar to EK Bistro, but I thought both the food and coffee were even better here. You can also sit inside if the weather isn’t great.

The only downside for me was that quite a few people were smoking on the terrace, but aside from that, I’d absolutely recommend it for brunch in Ljubljana.

Address: Petkovškovo nabrežje 67, Ljubljana

Coffee at Mala Pražarna

My very last coffee in Ljubljana was at Mala Pražarna. Along with Črno Zrno, this is one of the best specialty coffee spots in the city.

Just like Črno Zrno, it’s mainly a place where people grab coffee to go or stand outside to drink it because there’s very little seating available. Still, it’s a lovely little spot with a super friendly barista who makes excellent coffee. A perfect way to end this city trip.

Address: Krakovski nasip 10, Ljubljana