If you’re planning to visit Ljubljana, you like photography and you want to get the most out of your trip, this blog is for you.

Ljubljana overview
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and is situated in arguably one of the best parts of Europe. It is very central, very easy to get to and is a stones throw away from many other fantastic destinations. Personally I love the calmness of this city, the people and the country. In my time here I never felt rushed or felt like I was missing out by taking things slowly. From exploring the beautiful town, to hiking in the incredible nature, to the amazing food, cosy coffee shops and seaside day trips, I really do feel that Ljubljana has a lot to offer.

Who is it for?
This city is definitely for those who like to take things slow and prefer a more relaxed pace. If you like clean and quiet streets, glorious mountain views and easy access to the great outdoors, this is the place for you. Finally if you are a slow traveller, digital nomad or remote worker, Ljubljana can be a fantastic base from which to explore the wider Slovenia, Croatia, Italy, Austria and many more all within driving distance.

Duration of stay
I stayed for 3 weeks but honestly I wish I could stay for another 3. Although the city might feel small, there is just so much to see and do within 2 hours drive of the city that before you know it, even the longest of stays feels too short. If time is not a huge concern for you, a month here will be ideal. However with that said, everything I will mention in this blog can easily be done in 1 week at a relaxing pace.

Transport
Ljubljana is well connected with bus and train routes from all round Europe. Once here, the city is very walkable with plenty of public buses. Every location in this blog, we managed to reach within 2 hours by using local busses which run every hour. However if you want to visit more remote natural areas and have more control over your day, I do suggest renting a car.

Cost
Although more affordable than some of the bigger European cities, Ljubljana wasn’t the cheapest either. My 3 week studio apartment Airbnb cost me just over €1200 however it within a 10 minute walk to the main centre. Eating out at restaurants would average out around €15 - €25 per head. Even more if you include wine. A good coffee can run you around €2 - €4 and a glass of wine around €7 - €10. I managed to get a 3 week gym pass for €75 and although not cheap, it was well worth it as it was by far one of the best gyms I’ve been to. The busses to and from all the locations were very well priced with weekend tickets being under €10 return and weekday around €15. Generally speaking if you are savvy and shop around, you can have a very affordable week in Ljubljana.

Weather
This will vary so much and I can only speak for September which is when I was there. September ranged from very warm days in the mid 20s to colder days in the mid teens. Early mornings were considerably colder. Although we had ample sunshine we also had 4 days of solid thunderstorms and torrential rain without a break. I generally found that it was either sunny or a full on thunderstorm… nothing in between.

Camera gear
For this trip and the locations I am about to share I suggest the following lenses:

28mm prime
50mm prime
70-200 telephoto zoom

If you prefer, you can replace the primes with a 24-70 but honestly a prime is much nicer in your hand when walking round all day. The 28mm focal length will get you the establishing photos, environmental portraits and all the food photos for your instagram. The 50mm will be your subject, detail, portrait and general street photography lens. The 70-200 will be mostly used when you visit some of the more nature oriented locations. You will see why.

Attitude to photographers
Personally I had no issues at all in Ljubljana or elsewhere. Of course like all European countries there are certain laws around privacy and what you can and can’t photograph, so do your own research. However I’ve never felt like I shouldn’t be taking photos. If you are doing street photography and are including people, just be mindful and respectful like you would anywhere else. So in general, street photography was not an issue and I did not experience anything negative.

Photography in the city
Let’s start with the city itself and I absolutely loved shooting here. It is clean, minimal, the locals are well dressed and everyone seems to be riding these classic looking bikes. Early mornings and mid afternoons provide the best light however blue hour and into the night can produce some great photos. If the weather is a bit dull, you can edit in one of the many cosy coffee shops or if you’re brave enough, head out and get some moody rainy shots. There wasn’t one specific spot that I kept coming back to. Instead I just did loops around the main city around a mile radius around the centre. The three bridges are is also fantastic for people watching. The castle provides a nice view however the best view point I found was from the Neboticnik. Finally don’t forget the markets, museums and galleries. All of these provide fantastic photo opportunities and are just great to visit in general. Finally lens wise I used the 28mm and 50mm for 99% of all my photos in the city.

Lake Bled
As amazing as Ljubljana is, there is so much more not that far away. Let’s start with one of the most visited locations - Lake Bled. It is about an hour and a half by bus from Ljubljana and is well worth visiting. I suggest getting there early as it does get packed. When you first get there, before the crowds, grab one of the tourist boats over to the island. Although it’s a very relaxing journey over, you are limited to just 45 minutes on the island. Sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t. The island is small but there are loads of footpaths and little corners to explore, not to mention the church itself. Another way to get there is by hiring your own small rowing boat. This also means you can stay there as long as you want. After exploring the island, it’s time to walk all the way around the lake. It will take a good few hours or even more if you stop for photos as much as I did. However the views and photo opportunities are fantastic. That walk has been by far my favourite part of the trip. There are ample toilets and food spots too. As you get to the opposite side of the lake, take the little hike to Mala Osojnica for a fantastic view of the lake from above. The hike will take a few more hours and is steep and slippery in places, so make sure you have good hiking shoes. However the view is worth it. I highly recommend a telephoto and a wide lens for this. I used my 28mm wide angle to shoot an ultra wide pano and the telephoto to get all the details. After the hike, carry on all the way round the lake and just before you finish, make sure to do a few tobogganing runs too.

Piran
If you fancy a mini city break within a city break, then Piran is an ideal day trip. A short 2 hour bus journey will take you to what I could only describe as a cross between Slovenia and Italy. A beautiful sea side town with a ton of charm, narrow streets and fantastic viewpoints. I highly suggest walking along the sea, through the harbour and then getting lost in the back streets. After that head over to the main church and climb all the way up to the tower. Just be aware that the bell tower can ring without warning and scare the crap out of you. After that, head over to the town walls and enjoy some fantastic views of Piran. Lens choice would be the same as for Ljubljana. A 28mm and a 50mm prime or a 24-70 would work wonders here.

Lake Bohinj
The final day out is a visit to Lake Bohinj. Situated not too far from Bled, it is a bigger and more remote lake. Because it is not as touristy as Bled, it is also much quieter but with less things to do. We took the same bus and the journey was only 20 minutes or so longer than Bled. When we arrived we got lucky and were greeted with incredible low clouds over the lake. After 30 minutes taking it all in, we began our walk all round the lake. From the bus stop to the other side of the lake, the walk was easy with plenty of great views and photo stops. Once at the halfway point however, the walk became more of a hike. There were a few rocky sections that looked like dried up river crossings. Given we were in September, it was mostly dry. However if visiting in the colder months, this could be more tricky to cross. Overall this was a fantastic walk and a great way to disconnect from the city. I do suggest brining food and drink as not many places to buy it from… if they are even open. Finally lens choice would be same as Bled. Wide and telephoto.

Food & Drink
In no specific order here are my favourite spots for food and drink.

First up is coffee and I gotta give it Stow Coffee. There is the full coffee shop in the city museum as well as a stow to go near the three bridges.
Moving on to breakfast, I would highly suggest Barbarella Juice bar. For lunch I would try out Abi Falafel and then pop to Cafetino or Mala Prazarna for a midday caffeine boost.
Dinner comes in two flavours. If you’re a meat lover and love warm home comfort food, then head over to Julia. From the food, the atmosphere, the service and just the fantastic wine. We loved it there. However do book ahead as it is very popular. If you want something lighter or vegan, I suggest Gaudi. Hands down one of the best vegan restaurants ive been to. Just like Julia, I suggest to book ahead as it is very small.
Finally for an evening drink, head over to the TOZD bar. Great cozy atmosphere and plenty of wine.

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A Guide To Photography In Ljubljana