Shopping · Ljubljana · Slovenia
Shopping in Ljubljana
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: August Dominus, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Shopping in Ljubljana is small-scale: Slovenian design shops in the Old Town, food and craft stalls at the Central Market, and high-street brands around Čopova and in the BTC City shopping centre on the east side. Best souvenirs: Painted beehive panels, Piran sea salt and Slovenian honey.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Painted beehive panels
Where to shop
Mestni trg and Stari trg
Independent boutiques selling Slovenian design, jewellery, honey, salt and wine.
Čopova and Prešeren Square
The main high street with fashion chains and bookshops.
Trubarjeva street
Quirky independent shops, second-hand stores and small cafés.
BTC City
One of the region's largest shopping centres, on the eastern edge of the city and reachable by bus.
Markets
Central Market
Fresh produce, cheese, honey, dried mushrooms and crafts on Vodnikov trg and under Plečnik's colonnade.
Sunday antiques market
An antiques and flea market along Cankarjevo embankment on Sunday mornings, with old postcards, coins and Yugoslav-era objects.
What to buy
Painted beehive panels
Small replicas of the painted wooden panels from traditional Slovenian beehives.
Piran sea salt
Hand-harvested salt and salt flower from the Sečovlje salt pans, sold in Old Town shops.
Slovenian honey
Acacia, forest and chestnut honey from Slovenia's many beekeepers.
Pumpkin-seed oil
Dark green, nutty oil from eastern Slovenia, used on salads.
Slovenian wine
A bottle of Rebula, Teran or orange wine from a riverside wine bar or shop.
Streets and markets worth a wander
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Market · Old Town
Central Market
Ljubljana's open-air market spreads over Vodnikov trg and Pogačarjev trg beside the cathedral, with farmers selling seasonal fruit, mushrooms, cheese and honey.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Shopping
- Architecture
Street · Old Town
Mestni trg, Stari trg and the Town Hall
The Old Town's three linked squares run from the Town Hall and the Robba Fountain, a replica of Francesco Robba's 18th-century fountain of the three Carniolan rivers, along Stari trg to the Baroque church on Gornji trg.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Shopping
- Architecture
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Potica, Prekmurska gibanica, Karst prosciutto and Bled cream cake. Bakeries and cafés in the centre; whole cakes are sold at bakeries near the market. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Center | $$$ | Prešeren Square, Čopova street and Congress Square on the left bank |
| Tabor and Metelkova | $ | Former army barracks turned arts quarter, museums and hostels east of the station |
| Railway and bus station area | $$ | Practical base for early buses to Bled and the airport, ten minutes from Prešeren Square |
| Šiška | $ | Residential district north of Tivoli with the Kino Šiška concert venue |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in EUR. Tipping is not obligatory. Locals round up the bill or leave about 5–10% for good service in restaurants; in cafés, rounding up is enough.
- Greet shop staff with 'Dober dan' when you enter and say 'Hvala' when you leave.
- The Ljubljana Card pays off if you combine the castle, a boat trip and several museums in one or two days.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in January–February; the busiest months are July–August.
- April: Odprta kuhna Friday food market season usually begins in spring
- June: Ljubljana Jazz Festival (usually late June or early July)
- June: Ana Desetnica street theatre festival (usually early summer)
- July: Ljubljana Festival — concerts and opera in Križanke and on Congress Square (usually July–August)
- August: Ljubljana Festival continues (usually until late August)
- November: Ljubljana International Film Festival (usually November)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping and families
Center
Prešeren Square, Čopova street and Congress Square on the left bank
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Ljubljana?
Painted beehive panels, Piran sea salt, Slovenian honey and Pumpkin-seed oil.
+Where is the best shopping in Ljubljana?
Mestni trg and Stari trg: Independent boutiques selling Slovenian design, jewellery, honey, salt and wine.
+What are the best markets in Ljubljana?
Central Market and Sunday antiques market.