Historic Ljubljana Tour with Ljubljana Castle included





Description
This tour is definitely different for many reasons: - it is run by locals and locals only. We are not only licensed tour guides but have also lived in Ljubljana for decades and know the city like our own pocket. - most of the guides have high formal education, and are glad to explain more also about economy, art, politics, contemporary social issues and how people of Slovenia live today. - the tour is a private tour. Which means we dedicate our time and knowledge to you and to you only. It also means you do not have to share the attention and squeeze with 30 other tourists, which often happens at "free" or other non-private tours. - we are aware of negative impacts of tourism on local environment. We will always present you locally made products and not products of multinational companies and will introduce you to sustainable tourism practices in Ljubljana. - the tour can be customized. - we will not bore you with numbers and years of every laid brick. The tour is also fun :).
Tour Options
Itinerary
We will walk through the old town of Ljubljana. We will visit the food market, see the Ljubljana Cathedral, Robba Fountain, Town Hall, the Cobblers` Bridge, National and University Library, river Ljubljanica, Congress Square, Preseren Square with a statue of the poet, Triple Bridge, Butchers` Bridge and Dragon Bridge.
We will see the central food market of the city, operating on the same spot for about 120 years! You will see the merchants and goods they are selling. From fruits and vegetables to other home made produce brought from different parts of Slovenia and mostly ecologically produced: dairy products, meat, bread, oils, juices, flowers....ever seen a milk machine?
We will talk about the history of the cathedral and see the famous two doors, masterpieces of sculpture: the Slovenian door and the Ljubljana door. Both representing the history of the Christianity in Slovenia.
We will stop and admire the beauty of this Baroque fountain and explain its artistic and historical value.
We will see the Town Hall from the outside and part of it from the inside. It was built in the late 15th century and Ljubljana mayors have governed the city in the very building since that time.
We will see this charming bridge designed by the famous architect Joze Plecnik. We will talk about the judiciary and punitive practices of the Middle Ages here. Why here? As this bridge witnessed a number of cheating butchers and bakers dipped in the river. We will also talk about the river itself and its importance for the city in the past and today.
We will see the biggest homework of The Architect and witness rich symbolics of his architecture. This temple of knowledge is definitely worth of all the attention.
We have three historical stories at this square to see and to talk about: Teutonic knights and their monastery, Napoleonic wars and Illyrian Provinces, and Joze Plecnik, the architect.
You will see the Congress Square and Star Park, Ursuline Church, the building of Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra - one of the oldest institutions of its kind in Europe, the Ljubljana University building and more. You will also hear why the name of the square is such as it is.
You will see some of the most important Ljubljana landmarks from the Preseren Square. It offers a great view of the square, the Triple Bridge, the Franciscan Church, some of the biggest Art Nouveau architectural masterpieces of Ljubljana and of course a view of the statue of the poet, after whom the square is named. You will hear about his importance for Slovenian literature and also about his unheard love.
One of the biggest landmarks of Ljubljana is also one of the greatest works of the architect Joze Plecnik. We will talk about its history, its purpose and symbolics that the Architect loved to incorporate in his works. Why three bridges you ask?
You will see this beautiful Baroque church with a pink facade, that resembles Il Gesu church in Rome.
The bridge is named also a "Love Bridge" today because of all the locks locked to it. You will get to know why this bridge is pretty new, why is it named Butcher`s Bridge and what is the meaning of those grotesque statues on it.
Dragon Bridge is one of the most well-known bridges in Ljubljana and a masterpiece of Art Nouveau architecture. You will get to know why a dragon is the symbol of Ljubljana.
We will take the castle railway funicular to the top of the castle hill. You will hear more about the history of the castle and get to know what purposes it has served since it was built at the end of the 15th century. We will also climb the viewing tour for astonishing views above Ljubljana and Slovenia.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Wheelchair accessible
Reviews(13)
Peter gave us a comprehensive tour of Lubjlijana. Starting with a condensed history of the city and key players in the country and city's history. His English is excellent.
Dear Cecilia, Thank you very much for the beautiful review, I appreciate it. I am very glad you enjoyed the tour. It was great meeting you! Wish you best, Peter
Peter provides a wonderful tour. He is extremely knowledgeable, flexible and happy to address thoroughly all questions. He is proud of his city and it shows in his tour.
Dear Bonnie, Thank you so much for your review, I appreciate it! It was a pleasure meeting you and giving you the tour. I hope you enjoyed your time in Slovenia. All the best with your future travels, Peter
Our guide Peter Mucnik was fantastic. Super knowledgeable and perfect English. Thoroughly enjoyed this tour.
Dear Neelofur, thank you for your feedback, I am glad you enjoyed the tour! I very much enjoyed your questions and your company as well. Wish you best, Peter
(Review written by Jill). This is a fantastic tour! Pete was extremely knowledgeable and a great communicator. He did a great job explaining Ljubljana’s history and culture by giving us the perfect number of details without being overwhelming. I have done a number of “city walking tours” around Europe and this was one of the best.
Dear Jill, thank you so much for your review, I am super glad you enjoyed the tour! I also very much enjoyed your company. It was great meeting you all! Wish you best, Peter
We had a very enjoyable walking tour around Ljubljana’s Old Town with Peter, who is knowledgeable about his city and is happy to share his knowledge with you. It was a private tour, so there were just the two of us, and so we could set the pace which was nice. Streets, buildings, statues, river, … Peter knows it all! The tour ended with a ride up the funicular to Ljubljana castle, and a tour of the castle itself. We highly recommend Peter and his tour. Our tour started at 3:30pm which meant that one or two of the local shops had closed by the time we got to them - in hindsight, an earlier start might have been better. Just a thought!
Dear Andrew, Thank you so much for your review, I am super glad you enjoyed the city and the tour. It was great meeting you! Wish you all the best and welcome back! Peter
Very good experience. We learned a lot about the beautiful city. Great guide. I would recommend this tour to everyone.
Dear Mariann, Thank you for leaving your review, I apreciate it and am very glad you enjoyed the tour. It was great meeting you! Best, Peter
Peter was a great guide; very personable and had a good sense of humor. We established a good rapport. The most physical part of the tour was the climb up to the top of the tower. Recommended.
Peter was outstanding! He personalized the tour based upon our requests. In addition, he went above and beyond to ensure we got the most out of the tour. Peter shared historical facts as we visited each site. He was great at answering our questions. We learned a lot from Peter while enjoying beautiful Ljubljana! Highly recommended Peter and the tour.
Dear Christopher, thank you for taking time for the review, I appreciate it! Super glad you enjoyed the tour! It was a pleasure meeting you and taking you around. Wish you best, Peter
We shared a couple of wonderful, if soggy, hours with our guide who blended a history lesson into this landmarks tour. Taking us from the time Ljubljana was a small fortification through to liberation from Yugoslavia our interest in the stories shared by our guide never waned. This city has amazing scenery and stories that are worth the visit and this tour helps you to discover them.
Dear Tanya, Thank you for your review, I appreciate it! Wish you best, Peter
Peter was an excellent guide . He explained everything very clearly and was patient through the tour. Covered all the important sites in 3 hours.
Dear Gajendran, Thank you very much for taking time for the review! It was great meeting you and I enjoyed these 3 hours with you as well! Wish you best!:) Peter



