Considered the best-preserved medieval city in Slovenia, Skofja Loka is worth the short detour between Ljubljana and Lake Bled.
Take the time to stroll in the old streets of the center and climb to the castle to visit its interesting museum.
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit with tips, map and photos.
Before my tips + photos, here are my favorites for Slovenia:
My favorite platform to rent a car in Slovenia: DiscoverCars
My favorite adventure from Bovec: Kayak on the Soca River
My favorite excursion from Ljubljana: Postojna Cave and Predjama castle
My favorite places to stay:
- Lubljana, central – see the best rated hotels or my favorite hotel: Lesar Hotel Angel
- Bled, iconic – see the best rated hotels or my favorite hotel: Vila Bled
- Bovec, outdoorsy – see the best rated hotels or my favorite hotel: Dobra Vila
- Piran, historic – see the best rated hotels or my favorite hotel: Hotel Piran
Why visit the town of Skofja Loka in Slovenia?
The Charm of a medieval town…
When people visit Slovenia, they tend to rush to get to the famous Lake Bled, its castle on the cliff and the Julian Alps.
But in the lower part, where the mountains start appearing, is the medieval town of Skofja Loka, dominated by its castle.
Away from the crowds, it gave me a fantastic first impression of Slovenia.
The old center has very little car traffic, so it is really enjoyable to explore the streets, admire the houses with medieval history and sit under a giant tree to taste delicious ice-creams.
It is one of my favorite towns to visit in Slovenia.
Video – Virtual tour
Below is a short video to give you an idea of what it is like to visit the charming town of Skofja Loka in Slovenia:
More photos after the planning tips.
Planning tips & Map – Skofja Loka, Slovenia
How to get to to Skofja Loka
- SELF-DRIVE – The best solution is to rent a car and go on a self-drive road trip around Slovenia. It is very easy to drive and roads are in excellent conditions.
- ORGANIZED TOUR – To get an overview of the Bled region, you can also join a day trip from Ljubljana which includes the magnificent Vintgar Gorge and Lake Bled. On the return trip, you will stop at Skofja Loka – Check out program and price
Need to rent a car in Slovenia?
My tips:
- Compare prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
- Choose a car with enough power for the mountain roads
- Consider their full coverage option – it for peace of mind!
- Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!
Skofja Loka Location – Map
- North west of Ljubljana
- Easy access via motorway
- South of Kranj
- Ljubljana to Skofja Loka = 30min drive
- Bled to Skofja Loka = 40min drive
- Below is a map to help you get oriented
This location, and many other beautiful places and practical maps, are included in my travel guide eBook, that helps you plan your Slovenia road trip:
Plan your dream trip in Slovenia thanks to my guide
- 7 maps to easily plan your itinerary
- 100+ pre-selected locations
- 16+ extra ideas
- GPS + info to make the most of your time
- 190+ original photos to help you choose
Visit Tips
- Plan at least half a day to enjoy the city and visit the castle – but an overnight stay to soak in the charm of the town is a good idea
- Skofja Loka Castle Opening hours – 10 am to 6pm – Closed on Wednesdays – Check out latest info here
- Small fee to enter
- Hill to get to the castle, wear comfortable shoes
Where to stay in Skofja Loka
If it was a detour on your way to Lake Bled, I recommend you head to my Bled travel Guide to find out about accommodations.
However, because it is less touristic, you can find some good deals and quieter places to stay in Skofja Loka. For example:
- OLD TOWN – right by the river, Hotel Garni has a convenient location – Check out photos and prices
- MODERN – a little further (but not far) is the Turisezm Koka B&B with sauna and jacuzzi – Check out photos and prices
- GREAT FOR FAMILY – The Mini Hotel is built on high grounds, offering a garden and clear views of the region – Check out photos and prices
- or check out all accommodations in Skofja Loka on Booking
About Skofja Loka – History and Facts
- Mentions of the town date back to 973
- It is considered to be the best-preserved medieval town center in Slovenia
- The name means bishop’s meadows
- The old center is located at the confluence of the Selska Sora and Poljanska rivers
- The castle was built to protect the town and later became the governor’s residence
- The town was destroyed in 1511 by the Idrija earthquake and rebuilt by the bishop
- It also has a deep history during world war II as a strategic location
- In Slovenian there are accents: škofja loka.
Best Things to do in Skofja Loka
My favorite activities are:
- Stroll around the old town
- Enjoy the views from the bridges over the river
- Visit the castle museum
- Explore the park of the castle
- Hunt for the best views of the castle
But you can also:
- Visit the Pustal Castle built in 1220
- Hike to the ruins of the Wild Loka Castle, the oldest one that was completely destroyed by the Earthquake in 1511 – it is on the Three Castle Path
Skofja Loka old town – bridge, houses and river
First stop: the town center.
You can park quite close to the river. Don’t forget to pay for parking!!!!
Bridges over River Selska Sora
To access the medieval center, you can cross on one of the bridges: the historical one (Capuchin bridge) or the modern one. Views are charming with the green hills and orange roofs.
Always look up to spot the castle protecting the town!
Old center
The medieval town is organized around 2 main squares. The Town square with the church of St Jacob:
I don’t drink coffee 
But I also like other drinks and sweets!
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Main Square (Mestni trg)
At the upper square the ambiance is a little different. The colorful houses are in better condition. It is a very enjoyable place to stroll.
Homan House
At one end is a 16th century house with a giant tree. It is called the Homan House, a civil manor which was restored in Gothic architectural style (and with some renaissance element) in the 16th century after the 1511 earthquake. You can see a stone with the date engraved.
I really recommend sitting in the shade here to taste the delicious ice-creams or have a quick lunch.
Castle of Skofja Loka & Park (Skofja Loka Grad)
How to get to the Castle
- Your first option is to walk uphill to the castle entrance – note the path includes some steps and slope
- Or you can take your car and drive up there. There is a small carpark inside the fortifications.
Views as you walk up to the castle
From various roads around the town, you can get clear views of the castle and its square shape.
Although the town was mentioned in the 10th century, the castle was first mentioned in 1202. But, it has been established that it dates back to the 11th century.
Today we can’t admire the central square tower because if was brought down in 1892 by the Ursulines who bought the castle. Significant alterations were made to the plan.
During the second world war the castle was occupied by the Germans.
Skofja Loka Castle Park
You don’t have to visit the museum (even though I recommend it). You can simply enjoy a stroll in the park, sit at the Gazebo.
A path has been set up departing from the castle through the forest. It leads to abysses, small monuments and the ruins or an old castle.
But you don’t have to complete the whole loop. You can just walk 2 minutes to see the Skopar House, its hayrack and farm tools. Hayracks are typical in Slovenia, and you will see many as you drive around. They were intended to dry hay, grain, beans… They began to be used in the 16th century.
Museum of Skofja Loka (castle interior)
About the castle
The Skofja Loka Museum is a general museum which covers local information about archeology, history, culture, ethnology and natural history.
It was one of my favorite museums and overall things to do in Slovenia. I must admit that normally I am not a big fan of museums. But I have been pleasantly surprised by many of them in Slovenia especially at Idrija, Bistra and here.They have gathered and present to the visitor, artefacts and documents about the rich history of the town and the region.
I am not going to share pictures of all the exhibits because there are many. But I am giving you a small taste here of what there is to see.
Chapel
One of the first stops is the renovated chapel. The roof is quite elegant.
Museum permanent exhibits
Throughout the many exhibits you can learn a lot about the history of the town, the castle and the region with paintings, documents, pieces of furniture…
This oil painting represents the 1698 fire in the town.
There is a representation of the castle as it used to stand with the central square tower:
However, my favorite parts of the museum, were the section introducing many of the old manual work and their tools. As you can see in the picture below, you can get information in English about most of the scenes you see.
Museum temporary exhibits
The castle also houses temporary expositions with art installations.
Want to see more of the best Slovenia has to offer?
- Best things to do in Slovenia – read article
- Most beautiful landscapes in Slovenia – read article
- Best Castles in Slovenia – read article
- Best waterfalls in Slovenia – read article
- Most beautiful towns in Slovenia – read article
Planning a trip to Slovenia?
Check out my travel guide to help you plan:
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- 100+ pre-selected locations
- 16+ extra ideas
- GPS + info to make the most of your time
- 190+ original photos to help you choose
And keep track of your own trip!
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