Ljubljana Travel Guide

Getting There

Although Aerodrom Ljubljana (Brnik 130a; tel. 04/206-1000; www.lju-airport.si), located at Brnik, 23km (14 miles) from the city, isn't the busiest place in Europe, there are regular flights arriving from Paris, London, Prague, Zurich, and Frankfurt, as well as smaller regional cities. You can rent a car at the airport from Avis (tel. 01/583-8780; www.avis.si) and return it when you fly home. Taxis, airport shuttles, and public buses all operate between the terminal and the city, but the best option, in terms of cost and efficiency, is to hop on one of the special buses operated by Adria Airlines. These run from early until midnight and are more or less scheduled to coincide with the arrival of their flights; the trip to the city lasts half an hour, and terminates at the city bus station (Avtobusna postaja; Trg Osvobodilne fronte 4; tel. 01/234-4600; www.ap-ljubljana.si), which is also the main point of arrival and departure for other Slovene and European destinations. Ljubljana's train station (Zelezniska postaja) is next to the bus station, and has a currency exchange facility as well as tourist information office (tel. 01/433-9475). The stations are a 10-minute walk from the center.

City Layout

Most of the tourist action is within a small, compact area centered on Ljubljana's Old Town, which straddles a bend in the Ljubljaniker River.

Getting Around The City

This is a city for walking, and you'll be irritated and frustrated if you try to explore it by car; finding parking -- even on quiet days -- is hellish. Hotels beyond walking distance of the center usually provide shuttle services, and taxis are very reliable.

Buses -- Decent, comfortable public buses will get you wherever you need to go; the network is extensive and route maps clearly indicate when and where buses are going. Purchase bus tokens from newspaper kiosks and some shops, or deposit the exact fare (around 1€/$1.25 before the official adoption of the euro) into the box next to the driver.

Taxis -- Call tel. 9700 (and all numbers through 9709) to have a cab pick you up. Alternatively, you can hail a taxi on the street; you'll always find taxis at the station and smarter hotels. Rumeni Taxi (tel. 041-731-831) is another option.

Other -- To really get your bearings, consider a 90-minute hot-air balloon ride organized by any of the tourist information centers. For a more down-to-earth sightseeing option, rent a bicycle.

Visitor Information

Ljubljana knows that tourism is where it's at, and there's a great deal of literature and assistance for visitors. Right in the heart of the Old Town, at one end of the Triple Bridge, is Ljubljana Tourist Information Centre (tel. 01/306-1215; www.ljubljana-tourism.si), an excellent source for sightseeing advice; it's also where you can buy the Ljubljana Card (around 13€/$16), a 72-hour discount passport that is only truly useful if you are able to use it for reductions on accommodations or car rentals, in which case you'll score major savings. Slovenian Tourism (Krekov trg 10; tel. 01/306-4575/6; daily 8am-9pm) provides assistance on the entire country. The train station hosts a Tourist Office (tel. 01/433-9475), and there's an Airport Centre (tel. 051-606-172).

City Tours & Guided Walks

You can join one of the city tours provided by Ljubljana Tourist Information Centre (Stritarjeva ulica; tel. 01/306-1215; www.ljubljana-tourism.si).