How to Make the Most of a Visit to Beautiful Skofja loka

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Why should you visit Å kofja Loka, Slovenia?

Å kofja Loka is a picturesque medieval town near Slovenia’s Julian Alps with roots tracing back to the 11th century. It is famous for its rich cultural heritage and is one of the prettier towns of the beautiful Upper Carniola region. We travelled here on one of our road trips of the north-western side of Slovenia.

What you will find here

This post will tell you all about my personal experience visiting Škofja Loka. As I mentioned, I stopped here during a road trip to explore the town so I’ll be sharing with you the most important aspects of the town to have a look at. If you’re also travelling around Slovenia, I have lots of guides on Slovenia to help you!

The river in Å kofja Loka.
The river in Å kofja Loka.
Table Of Contents
  1. Why should you visit Å kofja Loka, Slovenia?
  2. What Is there to do at Å kofja Loka?
  3. What are the best vegan eats in Å kofja Loka?
  4. When is the best time to visit Å kofja Loka?
  5. How do you get to Å kofja Loka?
  6. What are the best hotels to stay in when visiting Å kofja Loka?
  7. Is it worth a visit to Å kofja Loka?
  8. Best places to book your trip
  9. Thanks for reading!
  10. Pin This To Keep It As A Resource!
Kamniti most from Blaževa ulica in Škofja Loka, Slovenia.
Kamniti most from Blaževa ulica in Škofja Loka, Slovenia.

What Is there to do at Å kofja Loka?

View the stunning bridges

This is probably the highlight of Škofja Loka if you’re a photographer like me! There are three main bridges. Kamniti most, or ‘Capuchin Bridge’, is on the western side, Novi loški most, or ‘new bridge of Škofja Loka’, in the middle, and Šeširski most, or ‘hat bridge’, to the east. 

The views from Novi loški most, Škofja Loka, Slovenia.
The views from Novi loški most, Škofja Loka, Slovenia.
The courtyard outside the museum at Å kofja Loka castle.
The courtyard outside the museum at the castle.

Visit the Å kofja Loka Castle & Museum

The Škofja Loka Castle & Museum is located on the hill atop the town. It is a leisurely, incline walk up to the top through a nice green space with excellent views of the town. There is a cafe just at the entrance of the gate which is a great spot to grab an iced coffee and enjoy the views. FYI there is a playground on the way to the castle that is called a pretty awful name in Slovenian. Don’t ask. 

The entrance to the castle.
Mestni trg.

Explore the town square

The Mestni trg, or town square,is also a great place to wander. Enjoy some boutique stores, visit the Škofjeloški vodnjak ‘water fountain’ and the Marijino znamenje ‘Mary’s statue’. There are some really beautiful and well-preserved buildings here and while we were there some streets were under construction.

The details on some of the buildings is excellent!

What are the best vegan eats in Å kofja Loka?

Å kofja Loka is weirdly a little more vegan-friendly than other towns in Slovenia with a couple of cafes and restaurants offering vegan options. There is a cafe Kavarna Vahtnca that has vegan options on their menu (outside seating available, too for summer!), and the restaurant OÅ¡tarija u Lok also has vegan options (again, outside seating so perfect for summer!).

A small road in Å kofja Loka.

When is the best time to visit Å kofja Loka?

I visited during September and the weather was still perfect for sitting outside and enjoying the sun and strolling through the town. As it is a bigger town there is plenty of parking space and we didn’t have any trouble finding one during lunch hour. I would say to keep in mind that during winter some of the roads to Škofja Loka may be closed around and through the Julian Alps.

Imagine living here!

How do you get to Å kofja Loka?

Å kofja Loka is only a 30 minute drive from Ljubljana or an hour train ride from Ljubljana, making it an excellent option for a day trip. It is also only 40 minutes from the Austrian border. 

The view from the incline walk towards the castle.
The view from the incline walk towards the castle.

What are the best hotels to stay in when visiting Å kofja Loka?

You can find all the available accommodation in the area on this map below:

Walking towards the bridge.
Walking towards the bridge.

Best places to book your trip

Did you love this post? By booking through these links, you can support me at no additional cost for you. Your support helps me write honest guides and helpful posts!

🖤 Book a hotel with Booking.com (this is my favourite website to book hotels)

🖤 Get an e-sim for your trip with Airalo

🖤 Book experiences with Viator.com

🖤 Book experiences with GetYourGuide.com

🖤 Book a car with Rentalcars.com

🖤 Book lounge access for your airport with Priority Pass (I’m an airport lounge girlie)

🖤 Find somewhere to leave your storage with Radical Storage

VERDICT

Is it worth a visit to Å kofja Loka?

Škofja Loka is a pretty town that is worth stopping at to take a couple of photos. It is definitely not the most culturally rich town but I still think it is worth a stop and look around if you’re going through this way.

Thanks for reading!

I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you’re on Instagram, you can find me over here: @apicturesquelife or youtube: @apicturesquelife and I’d be happy to connect!
xoxo,

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