Mestna Obcina Ljubljana Travel Answers

Just for the city itself, yes, too long, however, there some day trips I suggest not to miss: Bled and Bohinj Park, Skofja LoKa , the Caves (Postojna and/or Skocjan)

Thank you, Redang. I do want to take some day trips using a tour company. Can you suggest a reliable company to use?

i very much enjoyed the art gallery

Re: Tour Company I don't know of one off-hand but if you look into Ljubjlana Tourist Info they can help you once you're there. I stayed at the Park Hotel which is very centrally located and nice. They had a person in the lobby who was available to make all arrangements for day trips and even rental cars. I think seven days is unnecessarily long for only LJ but, as mentioned above, caves would be a great side trip and if you go to Postojna you can add the amazing Predjama Castle which is very nearby. You might consider taking a train up to Bled and spending a couple days up there, or possibly venturing south to Istrian Penninsula in Croatia. All are in reasonable proximity to LJ. In Istria I visited Pula and Porec. Pula is worth a day or more and Porec is somewhat touristed by beach-goers in the summer but I think the ancient basilica there was breathtaking. If you like brilliant mosaics you really should check it out. It's a UNESCO site so plenty of info available.

Ljublana is a tiny jewel of a city, which I very much enjoyed visiting (twice). But yes, 7 days is too long. I don't know what daytours are actually on offer. To be truthful, it is possible/probable that the number of visitors without cars or not on organised tours may mean that daytours (other than more expensive private ones) are limited. As suggested above, contact the Ljubljana tourist info people for suggestions. But you can very easily take yourself to Bled by bus (from outside Ljub railway station), and to e.g Maribor or Ptuj by train. You can take the train or bus from Ljub to Postonja for the caves (Skocjan is superb!). Slovenia is a very safe and friendly country to explore, imo, and many people have very good English. The food, wine and beer is superb. Slovenia bus times & info in English: http://www.ap-ljubljana.si/eng/ Slovenia train times & info in English: slo-zeleznice.si/en/passenge... How to get to Skocjan: park-skocjanske-jame.si/eng/...

Thank you for your input. As I said,I am an older female who has never traveled on her own without being on a guided tour. Being from a small city in California where we drive everywhere, I am aprehensive about taking a bus or train in a foreign country and not speaking their language. That is why I originally decided to go to Prague where I could roam the city and/or take guided tours. Maybe Ljubljana is not the first place I should go...it just sounded so beautiful.

I am an older female. I do understand your apprehension about taking buses and trains but, honestly, you have no need to feel in the least bit worried. Using public transport is a norm in Europe (unlike the US, I think) and you do not need to book tickets way in advance: fares don't usually change and trains rarely get full-up. I've used buses and trains on almost all my European trips (almost always alone) and have had no problems whatsoever...and I most often don't have the relevant language. We can certainly help you with details etc here, and hopefuly help to put your mind at rest. But Ljubljana *is* really quite tiny and I fear it may not have the range of organised daytrips which you will want if you are determined not to use public transport. If Prague is to be kept for another year, why not consider larger settlements such as Budapest or Krakow (a truly lovely town with a vast amount to see, do and explore)? There are certainly organised daytours available form both places.

I should have added that I had never travelled alone until well into middle age. But if I had not made the (scary) decision to do so I would have gone nowhere. My travel pages will give you an idea of what I have been able to do in the 10 years or so since I began travelling. You might find this page helpful: "Ideas for solo female travellers to Europe." - Personal Page by leics

Ljubljana seemed a very safe and clean city to me. And it seemed as if almost everyone spoke english. I could find enough stuff to do for a week if i was in the mood for a quiet and thoughtful wandering sort of holiday - really getting to know the nub of the place. Getting on random buses and going to the end of the line. Chatting to random locals.

and ljubljana has one of the most quirky and amazing memorials to a writer ever! a bronze drain grille set into the platform at the train station in memory of james joyce apparently they were having a blooms day in ljubljana and once james joyce when he ;lived in trieste got off the train in ljubljana by mistake so they put his memorial there once i saw that i thought there is much more to this little city than meets the eye

i know so little about the history of slovenia that i found the short film which is part of the tour of the castle most instructive! -

Agree that one could easily spend 7 days poking into the nooks and crannies (as one can anywhere). Although even in Ljub that would be much more difficult if the poster does not want to take buses.

a quick trip to the tourist info office to sort out how to take a bus would only add to the adventure i feel - though now i come to think of it, the train station was not well organised - i nearly missed my train to venice because there was a lot of confusion about which platform the train would be coming into maybe vienna or genoa or even zagreb would have more to offer ljubljana seemed a litle white bread if you know what i mean - but safe and clean

I support your plan of going to Ljubjlana. There is nothing wrong with just becoming a local resident for a week, either. It's a city that is easy to navigate and while seven days is a lot for a busy sightseer, there's nothing wrong with perusing shops, sitting at cafes, enjoying an outdoor market, long strolls, etc. if that is what you want to do. Plus, LJ is a bit off the main tourist trail so it's an intriguing place to go on your first solo journey. I would not have any hesitation about taking trains or buses to other sites outside of town, either. If you're from a small city in California, then taking a bus to Bled would be like taking a bus from Fresno to Yosemite and you won't have any problems. I think starting independent travel career in Slovenia is a grand idea and it's not so overwhelming as, say, London or Paris.

Ljub is definitely very safe (although no European settlement I've visited has been 'dangerous', for older females or anyone else). Slovenia is a very 'safe' country. But if the challenge of buses is too much (and I can understand the apprehension even though I know it to be unnecessary) then I think it would be much better to stay in a larger city with more to do/access on foot. I haven't yet been to Zagreb, but Budapest, Krakow, Prague and many other places would fit that bill. Although, having said that, in the larger cities one really needs to use bus, tram or Metro on occasion to save one's aching feet!

I have also always wanted to go to Krakow so I will look into that also. Lj just sounds so charming. I just want to be able to wander the streets and take my time doing it. Life tends to get very hectic and I just want to go at a slower pace and enjoy the scenery and life...if that makes any sense to you! Thank you all, you are very helpful.

Makes perfect sense to me. You can certainly do what you want in Ljub and in Krakow, but the latter really does have more to see, do, experience and explore entirely on foot. However, it also has more visitors (though not vast numbers). So you have a balance to make and to decide upon. Personally, I would choose Krakow for its history, its castle, its Jewish heritage and links with Otto Schindler, its Medieval and later architecture, its numerous restaurants and cafes... and because of its easily-available organised tours to Auschwitz, the truly amazing Wieliczka salt mines and Zakopane.

Yes, a ver safe city, so >is Slovenia. Regarding tours, I can't tell you anything, sorry, but I bet there are some of them. Take into account that Bled and the caves are a must in Slovenia, so, it wouldn't be difficult to find a few. I suppose that your hotel has a quite wide range of tours on offer and the Tourist Office can give you a good advice.

I agree that Slovenia is one country where, from observations whilst being driven around, I would feel *very* comfortable about driving (and on the wrong side, for me). But I must disagree about the English, Keti. Budapest is really not a problem for the non-Hungarian speaker. Hungary further afield may be, but that is much the same in further-afield Slovenia.

I went to Slovenia 3 years ago, and no problem at all with English. Just a waiter (in a little town) could hardly express in English, but it was the exception.

Not now Keti, honestly. I've been twice over the years, by myself (as you know) and had no problems. Same with the honesty ting. Restaurants on Vaci Utca, yes, maybe.....the street had a bad name for inflating bills. But nowhere else, in my experience. And not a big deal even on Vaci Utca, in my experience; a few more forints than i should have paid, amended with an apology when i pointed it out. Simple advice: don't eat on Vaci Utca (which is uber-touristy anyway). There are a zillion places to eat elsewhere and, if you want a 'restaurant street' Raday Utca is nearby and patronised by locals. I love Slovenia, as you well know. But I can't get into the whole 'Slovenia is better than Hungary '(or anywhere else) thing: that's not how I see the world, and not a helpful attitude imo.

And if you have Ljubljana as your base, you could also visit Maribor on a day trip, this year they are European Capital of Culture and events are on every day. Lots of stuff is there now, but if you stay little longer, you could go hiking on a hill Pohorje, or visit some vineyards and countryside. Ptuj is also worth seeing when in that end, it's small town with loads of history. That part of Slovenia is quite different than central and western regions, and there is always somebody speaking English. Well, in towns yea, while in villages there is less people speaking English or German. If you consider visiting Hungary, town of Pecs is worth a visit place with easy going and friendly people, nice stuff to see and history. Western Hungary is also nice, food is good, and quite cheap, and language is some issue. Hope this helps, V.

I agree that part of Slovenia is very different (like the UK, it's a tiny country with a vast amount of differing landscapes crammed into it) and both Maribor and Ptuj are definitely worth visiting. But if the poster does not want to drive, and is wary of using bus/train, neither are feasible from a Ljubljana base imo. I'd disagree about the English based on my own experiences in that area. Younger people are more likely to have some English, I think. But Slovenians are very friendly and very pleasant, and we always managed perfectly well with only a couple of words between us! :-)

Am I correct in thinking they are private tours which need organising in advance? When I commented about tours from Ljub was thinking of the type of regular weekly (sometimes more than once a week) daytours which run from cities (e.g. from Prague to Kutna Hora, Budapest to Visigrad etc, Krakow to Zakopane). I'm not sure if any of that type exist in Ljub?

I was asking for myself really, because I'd not come across anything on previous visits and, although driving in Slovenia looks fine, I don't really fancy the idea. The Tourist Info tours look useful.

I'm an older female traveller which I will be going to Slovenia in 5 weeks & I will be touring the country on local buses which I'm looking forward to it but as always you need to be cautious whatever country you go to.

Absolutely agree with Keti. As an 'older female' who travels alone I have found Slovenia to be one of the most comfortable countries in which to travel and explore. Basic common sense, of course, as everywhere on this earth..but nothing more than that.