Ljubljana scavenger hunt: dragons, bridges and baroque churches by the Ljubljanica
The Ljubljana scavenger hunt is a self-guided city game you play on your phone: you walk from landmark to landmark, solve a riddle at each one by looking closely at what is in front of you, and unlock the stories and legends behind it. Set aside about 2 hours even though the walking is brief, 27 minutes and 2.2 km in total, because the 10 riddles, their stories and the riverside cafés fill the rest.
Highlights include the baroque Town Hall with the Robba Fountain, St Nicholas's Cathedral, the Vodnik Monument at the Central Market, the copper dragons of the Dragon Bridge, the padlocks on the Butchers' Bridge and Prešeren Square. Ljubljana's old town is compact and largely car-free along the river Ljubljanica, so the route is short and easy on foot.
- Durationabout 2 hours
- Walkingabout 27 min · 2.2 km
- Stops10
- LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch
Riddles on bridges, fountains and façades
Where dragons give clues
One riddle waits at each stop, and the answer is in the stone, bronze or copper in front of you: the columned front of the Ursuline Church, the bronze doors of the cathedral, the wings of the Dragon Bridge. Observation and logic are enough, so nobody needs to know Slovene history beforehand.
Poets, saints and Plečnik
Every solved riddle opens a story: the earthquake of 1895 that reshaped the city, Valentin Vodnik and the first Slovene newspaper, France Prešeren gazing across his square towards the woman he loved, and the architect Jože Plečnik, who turned one bridge into three. Each story is also recorded as audio, so you can listen with your eyes on the river.
Back and forth across the river
Google Maps guides you between stops, 27 minutes and 2.2 km in all, crossing the Ljubljanica more than once. Most of the centre is closed to cars and almost flat, so the walking is easy.
Burek, coffee and the market
Stop for a coffee on the riverbank or a burek from a bakery whenever you want, and the game simply pauses. The Central Market lies right on the route, and you can pick up the trail later or the next day.
See the route and attractions →
How it works
- Book online Choose the number of players. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away.
- Get the app Download the World City Trail app from the App Store or Google Play and enter your booking reference.
- Play when you like Start whenever you are ready, walk at your own pace and pause any time. No guide, no fixed schedule.
Who the Ljubljana riddles suit best
Just a weekend in Ljubljana
Ljubljana's historic centre is small, and many visitors only have a day or a weekend. The 10 stops cover the old town on both banks in about 2 hours, which leaves the rest of the day free.
Dragon-spotting kids
Children count the dragons on the Dragon Bridge, hear the legend of Jason and the Argonauts fighting a dragon in the marshes and look for padlocks on the Butchers' Bridge. They play with an adult on their team.
Groups with a competitive streak
Up to 5 players share a team, each with the game on their own phone, which suits friends, colleagues and school groups. The stops lie close together, so teams keep crossing paths, and Prešeren Square makes an obvious meeting point at the end.
Good to know
- Bring a charged smartphone with mobile data; a power bank helps.
- No entry tickets needed: everything happens outside the buildings. Going inside is optional and paid separately.
- Family friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Not suitable for wheelchair users and difficult with strollers.
- Teams of up to 5 work best; bigger groups split into several teams, one ticket per player.
- Every purchase helps support stray cats and dogs in Greece.
The route: Congress Square, the Town Hall and the cathedral, then the market and the bridges
10 stops · about 27 min walking · start: Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity · finish: Triple Bridge
The hunt starts at the baroque Ursuline Church on Congress Square, passes the main building of the university and crosses into the old town to the Town Hall and St Nicholas's Cathedral. From there you walk through the Central Market to the Vodnik Monument and the Dragon Bridge, come back over the Butchers' Bridge and pass the Franciscan Church on Prešeren Square, finishing at the Triple Bridge. The answers are all on the outside of churches, bridges and statues, so an entry ticket never comes into it, and if you happen to be standing by the Triple Bridge, the app is happy to begin there and reorganise the remaining stops.
Open the route map ↗
1Ursuline Church of the Holy TrinityStart
Built for the Ursuline nuns and consecrated in 1726, this is one of the finest baroque churches in Ljubljana. Its tall columned façade looks onto Congress Square, and inside stands a high altar of coloured marble by Francesco Robba. In front of the church rises a baroque Holy Trinity column.
2University of Ljubljana
Founded in 1919, the University of Ljubljana is the oldest and largest university in Slovenia. Its main building on Congress Square was built after the earthquake of 1895 as the Provincial Palace of Carniola. Look at its richly decorated façade, typical of the rebuilding that followed the earthquake.
3Town Hall
Ljubljana's Town Hall on Mestni trg received its baroque look in the early 18th century and still serves the city council. In front of it stands the Robba Fountain, an allegory of the three rivers of Carniola made by Francesco Robba in the mid-18th century; the original is now kept in the National Gallery.
Read the full story →
4St Nicholas's Cathedral
Ljubljana Cathedral was built at the start of the 18th century to plans by the Jesuit architect Andrea Pozzo, and its green dome rises above the market. Inside, frescoes by Giulio Quaglio cover the ceilings. Look at the bronze doors added in 1996 for the visit of Pope John Paul II, which tell the history of Christianity in Slovenia.
5Vodnik Monument
This bronze statue honours Valentin Vodnik (1758–1819), a priest regarded as the first Slovene poet, who also edited the first newspaper in the Slovene language. Made by the sculptor Alojz Gangl and unveiled in 1889, it stands on Vodnik Square among the stalls of the Central Market.
6Dragon Bridge
Opened in 1901, the Dragon Bridge was one of the first reinforced concrete bridges in Europe and is built in the Vienna Secession style. Four copper dragons guard its corners, because the dragon is the symbol of Ljubljana. According to legend, the Greek hero Jason and the Argonauts fought a dragon in the marshes here.
Read the full story →
7Butchers' Bridge
This footbridge over the Ljubljanica opened in 2010, at a spot where Jože Plečnik had once planned a bridge. Couples fix padlocks to its railings as a sign of love, and bronze sculptures by Jakov Brdar, among them Adam and Eve and Prometheus, stand along it.
Read the full story →
8Franciscan Church of the Annunciation
Built by Augustinian monks in the mid-17th century, this pink-red baroque church passed to the Franciscans in the late 18th century. Its façade closes the north side of Prešeren Square, and inside the high altar is the work of the sculptor Francesco Robba.
Read the full story →
9Prešeren Square
The square is named after France Prešeren, Slovenia's national poet, whose bronze statue by Ivan Zajec has stood here since 1905 with a muse above him. A verse of his poem Zdravljica is today the Slovenian national anthem. Follow his gaze to a relief of Julija Primic, the woman he loved without return.
10Triple BridgeFinish
A single stone bridge from 1842 once stood here, until Jože Plečnik added two footbridges at an angle on either side in the early 1930s. With their white balustrades and steps down to the river terraces, the three bridges link Prešeren Square with the old town.
Read the full story →
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Martin– Austria –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Schafft einen guten überblick über die Innenstadt und ist sehr spannend
Luderic– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Activité distrayante et très bien conçue, avec un niveau de difficulté bien étalonné. Dommage qu’il n’y ait pas de trésor à découvrir dans cette chasse au trésor 😉
Finley– United Kingdom –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Gijsbert– Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Raadsels waren erg leuk en afstanden tussen de bezienswaardigheden waren prima te doen.
Tobias– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Mit unseren Kids (4 + 6 Jahre) hatten wir Spaß die 10 Rätsel zu lösen, die einzelnen Stationen sind immer nah beieinander, wir haben knapp 2h gebraucht. Die Rätsel machen Spaß und sind nicht immer auf den 1. Blick zu lösen!
Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Nachdem es zuerst Schwierigkeiten bei der Anmeldung gegeben hat, lief es anschließend perfekt!
Iris– Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Het was leuk om op zo’n manier de stad te leren kennen. Ik zou het makkelijker hebben gevonden als de vele teksten ook voorgelezen konden worden. Als je als stel meedoet zou ik niet meer voor 2 betalen want je doet het toch samen op een telefoon
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
War ganz witzig. Die Texte hatten für und die richtige Länge. Wir konnten ein bisschen was über für Stadt lernen, wurden aber nicht überraschend. Die Rätsel motivieren um alles zu machen. Sie Route ist super gewählt.
Ufuk– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Positiv – Orte waren nah beieinander – Rätsel waren lösbar – Die Google Maps Verbindung – Kein Zeitdruck Negativ – Zu viele detaillierte Informationen – Der Text war nur zum lesen (Keine Vertonung) – Wenn mann etwas ausgewählt hat, konnte man dieses leider nicht mehr ändern.
Italy –
Collected on GetYourGuide
È stato molto divertente fare questa caccia al tesoro! Con calma al nostro ritmo abbiamo passeggiato per la città scoprendo la sua storia e i suoi monumenti
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Diese selbstgeführten Handytouren lösen für mich in kleineren Städten ganz klar die Bustouren ab. Viel günstiger, interessanter, man sieht kleinere Gassen in die man sonst nie gelaufen wäre. Wirklich toll und total entspannt!
Emilie– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
C’est un bon moyen de découvrir l’histoire de la ville. Nous avons passé un agréable moment.
Australia –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Loved that all the hunts were close by and easy to access on foot!
Marissa– Trinidad and Tobago –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Really fun and engaging
Austria –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Der auf der Website ersichtliche Preis (4€) entspricht nicht dem zu zahlenden Preis (8€). Die Aufgaben sind ansonsten nicht schlecht und sorgen für eine lustige Sightseeing.
Alexander– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
super nett mit Kindern
johnny– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
très ludique idéal pour visiter la ville
Antonia– Austria –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Sehr gut. Man kam gut durch die Innenstadt und kannte sich am zweiten Tag schon gut aus 🙂
Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Ist super um einen ersten Eindruck der Stadt zu bekommen. Manche Rätsel sind aber sehr verwirrend (z.B. X)
Jasha– Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Gemakkelijk, duidelijke instructies, toffe manier om de stad te leren kennen. Ook vonden wij de informatieve teksten van meerwaarde.
Nicolas– Belgium –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Very funny and interesting activity. Worth the price. We did it in family, smart and fun way to discover the city and its history.
Melanie– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Great fun and also informative
Silvia– Italy –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Divertente e coinvolgente
Andre– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Wer mit Kids Sehenswürdigkeiten erkunden mag und sie dabei zum Lesen, Lernen und Rätseln zu einer Tour durch das Zentrum motivieren möchte, macht hier alles richtig. Verschiedene Schwierigkeiten und Blickwinkel lassen es nicht langweilig werden. Ganz ohne Tipp haben wir es nicht lösen können, aber es hat Spaß gemacht. 10 Rätsel waren auch ausreichend, wenn man noch mehr anschauen möchte.
Martine– Belgium –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Prima, leuke manier om een stad te bezichtigen
United Kingdom –
Collected on GetYourGuide
So much fun! Easy to use inapp directions, fun game play too. Lovely way to get some history on the town and see the sights! Would buy again for another city!
Belgium –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Zeer leuke activiteit. Goed te doen met kinderen.
Austria –
Collected on GetYourGuide
gut
Sue– United Kingdom –
Collected on GetYourGuide
It was ok and did the job of keeping gnus occupied for a couple of hours. Some of the photos were really difficult to see on your phone in the sun which made those trickier than they needed to be.
France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Très sympa mais pas assez long
Norbert– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Eine sehr gute App, war ein schönes Erlebnis. Die Vorlese-Funktion hat nicht immer funktioniert, war aber nicht weiter störend. Ein paar Zeilen kann man ja auch selbst lesen… Alles in allem, sehr gut!
Patrick– Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Die App funktioniert soweit recht gut und führt an einigen Punkten entlang, die wir sonst nicht unbedingt so sehr beachtet hätten und führt auch zu genauerer Betrachtung. Einige der Rätsel sind besser als andere; bei manchen braucht es fast schon die Tipps um überhaupt eine Zuordnung zu haben, wie die Lösung sein muss. Der Preis ist für die eher kurze Länge mit 10 Stationen etwas zu hoch.
Ingeborg– Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Op een makkelijke manier kort de geschiedenis van de stad leren kennen. Ideaal.
Switzerland –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Although the riddles could be a bit more challenging, we still had an awesome time and we enjoyed this funny way to explore the city.
Tamara– Italy –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Davvero bello, diverso, divertente e interessante.
Austria –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Super
Austria –
Collected on GetYourGuide
War sehr sehr interessant danke ☺️
Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Wij vonden het te moeilijk.
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
-Die ausgewählten Sehenswürdigkeiten sind gut und die Information dazu auch. -die Programmierung der App fanden wir umständlich- dadurch hat die Schnitzeljagd weniger Spaß gemacht -App ist ein paar mal abgestürzt
Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
It was a new experience! A city tour method that I recommend for solo traveller. Although I was expecting more levels and difficulty, but it was good enough
Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Het was leuk om door middel van een spel de stad te verkennen. Dit maakte het ook voor de kinderen (tieners) leuk.
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Die Rallye war ganz nett. Die Rätsel waren lösbar und alle ziemlich ähnlich. Leider war die Burg nicht dabei, meiner Meinung nach eine wichtige Station. Zwischendurch gab es ganz nette Geschichten über Legenden und Sagen. Insgesamt ok, aber kein Highlight.
Austria –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Anfänglich waren die Rätsel etwas schwer zu lösen aber dennoch gut gelungen. Es war mal etwas anderes und lustig für uns. Was wir ebenfalls toll fanden, dass man die Stadt/Rätsel in seinem eigenen Tempo erkunden/lösen konnte.
Greece –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Interesting idea , interactive way to explore the city. The tasks were well thought.
Greece –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Excellent activity , highly recommended.
Greece –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Very nice way to explore the city!
guam21 –
Such a nice walk, nice riddles, very nice idea in general!