About

About ULTIMATE Ljubljana City Guide

ULTIMATE Ljubljana City Guide is an independent guide for visitors to Ljubljana, Slovenia. We publish 13 curated lists: restaurants, cafés, bars, nightlife, hotels, sights, arts & culture, cinema, parks & nature, walks, shopping, health + wellness and getting around. Together they cover the old town and the castle, the centre and the river, Trnovo, Krakovo and Metelkova, and Slovenia beyond: Lake Bled and Bohinj, the Julian Alps, the Karst caves and Piran.

Our editor

Jai Michael is Editor-in-Chief of the ULTIMATE City Guides. With more than 25 years in the media industry, he founded ABSOLUTE brighton and London TV, and has worked with leading luxury brands around the world.

How we choose

Our lists draw on respected guides, including the MICHELIN Guide Slovenia, local knowledge and recent reviews. We look for quality, character and a genuine sense of Slovenia, from gostilnas and specialty coffee to wine bars and Plečnik’s architecture.

Before you go

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change often, especially in the mountains and on the coast. Please check directly with each venue before you visit. Slovenia uses the euro; our price guides run from € (budget) to €€€€ (special occasion).

For venues

Run a venue in Ljubljana and spotted something to update? We review our lists regularly and welcome corrections.

Photo credits

• Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport below the Kamnik Alps, by Tiia Monto, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Slovenian Philharmonic on Congress Square, by Tournasol7, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Ljubljana Castle above the old town and the Ljubljanica at dusk, by Tournasol7, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Ljubljanica river below the castle, by This Photo was taken by Miha Peče. Feel free to use my phot, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Yugoslav Film Archive, the Kinoteka, on Uzun Mirkova in Belgrade, by Nikolina Šepić, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A BicikeLJ bike-share station, by CAPTAIN RAJU, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bled Island and its church on Lake Bled, by Jorge Franganillo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Lake Bled from above, by Max263, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Lake Bled at dawn, by Dreamy Pixel, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The island church on Lake Bled below the Julian Alps, by Jakub Hałun, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bled Island from the Ojstrica viewpoint, by Konstantin Burkut, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Lake Bohinj between the mountains, by Kresina, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Church of St John the Baptist on Lake Bohinj, by Martini K, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Lake Bohinj seen from the mountains of Triglav National Park, by Carsten Steger, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Vineyards in Goriška Brda, by tomislav medak, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Padlocks on the Butchers’ Bridge, by Max263, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The embankments of the Ljubljanica, by jad99 from Graz, Austria, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Ljubljana Castle above the old town and the Ljubljanica at dusk, by Tournasol7, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The frescoed nave of St Nicholas Cathedral, by Jorge Láscar from Australia, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Ljubljanica and the Triple Bridge under Christmas lights, by Tom Mrazek, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Congress Square, the University and Castle Hill from above, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Ljubljanica embankments below Castle Hill, by This Photo was taken by Miha Peče. Feel free to use my photos, but please mentio, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Congress Square, with the castle above, by Med Cruise Guide, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bled Island and its church on Lake Bled, by Jorge Franganillo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Dragon Bridge over the Ljubljanica, by Thomas Ledl, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The embankments of the Ljubljanica, by jad99 from Graz, Austria, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Ljubljana Castle above the old town and the Ljubljanica at dusk, by Tournasol7, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, by Bex Walton from London, England, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The funicular to Ljubljana Castle, by Andrew Milligan Sumo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The grand staircase of the National Gallery of Slovenia, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The indoor pool of Atlantis Wellness, lit blue, with loungers around it, photo: Courtesy of Vodno mesto Atlantis.
• Plečnik’s Triple Bridge over the Ljubljanica in the centre of Ljubljana, by Mihael Grmek, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Congress Square, the University and Castle Hill from above, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Triple Bridge and the Franciscan Church reflected in the Ljubljanica, by Mihael Grmek, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Triple Bridge and the Franciscan Church reflected in the Ljubljanica, by Mihael Grmek, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Congress Square, the University and Castle Hill from above, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The harbour of Izola, by Jakub Hałun, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Lake Jasna near Kranjska Gora, by Bostjan Vodopivc, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red roofs of Kamnik below the Kamnik Alps, photo: Courtesy of Visit Kamnik.
• The red roofs of Koper’s old town and the bay, by Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Kozjak waterfall near Kobarid, by Ajznponar, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A kozolec, the Slovenian hayrack, by Mihael Grmek, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Kranjska Gora below the peaks, by benj500, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The courtyard of Križanke, by Ajznponar, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The manor house of the Lipica Stud Farm, by Ajznponar, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Logar Valley below the Kamnik–Savinja Alps, by Jernej Furman from Maribor, Slovenia, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The painted ceiling of the National Museum of Slovenia, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova, by Marcel Haring from Tirol, Austria, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Nebotičnik, Ljubljana’s 1930s skyscraper, by Fred Romero from Paris, France, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Alhambra in Granada in the evening light, by Jebulon, licensed Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The floodlit Acropolis and Parthenon at dusk, seen from Philopappos Hill, by Giles Laurent, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The pink sand beach of Harbour Island, the Bahamas, by Rüdiger Stehn from Kiel, Deutschland, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open sea, by Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Grand Palace reflected at dawn, by Nawit science, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. James, by Barry haynes, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sagrada Família lit up at night, by Maksim Sokolov, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunset, photo: © ULTIMATE International Media.
• The Romanian Athenaeum in its garden, by Jorge Franganillo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the Danube, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coast, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro, by Gzzz, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hour, by Robert Bock, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A schooner silhouetted against the sunset off Key West, by Joe Parks from Berkeley, CA, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Aerial view of the white sand spit of Ses Illetes and Llevant, the salt pans and, across the strait, Ibiza and Es Vedrà, by Beni Marull, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Baie des Anges, Nice, by Tobi 87, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini caldera, by Norbert Nagel, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Helsinki Cathedral above the South Harbour, by Ввласенко, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria Peak, by Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The walls of Dalt Vila and the cathedral above the harbour of Ibiza Town, in late sun, by Charles from Port Chester, New York, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hagia Sophia and its minarets in golden evening light, by Nserrano, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Las Vegas Strip at dusk, by Dietmar Rabich, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Congress Square, Ljubljana, with the castle on its hill behind, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower lit at dusk across the Thames, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Downtown Los Angeles at sunset beneath the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains, by Alek Leckszas, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Metrópolis building at the start of the Gran Vía, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and the Almudaina above the old sea wall, seen from the Parc de la Mar, by Enric, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the Maldives, by Luka Peternel, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Yachts in Puerto Banús, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Turquoise water below the pine-topped cliffs at Cala Macarella, Menorca, by Markus Trienke, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, by Robbschultz69, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountains, by Spike, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbour, by iMahesh, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Sunset at the Naples Pier, by pmarkham, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The New York City skyline from Top of the Rock, by Dillan Payne, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Millennium Bridge over the Morača, by Desemeus, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, by Berthold Werner, edit by Böhringer, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red carriages of the Glacier Express crossing the stone arches of the Landwasser Viaduct below a snow-capped peak, by Kabelleger / David Gubler, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Church of St John at Kaneo above Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia, by kallerna, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery Spencer, by Christoph Strässler, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Sebilj fountain and the square of Baščaršija, by Yukof, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu River, by King of Hearts, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The towers of the Central Business District lit up at night, reflected in Marina Bay, by Bijay Chaurasia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Matterhorn in winter above Zermatt, by JoachimKohler-HB, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Warrior on a Horse fountain in Macedonia Square, Skopje, lit at night, by Diego Delso, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, under a pink evening sky, by Jose Ligero Loarte, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, Kandy, by Daniel Liabeuf, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed Pitons, by xiquinhosilva, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Longtail boats on West Railay beach beneath the limestone cliffs, by Krzysztof Golik, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The restored Pyramid of Tirana under a blue sky, by BBB2021, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Rolling green hills and a farmhouse near Pienza in the Val d’Orcia, by Tom Ek, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Calatrava’s Hemisfèric lit at twilight, reflected in its pool, by Diliff, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The tiled roof of St Stephen’s Cathedral and the rooftops of central Vienna, by Dietmar Rabich, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• St Mark's Church and its tiled roof on St Mark's Square, Zagreb's Upper Town, by Jorge Láscar from Australia, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Triple Bridge and the Franciscan Church reflected in the Ljubljanica, by Mihael Grmek, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The painted ceiling of the National Museum of Slovenia, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Slovenian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Tivoli Park, by Alois Staudacher, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Slovenian Philharmonic on Congress Square, by Tournasol7, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Piran’s Tartini Square and harbour from above, by Isiwal, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• St George’s Church above Piran and the sea, by Petar Milošević, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Plečnik House in Trnovo, by Bobo Boom, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A pletna boat on Lake Bled, by Ymon, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Stalactites in Postojna Cave, by Jakub Hałun, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• A slice of potica, the Slovenian rolled cake, by Michael R Perry, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Predjama Castle in the mouth of its cave, by Jakub Hałun, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Prešeren Square with the poet’s monument and Castle Hill behind, by This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but please, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Prešeren Monument, by Julien Maury, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The old town of Radovljica, by Kaktus999 at en.wikipedia, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Grilled ćevapi with fries and kajmak, by young shanahan, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Café terraces on Veliki trg in old Zemun, Belgrade, under the tower of the Church of the Assumption, by Dekanski, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Red umbrellas over the stalls of Dolac Market, Zagreb, by Jeronimo Alcala, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Lake Bled and its island church at dawn, Slovenia, by Dreamy Pixel, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Autumn colour and a rainbow over the waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes, Croatia, by OrionCro, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Kotor’s old town and the bay from the fortress walls, Montenegro, by Jaakko Luttinen, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Republic Square, by Palickap, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Ljubljanica embankments below Castle Hill, by This Photo was taken by Miha Peče. Feel free to use my photos, but please mentio, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Ljubljanica river below the castle, by This Photo was taken by Miha Peče. Feel free to use my phot, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Robba Fountain in front of the Town Hall, by Rok, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The red roofs of Ljubljana, by Vladimir Yaitskiy from Kyiv, Ukraine, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Salt pans and salt heaps at Sečovlje, by pepe nero, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Prešeren Square with the poet’s monument and Castle Hill behind, by This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but please, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The underground canyon of the Škocjan Caves, by Jakub Hałun, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Škofja Loka and its stone bridge, by Jorge Franganillo, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The pilgrimage church on Šmarna gora above the Ljubljana basin, by Miran Hojnik, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The emerald Soča river, by Krzysztof Golik, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Ljubljana railway station, by Fred Romero from Paris, France, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Tivoli Park, by Alois Staudacher, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Town Hall on Mestni trg, by This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. , licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport below the Kamnik Alps, by Tiia Monto, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Piazza Unità d’Italia in Trieste, by gian luca bucci, licensed CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Peaks of the Julian Alps above the Vršič pass, by Krzysztof Golik, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Triple Bridge and the Franciscan Church reflected in the Ljubljanica, by Mihael Grmek, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The embankments of the Ljubljanica, by jad99 from Graz, Austria, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity on Congress Square, by Tournasol7, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The herdsmen’s huts of Velika Planina, by MPhernambucq, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Radovna river in Vintgar Gorge, by ivabalk, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Lake Bohinj from the Vogel cable car, by Qasinka, licensed CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Peaks of the Julian Alps above the Vršič pass, by Krzysztof Golik, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Snow on the Ljubljanica and the market colonnade, by bebatut, licensed CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Festive lights along the Ljubljanica, by Tom Mrazek, licensed CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
• Zagreb Cathedral, by VitVit, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.