Green guidance

You have come to a green destination. With its green image and sustainable development strategy, Ljubljana offers excellent opportunities for sustainable tourism. Ljubljana Tourism aims to preserve and develop Ljubljana as an attractive, green, environmentally friendly destination distinguished by a high quality of life both for citizens and for visitors to the city. By joining Slovenian tourism’s Slovenia Green scheme we have pledged that our destination will aim for sustainable development.

By respecting the directions below you will help us preserve and make our city green.

Travel to the city by train or bus, or choose an airline which collaborates in carbon footprint reduction programmes.

The city centre is closed to motor vehicles and inhabitants and visitors can enjoy many areas that are reserved for pedestrians and cyclists. The area closed to traffic covers 12 hectares and is the largest car-free zone in the European Union. Visitors can take a tour of the city centre aboard the Urban electric tourist train or have a free ride with the electric Kavalir vehicle.

Ljubljana boasts the highest rate of household waste separation in the European Union (69.5% in 2020). Waste containers in the city centre are located underground. Collect waste separately and dispose of it where it is collected by the municipal services. When wandering around the green areas of Ljubljana and the surrounding region take your waste with you and dispose of it in the appropriate collection points.

Buy locally grown fruit and vegetables and support local producers.

Try local dishes. Choose typical dishes made with local ingredients and recipes. Try: leteči žganci (fried chicken legs), štruklji, Carniolan sausage, Ljubljana cottage cheese pancakes.

Attend traditional events such as Ljubljana Festival, Ana Desetnica and Nights in Old Ljubljana. Mostly free events take place in the streets and markets throughout the year and give the city a wonderfully relaxed and lively atmosphere.

Visit the Town hall, Ljubljana Castle, Špica and the Botanic Garden, Trnovo Quay, Plečnik’s house in Krakovo, the Roman wall, Križanke, Slovenska cesta, Kongresni trg, the Parliament and numerous museums and galleries throughout the city.

The water in Ljubljana is clean and suitable for drinking. Bring with you a glass bottle that can be reused so as to avoid buying plastic bottles. In the city you will find over 30 fountains where you can refresh yourself and fill your bottle with clean drinking water. You can locate them with the help of the Tap Water application. Be a part of our green story and help us keep Ljubljana green by choosing drinking water instead of bottled water.

Ljubljana is Europe's first capital that has pledged to follow the Zero Waste strategy. Avoid using single use plastic bottles. Use cloth bags, reuse glass bottles and order drinks without straws.

Help us preserve the wealth of water sources. Take a short shower rather than a bath and turn off the tap while brushing your teeth.

Reserve your holiday break in accommodation that has the Slovenia Green certificate. Certified providers deal responsibly with waste water, waste and energy, and are strongly involved in the local community. Decline the daily replacement of towels and bedding where you are staying and help save energy in this way.

Ljubljana is an accessible city. An increasing number of public areas, and also city buses, are adapted for persons with reduced mobility. Visitors to Ljubljana with reduced mobility can make use of the Ljubljana by Wheelchair mobile app.

Ljubljana is a pedestrian and bike-friendly city. Explore the city on foot or by bike and help reduce the city’s carbon footprint.

Discover the city’s surroundings by public transport. Explore the city and its surroundings using the Urbana card which, besides the use of public transport, also enables us to visit many attractions in Ljubljana and the surrounding region. Many buses in the city use methane and by travelling with them you will also help reduce emissions in the city. The car-sharing scheme Avant2Go enables the shared use of electric vehicles.

Visit the many green areas in the city. Ljubljana boasts an incredible 542 m2 of green areas per inhabitant. Direct access to the countryside is possible from the city centre itself, while the city offers other special initiatives such as the Bee Route. Two of the most well-known green attractions in Ljubljana are the expansive Park Tivoli, which is located in the city centre, and the unique recreational Path of Memories and Comradeship which has over 7,000 trees and goes around the whole city. Only a few kilometres from the centre you will also discover the Ljubljansko Barje (wetlands) natural park which is well known for its exceptional biodiversity.

Ljubljana is also a bee-friendly city. Flowers in the city are like meadows for the autochthonous Slovenian bees, our pollinating heroes, so don’t trample grass or blooming plants and thereby ensure they have enough food.