For couples · Ljubljana · Slovenia
Romantic things to do in Ljubljana
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Nincha8, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Ljubljana is made for slow evenings: river terraces under weeping willows, lit bridges and sunsets from the castle. It pairs naturally with a night or two at Lake Bled. Couples tend to stay in Old Town.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 6
- Couple-friendly sights
- 4
- Area for couples
- Old Town
- Best months
- May
Romantic ideas
1.Castle at sunset
Climb the viewing tower or sit on the castle walls as the light fades over the Old Town roofs and the Alps.
2.Riverside dinner
Book a table on the Ljubljanica embankments and watch the bridges light up after dark.
3.Drinks at Nebotičnik
Watch the city from the rooftop café of the 1930s skyscraper.
4.Evening boat trip
Take a slow boat along the river after dark, under the Triple Bridge and past the market colonnade.
5.Summer concert at Križanke
Catch an open-air performance of the Ljubljana Festival in Plečnik's arcaded courtyard.
6.Lake Bled day
Row or take a pletna boat to Bled Island and ring the wishing bell in the church.
Sights couples love
Waterfront · Old Town
Butchers' Bridge and the Ljubljanica embankments
Late afternoon is the best time to pick a terrace on the shady side and watch the river traffic.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- After dark
- Food
Viewpoint · Center
Nebotičnik
Go at sunset for the light on the castle, and take the lift to the top floor from the entrance on Štefanova street.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Couples
- Architecture
- After dark
Experience · Old Town
Ljubljanica river boat trip
Evening departures in summer pass the lit-up bridges and café terraces.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Couples
- Views
- After dark
Architecture · Trnovo and Krakovo
Križanke
Even without a ticket, step into the courtyards to see Plečnik's decorated walls and lanterns.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- After dark
- Couples
- Free
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and culture
Old Town
The Old Town runs in a curve along the right bank of the Ljubljanica below Castle Hill, through the three medieval squares of Mestni trg, Stari trg and Gornji trg. Baroque townhouses hold small hotels, apartments, wine bars and design shops, and the castle footpaths and funicular start here. It is the most atmospheric base, with the Triple Bridge and the cathedral a few minutes away.
- Good
- Everything central is walkable; Pedestrianised, cobbled streets; Riverside restaurants on the doorstep
- Watch out
- Few large hotels and limited parking; Cobbles are hard work with suitcases
- Nearby
- Ljubljana Castle, Town Hall, Robba Fountain, Ljubljana Cathedral
Romantic day trips
- Lake Bled (About 1 hour 15 minutes by bus) — Slovenia's best-known view: a church on a tiny island in an Alpine lake, below a medieval castle on a cliff.
- Lake Bohinj (About 2 hours by bus) — Larger and wilder than Bled, Bohinj sits inside Triglav National Park with clear water for swimming in summer, the Savica waterfall and the Vogel cable car to mountain viewpoints.
- Piran (About 2 hours 30 minutes by bus) — Slovenia's Venetian-era port town sits on a narrow peninsula, with Tartini Square, a hilltop church with a bell tower and town walls looking over the Adriatic.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Štruklji, Jota and Buckwheat žganci. Many shops and the Central Market close on Sundays, so stock up for picnics on Saturday.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Ljubljana romantic?
Ljubljana is made for slow evenings: river terraces under weeping willows, lit bridges and sunsets from the castle. It pairs naturally with a night or two at Lake Bled.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Ljubljana?
Castle at sunset: Climb the viewing tower or sit on the castle walls as the light fades over the Old Town roofs and the Alps.
+Where should couples stay in Ljubljana?
Old Town: Cobbled Mestni trg, Stari trg and Gornji trg squeezed between the castle hill and the river.