Slovenia, typically is an ‘off the radar’ European nation, which in itself makes it a delightful country to visit. Since its next door neighbor, Croatia, is higher on the glamour quotient, most people tend to bypass Slovenia. We were glad we at least had 2 nights in Slovenia. We chose to spend 1 night in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia and 1 night in Bled.
We hired a private car transfer through Airtrail Slovenia from Motovun. En-route we had a stop at Predjama castle. It’s a lovely fairy tale like castle that is carved into the mountains and caves. We did not enter the castle and simply saw it from the outside due to our time limitations and some reports suggest the inside is not as worthwhile. If you have an entire day then nearby Postojna caves can also be visited. Keep in mind that even in the summer, it is extremely cold inside the caves and in the castle so be sure to bring very warm clothes that you can layer on, once inside.
We chose to stay at Hotel Emonec in Ljubljana and it is an excellent hotel in the pedestrian area close to good restaurants and inside a quiet courtyard. The family room was in fact 2 rooms. It was the most spacious suite we had on this trip, although other rooms are standard size. Unlike cities like Paris, where hotel rooms are so tiny, you totally feel cheated; Ljubljana was great on the price/value of hotel rooms. Not sure if we were just lucky with the room but this suite of rooms was larger than anything we ever stayed at, even in the US.
Right outside Hotel Emonec, is a bakery with several delicious pastry choices. Try the Emona cube (emona kocka) – a layered cake, the gibanica and potica. Along the river embankment between Triple and Cobbler’s bridges also you will find options to enjoy coffee or pastry.
We thoroughly enjoyed Ljubljana and wondered if we should have stayed in Ljubljana for 2 nights instead of the 1 night we had in Bled also. Ljubljana reminded me of Salzburg on a smaller scale with its castle on top of the hill but with perhaps less of the historic value.
The Ljubljana castle is more a castle in name but it is free, except there is a ticket for the funicular to take you up (You can also walk up and there may be a tourist train that takes you up too). The castle itself has nothing much apart from a café, some exhibit areas and an exhibition on Slovenian history but it makes for a pleasant visit. The castle is used as a venue for events and concerts. From the top you have a good view of the city.
The one trend that I do not like, that I have seen all over Europe is the graffiti on the walls. I think graffiti makes the buildings look hideous. Especially on historic buildings I sure wish there is some paint that prevents graffiti.
The next day morning, we decided to join the Ljubljana free walking tour and it was a really good decision. We learned much about the city and its famous architect Jože Plečnik. In designing Ljubljana, Plečnik modeled the city on ancient Athens. Plečnik masterful design is reflected everywhere, in the bridges, river embankment and buildings. Be sure to see the Cathedral, National Library, Cobblers Bridge and Dragon Bridge. Plečnik’s creative genius is definitely a big reason that the city of Ljubljana is so thoroughly charming. On the free walking tour, tips are welcomed by the hard working guides and it’s an excellent way to get an introduction to the city.
We walked into the beautiful Ljubljana Cathedral and found the choir was singing so we stayed to pray and listen to the music for a while. During the walking tour, the guide explains the significance of the Cathedral’s carved door. The Slovene Door depicts Slovene history to commemorate the 1250th anniversary of Christianity in Slovenia.
We also visited the lovely Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church, commonly known as the Orthodox Church, which is an Eastern Orthodox Church. On the way back, the girls could not resist shopping at the Zara store and we purchased couple of items.
We dined twice at Julija (that’s Juliet, right opposite, look for the cafe Romeo 🙂 ). The food at Julija was great and the price reasonable.
Shopping
There are shops along the Riverside market. Along riverfront next to Triple Bridge is Rustika gallery (on castle side, not to be confused with ice cream shop rustika)
Restaurants
Ljubljana has a wide variety of restaurants and cuisines. Eateries change all the time so it’s a good idea to ask locals or at the hotel before visiting one.
Zvezda Kavarna for cakes like Emona kocka cube
Julija ask about their lunch specials
Most: Petkovshkovo nabrezhje 21, Ljubljana 1000
Okrepcevalnica Ribca: Adamich-Lundrovo nabrezhje 1, Ljubljana 1000 for Seafood, grilled king prawns
Compared to Italian cities or Paris or London, Ljubljana is not very crowded and that makes for a more pleasant tourist experience. Ljubljana is truly, one beautiful, underrated European city.