Things to Do in Ljubljana

Triglav National Park is one of Europe’s largest nature reserves, with over 340 square miles (881 square kilometers) of mountains, lakes, glacial valleys, and alpine meadows. Best known for its rocky mountain vistas and rich biodiversity, the park is an ideal spot for hiking, climbing, rafting, and other wilderness activities. 

Most day trips to Triglav National Park leave from Bled and visit highlights such as Kozjak Waterfall, Boka Waterfall, and the Tolmin Gorges. For a more active experience, join a guided hike or opt for a rafting trip, canyoning tour, or mountain biking excursion. It’s also possible to visit Triglav National Park on a day trip from Ljubljana, which often includes a cruise around Bled Lake and Bled Castle, a motorail ride through the Julian Alps, and a visit to panoramic viewpoints of Vintgar Gorge. 

Triglav National Park is located in the northwest corner of Slovenia, close to the Austrian and Italian borders. By road, it lies roughly 15 minutes from Bled and one hour from Ljubljana. Buses travel to the park from Bled during summer, and it’s also possible to arrive by private vehicle or guided tour. 

You can visit Triglav year-round, but summer (June through September) is the most popular time for hiking and outdoor activities, when the mountain breeze provides a welcome relief from city heat. It’s also possible to hike during winter, but all activities are dependent on the weather, which can be very cold. 

Whether you want to climb Mount Triglav (the park’s highest mountain), cruise around the lakes, or hike through alpine valleys, there are ample opportunities for outdoor exploration in Triglav National Park. If you’re looking for adventure, you can go white water rafting along the Emerald River; try your hand at canyoning in Soca Valley or Grmecica Canyon; enjoy mountain biking through Bohinj Valley and the Julian Alps; or take a scenic horseback ride around Bohinj Lake, which is also a hotspot for water sports during summer. There are also over 6,214 miles (10,000 kilometers) of hiking trails to choose from, with everything from short walks to challenging mountain summits. During winter, you can enjoy skiing or snowboarding at Vogel Ski Resort. 

The twin peaks of Grmada and Smarna Gora are both swathed with oak and beech forest and sit in northern Slovenia; their humps are clearly visible from its enticing capital city of Ljubljana, which spreads out into a giant basin below the mountain. Smarna Gora is the eastern of the two peaks and reaches up to 669 meters (2,194 feet); woven with 15 hiking trails, it is one of the most popular weekend destinations for the folks of Ljubljana. They flock out to the forest to enjoy walking, jogging, mountain biking, and climbing through narrow craggy limestone gorges and canyons; while in winter Smarna Gora becomes a snowy paradise for Nordic skiing and tobogganing. It is also a haven for wildlife, with foxes, martens, squirrels, buzzards and hawks commonly spotted; sightings of deer and brown hare have been recorded but are rare.

Depending on fitness, it takes between 45 and 60 minutes to climb Šmarna Gora, which is topped by the 18th-century Baroque church of the Virgin Mary – although a pilgrimage church has existed in this site since medieval times – from which there are spectacular views over the city to the Julian Alps. A popular restaurant shares the same spectacular panoramas, sells typically Slovenian treats such as puffy donuts called miske (mice) or stuffed dumplings, and gets rammed every summer weekend. Close by is an ancient bell, reputed to bring good luck to anyone who rings it.

With its pretty landscaped gardens, shaded woodlands and idyllic walkways, it’s easy to see why the people of Ljubljana flock to Tivoli Park on sunny weekends, but there’s plenty to see and do in the park year round. 

The tranquil parkland is the city’s most popular green space, a 5-square kilometer stretch laid out in 1813 and an easy walk from the city center. This is the place to break away from the urban sprawl and fill your lungs with fresh air, and a number of walking and cycling trails, mini golf courses and adventure playgrounds are dotted throughout the park.

Walk the long promenade flanked by Plečnik-designed lampposts and you’ll come to the grand Tivoli Mansion, with its entrance watched over by a set of 4 tongue-less guard dog statues. Built by Jesuits in the 17th century, the Baroque-style mansion is now home to the International Centre of Graphic Arts and hosts a number of exhibitions and events throughout the year. The Museum of Modern History is another one of the park’s highlights, along with the Ljubljana Zoo, an outdoor swimming pool, a live music venue and a sports park. As you stroll through the park, keep a look out for the many notable sculptures – the bronze ‘Boy with a Whistle’ by Zdenko Kalin, Slobodan Pejic’s inspired piece set around a fallen oak tree and the statue of celebrated Slovene poet Edvard Kocbek by sculptor Bostjan Drinovec, are all exquisite works. 

One of Ljubljana’s most iconic landmarks, the striking Triple Bridge connects the central Preseren Square with the Old Town and castle, running over the Ljubljanica River. The aptly named bridge is not one but three adjoining bridges, with the central 19th-century car bridge flanked by two pedestrian bridges that appear to blend seamlessly into one. Today, all three bridges form part of the city’s pedestrian-only sector and from each side-bridge, stairways lead up to tree lined terraces, offering spectacular views along the riverside.

The inspired creation of celebrated local architect Joze Plecnik, the bridge is one of a series of his works that have become synonymous with the city. Constructed in 1931, it’s largely regarded as Plecnik’s architectural masterpiece, with the elegant stone balustrades and period street-lamps providing a grand frontage to the Old Town. Scattered with flower sellers and picnickers during the day and glittering beneath the city lights by night, the Triple Bridge is undoubtedly one of Ljubljana’s most atmospheric walkways. 

Located in Ljubljana’s vast cobbled square of Mestni Trg, the Baroque Magistrat was built in 1719 by Slovenian architect Gregor Maček and today contains the office of the mayor as well as being a popular landmark with visitors to this elegant, pocket-sized city. The town hall is approached by an impressive flight of steps, has an ornate whitewashed façade incorporating an arched Venetian-style balcony, and is topped with a fancy pediment and clock tower. This incarnation replaced the previous Gothic town hall, which was built in 1418 but subsequently destroyed in a violent earthquake in 1511.

A monument to Yugoslavia’s first king, Peter I, was erected in the entrance hall in the mid-1920s but this was destroyed by Italian Fascist troops when they occupied the city in 1941 – nowadays a 17th-century statue of Hercules the lion has taken its place. The walls are covered with oil paintings and there are often a couple of art or history exhibitions on the go in the pretty inner courtyard. Outside the Magistrat stands the Robba Fountain, one of the city’s best-loved Baroque monuments. It was the last masterpiece of Ljubljana sculptor Francesco Robba, completed in 1751 and depicting three river gods representing Slovenia’s main rivers.

Uniting Ljubljana’s historic and colorful Baroque center with Jurčič Square, the 13th-century Shoemaker’s Bridge (Cevljarski Most) is an integral part of Ljubljana, past and present. Once a point at which to collect tolls on foodstuffs, spices, and textiles, today, the oldest bridge in the city is a gathering point for street artists and stallholders in summer and a popular stop on many city walking tours. Redesigned by Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik in 1931, the stone bridge is adorned with six pairs of pillars and crosses over the Ljubljanica River, connecting to the imposing Three Bridges (Tromostovje) by walkway along the Ljubljanica.

Explore the city's most famous bridges and architecture on a guided day tour of Ljubljana and the Alpine town of Lake Bled, with included round-trip transportation departing from most nearby cities.

Mt Kozjak ("˜Mali Kozjak' in Croatian) is a mountainous ridge sitting above the town of KaÅ¡tela near Split and forms part of the Dinaric Alps; it is 9.5 miles (16 km) in length and its tallest peak is Veli vrj at 2,556 ft (779 m). From the top of Mt Kozjak there are spectacular glimpses across the Bay of KaÅ¡tela to Split and Trogir and on towards islands including Brac and Hvar scattered in the sparkling Adriatic Sea. The region is an enormously popular leisure destination with climbers in winter and there are several mountain lodges for overnight stays, including one at Malaāka. In summer walkers and cyclists flock onto the mountain to follow the trails; one of the best-known in the area is around South Rock, a scenic hike with amazing views across rural Dalmatia.

Jeep tours leave Split daily for an exploration of the wilds of Central Dalmatia to discover its rural villages and unspoiled countryside on unmade lanes. One of the highlights is the carefully restored rustic hamlet of Å kopljanci, which offers a couple of restaurants and a delightful garden planted with plants mentioned in the Bible. There's also a small ethnographic museum where traditional costumes embroidered in red thread are displayed along with ancient farming implements.