£36+ Cheap flights to Ljubljana

Ljubljana overview

Despite being located in the heart of central Europe, Ljubljana is one of the continent’s most hidden treasures. Taking its name from the Slavic root word, ‘to love’, the Slovenian capital has been inhabited for 5000 years, and over these five millennia has blossomed into a city of romance, beauty and intrigue.

The city is framed by The Alps, and contains within its mountainous embrace some of the world’s finest examples of Baroque, Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance architecture. In the centre stands Ljubljana Castle, a striking medieval fortress that traces its origins back to the 12th century BC. Surrounding this grand central feature are gingerbread streets of Venetian-style art work and architecture, wafting with the scents of cured pork sausage and bean stews.

Visitors are spoilt for choice, with over 10,000 cultural festivals taking place in and around the city. The most celebrated event is the Ljubljana Summer Festival, where musicians from genres as varied as opera, rock and jazz hold all manner of concerts in the city’s streets and theatres. Museums and art galleries are also in great abundance, while the Slovenian National Opera and Ballet Theatre is worth experiencing for both the quality of performance as well as the splendour of the building itself.

Another essential for anyone taking a flight to Ljubljana is a visit to the city’s bridges. The Triple Bridge connects the city’s central districts, and was originally a main throughway linking Central Europe and the Balkans. Other crossover highlights include the Vienna Secession style Dragon Bridge, and The Butchers’ Bridge where couples profess undying love by attaching padlocks to the bridge’s steel wires.

Getting around Ljubljana

Ljubljana is served by a wide-reaching bus network, and can be paid for in single or return trips, or by purchasing an all-access Urbana Payment Card. Trips can also be paid for via a mobile phone. The free Kavalir is another option, operating as an electric car holding up to five people that can be stopped anywhere in the city centre. Walking is also an option, with the city designed to cater to pedestrians.

Getting from the Airport to the City

Flights to Ljubljana will arrive at Jože Pu?nik Airport (LJU), 16 miles to the north of the city. The airport offers direct flights to major European cities, including London, Amsterdam and Paris. To travel to the city centre, visitors have the option of getting a shuttle service, bus, taxi or renting a car from a number of companies. Alternatively, the city is located where Slovenia’s two main motorways intersect; linking the Pan-European Corridor V with Pan-European Corridor X. Main roads leading to the southwest link Ljubljana with Trieste and Venice, while Graz and Vienna are directly to the north. Zagreb is easily accessible to the east, while Klagenfurt and Salzburg are located directly to the northwest

Ljubljana airport overview

Ljubljana Airport, or Ljubljana Joze Pucnik Airport, is Slovenia’s international airport. Located north of the capital city Ljubljana, it’s the country’s busiest airport, serving around 1.5 million passengers per year.

A small, neat and clean terminal building, Ljubljana is attractive and pleasant to use. As with most airports, during busier times there may be delays and long queues; however, most of the time, checking in and boarding is generally quick and painless. Staff are friendly and helpful.

Although offering only a small assortment of shops and restaurants, Ljubljana Airport has a marvellous Visitor’s Terrace from which passengers can watch planes taking off and landing, as well as some beautiful artworks in the passenger terminal.