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I’ll be honest and say that I had never heard of Skofja Loka and I stumbled upon it by accident.
But I am so glad that I did.
It was such a cute town nestled between Lake Bled and Ljubljana, two of the most popular destinations in Slovenia.
But I spent a wonderful day and evening in Skofja Loka and think it’s worth highlighting to others that it is a stop they should definitely add Skofja Loka to their Slovenia itinerary.
How to get to Skofja Loka
I travelled to Skofja Loka as part of my European road trip. With a car, it is very easy to get to as it is just off the main highway that takes you from Austria or Lake Bled to Ljubljana.
It is about a 45 minute drive to Lake Bled and 45 minutes to Ljubljana so makes the perfect stop off between the two.
There is also a bus station in Skofja Loka with regular scheduled buses to Ljubljana. The buses take about an hour and depart every 30 minutes.
What to do in Skofja Loka
Skofja Loka is one of those places that you can sit around and enjoy without having a hundred things to tick off and do.
This is the sort of place to take it slow and experience small town Slovenia. I honestly think the best thing to do when you arrive in Skofja Loka is to walk around the Old Town and just get lost in all of the small roads and laneways.
You should enjoy your time in the Old Town, sitting in the cafe in the main square opposite the St Jacob Church or in Taverna Rayan where I had dinner.
Old Town weirIf you’re arriving from the bus station and head into the Old Town, you’ll cross the Capuchin Bridge, one of the oldest bridges in Slovenia, and see the statue of St John of Nepomuk, the patron saint of bridges (there is a similar statue on the Charles Bridge in Prague if you ever go there).
Statue of Jan Nepomuceno, Capuchin BridgeThe highlight of Skofja Loka is a visit to go up and see the Loka Castle and museum. Home to a small museum, it is open daily from 10am-6pm in summer and Tuesdays to Sundays from 10am-5pm in winter. The current price is €9 per person but it is worth it for the history of the area dating back to 973AD. For more info on the museum, click here.
Explore the rest of the old town and see the Capuchin Monastery, some of the old book shops I walked past and just enjoy spending time in a place that feels like it hasn’t changed in centuries. Similar to Ptuj, another old town in Slovenia, Skofja Loka is the sort of place just to go slow and take in life.
If you decide to stay longer than a day, there is some excellent hiking and outdoor adventures in the hills surrounding the city. There are even some waterfalls and caves located close by. More information can be found here.
Random facts about Skofja Loka
As I had no idea about Skofja Loka before I arrived, I did some on the ground research and found a few quirky facts about Skofja Loka which may make you want to visit.
It is the birthplace of the Skofja Loka Passion Play which is one of the oldest plays in the Slovene language, written in the early 1700’s.
It is also the birthplace of Jan Oblak, the goalkeeper and captain of the Slovenian national football team.
Not quite as fun, but in the aftermath of the WW2, a series of mass graves were found in the region containing the bodies of prisoners of war from Slovenia and other nations.
It is one of the oldest towns in Slovenia (but not as old as Ptuj!) with the first record of it being in 973AD.
Where to stay in Skofja Loka
I stayed at the Mini Hotel as it had parking and it was part of a road trip itinerary. It is a delightful little chalet perched on a hill about a 15 minute walk away from the old town.
The rooms were pleasant but basic, the breakfast was good and there was ample parking available. It was also one of the cheapest options I found that had free parking in the region.
The large breakfast spread at the Mini Hotel. They were also extremely helpful at reception for advice for onward travelIf you wanted to stay closer to the centre Hotel Garni Paleta overlooks the river and is just a minute walk from the bus station if you’re travelling to Skofja Loka on public transport.
If you’re on a budget, the nearby town of Kranj has the Cukrarna Guest Accommodation available to stay with bunk beds which is the cheapest in the region.
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Summing up a visit to Skofja Loka
Skofja Loka was one of the biggest surprises to me on my trip around Slovenia. It is a beautiful town that is well worth a day or two to stay in and take slow.
Alternatively, it is possible to visit Skofja Loka on a day trip from Ljubljana or Lake Bled if you’re short for time. Either way, it is worth visiting this cute Slovenian town.
Dan is an avid traveller from London. His first big adventure was in 2010 living in Malaysia for 3 months. He has been on the road almost constantly since 2015 travelling to destinations that aren’t on the mainstream tourist trail and working full time and travelling since 2021.
