THE GUIDED WALKING TOUR OF LJUBLJANA

A guided tour of Ljubljana with an experienced and licensed tour guide is one of the best ways to learn more about the capital of Slovenia. The professional tour guide will make the visit exciting and fun. You will get to know the rich history of Ljubljana and many stories and legends that are still living.

LJUBLJANA, A YOUNG AND MODERN EUROPEAN CAPITAL

Ljubljana is the largest and most important city in Slovenia and is located right in the central part of the country. It is the economic, university, cultural and political center of Slovenia and it’s becoming increasingly interesting for visitors too. The city has long and rich history. The first people settlers lived in the swamp close to the town. They were followed by many peoples, from the Illyrians and then the Romans, who established a castrum called Emona here. In the Middle Ages, the city was named Laibach and was part of the Hapsburg monarchy, which later became the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Nowadays Ljubljana is a young and modern capital of a state, which is a member of the European Union.

The standard route guided tour proceeds on the following points:

• The Congress Square, which is one of the most important squares in Ljubljana. Here are the headquarters of the University of Ljubljana, the baroque church of the Holy Trinity and the Philharmonia of Slovenia.
• The Preseren Square, which is the central square of Ljubljana. Named after France Preseren, the most important poet in Slovenian history. There is also the beautiful church of Mary of the annunciation, which is part of a Franciscan monastery.
• The area of the three bridges, which are the link between the Preseren Square and the oldest part of the city. The area it’s designed by the most important Slovenian architect, Joze Plecnik, who added two bridges for pedestrians to the main one.
• The bridge of dragons, which is one of the most beautiful examples of art nouveau architecture in all of Europe. There are four picturesque statues of dragons. The dragon is the symbol of Ljubljana, and it is also the emblem of the city.
• The Cathedral of San Nicolo. The church has a long and rich history and has been renovated several times. Nowadays it represents a significant cultural and artistic monument. The style inside is that of the late Baroque.
• The town square was the central square of medieval Ljubljana. There are the town hall and the fountain of the three rivers, also by Francesco Robba.
• The Bridge of Shoemakers. It takes its name from the shoemakers who once had their stalls here.

In addition to the standard guided tour, the visit can always be adapted to the interests of the group. The visit lasts about two hours but can be shortened or extended according to a request. The meeting point with the guide is usually the Congress Square.

Some useful information about the guided tour of Ljubljana:

• Bus parking: the point where the bus usually unloads guests is the Congress square. Drivers usually park at the nearby Tivoli payable parking area.
• Free time: there are plenty of things to do in Ljubljana in your spare time. There are bars, restaurants, the tourist office and souvenir shops, etc.
• Museums, attractions. There are plenty of museums and other attractions in Ljubljana. In this place, we mention two, which can be combined very well with the guided tour: the castle of Ljubljana, which can be reached by funicular and a trip on the river Ljubljanica with the boat.
• Public baths in the city are quite well organized. There are many public baths, and they are all free.