Ljubljana is a beautiful city with incredible architecture and gorgeous landscapes to discover. If you are a tourist in Slovenia, you will want to find the most breathtaking spots in the capital.
There are several incredible viewpoints in Ljubljana to see the entire city, Julian Alps, and many parks from up above. One of the most magnificent is the top floor terrace of the Nebotičnik, where you will enjoy a cocktail or a beer while looking at the city.
You can enjoy these beautiful viewpoints, and take some time to get the best picture ever. To help you find the most beautiful views in Ljubljana to wonder at, here are the seven best you can see.
1. The Nebotičnik Skyscraper Top Floor Terrace
In the city center, you will find the first Skyscraper of Ljubljana, called Nebotičnik. It is one of the most recognizable and symbolic buildings in the capital.
This 1920’s building is 70 meters-high. It was the highest building in Yougoslavie in 1933. At the top, there is a lovely rooftop bar for you to enjoy. It is also the best viewpoint in the city center, the Castle and the Julian Alps.
This bar is one of the best in town, and it offers an ideal 360° view. In the middle of the day to see the city in broad daylight, or when the sun is setting, you will have many different landscapes to observe during your trip.
The Skyscraper is easy to find. It is up the main street, Slovenska cesta. The entrance, however, can easily be missed. You will need to enter the hall and take the elevator to get up to the bar.
The restaurant is also lovely. You can eat over there for about 12€ on average. If you stop by the restaurant’s floor, do not forget to look at the beautiful spiral staircase. It is a bit long to take to go up the building, but it does deserve a picture. You can use it to go back down if you want.
The bar is best to go at the beginning of the evening, especially when it is sweltering in Slovenia because of the wind slightly blowing. It is also the best place to go to see Ljubljana lit up by night.
The Night Club and the Cafe are open from Sunday to Wednesday between 9 am, and 1 am. From Thursday to Saturday, they are open from 9 am to 3 am.
The restaurant is open from Monday to Saturday between 12 am and 10 pm. It is closed on Sunday and public holidays.
Neboticnik (Bar roof top)
Štefanova ulica 1
1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
+386 40 601 787
2. Šmarna Gora Hill
At only a 30 minutes drive from Ljubljana city center, you will find the incredible Šmarna Gora Hill, one of the most magnificent viewpoints in the area.
The hill is 664 meters above sea level, located at the north of the Slovene capital. If you go up the mountain, you will see the Julian Alps, the entire Ljubljana Basin, and the Dolenjska region in the distance.
On top of the hill, you will find a lovely Baroque Church to visit. It was the home of the so-called “Priest of Triglav,” Jakob Aljaž.
In the Šmarna Gora Hill, there is also a plague column built by those who survived the disease. Finally, during your visit, you will have the chance to see the wishing bell. Ring the bell, make a wish, and legend says it will come true.
For the most beautiful viewpoint, head for the western part of the hill. It is seven-meters higher than the eastern side. You can take the 4.5-kilometer nature trail along the mountain to get to the top while discovering the beauty of the place and its diverse fauna and flora.
Take a hike at sunset or sunrise to discover the most breathtaking landscapes possible. Seeing the sunrise early in the morning is a spectacular experience you cannot miss, especially if you are looking to take the best photograph ever.
It will take 30 to 40 minutes to go up the hill once you are at the bottom. You also need to consider transportation to the bottom of the slope into account (about 20 minutes by car and 40 minutes by bus). We advise you to leave early to be sure to catch the sunrise.
The hill is fantastic for a ballad. You can even eat at the top at Ledinek’s Inn between 3 and 10€.
3. The Kristalna Palaca Or Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace (Kristalna Palaca in Slovene), is a business center where you will get a great viewpoint on the city of Ljubljana.
The Palace is 89 meters high and is the tallest building in Slovenia today. It is a sophisticated and ecological architecture that is perfect for you to climb and observe the view.
The building is intended for business events and meetings, but if you are ever invited to an event on the Green Terrace, do not miss out on the opportunity to relax.
Take a photograph of the view once you get up, and taste the gourmet restaurant on the spot and the top-floor cafe.
Crystal Palace
Šmartinska cesta 152
1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Phone: +386 (0)1 585 13 40
Email: kongresna@kristalna-palaca.com
4. Tivoli Park’s Ski Jumps (Mostec)
If you are looking for a unique viewpoint in Ljubljana, you should go to Tivoli Park and go up the ski jumps in Mostec.
Located in Tivoli Park, Mostec is one of the favorite recreational spots for tourists and Slovenes in Ljubljana. It is the perfect place to go for a walk, do some gymnastics, or go ski jumping during Winter.
However, when it is not snowing, you can still see the ski jumps and climb up the platform. Do not be scared when climbing up. Although you might feel scared of the height: the staircase is entirely safe. You will see the ground getting further and further from your feet.
Once you get to the top, you will see Tivoli Park entirely and like you have never seen it before. Going back when the snow starts to fall in Tivoli and Ljubljana sees the beautiful views of the forest, the park, and the city but covered in white.
5. Rožnik Hill
Rožnik Hill is a great park and hill to go for a lovely and easy hike. The 391 meter-high hill inside Tivoli park will give you some of the best panoramas of Ljubljana you can hope to see. This charming hill is one of the tourists’ favorite spot since the 19th century.
Walk along the Jesenko trail (Jesenkova pot) to discover the beautiful and diverse flora of the area. You will see more than 30 different tree species.
At the bottom of the hill is the Ljubljana Zoo, Slovenia’s National Zoological Park, that you can enjoy with your family and friends after seeing the beautiful Ljubljana from the top of the hill.
6. Ljubljana Castle’s Tower and Park
The Ljubljana Castle is in the center of Ljubljana. It is one of the best places to take a walk under the trees’ shadow, while still being in the middle of the city and being able to observe the buildings.
You can go up to the Castle by taking the funicular. However, it is relatively expensive (4,00€ per adult to go up and down), especially considering you can go up on foot in less than ten minutes from the city center.
The hill can be a bit abrupt for some people, so if you want to take a walk and go to the Castle without getting tired or without a big hill, the easiest way is to enter the Castle’s Park from the other side.
Walk along the trails until you reach the Castle. You will see many beautiful viewpoints everywhere. This is the best way to get the most beautiful souvenir photographs while enjoying a lovely summer afternoon.
Once you get to the Castle, enjoy a fresh beverage at the cafe or the restaurant. Afterward, you can go up to the Castle’s Tower for an incredible view. The only downside is the price (10,00€ per adult and 7,00€ for children, students, and the elderly).
The view is lovely, but do not worry if you cannot go, from the Castle itself and from the park you will have seen more than enough.
7. Hotel Intercontinental Ljubljana
The Hotel Intercontinental in Ljubljana is a luxurious hotel for you to stay. It is the hotel where you will get the best view of the city from your room. The facade is entirely in glass to give you the best experience.
For those you are not staying at the Intercontinental, you can still enjoy the terrace restaurant one the 20th floor of the building. It even has one Michelin star.
From the beautiful contemporary terrace, you will view one the city and even the Ljubljana Castle.
The reception is open 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
Intercontinental Ljubljana
Slovenska cesta 59
1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Phone: +386 (0)59 128 000
Email: icljubljana@ihg.com
Conclusions
Ljubljana is a beautiful city to visit, but it is even more impressive from the many viewpoints all around town. Do not hesitate to walk everywhere and be aware of the landscapes around you. You might see breathtaking sceneries to photograph for a souvenir, or even put on your social media.
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