Make the Most of Your Trip with the Ljubljana Card

Being travel bloggers, my friend and I know a lot of well-traveled people. Surprisingly, very few have been to Slovenia, so we’re very curious about the country and made sure to visit it on our latest trip to Europe. As first time visitors, we naturally have to start our journey in the capital of Ljubljana. We also made sure to get the Ljubljana Card to make the most out of the short time we were there.

The Ljubljana Card is a combined ticket to the city’s major sights enabling visitors to explore it in a comfortable way and at the lowest cost. There are several card validity periods i.e. 24, 48 or 72 hours which begins to run from the moment the card is first used. It’s in the form of a smart card with a RFID chip and comes with a booklet, the Ljubljana Card Guide, that contains a city map showing where you can use the card.

Ljubljana Walking Tour

The first thing we did with the card was to join a scheduled guided tour of Ljubljana. It started in the square in front of the Town Hall and ended at Ljubljana Castle.

Our guide showed us around the historical city center. Most of the baroque and art nouveau architecture is the legacy of Slovene architect, Joze Plecnik.

We also stopped by a restaurant where we had a brief tasting session of sausages and walnut bread.

We then walked towards Preseren Square which was named after their national poet, France Preseren. His statue faces the house where his muse used to live. We also learned why the Triple Bridge is actually triple.

The Franciscan Church, also called the ‘pink church’, is the only baroque style structure in Preseren Square.

The dragon is the symbol of Ljubljana.

The last stop of our tour was Ljubljana Castle. Free return funicular ride to the castle is included in the card. Its lower station is located in Krekov trg square across the street from Ljubljana Central Market.

The castle houses a museum exhibition on Slovenian history, puppet museum, and a number of historical rooms such as the Chapel of St. George, prison, and a video presentation room called Virtual Castle.

Map courtesy of Wanderlog, a road trip planner

Ljubljanica River Cruise

Another great way to admire Ljubljana’s sights from a different perspective is by taking the tourist boat. We did this in the afternoon, just in time for the sunset.

There are several operators, but go to the one departing from Ribji trg pier (in front of Lolita Cafe) close to the Triple Bridge. They accept the Ljubljana Card. The ride takes about one hour. There’s also a Ljubljanica wooden boat ride which departs from Breg that offers river cruises for private parties with on-board catering and entertainment.

Other Benefits of the Ljubljana Card

If you’re arriving by plane, you can get a free ride from the airport and back. You can also use it to travel on their environmentally friendly and comfortable public buses. You can get unlimited rides within the card’s validity. Simply hold the card close to the card reader.

Meet the Kavalir – small electric-powered vehicles that can transport you for free around the city center. The hostel we stayed at called for one to drop us close to the bus station since we have a lot of bags.

Free Bike Hire

Speaking of transportation, one of the things we admired about Ljubljana is the car-free city center where pedestrians have the right of way. They also have Urban, an electric train that can take you on the tourist trail. It connects the city’s main attractions from the Town Hall to Ljubljana Castle. In the winter, the carriages are even closed and heated!

If you prefer to go around on a bike, the Ljubljana Card entitles you to 4 hours of free bike hire (subject to availability).

WiFi

Don’t have pocket WiFi or forgot to buy a SIM card? Don’t worry. Your Ljubljana Card entitles you to 24-hour free access to the WiFree Ljubljana network. You also get 1 hour free internet access at STIC (Slovenian Tourist Information Centre).

Free Entrance to Museums

If you like museums then you’re in for a treat because you can get free entrance to a number of museums including the National Gallery which holds the country’s largest collection of fine art from the High Middle Ages to the 20th Century; the National Museum of Slovenia which keeps the 60,000 year old Neanderthal flute; the Slovenian Museum of Natural History; City Museum of Ljubljana which keeps the world’s oldest wooden wheel with a wooden axle and wooden point around 40,000 years old; Plecnik House – the house of architect Joze Plecnik who left an indelible mark on the cityscape of Ljubljana, and more.

Beer lovers, rejoice! You can take a walk through the history of the Union brewery with your Ljubljana Card. Discover its current production process and savor a glass of cold Union beer.

If you’re willing to venture a bit out of the city, you can also visit Ljubljana Zoo, Volcji Potok Arboretum, and Snovik Spa.

I don’t know about you, but with all these benefits, getting the Ljubljana Card is definitely a no-brainer!