How to Spend One Day in Ljubljana

Ljubljana is the perfect place to use as your base while exploring Slovenia. In just one hour and 30 minutes (or less) you can drive to the seaside, the Alps, see castles, or vineyards, but today I am sharing all of my tips for how to spend one day in Ljubljana!

There are many reasons to visit Slovenia and especially Ljubljana. There is a calmness and slowness to this city that not many European capitals can claim. It is the perfect size; walkable, bike-able, and sustainable.

Here is my overly comprehensive guide to all of the main tourist spots in Ljubljana. Once you make your way through these you can check out some of my other articles to explore Ljubljana and Slovenia in more depth.

Planning a trip to Slovenia? These articles might help.

• Slovenia Itinerary Planner
• 20 Beautiful Day Trips from Ljubljana
• Traditional Slovenian Food Guide (Includes a restaurant survival guide)

This article contains some affiliate links and is at no additional cost to you, they help maintain Wandering Helene so I can continue to bring you valuable content. 

An Introduction…

Everyone always asks, “How the hell do I pronounce Ljubljana?” and the most common response by locals is “lyoo-BLYAH-nah” but also simply “lublana” without the J’s will work. You will even get bonus points from locals as they pronounce it this way. As you are sitting there saying these out loud to yourself, they sound very similar. You get the point!

Language? Slovenian (or Slovene) but you might be happy to know that a lot of Slovenians speak some English, especially in Ljubljana. If you would like to learn a few phrases or words before visiting check out my article packed full of resources to help you learn Slovene.

Currency? Euro

Tipping? While it is not expected it is often appreciated. Usually, when taking a taxi round up, when dining out leave 10% or round up depending on the restaurant. Credit and Debit cards are taken almost everywhere (in Ljubljana), and ATM machines (Bankomat) are found all over the city.

Electrical Outlets? Slovenia uses the same 230 V, 50 Hz system as many EU countries with the standard two-pin plug and socket. If you are coming from the US check your devices if they are single voltage or dual. Avoiding bringing hair dryers or straighteners abroad as even with a converter and adaptor they can be damaged.

How to get to Ljubljana

If you are traveling by bus or train from a neighboring country you will arrive in the center of Ljubljana.

If you are flying to Ljubljana you will land at the Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport, which like most airports, isn’t in the center. It is in Brnik which is about a 25-30 minute drive.

The cheapest option is by bus which runs from the city center to the airport and back throughout the day. It leaves the airport at the top of the hour. Look for bus number 28, the journey takes about 50 minutes, but the tickets are less than €5. Here is the timetable to help plan your trip.

Book Taxi offers transfers for €28. If a taxi quotes more than €35 for the city center then just simply move on to the next. *Be especially mindful of this as a friend was scammed and charged €70!*

Alternatively, if you want a cheaper option, but not a bus, there are various shuttle companies that run from the airport to the city center but it is advised to book in advance.

I always recommend GoOpti for airport transfers from Venice airport (which is often the cheapest way to travel to Slovenia). They are incredibly reliable and efficient with various pricing depending on your wallet and patience.

One Day in Ljubljana Itinerary

Ljubljana Castle | Ljubljanski Grad