33 of the best · Ljubljana, Slovenia

The Best Things to See in Ljubljana

A castle on a hill, a river of bridges, Baroque squares and Plečnik’s masterpieces: Ljubljana’s sights are all within a short walk.

Our 33 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026

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Insiders' picks

Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love Ljubljana.

The city’s crown

Ljubljana Castle

Castle Hill·Castle·€€

The castle on the hill above the old town, reached on foot or by funicular, with a tower, museums, restaurants and the best views in town.

Grajska planota 1Explore View on map
Plečnik’s masterpiece

Triple Bridge

Old Town·Bridge

Three bridges side by side over the Ljubljanica, Plečnik’s most famous work, linking Prešeren Square with the old town.

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Plečnik by the river

Central Market & Plečnik’s colonnade

Old Town·Market

The open-air market on Vodnik Square and Plečnik’s riverside colonnade, busiest on Saturday mornings.

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The full list: Sights, A–Z

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The back story 3

The story of Ljubljana.

History & heritage

Ljubljana: history and heritage

Old Town·In depth: history and heritage

Pile-dwellers on the marshes, Roman Emona, six centuries of Habsburg Carniola, two earthquakes and Jože Plečnik’s UNESCO-listed city: how Ljubljana became Ljubljana.

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The back story

Ljubljana: the back story

Ljubljana·In depth: history

From the Roman city of Emona to the Habsburgs, the great earthquake, the architect Jože Plečnik and the capital of an independent Slovenia since 1991.

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The back story

Plečnik’s Ljubljana: the back story

Ljubljana·In depth: architecture

The architect who designed a capital: bridges, colonnades, a library, promenades and churches, now on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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Landmarks 10

The city’s symbols.

The city from the water

Boat trips on the Ljubljanica

Old Town·River cruise·€€

Tourist boats from the embankments, with an hour-long ride under the bridges.

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Plečnik by the river

Central Market & Plečnik’s colonnade

Old Town·Market

The open-air market on Vodnik Square and Plečnik’s riverside colonnade, busiest on Saturday mornings.

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Four bronze dragons

Dragon Bridge

City Centre·Bridge

An Art Nouveau bridge of 1901 guarded by four bronze dragons, the symbol of the city.

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The pink church

Franciscan Church of the Annunciation

City Centre·Church

The pink Baroque church on Prešeren Square, built in the 17th century.

Prešernov trg 4Explore View on map
The city’s crown

Ljubljana Castle

Castle Hill·Castle·€€

The castle on the hill above the old town, reached on foot or by funicular, with a tower, museums, restaurants and the best views in town.

Grajska planota 1Explore View on map
Up in a minute

Ljubljana Castle funicular

Castle Hill·Funicular·€

The glass funicular from Krekov trg to the castle, in about a minute.

Krekov trgExplore View on map
A 1933 skyscraper

Nebotičnik

City Centre·Skyscraper

Ljubljana’s skyscraper of 1933, with a café and terrace on top.

Štefanova ulica 1Explore View on map
The heart of the city

Prešeren Square

City Centre·Square

The central square by the Triple Bridge, with the pink Franciscan Church and the monument to the poet France Prešeren.

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Where independence was celebrated

Republic Square

City Centre·Square

The modernist square of the Parliament and Cankarjev dom, where independence was celebrated in 1991.

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Plečnik’s masterpiece

Triple Bridge

Old Town·Bridge

Three bridges side by side over the Ljubljanica, Plečnik’s most famous work, linking Prešeren Square with the old town.

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The old town & Roman Emona 12

Squares, bridges and history.

Padlocks and sculptures

Butchers’ Bridge

Old Town·Bridge

A modern footbridge of 2010 with bronze sculptures and lovers’ padlocks.

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Robba’s altar and the tallest belfry

Church of St James

Old Town·Baroque church

A Jesuit church of 1613–1615 on Gornji trg’s square, with an altar by Francesco Robba, the tallest belfry in Ljubljana and an ornate octagonal chapel.

Gornji trg 18Explore View on map
An open-air room

Cobblers’ Bridge

Old Town·Bridge

Plečnik’s columned bridge linking the old town with Congress Square.

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Named after 1821

Congress Square & Zvezda Park

City Centre·Square

The grand square named after the Congress of Ljubljana of 1821, with the university, the Philharmonic and the Ursuline Church.

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Inside a Roman town

Emona House & the Jakopič Garden

City Centre·Roman remains·€

Remains of Roman houses of Emona, shown in situ under the modern city.

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Plečnik’s Illyria column

French Revolution Square & the Illyria monument

Križanke·Historic square

The square outside Križanke, with Plečnik’s 1929 column commemorating Napoleon’s Illyrian Provinces and a monument to the poet Simon Gregorčič.

Trg francoske revolucijeExplore View on map
Plečnik’s masterpiece

National and University Library

Old Town·Library

Plečnik’s great library of patterned brick and stone, with a famous reading room.

Turjaška ulica 1Explore View on map
Two thousand years old

Roman wall of Emona (Mirje)

Trnovo·Roman remains

A long stretch of the Roman wall of Emona on Mirje, restored by Plečnik.

MirjeExplore View on map
Baroque frescoes

St Nicholas Cathedral

Old Town·Cathedral

Ljubljana’s Baroque cathedral, with frescoed ceilings and bronze doors of 1996.

Dolničarjeva ulica 1Explore View on map
Cobbles and Baroque

The old town: Mestni, Stari & Gornji trg

Old Town·Historic streets

The three linked squares of the medieval town below the castle, lined with Baroque houses, shops and restaurants.

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Mestni trg

Town Hall & the Robba Fountain

Old Town·Town hall & fountain

The Baroque Town Hall on Mestni trg and Francesco Robba’s Fountain of the Three Carniolan Rivers.

Mestni trg 1Explore View on map
Baroque on Congress Square

Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity

City Centre·Church

A Baroque church of the early 18th century facing Congress Square.

Slovenska cestaExplore View on map

Beyond the centre 5

Metelkova and the village south.

Murals and clubs

Metelkova Mesto

Metelkova·Alternative culture centre

Former barracks turned into an autonomous cultural centre, covered in murals and sculptures.

Masarykova cestaExplore View on map
Built in the 1960s

Tivoli Hall

Tivoli·Sports & concert arena·€€

The 1960s arena on the edge of Tivoli Park, scene of big sporting nights and concerts since Louis Armstrong.

Celovška cesta 25Explore View on map
Village in the city

Trnovo & the Krakovo gardens

Trnovo·Neighbourhood

Ljubljana’s village-like south: Plečnik’s Trnovo Bridge, the church of St John the Baptist and the market gardens of Krakovo.

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Beer brewed here since 1867

Union Experience

Šiška·Brewery tour & museum·€€

Tours of the Union brewery and its Brewery Museum, telling the story of brewing in Ljubljana, ending at the Union Pub.

Celovška cesta 22Explore View on map
Plečnik’s garden of all saints

Žale cemetery

Bežigrad·Cemetery & architecture

Ljubljana’s main cemetery, with Plečnik’s monumental entrance and chapels, part of the UNESCO site.

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For families 3

Illusions, chocolate and a city run by children.

Taste from the fountain

Chocolarium

Centre·Chocolate museum·€€

An interactive chocolate museum on Ajdovščina, from cocoa bean to bar, with a chocolate fountain, a slide and workshops.

Ajdovščina 3Explore View on map
About 70 illusions

House of Illusions

Congress Square·Museum of illusions·€€

A playful museum of optical illusions and holograms on Congress Square, with about 70 exhibits that test your perception.

Kongresni trg 13Explore View on map
A town run by children

Minicity

BTC City·Children’s city·€€

A play city of more than 1,500 square metres in BTC City, where children run the bakery, bank, TV studio and fire station.

Ameriška ulica 13, BTC City (Hall A)Explore View on map