Ljubljana Central Market

What makes it special

The market is two places side by side. Open-air stalls fill Vodnikov trg and Pogačarjev trg with fruit, vegetables, cheese and cured meat, and on the river side stand the market halls designed by the architect Jože Plečnik, following the curve of the Ljubljanica.

From the street you see a long colonnade. Look for the curved stairs that drop to the lower level, and for the entrance that opens straight off the Triple Bridge.

Downstairs is the fish hall, with a small fish restaurant, stalls of dried fruit and the DobraVaga gallery. Upstairs, under the arcade, the counters sell cheese, honey and charcuterie.

Locals come here to meet as much as to shop. Once you have done the stalls, take a seat at one of the riverside cafés.

Visiting

Walk the open-air rows on Vodnikov trg and Pogačarjev trg first, while the choice of fruit, vegetables and cheese is widest. Then cross to Plečnik’s halls along the river.

Follow the colonnade on the upper level, then take the stairs down to the lower storey, where the fish market is.

Leave by the entrance on the Triple Bridge, which puts you straight back in the centre. On a Friday from mid-March to the end of October, stay for Open Kitchen, the street-food market that takes over Pogačarjev trg.

Tips

Carry cash for the smaller stalls, even if you have paid by card everywhere else in the city, and bring a small bag if you plan to take food home as gifts. Ask before you photograph a stall or its holder close up. Saturday morning is the busiest and liveliest time of the week, and Friday is the fish market’s busiest day.