Top 7 Hidden Gems of Ljubljana, Slovenia + Moving Abroad After a One-Week Trip with Sharon Kaufman

Zero To Travel Podcast

Jason Moore

Society & Culture, Business, Entrepreneurship, Places & Travel

4.6 • 866 Ratings

🗓️ 10 February 2026

⏱️ 65 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What are the best hidden gems and local experiences in Ljubljana, Slovenia, that some travelers completely miss? Sharon Kaufman is a licensed local guide in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and founder of MyLjubljanaTour.com. Originally from Israel, she moved to Slovenia with her family on what was meant to be a one-week vacation and ended up building a new life there. Today, she leads free and paid tours focused on helping travelers experience Ljubljana through local stories, food, and everyday culture. In this episode, Sharon shares about her spontaneous family move to Ljubljana, how she built a life and business there, and her top hidden gems and local tips for experiencing the city like a resident, not a tourist. If you’re planning a trip to Slovenia or curious about what makes Ljubljana special, this episode is packed with practical recommendations. Sharon walks us through lesser-known places to explore, affordable ways to get around, unique food experiences, art districts, scenic viewpoints, and easy nature escapes right from the city. You’ll also hear how her perspective as a local guide shapes the way she helps travelers connect more deeply with the city. Which of these Ljubljana, Slovenia, experiences would you want to explore first? I'd love to hear what they are, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: How a one-week family vacation unexpectedly turned into a move to Slovenia What Sharon quickly learned about daily life, culture, and work-life balance in Ljubljana How intuition and local conversations shaped her decision to stay How she transitioned from online coaching to becoming a licensed local guide One of the most affordable and fun ways to explore the city Where to get sweeping views of Ljubljana without crowds or ticket lines A hidden market area with local food and unique vending machines that most visitors walk right past A hidden alley filled with public art, symbolism, and a secret pub An alternative art district shaped by activism, creativity, and nightlife A cafe locals love for great coffee, healthy food, and a relaxed vibe An easy forest hike just minutes from the city center, plus what to eat at the top The best times of year to visit Ljubljana and where to go beyond the city And so much more Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter MyLjubljanaTour.com Want More? Top 10 Iceland Hidden Gems (Highlands, Hot Springs, and Hidden Canyons) + Building a New Life Abroad with Jewells Chambers from All Things Iceland 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Moving Abroad (Or Traveling Long-Term) with Chrishan Wright Top 10 Reasons to Love Living Abroad with Botik Quest Thanks To Our Sponsors Listen to the Planet Visionaries podcast on Apple and Spotify Experience an audio guide to the world's strange, incredible, and wondrous places on the Atlas Obscura Podcast Go to https://surfshark.com/zerototravel or use code ZEROTOTRAVEL at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Let's look at this place from another perspective, maybe of potential people who might actually
0:07.2	live here.
0:07.8	Let's see, yeah?
0:08.9	And we started looking at kindergartens and the work-life balance and the nature.
0:14.4	The fact that actually most people speak very good English, which is a bonus point because
0:18.3	Louisian is a very hard language.
0:20.3	So a lot of things headed up and
0:21.6	something in their intuition said, oh my God, this is, this feels so right. Crazy, but right.
0:27.7	We kind of fell in love and we actually decided to start our lives here with one suitcase.
0:32.7	This is a crazy story you'll hear at the top of this episode. That's today's guest, Sharon Kaufman.
0:37.8	She did indeed leave her home country with her family for a one week vacation. They had one
0:42.2	suitcase, family of four, and that was the plan. Typical trip, go back home, except their flight
0:47.7	got delayed and they never went back. She still hasn't been back. It's insane. And so we dig into what that was all about, how that happened, and we'll pull out some lessons from that experience.
1:00.0	And of course, you'll get this awesome list of the top seven hidden gems in Lubiana, Slovenia,
1:07.3	a place that I've always wanted to visit, including a tucked away village.
1:10.8	Many travelers just walk right past, which is right inside the capital.
1:16.1	Lake Bled, of course, a famous place to visit, but there's a place a short distance away that is
1:20.2	much less crowded and perhaps just as beautiful, arguably.
1:24.3	Authentic Slovenian food, what to eat, where to find it, the best street art,
1:28.5	nightlife, and more coming at you right now in this episode. So buckle up, strap in. Thanks for
1:34.0	being here. And welcome to the Zero to Travel Podcast, my friend.
1:42.8	You're listening to the Zero to Travel Podcast where we explore exciting travel-based work,
	...

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