Ljubljana
5
Day Itinerary •
Slovenia
Five days in Ljubljana and its surrounds gives you the complete extraordinary range of Slovenia's capital and the remarkable landscapes radiating from it, from the Baroque old town and Plecnik's architectural masterpieces to the Julian Alps at Lake Bled, the Postojna cave system, the Dolenjska wine hills, Skofja Loka's medieval streets and the extraordinary Idrija mercury mines. This route uses Ljubljana as a hub for day trips in every direction. The old town and castle, the Central Market, Plecnik's architectural legacy, Lake Bled for a day, Postojna and Predjama Castle, the Dolenjska wine road and Novo Mesto, the extraordinary Skofja Loka old town and the UNESCO Idrija mines.
Best Time To Visit
April to October
Getting There
Fly into Ljubljana (LJU), 30 minutes from city centre
Getting Around
Old town on foot; rental car for all day trips
Budget Per Day
Approx 80 to 150 euros per person per day
Difficulity
Easy, mostly walking and driving
DAY 1
LJUBLJANA OLD TOWN
MORNING
LJUBLJANA OLD TOWN AND THE PLECNIK ARCHITECTURE TRAIL
Ljubljana's old town is one of the finest compact Baroque centres in Central Europe, its pastel-coloured buildings, cobbled lanes and the Ljubljanica river combining into an extraordinary whole. The architect Joze Plecnik transformed the city between 1921 and 1957 with a series of extraordinary public works including the Triple Bridge, the covered Central Market colonnade, the National and University Library and the extraordinary Zmajski Most Dragon Bridge. A self-guided Plecnik trail connects all the major works in a 2-hour walk. Most attractions are free. Drive: 20 min walk
MIDDAY
LJUBLJANA CASTLE AND THE SLOVENIAN HISTORY MUSEUM
Ljubljana Castle on its 375-metre hill above the old town has extraordinary views over the city to the Julian Alps. The castle grounds are free to enter and the walk up through the old town castle lane takes 15 minutes. Inside, the Slovenian History Museum tells the full story of Slovenia from prehistoric times through Habsburg rule to independence in 1991. The Virtual Castle experience uses projection mapping to recreate the castle at its medieval peak. Entry to museum approx 10 euros. Drive: 30 min walk
AFTERNOON
CENTRAL MARKET AND THE OLD TOWN RIVERFRONT
The Central Market between the Triple Bridge and the Dragon Bridge is the finest food market in Slovenia, operating every morning except Sunday. The covered colonnade designed by Plecnik along the Ljubljanica contains the finest local cheese, honey, dried mushrooms and wild herbs in the country. The afternoon is ideal for exploring the old town cafe culture along the riverfront, where the outdoor terraces of dozens of restaurants line the Ljubljanica in an extraordinary atmosphere.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Metelkova autonomous cultural centre in Ljubljana is one of the most extraordinary alternative arts complexes in Europe, a former Yugoslav military barracks taken over by artists and activists in 1993 and covered in extraordinary murals and installations. The nightlife venues open after midnight and attract artists from across the region. Free to enter, extraordinary to explore at any hour.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe Macchiato, Ljubljana The finest coffee in Ljubljana on the old town riverfront. Outdoor tables by the Ljubljanica. | Lunch: Central Market stalls Fresh local cheese, cured meats, bread and honey from the extraordinary Plecnik colonnade. | Dinner: Strelec, Ljubljana Castle Outstanding restaurant inside the castle tower. Local venison, mushrooms and Slovenian wine.
DAY 2
LAKE BLED DAY TRIP
MORNING
LAKE BLED AT DAWN, THE MOST FAMOUS VIEW IN SLOVENIA
Lake Bled is 45 minutes from Ljubljana and the most iconic landscape in Slovenia. Drive up before 7am to arrive before the day visitors from Ljubljana and Portoroz. The surface of the perfectly circular glacial lake is completely still in the early morning and the island church reflects perfectly in the water. Walk the 6km circuit of the lake, take the traditional pletna rowing boat to the island and ring the wishing bell in the church. Climb to the Ojstrica viewpoint in 20 minutes for the finest panoramic photograph. Pletna approx 15 euros, island entry approx 8 euros. Drive: 20 min drive
MIDDAY
VINTGAR GORGE, THE FINEST GORGE WALK IN SLOVENIA
The Vintgar Gorge 4km north of Bled is the finest gorge walk in Slovenia, a 1.6km wooden boardwalk above the extraordinary turquoise Radovna river through a limestone canyon. Arrive at the gorge before the day groups from Ljubljana which arrive around 10am. The walk is entirely one-way; return through the forest path. The Sum waterfall at the end of the gorge is extraordinary. Entry approx 10 euros. Drive: 45 min drive back to Ljubljana
AFTERNOON
BLED CREAM CAKE AND RETURN TO LJUBLJANA
The Bled cream cake, kremna rezina, is one of the finest pastries in Central Europe: vanilla custard and whipped cream between flaky pastry, invented at the Park Hotel in 1953 and eaten on the lakeside terrace with the island view. A final walk along the lake shore before the drive back to Ljubljana gives the finest afternoon light on the castle cliff. The drive from Bled to Ljubljana takes 45 minutes on the motorway.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Radovna Valley between Bled and Kranjska Gora is one of the finest hidden valleys in the Julian Alps, a narrow glacial trough with traditional hayracks in every field and the Karavanke range above. Drive through on the way back from Vintgar to see an extraordinary agricultural landscape almost untouched by tourism. The drive adds only 20 minutes to the return to Ljubljana.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Early coffee in Ljubljana Coffee before the 5am departure for Bled. Pack water for the gorge walk. | Lunch: Park Hotel terrace, Bled Kremna rezina cream cake and coffee with the extraordinary island view. | Dinner: Restavracija AS, Ljubljana One of the finest restaurants in Ljubljana. Slovenian produce, excellent wine list. Book ahead.
DAY 3
POSTOJNA AND PREDJAMA
MORNING
POSTOJNA CAVE, SLOVENIA'S GREATEST NATURAL WONDER
Postojna cave is the most visited attraction in Slovenia, its extraordinary cave railway the finest introduction to the cave system. The 3.7km railway ride into the mountain opens into the great cave halls before the guided walk through stalactite and stalagmite formations begins. The Brilliant stalagmite, the largest and finest in the system, is the centrepiece of the extraordinary cave concert hall. The human fish olm, the blind cave salamander that lives for 100 years, inhabits the underground streams. Entry approx 28 euros, book online ahead. Drive: 15 min drive
MIDDAY
PREDJAMA CASTLE, EUROPE'S MOST EXTRAORDINARY CASTLE POSITION
Predjama Castle built into the mouth of a 123-metre cliff is the most extraordinary castle position in Europe. The fortress was the stronghold of the outlaw knight Erazem Lueger who resisted a Habsburg siege for over a year in 1484, supplied through a secret tunnel in the cliff. The cave behind the castle extends 13km into the karst and can be visited on a separate guided tour in summer. The view of the castle from the valley is extraordinary from every angle. Entry approx 16 euros. Drive: 1 hour drive back to Ljubljana
AFTERNOON
RETURN VIA RAKOV SKOCJAN NATURAL BRIDGE
The Rakov Skocjan gorge on the road between Postojna and Ljubljana is one of the finest geological curiosities in Slovenia, where the Rak river disappears into a limestone arch and emerges through another natural arch 500 metres later, carving an extraordinary collapsed cave valley between them. The walk through the valley from one arch to the other takes 30 minutes through extraordinary limestone woodland. Free to access, signed from the road.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Cerknica intermittent lake between Postojna and Ljubljana is the largest periodic lake in Europe, filling with water in autumn and winter to a depth of several metres and draining completely each spring through sink holes in the limestone floor. The cycle repeats annually in an extraordinary natural phenomenon. The Notranjska Regional Park visitor centre explains the geology. Free.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Ljubljana Early coffee before the 1-hour drive to Postojna. Bring a warm layer for the cave. | Lunch: Gostilna Proteus, Postojna Local Karst prsut ham, cheese and Teran wine just outside the cave entrance. | Dinner: Cubo, Ljubljana Outstanding contemporary Slovenian cooking. Local produce, excellent tasting menu.
DAY 4
DOLENJSKA WINE ROAD
MORNING
NOVO MESTO, THE CAPITAL OF DOLENJSKA
Novo Mesto is the finest town in the Dolenjska region, its extraordinary Baroque old town on a meander of the Krka river giving the most dramatic urban position in Slovenia outside Ljubljana. The Dolenjska Museum contains the finest collection of Hallstatt and Celtic metalwork in the country, including the extraordinary Hallstatt situla vessels decorated with relief friezes. The Church of St Nicholas above the river has a superb altarpiece by the Tintoretto school. Museum entry approx 5 euros. Drive: 30 min drive into hills
MIDDAY
DOLENJSKA WINE ROAD AND CVICEK TASTING
The Dolenjska wine road through the hills above Novo Mesto is one of the finest wine drives in Slovenia, passing through vine-covered slopes, medieval churches and oak forest to a series of farm wine cellars producing Cvicek, the extraordinary light acidic red blend unique to this region. Cvicek is made from up to nine grape varieties and has been produced in the Dolenjska hills for centuries. Several farm cellars sell directly to visitors at extraordinary value. A 90-minute tasting at a family cellar is one of the finest experiences in the region. Drive: 45 min drive
AFTERNOON
LJUBLJANA MOOR AND THE UNESCO PILE DWELLINGS
The Ljubljana Moor south of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the location of one of the largest prehistoric pile dwelling settlements in Europe, built on wooden platforms above the waterlogged ground between 4000 and 2000 BC. The extraordinary reconstructed pile dwellings at the Ig visitor centre give a vivid impression of the Bronze Age settlement that once covered much of the moor. The bog oak preserved in the peat for 5,000 years is among the finest archaeological material in the region. Entry approx 5 euros.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Pleterje Carthusian monastery in the Dolenjska hills near Novo Mesto is the only active Carthusian monastery in Slovenia, founded in 1403 and still operating under strict monastic silence. The monks produce extraordinary brandy, honey and wines sold at the monastery gate. The monastery church is open to visitors but silence is required throughout. Free to visit.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Ljubljana Coffee before the drive to Novo Mesto. The Dolenjska drive takes about 1 hour. | Lunch: Gostilna Lectar, hills Traditional Dolenjska cooking in the wine hills. Local lamb and the finest Cvicek. | Dinner: Se Bomo Videli, Ljubljana Outstanding natural wine bar and kitchen in the old town. Local produce and Slovenian wine.
DAY 5
SKOFJA LOKA AND IDRIJA
MORNING
SKOFJA LOKA, THE BEST-PRESERVED MEDIEVAL TOWN IN SLOVENIA
Skofja Loka 30 minutes northwest of Ljubljana is the finest and best-preserved medieval town in Slovenia, its extraordinary 12th-century old town of Mestni Trg and Spitalski Trg almost entirely intact behind its original town walls. The Loka Castle above the town houses the Loska Museum with the finest collection of medieval religious art in the region. The extraordinary Passion Play performed in Skofja Loka every six years is the oldest Slovenian-language stage work. Castle entry approx 5 euros. Drive: 45 min drive
MIDDAY
IDRIJA, UNESCO MERCURY MINE AND EXTRAORDINARY LACE
Idrija is one of the most extraordinary small towns in Slovenia, its entire existence built around the second largest mercury mine in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012. The Antonijev Kop mine shaft, opened in 1500 and descending 15 storeys into the mountain, is the finest industrial heritage site in Slovenia. The town is also the home of Idrija lace, one of the finest traditional crafts in Central Europe, with an extraordinary dedicated museum. Mine entry approx 12 euros. Drive: 1 hour drive to Ljubljana
AFTERNOON
RETURN TO LJUBLJANA FOR DEPARTURE
The drive from Idrija back to Ljubljana takes one hour through the extraordinary Idrija river valley and the rolling hills of the Slovenian interior. Ljubljana airport is 30 minutes from the city centre. If time allows, a final coffee in the old town by the Ljubljanica river and a last walk across the Triple Bridge gives the finest possible farewell to the most liveable capital in Central Europe.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Church of the Holy Cross in Crngrob near Skofja Loka contains the most extraordinary late-Gothic frescoes in Slovenia, painted around 1470 in extraordinary vivid colours with scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin. The church is almost entirely unknown to foreign visitors despite being one of the finest examples of medieval painting in Central Europe. Entry free, open daily.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Ljubljana Final Ljubljana breakfast before driving to Skofja Loka. Stock up at the Central Market. | Lunch: Gostilna pri Tararju, Idrija Traditional Idrija cooking including the extraordinary Idrijski zlikrofi potato dumplings. | Dinner: Final coffee in Ljubljana Coffee on the Ljubljanica riverfront terrace before the airport transfer.
Where To Stay
Old Town, all nights Hotel Cubo or Vander Urbani Resort. Approx 100 to 200 euros per night. Mid-range option Hotel Mrak or Hotel Park near the centre. Approx 70 to 120 euros per night. Budget option Hostel Celica in a converted prison near the station. From approx 30 euros.
Top Tips
1. The Friday Central Market is the finest food experience in Ljubljana. Local honey, aged cheese, wild mushrooms and Slovenian wine all in one place.
2. Walk up to Ljubljana Castle rather than taking the funicular. The lane through the old town takes 15 minutes and is far more rewarding.
3. Lake Bled at 6am is extraordinary. Drive from Ljubljana at 5am, arrive before sunrise and have the lake entirely to yourself for one hour.
4. The Idrija mercury mine tour takes 90 minutes underground and is one of the finest industrial heritage experiences in Europe. Book ahead.
5. Skofja Loka old town is the best-preserved medieval town in Slovenia and almost entirely unknown to foreign visitors. It deserves a full morning.
6. The Dolenjska Cvicek wine costs under 5 euros a bottle from farm producers. It is one of the most distinctive and undervalued wines in Europe.
Total Budget
80 to 150 euros/day