Slovenia.
The biggest revelation of 2018 and now a huge love of mine, this small country that many confuse with Slovakia (but has nothing to do with it), lies between Croatia, Austria, Hungary and Italy and is literally waiting for you to steal your heart. Clearly one of the countries i fell in love with at first glance and want to go back to, Slovenia combines romantic aura, dazzling architecture and of course the most beautiful natural beauty you will ever see. Plus , the capital Ljubljana is seriously underrated.
Unfortunately, it is relatively difficult to access at least from Greece due to expensive air services. The easiest access to the city is via neighboring Zagreb, Croatia (about 2 hours), either via Venice by car or by train.
Read about Zagreb here Visiting the worn out Zagreb
This country is known for its natural beauty, also known as the “land of forests”, since over half of its land is covered by forests, mainly beech and fir. It is the third European country in forests amount after Finland and Sweden and is moving forward with enormous ecological awareness. The living level of the Slovenians is excellent and I could easily imagine myself staying there.
A Few Words About Slovenia
Having been part of the Roman Empire , after part of the Austro-Hungarians, in 1918 the Slovenes first exercised self-determination, establishing the internationally unrecognized State of Slovenia, Croats and Serbs, which merged with Yugoslavia. During World War II, Slovenia was captured and annexed to Germany, Italy, Croatia and Hungary. Slovenia was then a founding member of SOD. of Yugoslavia, until 1991 where it was declared an independent state.
The capital of Ljubljana
Small and graceful, Ljubljana is a relatively crowded capital. Its old town, full of art nouveau and baroque buildings and of course the river Ljubljanica crossing it, is a whole piece of art that owes its unmatched beauty to architect Jose Plečnik. He in particular was responsible for the construction or let’s better say completion of the triple bridge, behind some of the facades of buildings on the banks of the river and behind the magnificent National Library. Of course his masterpieces are many and rightly has the reputation of being the most influential person in Ljubljana’s history. If you want to know more about this national architect you can visit his home, which now functions as a museum (Karunova Ulica 4)
The myth that the city was founded by Jason with the Argonauts at the point where he killed a terrible dragon justifies the city’s love for the dragons, culminating naturally in the Dragon Bridge adorned by 4 dragons at its edges.
Be sure to visit the Castle at the top of the hill as it will give you a unique view of the city. You can go uphill to the Castle or take the cable car for about 2.5 euros. Inside the castle, you can learn about the history of the city and there is also a lot of interesting tours and dungeons for the most adventurous!
Important sights that are scattered in the old town are the monument of the national poet of the country Dr. France Prešeren, creator of the Slovenian national anthem. The monument is on Preeneren Square looking out the window of his beloved Julia Primic.
Some attractions
The Town Hall is a beautiful building with wonderful details that you should devote some time to it that right in front of it you will find a historic city fountain the Robba Fountain, a work by Italian Francesco Robba from 1751. Of course the original piece is in the National Gallery.
Jose Plečnik’s Central Market, is an interesting place to visit and observe the local life and of course do not miss the most important church, the St. Nicholas Cathedral (1706).
A very interesting and remarkable museum is the Ethnographic Museum of Slovenia. Created in 1923, when it was separated from the National Museum of Slovenia and now hosts and preserves important exhibits of the culture of both Slovenian daily life as well as other spiritual and social aspects.
And some more…
Other important museums in the city are the National Gallery of Slovenia and the City Museum.
Continuing on, don’t forget to visit the Central Market. A place for local shopping and of course social gatherings . It consists of the open air market (on the squares Vodnikov trg and Pogačarnev trg), the closed one between them and some shops located across the river in a magnificent colonnade designed by the usual suspect Plečnik. Every Friday between March and October, the Open Kitchen (Odprta kuhna) is organized, where city chefs cook dishes from around the world.
Slovenia loves nature and the city could not miss a huge park to stroll around, spend beautiful time with your family, but also see and admire … wonderful paintings? Oh yes, a large collection of artworks is there as an outdoor museum in the beautiful Tivoli Park.
Moving on , for lovers of alternative art and graffiti, a walk on the Metelkova Mesto on the homonymous street is a must. Former camps, after their abandonment at the end of the war in 1991, have slowly turned into a place of expression and art. Graffiti filled the walls, strange creatures are scattered throughout the space, and the former obscurity and muddle has given way to color and free expression. Artistic activities, exhibitions and concerts often take place on the site. It’s a really unique place, don’t miss it.
We tried and recommend:
Druga Violina: If you’re looking for a great place to eat traditional dishes in the center of the old town, this is the restaurant you are looking for. In addition to tasty food, this one also works as it employs people with special abilities. ( See more HERE)
Sorbara Steak House: For lovers of good meat, this place will delight you. Not included in Ljubljana’s cheap eats, but well worth the money you’ll spend.( See more HERE)
Pizzeria Ljubljanski Dvor: On the bank of the river, this pizzeria is always full of people, not unjustly. Very nice pizza and good prices.
Norno Zrno: Here you will have a great coffee and you will find out details about the origin of the variety you choose. It is a tiny place with a beautiful terrace.( Gornji trg 17)
Day trip to Lake Bled
It is forbidden to stay in Slovenia and see Ljubljana and not visit the fairytale, lush lake Bled. The easiest way is of course renting a car and driving for about 40 minutes on the A2 motorway. If you do not want to go through this process, there are two options, the train and the bus. In this case, the bus is the best choice as it leaves you 300 meters before the lake and runs approximately every hour from Ljubljana. The ticket costs around 7 euros and the journey is half an hour, as it stops in other small towns as well.
The whole area is great, rent a bike or walk around the lake ( like we did ), and hop on a boat to admire the lake from another perspective.
Read about our Lake Bled experience . https://www.evitatravelstheworld.com/en/2020/02/11/visiting-lake-bled-all-you-need-to-know/
For our stay in Ljubljana , we choose a centrally located hostel. CHECK IN: Kva Hostel – Ljubljana .
Evita.
