Ljubljana.
Your next chapter?

Overview

Ljubljana ("lee-oo-blee-AH-nuh") is the small but delightful capital of Slovenia. While the city's population had grown to 295,500 in 2020, the sights and amenities are concentrated in the charming old centre. It's full of artists, museums, and galleries, it's friendly and easy to reach, and it's a good base for exploring the rest of the country.

Understand

Ljubljana stands at the entrance to a plain in an otherwise mountainous region, the confluence of several river valleys, so it's been a focus for settlement, trade and transport since prehistory. The first known city was the Roman Colonia Iulia Aemona; in medieval times it became Laibach and this name is still used by some German-speakers (as well as modern Slovenia's most notable cultural export, the band of that name). It fell under the gravity of Austria-Hungary and was a duchy or province of the Habsburg Empire until 1918. For much of the 20th century it was part of Yugoslavia until independence in 1991. This means that Ljubljana has simply been a regional capital, and has only been the national capital of a relatively small country for a few decades. The city landscape reflects this: it's compact and walkable, cosy and friendly, rather than grandiose. There are no vast ceremonial boulevards, bling palaces or imperial fists of fortification. It's not a place where you hop around ticking off must-see sights, like a bug with a selfie-stick for antennae. Relax, stroll and enjoy the atmosphere.

No-one really knows how its current name came about: it resembles ljubljena - "beloved" - in Slovenian, but that seems to be just a happy coincidence. It sits in the valley of the Ljubljanica river, with green hills hemming it in on either side. The river makes a right angle, with the castle and oldest parts of the city on the hill in the southeast quadrant. A 19th century street grid extends north of the river, then the modern town sprawls to the west and north. Three natural disasters shaped the city architecture. An earthquake of 1511 caused extensive re-building in Renaissance style, and in stone to curb the fires of the wooden city. Another earthquake in 1895 prompted rebuilding in Vienna Secession style. It was flooded by the river multiple times until the Gruber Canal was cut across the southeast quadrant in the 18th century, turning the castle hill into an island. Therefore the main flow bypasses the old centre, which was protected from the devastating 2010 floods of the Danube catchment region. The "Triple" and "Dragon" bridges stand intact as proud symbols of Ljubljana.

Ljubljana is a year-round destination but you need to dress for the Balkan climate. Summers are warm, with daytime highs of 30°C. There are often public events and festivals, with streets converted from traffic thoroughfares to event spaces, but afternoons can be humid with thunderstorms and downpours. Early summer and autumn enjoy more even temperatures, and there's a student buzz as the university is in session. In winter it's near-zero, often with snow, and biting winds off the hills, but as Christmas approaches the streets are decorated by thousands of lights, and food and drink kiosks pop up along the river bank. February is grey, before in spring the city blooms with flowers planted on its streets and crossroads.

Ljubljana Tourist Information Centre. There are nice souvenirs and a free map.

Talk

The main language of the city is unsurprisingly Slovenian. Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian are becoming less understood by young people, while older people typically speak them fluently. Most inhabitants of Ljubljana speak English, especially people under the age of 40, with some of them also being able to speak German, Italian, French, Spanish and/or Russian. It's worth trying any major European language you speak.

Get in

Getting there and away: By bus: Arriva Bus takes 50 min to the main bus and railway station ("Ljubljana AP", Stand 28), with several stops. It runs every 30 min M-F 05:20-20:10, and Sa Su holidays 06:10–19:10. (May 2023) From the airport, cross to the parking lot. To the right is the bus stop for Arriva Bus. Bus route 64 (LPP) goes from Ljubljana bus station ("Ljubljana AP", Stand 28). Outbound from the city, alternate buses continue from the airport to Bled, so this has an hourly service taking 30 min. Morning buses that continue to Bled may fill up. A bus to Kranj runs every hour or two, taking 20-40 min.

By shuttle – Several operators offer shuttle transfers, which are per person, more for a door-to-door private transfer. They include Goopti, Nomago, Airtrail Slovenia and TuamV. By car – See airport website for the many car hire agencies. Driving off, follow the one-way system and go west then left onto the link road, which gets you on A2 towards Ljubljana.

Other airports nearby that but might prove convenient are Trieste, Venice Marco Polo, and Treviso (in Italy); Vienna Airport, Klagenfurt, and Graz (in Austria); and Zagreb (in Croatia).

Slovenian Railways website is here. For at least some routes, tickets can be purchased in advance at the OEBB 'Scotty' web site. (

International train tickets will need to be purchased at the ticket desk in the station. Domestic tickets can be purchased from ticket machines in the station or on the website. Note that on certain classes of trains, e.g. Domestic tickets may be issued on an IJPP card that can be reused. There are weekend tickets with a 75% discount can only be purchased with an IJPP card. These cards can be obtained from ticket desks.

The railway station was under construction in late October, 2025. Travellers may want to allow an extra ten minutes to find their platform.

International Connections: Trains from Munich take 6 hr 15 min, with one direct and one changing daytime service and one sleeper, via Salzburg, Villach and Lesce (for Bled), and dividing at Ljubljana for Rijeka or Zagreb. In early 2021 this route was disrupted by engineering works in the tunnel near Villach, but is now normal. From Paris and points north, travel via Munich.

Trains from Vienna take 6 or 7 hours; most involve a change (usually at Villach), but there is one direct service via Semmering, Graz, Maribor and Zidani Most.

Trains from Budapest run daily, taking 7 hr 30 min via Zidani Most. Connections taking 9 hours are available hourly.

Trains from Zagreb run 4 or 5 times a day, taking 2 hr 30 min via Dobova (the border) and Zidani Most.

Trains from Rijeka run twice a day, taking 3 hours via Opatija, and being joined at Ljubljana onto the Munich train.

Trains from Trieste run twice a day (at either 09:03 or 19:07), taking 2 hr 30 min, though you'll need to switch trains at Villa Opicina on the border. From elsewhere in Italy, change at Trieste; the direct train from Venice has been axed (however, regional trains between Venice and Trieste run hourly).

Direct international connections: Trieste (2 hours), Zagreb (2 hours), Venice (4 hours), Banja Luka (5 hours), Bihać (6 hours), Bologna (6 hours), Budapest (6 hours), Munich (7 hours), Florence (8 hours), Tuzla (8 hours), Zenica (8 hours), Belgrade (8 hours), Ulm (9 hours), Stuttgart (10 hours), Sarajevo (10 hours), Niš (12 hours), Karlsruhe (12 hours), Mannheim (13 hours), Frankfurt (14 hours), Skopje (15 hours), Tetovo (16 hours), Sofia (16 hours), Pristina (18 hours), Copenhagen (19 hours), Malmö (20 hours), Gothenburg (24 hours), Linköping (28 hours), Örebro (34 hours), Stockholm (36 hours).

Ljubljana is at the centre of the Slovenian road network, which means that if you're not driving towards the border, you're approaching Ljubljana. Traffic can be frustrating at rush hours, but is generally lighter than in larger European capitals. Huge jams can occur if there's an accident or road works, though, so consult the Traffic-information centre or use a navigation app with traffic information.

There are several car parks throughout the city centre, and cheaper ones at the outskirts. Most car parks are operated by the Municipal company. Parking meters don't return change, but they also accept the Urbana card (see below). Payment is also possible with the Urbana (iOS, Android) and EasyPark apps.

Renting a car is also an option, especially to explore rural areas outside the city and during public holidays. The car sharing service Avant2Go has many pickup locations: Ljubljana, the airport, larger Slovenian cities, and Croatia and Austria.

By ride sharing The main website is Prevoz.org, (click on "mednarodni prevozi" for international rides). The website is only in Slovene, but simple enough to navigate. Most drivers would speak enough English to arrange the ride. Note however that there is no rating system in place, nor any payment system – you pay cash to the driver. If you're arriving in your own car and want to pick some passengers, you can of course also post it on the site.

Hitchhiking Much of the country's traffic is either heading into Ljubljana or back out. Outbound you need to know the main hitching spots: Northeast to Maribor and Austria: on Dunajska cesta just west of the railway station, take Bus 6, 8 or 11 north to Smelt and the World Trade Centre, 15 min. Turn right and you'll see the entry ramp for Highway H3. Southwest to Koper, Rijeka and Italy: on Dunajska cesta or Kongresni trg take Bus 6 south to the end of the line at Dolgi most. The highway is before you, with the entry ramp to A1 and A2 just left - it's A1 you want. You'll also see an entrance to the parking area of a house, stand there as vehicles are better able to pull in. East to Novo Mesto and Zagreb: on Dunajska cesta take Bus 3 south to the end of the line at Rudnik. Walk on a further 200 m along Dolenjska cesta to the crossroads and entry ramp opposite the railway crossing. You want A2 eastbound.

Get around

On foot The centre of Ljubljana is small enough to cover by foot. You can pick up a free city map at a tourist information centre or in the train station. Navigating or finding a street is easy as streets are clearly marked.

It is designed for short-term hire. It has 300 bikes on 30 stations around the inner city part and you can subscribe with a credit card online.

By bus The city's transportation authority LPP operates 22 bus lines, which are clean and run frequently (every 10–15 minutes, 15–40 minutes during the weekend and summer). Most bus routes operate 05:00-22:30 (Sundays from 06:00). Night routes are: N1 (22:30-05:00), 2, 5 and 6 (03:15–00:00), N3 (21:00–05:00) and N11 (03:15–05:00), but they do not run between (01:00-3:00). Saturdays and Sundays no service on routes 22, 24, 28 and 29. Sundays no service on routes 7L, 8, 18, 20, 21, 27.

Upon entering the bus by the front door, you need to position the card next to the reader to pay for the route and validate the ticket. The Urbana app has the advantage that it can be loaded using a Credit or Debit card and includes real time information.

By taxi The (supposedly) cheapest taxi companies are:

Uber is available, but due to local regulations, it can only be used to hail registered taxies.

You can download it for IOS or Andriod. There is no surge pricing and in case of events it might take a while to find a taxi as there might not be enough taxi drivers on shift.

By boat You can see centre of Ljubljana also with frequent boat tour, they last around 1-2 hours.

See

In 2021, seven works in Ljubljana by architect Jože Plečnik were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. These are the Trnovo Bridge, the green promenade along Vegova Street, the promenade along the embankments and bridges of the Ljubljanica River, the Roman walls in Mirje, the Church of St Michael, the Church of St. Francis of Assisi and the Garden of All Saints (Plečnik’s Žale).

Triple Bridge. The central span is from 1842: it became a bottleneck so in the 1930s footbridges were added on each side, fanning out slightly. On the north bank these lead into Prešeren Square, adorned by the statue of the national poet France Prešeren (1800-1849). It's the obvious rendezvous point in town; the area is pedestrianised. The TIC is south end of the bridge.

Old Town. The old town has two squares, Mestni trg (City square) with the Robba fountain and the city hall behind it, and, further on, Gornji trg (Upper square). Well preserved medieval buildings now house local designer shops, and several popular cafes and restaurants. Although they may look creepy, the perfectly safe narrow lanes lead to charming little squares and buildings.

Dragon Bridge. Completed in 1901, designed by Croatian Jurij Zainovich. It is guarded by four detailed dragon statues from the city's coat-of-arms. Look out for the dragon motif throughout the city. Be careful around the Dragon Bridge area, as it is on a major busy road just outside the pedestrian zone and near misses (and worse) between inattentive tourists and traffic are common. The dragon bridge is located at the end of the Ljubljana Open Market, just a block or two down the river (north-east direction) from the Triple bridge.

Ljubljana Castle. The tower has magnificent views all over the city. You can also see the Sava River and Kamnik Alps in the distance.

Republic Square. Where crowds gathered as Slovenia announced its independence from the Yugoslav Federation in 1991. The square has significant importance for Slovene history, as it was a place of important public gatherings (and demonstrations) in the past. Across the road is the Slovene Parliament. Its façade is decorated with artistic nude statues of Slovenes at work and leisure. The square also houses the International Business Centre.

Roman Ruins. A short walk west of the centre of town are the remains of the Roman City Walls, including a number of pillars from an entrance gate.

Krakovo. A village-like part of the city connecting the centre to the Trnovo suburb.

Metelkova. A self-declared autonomous culture place to gather for alternative artists, many subcultures and youth. What used to be a military barracks is now full of underground artists, bars and nightclubs. Metelkova can get crowded on Fridays and Saturdays. It is within 5 minute of walk from main Train Station, and it is home to a renowned hostel Celica.

to the west is the city's main park, with a large pond at its southwest end and the hill of Rožnik behind.

Ljubljana Zoo. One of the most beautiful zoos in Europe.

University Botanic gardens Ljubljana. Ljubljana Botanic Garden is the oldest Slovene cultural, scientific and educational institution. It was founded in 1810, the time of the Illyrian Provinces, as a garden of native flora and a section of the Central School (École Centrale). In the garden is also tropical glasshouse.

Tomb of National Heroes. a tomb and a monument for the national heroes of the World War II resistance struggle in Slovenia, created in 1949.

Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity. A Baroque style church built between 1718 and 1726.

Congress Square. One of the central squares, built in 1821. In 1988 the first free mass demonstration was held here, which was the start of the Slovenian spring, leading to the declaration of Slovenia's independence in 1991.

Nebotičnik. A 13 storey high-rise.built in 1931, designed by Vladimir Šubic, with a cafe & bar on the top floor.

Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church. An Orthodox Church has five domes with golden crosses at their top. It was built from 1932 to 1936, with interior frescos painted between 1986 and 1997.

Franciscan Church of the Annunciation. Built between 1646 and 1660, with a later front facade and bell tower.

Ljubljana Cathedral. St. Nicholas's Church (cerkev sv. Nikolaja) was built between 1701 and 1706 on a site dating back to 1262. The fine interior includes fresco painted by Giulio Quaglio between 1703 and 1723.

Ljubljana Mosque. An intricate set of buildings, the first mosque in the country.

Museum of Architecture and Design. Hosts a permanent exhibition of Jože Plečnik's works.

Plečnik House. Devoted to great Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik, who lived in this building from 1921 to 1957. The house contains rooms with the artist’s valuable original furniture and personal objects, an archive of his sketches and plans and a collection of clay, plaster and wooden models, a library, Plečnik’s correspondence, a photo archive, thesis projects of Plečnik’s students and an archive of the Academy of Architecture Collection. Access only by guided tour of not more than 7 people, booked at least five days in advance.

Museum of Modern Art. For those who prefer contemporary art, MG+ houses the national collection of 20th-century Slovene art (paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photography, video and electronic media collections), a collection of works from the former Yugoslavia, and the Eastern European collection "Arteast 2000+.".

Museum of Contemporary Art. Opened in 2011 in the former military barracks complex this is complementary museum to the MG+. Opening hours and prices same as +MG. Adult combined tickets available.

National Gallery. Definitely worth visiting if you care about art. It exhibits two important permanent collections that include works of some of the best and most renowned Slovenian (impressionist) painters (Jama, Grohar, Jakopic, Azbe). You can also see there a restored original of the Robba Fountain, a monument of national cultural heritage.

National Museum of Slovenia - Prešernova. The oldest and the largest Slovene museum. It was founded in 1821. Existent museum building on the Museum street, was built in 1888 and was the first, building, assigned solely to culture in Slovenia. Today its stores a rich collections of valuable objects. The oldest spring back to the Stone Age, but there are also the newer ones, which are still used in our everyday life. Important columns of museum activity are also rich museum library and unit for preservation and restoring.

National Museum of Slovenia - Metelkova. In the new building of the National museum of Slovenia on the Metelkova Street, are exhibited collections of the applied art heritage of Slovenia. The permanent exhibition brings together objects of applied arts from the 14th century to the present day.

National Museum of Contemporary History. Slovenia's 20th-century history museum gives you a real sense of the country's roller-coaster ride through regime after regime. Its immersive exhibits include a walk-through World War I trench. The last exhibit shows the events around the Declaration of Independence from Yugoslavia and the Ten Day War with the Yugoslav Federal Army. All exhibits are translated to English and some to German too.

Slovenian Museum of Natural History. Features an almost complete skeleton of a 20,000 year old mammoth found near Kamnik in 1938, a 200-million-year old fossil fish skeleton found in Triglav National Park, and a new, 13-m skeleton of a fin whale. Also has a large mineral collection.

MGLC International Centre of Graphic Arts. Specialised in art shows, often in collaboration with international institutions. Normally on nearby sites but MGLC Tivoli Mansion is closed for renovation.

City Museum of Ljubljana. City history and temporary exhibitions.

Railway Museum. Covers all aspects of the railway, Great selection of steam locos.

House of experiments. A hands-on science "playground" for kids.

Do

Hot Air Balloon Flights. These launch at sunrise for one-hour flights, weather permitting. The launch spot is chosen on the day so the wind carries you over the historic centre. The whole programme is about 4 hours so reckon on a very early start.

Football: Olimpija Ljubljana. They play soccer in PrvaLiga, the top tier. Their home ground (capacity 16,000) is off the ring road 2 km north of city centre.

NK Bravo also play in PrvaLiga, at Park Šiška (capacity 2300) 1 km northwest of the railway station.

Water City of Atlantis. A water park offering 14 pools, thermal baths, slides and saunas. Special section is dedicated for children.

Laguna Fun & Spa. Offers open-air pools during the day and themed parties at night.

Cankarjev Dom. Enormous arts and convention centre with concerts and performances.

Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra. Orchestra dating back to 1701.

Slovene National Theatre (Narodno Gledalisce).

Puppet Theatre (Lutkovno Gledalisce).

Križanke Outdoor Theatre. used for summer festivals.

Ljubljana Summer Festival. Opera, ballet and theatre festival held in July and August.

Kinoteka. Ljubljana's charming film museum where they have at least two movies a day. The movies range from classics to cult movies, from trash and horror to artistic masterpieces. All movies are presented in the original audio language, and equipped with Slovenian subtitles, sometimes also English. On Saturday mornings they have special projections for children. There are also some special events, round tables, premiers etc. all the time. It's a must visit for every film lover. It has also a nice little cafe with small prices

Kinodvor. This is a small and very cool cinema that shows mostly new movies that are not playing in the blockbuster movie complexes. It has also a lot of special events, a great cafe and movies for children (Sundays).

Arena Play & Party. A great place to spend an evening. Main features include bowling, pool, laser games and a state-of-the-art 3D XpanD cinema theatre.

Šmarna gora (662 m) is on the northern edge of the city, so it's popular, indeed crowded on fine weekends. For 30–60 minutes of easy climbing you will be rewarded by a nice views. Take Bus 8 to Tacenski most. Krim (1,107 m) was a military and civilian telecoms centre; the military post has been dismantled and the area is open to the public, with great views. The climb takes 2–3 hours (beware of bears!). Get here by car, which takes 30 min as the last 4 km of road are unpaved and narrow.

Cycling Ljubljana is an excellent starting point for cycling adventures, offering options for all skill levels. For e-MTB enthusiasts, trails in Golovec, Rašica, and Polhograjsko hribovje provide lush forests and stunning views. Road cyclists can venture as far as Bled, Kamnik, or towards Idrija and Cerkno, enjoying scenic routes and rewarding climbs. Gravel bikers will love the peaceful countryside paths, while bikepacking enthusiasts can tackle the Western Loop of Slovenia, a popular multi-day route starting in Ljubljana that highlights the country’s diverse landscapes.

HourAway. Houraway offers high-quality bike rentals, including e-bikes, road bikes, and gravel bikes, along with guided and self-guided cycling tours. Their expertly designed day and multi-day tours cater to all fitness levels, showcasing Slovenia’s scenic landscapes, from peaceful countryside paths to challenging mountain routes.

Ski and snowboard Ljubljana is close to several of Slovenia's most popular ski resorts including Krvavec at the nearby Cerklje na Gorenjskem which is around 40 minutes from the city by car.

Vogel ski center can be reached in around 1.5 hours, which is situated above the beautiful Lake Bohinj.

Kranjska Gora is another option for budget ski and snowboarding which can be reached in just over an hour from Ljubljana.

The mountains in Slovenia are called the Julian Alps and offer some great value skiing throughout the winter. While the snowfall can be unpredictable, as this relatively low altitude mountain terrain, the peak seasons of January to March can offer some great conditions.

Learn

Part of the buzz around Ljubljana is from its large student population. The University of Ljubljana has 64,000 students, with departments all over the city. Centre for Slovene within the Arts Faculty offers language courses.

Work

Coworking options are available, one gravity centre is the former tobacco factory, for example hosting Poligon, Slovenia's biggest coworking space (it is located in the building Tobačna 5, which also hosts the public administration body, "Upravna enota" and a tech startup space called Hekovnik).

Buy

Several department stores such as Maximarket, H&M, Müller, Nama, are located in the city centre. Additionally, Čopova street and the Old town have a dense collection of small shops.

BTC City Shopping District. One of Ljubljana's two main shopping area.

Rudnik Shopping District. The second major shopping district.

Sunday flea market. Two dozen or so stalls selling overpriced knick-knacks. Tito and Disney memorabilia, broken Chinese-made curios, rusty military paraphernalia.

Central Market. The central, open-air market features a wide array of local produce (exact items vary depending on the season), as well as local cheeses, breads and meats in the adjacent building. If you're lucky, you may still find sellers who have wheeled in their vegetables from south of the city centre (Krakovo) by foot—although they are a dying breed. Open every morning and early afternoon except Sunday; most lively on Saturday mornings. On Fridays you can also visit the 'Open Kitchen' 08:00–21:00, March–October.

Eat

Odprta Kuhna. Odprta Kuhna means "open kitchen". It's a collection of food stalls on Pogačarjev trg, just south of Triple Bridge.

Hot Horse. Horse-burger chain with four city outlets. Huge burgers and other dishes; you order and pay first at the machine.

Nobel Burek. Open non-stop, so it's popular late at night. Different kinds of burek (a leafy dough pie filled with mince meat or cheese).

Klobasarna. Hole-in-the-wall fast food restaurant serving seasonal Slovenian soups with traditional sausages and bread. You order and pay first at the machine.

Govinda's. Self-service buffet with vegetarian and vegan Indian food, great value.

Cafe Capri. A cozy cafe in the very center of Ljubljana, just a few steps away from the famous Dragon Bridge, offers healthy, delicious and inexpensive breakfasts and brunches. All dishes here are made from scratch and prepared fresh. Full bar always available with variety of any drinks: fragrant coffee, tea, fresh squeezed juices and homemade lemonades, Italian and Slovenian wines, beer, spirits and cocktails.

Restavracija Mandala. Vegan self-service restaurant. Food sold by weight.

Falafel. The name is a clue. They also offer mezze dishes.

Roza Slon. Restaurant/takeaway offering tasty & healthy Thai meals with a choice of beers & soft drinks. they are also at a few other locations in the city. Some vegan options.

Gostilna Portal. This is a B&B in the eastern burbs, known as a Serbian restaurant - good for meat lovers. Loud live music at weekends.

Da-bu-da. Thai food and cocktail bar, great atmosphere.

Figovec. Popular place serving pony steaks, horse goulash, and traditional Slovenian food.

Foculus. Flamboyantly decorated pizzeria and salad restaurant.

Čad. Specialises in grilled dishes from the Balkans; good value.

Gostilna Sokol. Authentic Slovenian cuisine, with serving staff got up in traditional costume. So inevitably it's touristy, but good food in huge portions and very good value for money.

Joe Pena's Cantina. Popular Mexican restaurant.

Cafe Romeo. Riverside cafe, the pancakes are their specialty.

Jurman. Family-friendly reliable comfort-food place in the burbs.

Ljubljanski Dvor. Pizzeria with nice patio overlooking the river, the quality of food is uneven.

Šestica. Serves hearty meat dishes such as sausages, horse fillets, and steak as well as pasta and risotto.

Špajza. It's larger than it looks from the street, with several candlelit rooms leading to the outside terrace. Trad cuisine, good reviews for quality and service.

Zhong Hua. Decent Chinese restaurant near Dragon Bridge.

AS Aperitivo. Trendy spot with two areas, for casual dining or the restaurant. Mostly positive reviews.

Cubo. Med cuisine, earns consistent good reviews.

Manna. Excellent traditional dishes with slick friendly service.

Strelec. This is within Archer's Tower of the castle, with a terrace overlooking the city. So you're paying for the great location but the food also scores.

Gaudi&Naan. Fine quality vegan restaurant

Drink

Most of Ljubljana’s bars tend to cluster on the streets running parallel to the river, radiating from Prešernov trg, which is the main square in Ljubljana. The more interesting bars tend to be on the backstreets, rather than directly facing the river. Part of the joy of this city is stumbling across these places, but these are few to start you off.

Cheaper bars can already be found just outside the old town and near university buildings.

The application Tap Water Ljubljana is intended for all who wish to quench their thirst and refresh themselves during the spring and summer months with freely available water from fountains found in 17 locations throughout Ljubljana, mostly they are in city centre. Application is available on App Store.

Cafe Antico. Great ambiance - bare wooden floors, high tables and stools, and vaulted ceiling.

Čajna Hiša. This is a quirky little coffee and tea room, offering many variations on those warm beverages as well as basic breakfasts and lunches. The background music is impeccably cool, and the atmosphere is ideal for some elegant loafing. Linked to the café is a teashop selling drinking paraphernalia and loads of different fruity flavoured teas by the 100g.

Le Petit Cafe. Very popular corner cafe.

Sax Hostel & Sax pub. Really cool colourful spray-painted cafe/bar along the canal. The place also serves as a hostel.

Zvezda. Cafe with great ices and pastries.

Cutty Sark. Lively pub with raucous atmosphere. Usually has live music.

Lepa Žoga. Main sports cafe/bar with sports regalia along the wall and a good, mixed crowd on most nights. Shows international rugby, all sorts of football games (European, English, Italian and other leagues) and other live sports. Has the best TV coverage in the city, ranging from Sky Sports to local TV stations.

Od Žmavca sosed pa ud brata prjatu. Markets to the "creative urban type." Burgers, coffee and alcoholic drinks.

Pod Skalco. Popular student pub with an almost 150-year-long tradition, frequented almost exclusively by locals. Loud music.

Vinoteka Movia. Anyone with any interest in wine should visit here. The cosy, candlelit wine bar comes with knowledgeable barmen who can recommend a wine based on your tastes. The wine glasses are huge, so it's hard to tell if they were being stingy or if it has simply spread out. The prices can vary from modest to a remortgage.

Sir William's pub. Located in the Art Nouveau part of Ljubljana city centre, offers more than 120 beer varieties and a large choice of teas and wines. It is vibrant in the evenings, particularly when it hosts themed events and beer tastings, while during the day it has a more coffee house-like atmosphere, offering its guests an opportunity to browse through a newspaper or read a book in peace. The staff speak several languages. Free wireless internet access is available.

Lajbah. Beer hall with outdoor area. Large choice of craft beers & mainly Asian food.

Tektonix Craft Brewery. Microbrewery & bar close to railway station. Brewery tours available.

Union Pub. Pub at the Union brewery. food available. This is the opposite of a micro brewery.

Gas Station. Popular quirky bar with a 1961 Chrysler Newport as part of the seating.

Clubs Ljubljana has several good nightclubs (discothèques). The clubs hold special events, they will play a certain syle of music on certain nights, etc. Some will also impose a strict dress code and age limits.

Metelkova mesto. It's a squat with 6 clubs, each with its own style of music and programme. Gala Hala is the biggest and the music is very diverse - from funk nights to hip-hop and indie to rap and strange fun music. It has also concerts and an outside garden where they also grill in the summer. Gromka is a smaller one usually admission free and the music also differs from night to night. Usually it's rock/alternative hits or rockabilly or fun 90s music. It has also concerts. Menza pri Koritu is the most alternative and it has mainly alternative, metal, punk concerts and after parties. Channel Zero is more about electronics (also concerts) - d'n'b, dub, electro, house. Jalla Jalla is the smallest one with sometimes obscure, experimental music. Tiffany is a gay club with usually electronic parties. In Metelkova everybody can find a place for himself (usually the most is happening on weekends) and you can just walk from one to another club and see what is going on (if there is no admission).

K4. National and international DJs play electronic music.

Sleep

Aladin Hostel. Small friendly hostel.

Celica. This was the military brig, get caught in town without a pass and The Cells was where you'd spend the night. Then they got the designers in, how come Guantanamo never cottoned on to this concept? Good to know: each cell was individually designed by a Slovenian artist.

Hostel Tabor. Clean friendly place in student residence, only open July and Aug. In 2023 the dorm is not available.

Fluxus Hostel. Small clean central place with 8- and 6-bed dorm.

Most Hostel. Cute friendly hostel, very central.

Vila Veselova. Budget / hostel rooms in a 100-year-old villa west side of town.

The Fuzzy Log. Unusual hostel on 7th floor of Ibis Styles hotel. featuring tents, cabins, and capsules. Buffet breakfast available.

BIT Center Hotel. Basic functional place which also contains a hostel.

City Hotel. Decent central place with clean rooms, thin walls.

Hotel Park. Clean central mid to budget hotel with 145 rooms. They formerly also offered "hostel" rooms, cheaper but bare; these are not on offer in 2021.

Hotel Katrca 1905. Pleasant place in a quiet district, has only five rooms.

M Hotel. Boxy modern place 2 km northwest of centre with neat, spacious rooms.

Pension Tavcar. Clean well-run place northeast edge of city.

Hotel Mrak. Colourful rooms, nice restaurant, and great central location.

Austria Trend Hotel. Modern slab with 214 rooms, spacious and good sound-proofing. All rooms have air-con, safe, minibar, hair dryer, flat screen, satellite TV and radio.

Best Western Premier Hotel Slon. Modern chain hotel with clean and comfy rooms. Their website is uninformative about pets, but it's said that in 1552 Archduke Maximilian stayed at an inn on this spot in the company of an elephant.

Grand Hotel Union. Splendid Art Nouveau building. Large comfy rooms though showing their age, some have views of the castle. Restaurant, fitness centre, sauna, and rooftop pool.

Hotel Lev. Glassy high rise building, smart and comfy. In 2020 / 21 it was mothballed and guests were shifted elsewhere - "re-protected" is their splendidly unctuous euphemism for this.

Central Hotel. Central boxy modern hotel, comfy and brightly decorated. Reception is on the 7th floor: it's a "concept" apparently.

Four Points by Sheraton. 4-star business hotel by the forest west edge of town, convenient for motorists. With spa and fitness centre.

Ljubljana Resort. Camping and tourer caravan site edge of town by River Sava. Also has rooms for B&B plus swimming pool, sauna, fitness centre, badminton, volleyball, bowling, play area and restaurant.

Hotel Grandvid. Clean modern place with restaurant, on bus route to city.

Kongo Hotel & Casino. 4-star hotel handy for motorists and business travellers. Comfy rooms, restaurant, and of course the casino.