Summer weekend in Ljubljana

We like to start off Friday mornings with a good cup of coffee at Čokl, which is a great starting point for two important tasty routes.

The first leads directly to the green heart of the city, to Ljubljana’s central market. If we decide to join the Yummy market culinary walk, we can either enjoy a guided tour with experienced experts, or explore it on our own. And of course, on Fridays, we can’t miss out on swinging by the most popular culinary meeting point in the region, namely the Odprta Kuhna food market. If our feet are already a bit sore, we can always make it easier for ourselves by booking a Gourmet Ljubljana tasting menu.

The other route is a bit steeper; however, we are richly rewarded for braving the short ascent up the castle hill. Up at Ljubljana Castle, along with one of the most beautiful views of the capital, we also find delicious delicacies for all tastes – for local specialties we can visit Gostilna na gradu, for sophisticated haute cuisine we have Restaurant Strelec, for a dose of invigorating coffee and some dessert we can stop at the Lolita Castle Cafe, and for a romantic sunset toast we can visit the Castle Vinotheque.

We can start our Saturday a bit more leisurely and not feel guilty about it at all, since on Saturdays, the famous Ljubljana-based breakfast and brunch place, Le Petit Cafe, serves breakfast all the way up until 1 pm. After a nice meal, we are ready to take a walk along the Ljubljanica river, which invites us to sit and relax on its many terraces, visit the cafes and restaurants, enjoy some of Ljubljana’s many ice cream parlours, or take a boat ride to experience a different perspective of this charming capital city.

Two very special gems along the river are situated on opposite banks on the outskirts of the city centre – on the Prule side we have the Špica Cafe, inviting us to bask in the sun while enjoying some nice music, while on the Trnovo side there’s the Kayak and Canoe club’s Bobermarine Cafe, which has a floating terrace and also offers various small boat rentals.

On Sunday afternoons, Ljubljana residents like to make the now traditional ascent from the Tivoli city park to Rožnik hill, where we fill our lungs with clean forest air and reward ourselves with a tasty fried pastry upon reaching the top. We’re in for a somewhat shorter ascent if we decide to take our Sunday lunch at Švicarija, accompanied by popular Slovenian songs.

And if we wish to crown our weekend experience with more of an international culinary experience, we embark on a journey along Trubarjeva street, where we can experience cuisine from a different part of the world every step of the way: from Indian, Thai, Lebanese, Italian, Korean, or even vegan food supported by Ayurvedic philosophy – on Trubarjeva, we will always find something for everyone.

And for the cherry on top, we recommend an afternoon or evening stop at the Kletvica Wine Bar, where we can discover another gem of the Slovenian culinary scene – Slovenian natural wines.

Don’t forget, Ljubljana is at its most beautiful when explored on foot or by bike! That way, you can stop to enjoy every breathtaking view, remarkable street musician, interesting vendor stand, architectural marvel, or inviting menu. Have a nice time exploring around!