Things to do in Ljubljana

The Ljubljana river flows through the heart of the Old Town, crossable by elegant bridges and lined with open-air cafes. There’s an informal air as you walk along the cobbled streets past Baroque buildings, with various markets held throughout the week. The Old Town centres around Presernov Square, which leads onto the white Triple Bridge, connecting the city centre to the Old Town.

St Nicholas Cathedral stands west of Vodnik Square, and is one of the most sumptuous edifices in the city with its elegant bronze doors and fabulous frescoes. Positioned along the riverside, next to it is the open-sided collonaded Central Market where you can find all manners of produce, from fruit and veg to cheese and sandwiches and the like.

If you’re contemplating what to do in Ljubljana and looking for a beautiful view, head up to Ljubljana Castle. Walk up the Studentovska ulica street through the thickly wooded hillside, although you can also take the funicular railway. Once you’re in the castle grounds, there are four main attractions: the Virtual Castle, a multimedia projection that chronicles the city’s development; the Slovenian History exhibition; the Museum of Puppetry, which documents a much-cherished Slovenian art form; and the clock tower, with views of the Old Town below and the striking Kamniske Alps to the north. Most Ljubljana holiday packages will include a trip to the castle – it looms over the Old Town amid a wooded hilltop, and there’s no missing it.

The colourful quarter of Metelkova lies just a five-minute walk from the bus and train stations. With its underground clubs and graffitied streets, this army-barracks-turned-independent-centre is one of the most bohemian places to visit and one of the best things to do in Ljubljana. It presents an alternative side to the city. While you’re here, check out the Ethnographic Museum, which houses a large collection of anthropological artefacts from around the world, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, which displays modern art from the 1960s onwards.

If you’re looking to chill out, the large green patch that is Congress Square (Kongresni Trg) is one of the best things to do in Ljubljana. This atmospheric spot is home to some elegant architecture and brilliant cafes, and just behind here is the City Museum. The museum is dedicated to telling the story of the city’s inhabitants, and they also hold a range of excellent temporary exhibitions.

West of the busy thoroughfare of Slovenska lies the town’s leafy cultural quarter, with a wad of impressive museums and galleries. Alongside the Museum of Modern Art, National Museum and National History Museum is the National Gallery, which is the best of the bunch. It displays a vast array of local medieval Gothic work, Slovene Impressionists and other Slovenian and European paintings from the Baroque period to the late 19th century.

Lawns, tree-lined walkways and rolling parkland make up Tivoli Park, the city’s main recreation area. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city centre, you can’t go far wrong here. Enjoy the landscaped gardens via winding paths, and swing by the prestigious International Centre of Graphic Arts (also known as MGLC), housed in a former Baroque mansion. The centre houses a collection of fine art prints from the 20th century onwards.