🧐 Estimated read time | 7 minutes

📍 Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia
🕓 Ideal visit time: May–June, Sept–Oct
💰 Currency: EUR

🐾 Pet-friendly? Yes (9/10)
🚗 Car vignette required? Yes (mandatory)
💡 Vibe: Peaceful, creative, walkable

Song of the day

Weather & Best Time to Visit

Best time to visit Ljubljana? Spring and early autumn (May–June, September–October) are ideal — think fewer tourists, mild weather, and golden-lit streets. Summers are vibrant but can get quite hot and crowded, while winters are festive thanks to the charming Christmas markets.

Language Tips

Slovenians speak excellent English, but a few local words can go a long way:

Hvala = Thank you

Dober dan = Good day

Prosim = Please / You’re welcome

Kje je…? = Where is…?

How to pay

Currency: EUR

Card-friendliness: 9/10Most places accept cards, however, there are still shops on the main street as well as the street market that accept only cash.

Accommodation

Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay for the night as we originally planned due to the time restrictions that come with travelling with your pet and crossing borders. For further insight, feel free to jump onto our article on travelling with a dog in Europe – what to prepare, what to expect and more tips.

Anyhow, we actually researched accommodation options as the plan only changed last minute and we could highly recommend using Airbnb. There are so many wonderful, affordable and pet-friendly apartments that it’s not worth getting a hotel room for the same price.

Snack of the trip

Although not a traditional Slovenian snack, there are many stands on the streets of Ljubljana that offer freshly grilled chestnuts once autumn comes. We paid 3.50EUR for a small bag that contains about 20 chestnuts. Healthy, tasty and with a delicious smell. What more can you ask for?

Ljubljana pet-friendliness

9/10.

Lexi was welcome both at restaurants and shops. Along with the pet-adapted drinking water fountains on the streets, many places offer water bowls as well.

A muzzle is required for the funicular railway that leads to the Ljubljana Castle, however, the staff will let you borrow one they have on site.

The castle itself, on the other hand, doesn’t allow dogs in any of the exhibition rooms which means that, technically, pets are allowed if you stay outside and go for the view only.

Food recommendations

As we arrived early on a Saturday morning, all we were craving was a heartwarming breakfast. And oh, wasn’t it wonderful the one we got from Slovenska Hiša!

The bar is along Ljubljanica, the capital’s main river, and only 2-minutes away from the triple bridge. All the food they offer is Slovenian, and locally sourced, with great brunch options available. 10/10

From the traditional Slovenian dishes, we haven’t tried too many. We really liked the sausage and the local cottage cheese added to our eggs. When it comes to desserts, I’ve previously tasted Kremna rezina on my way to Italy. It is a puff pastry with layers of custard and cream. I wasn’t too impressed but I dare to argue that the issue came from the cafe we chose rather than the dessert itself. In Bulgaria, we have the exact equivalent of this and it is delicious so I am willing to give it another try.

Otherwise, Slovenia seems to have stolen some ideas from all of its neighbours, making the local cuisine quite versatile. Italy gave them their pasta and pastries, Austria – the strudels, Hungary – the sausages and Croatia – everything that tastes like the Balkans. No wonder why I felt at home.

What I’m definitely trying next time

We may not have eaten all the Slovenian things on this trip, but next time, I’m arriving hungrier — and with a shortlist.

Here’s what’s firmly on my food radar for our return visit:

🥟 Štruklji
Rolled dumplings filled with everything from cottage cheese to apple or tarragon. Sweet or savoury — I don’t care. I’m trying them all. Preferably warm, homemade, and with someone’s grandmother nearby.

🥧 Prekmurska gibanica
The kind of cake that could feed a village. Layers of poppy seeds, walnuts, apples, and cheese. I’ve read it’s a cultural icon in dessert form. I’m emotionally and digestively ready for it.

🍗 Obara with žganci
A traditional meat stew (usually chicken or veal) served with buckwheat mush that apparently tastes way better than it sounds. I skipped it this time, but I want the full comforting, grandma-cooks-on-a-rainy-day experience.

🫐 Borovničevec (Blueberry liqueur)
I love a good local digestif and this one’s made with wild blueberries. It sounds like something I’d bring home as a souvenir… and then drink before we even reach the border.

🍯 Medica (Honey liqueur)
Because who says no to a sweet Slovenian nightcap? Sounds like liquid gold in a glass. Next time, I’ll be sipping it somewhere cosy, ideally with a view and a plate of struklji on the side.

What to do?

Of all the cities we have visited for the past 26 years, Ljubljana is where we both agreed we could see ourselves living. It exudes calmness, liveliness and happiness at the same time.

The minimalism and architecture feel very northern, I noticed a lot of similarities with Lithuania, for example. The culture seems like the perfect mixture between the Balkans and the west – developed and yet keeps the traditions alive.

If Ljubljana was a sound, it’ll be kids’ laughter. If it was a book, it’ll be about a tiny green world with wagging tails, street musicians, galleries and Sunday flea markets.

Talking about flea markets, this is something definitely worth visiting in Ljubljana and throughout Slovenia in general. You can find wonderful antique finds and tons of watches, including Swiss ones for cheap. Second-hand of course.

The main sights you need to add to your list

Ljubljana castle
The triple bridge by the architect Jože Plečnik
The Dragon Bridge (Zmajski most)The dragon is a symbol of Ljubljana, which has been proudly reigning in the city coat of arms since the late Middle Ages.
Prešernov trg Square with the Franciscan Church
Town Hall
National Gallery of Slovenia (I regret not making the time to visit it)
Tivoli park – Slovenians don’t need to go to Italy to visit Tivoli, they have created their own.

Day Trips from Ljubljana

If you have extra time:

Lake Bled (45 min drive) – The fairytale one with the island and rowboats.

Postojna Cave & Predjama Castle – Unreal combo of nature and medieval drama.

Škofja Loka – One of Slovenia’s oldest towns, charming and peaceful.

How to pay for the toll roads

You need to buy a vignette. I learnt this the hard way.

The cheapest one costs 15€ and is valid for 7 days. There are also 1-month and 1-year options. You can buy one directly from this website.

Keep in mind that going through a general Google search, the first ad you’ll see isn’t the official vignette website for Slovenia. It is definitely more expensive. We may or may not have a (not-sought-for) confirmation about the real prices from the Slovenian police itself.

Story time or how I got my first fine

As you may have guessed, I didn’t buy a vignette. What makes the story even more hilarious is that I didn’t buy one on the way to Italy either. However, as there isn’t a physical border between Slovenia and Italy, the chances of getting caught, apparently, are lower. It’s a whole different story when you can get welcomed by not one but two vignette control cars 1m before crossing the Slovenian border with Croatia. 165€ later (150€ fine and 15€ for an obligatory 1-week-vignette), I now know that a such thing is required in Slovenia. The policeman was very kind, he was well aware that we didn’t do it on purpose and despite him arguing that there is a sign once you enter the country from Italy, we have a video that proves otherwise.

Don’t worry, you can pay both by cash and by card, as this will make it easier to swallow that you have just wasted 165€. I am not aware of what happens if you don’t have the amount. I hope you’ll never need to know.

Moral of the story – triple-check before you travel and vignettes are a bitch. 😂 Also, please don’t tell my mom.

Parking

Street Parking

Street parking in Ljubljana is relatively cheap, at least compared to Italy, and is divided into 3 main zones:

Close to the historical centre 0,80 €/h – 2 h max.
Some areas around the city centre. 0,50 €/h – 6 h max.
All the way up to the Ljubljana ring road. 0,40 €/h, unlimited time

All zones are active from Monday to Saturday. Sundays are free.

Parking Garage

For security reasons, we personally decided to use the pricier option – a parking garage. As we had our entire life packed in the car, the cost of around 1.20 €/h seemed reasonable for the video monitoring included. With its proximity to the historical centre, Parking Kongresni trg has been my choice during both of my visits to Ljubljana.

Would I Go Back?

Will we return to Ljubljana? Yes. Will we forget the vignette again? Hopefully not. Will I bring it up every time we cross a border now? Absolutely. It’s called growth. 😂 We liked it enough not just to stay overnight, but to imagine living there for a while. Slovenia feels like a green, quiet kind of magic. And we’re curious to see more of it.

Ljubljana Travel Mistakes to Avoid + What Made Us Fall in Love

Song of the day