I am ashamed to admit that before our visit, I was unable to find Slovenia on a map, but that all changed. Once you go there, Slovenia is not a place you’ll forget.
My wife Monique and I enjoyed a wonderful train journey from Vienna to Slovenia and arrived at the rather grim looking Ljubljana railway station.
Table of Contents
1. Old Town Walking Tour
Ljubljana is a charming small city and as much of the old town is pedestrianized, it’s a perfect place to spend a leisurely day just wandering around.
From our Airbnb, we strolled along the river Ljubljanica until we reached Prešeren Square.
Located roughly halfway between Vienna and Venice, it’s easy to see Ljubljana as where the Italian and Germanic worlds meet.
From Prešeren Square you can stroll around the medieval town on the eastern side of the river or cross into the more modern city on the western side.
2. The Triple Bridge
The Triple Bridge or Tromostovje, is slap bang in the middle of the city and connects Prešeren Square to the medieval sights across the river.
As the name suggests, it is made up of three bridges: a central stone bridge and two matching side bridges. You get great views of the river and castle.
It’s also a common meeting place, both planned and unplanned: we met up with our travelling companions with whom we shared a train compartment from Villach, which was totally unplanned, as well as a scheduled get together with my brother Richard and his wife Jenny who were staying nearby.
3. Congress Square
Located about just 300m from Prešeren Square, Congress Square has a very different, more business-like and modern vibe. It dates back to 1821 and is surrounded by some of the city’s most important buildings including the University of Ljubljana, the Slovenian Philharmonic and the Monastery and Church of the Holy Trinity.
The architecture is electric, although decidedly Germanic and it offers a fantastic view of the castle. Next to the square is the green oasis of Zvezda Park, a perfect place to chill for a few moments.
4. Tivoli Park
Go another 500m past Congress Square and you will find the 5 square km expanse of Tivoli Park. The Park contains several historic buildings such as Tivoli Castle, walking trails, playgrounds, a skateboard park and a rather good ice cream stand. It’s rarely busy and idyllic on a sunny day.
5. Butchers’ Bridge
Ljubljana’s love bridge is Butchers’ Bridge, where countless lovers have padlocked their love to the bridge and dropped the keys into the river Ljubljanica, which flows underneath. As Monique and I didn’t have a padlock, we simply shared a lingering kiss.
Built in only 2010 and adorned with several creepy statues, it should feel out of place, but somehow it fits in perfectly with the older buildings that surround it.
6. The Dragon Bridge
The bridge’s dragon statues appear in many of the most recognizable images of Ljubljana. The Dragon Bridge is an important river crossing for vehicles, so do look both ways before crossing.
For us it marked the halfway point from our Airbnb to the centre of the old town, and there are several lovely restaurants and cafes along the riverbank as you head eastwards into the city centre.
7. Ljubljana Cathedral
While it’s not of the scale of the major cathedrals in larger cities and the exterior is somewhat unassuming, despite its instantly recognizable green dome and twin towers, don’t ignore this gem as the interior is dazzling.
You can wander around the building and pay close attention to every magnificent detail, but I enjoyed it best by sitting in a rear pew and simply soaking up the atmosphere that resulted from so much beauty being in one, relatively small space.
8. Central Market
Ljubljana’s Central Market comprises open-air stalls in two small squares, a covered market situated in between them, and a series of small food shops along the river. The market offers a wide choice of Slovenian fruits and vegetables grown by local farmers as well as dry cured meats and flowers.
It’s unhurried and calm, and an important meeting place for locals to gather and spend time together. Enjoy the sights, sounds and aromas, and get something to eat at one of the many food kiosks.
9. Republic Square
For a totally contrasting experience head to Republic Square, which was once the heart of Communist Slovenia when it was part of the old Yugoslavia. It’s often described as “a masterpiece of socialist modernist architecture” and as you wander around or wait furtively in a quiet corner, you can imagine yourself as a character in a classic 1960’s cold war spy movie. It is a vast slab of concrete that is dominated by two triangular towers, the TR3 and Ljubljanska Banka buildings, and the parliament buildings.
You can also enjoy a number of socialist era monuments. The square is stunningly drab and it’s amazing to think that it’s just an 8-minute walk from the centre of the medieval old town.
10. Ljubljana Castle
Perched on a hill, the castle dominates the Ljubljana skyline. It’s a demanding, but manageable walk up to the castle or, if you are prepared to spend a little cash you can take the funicular railway. We chose to walk up (which helped us feel a little self-righteous) and took the funicular down; we were glad to have made this choice.
Once you reach the castle you get fabulous views of the city and far across Slovenia from the castle ramparts, and you can explore the grounds and inner courtyards, all free of charge. For a small fee, currently €10.00, you can access the exhibits and climb the Outlook Tower for even better views.
11. The Open Market
If you find yourself in Ljubljana between March and October, make sure that your stay includes a Friday so that you can enjoy the Ljubljana Open Market. Of course, this can be free of cost if you just enjoy the sights and smells, but I assure you that this is unlikely to happen, and you are going to want to sample the delights from many of the stands in this vast open kitchen.
It takes place at the Central Market and the crowds are a healthy and vibrant mix of locals and tourists from many parts of the world.
12. Metelkova
The Metelkova culture centre is a 15-minute walk from the old town, but it’s well worth the effort. Peaceful by day, when we went, it morphs into a lively alternative social scene at night.
It’s the site of abandoned army barracks that were taken over by squatters, who were often described as “anarchists,” but who were really an independent association of underground artists and intellectuals known as the Metelkova Network. Whatever you call them, they have created something remarkable.
While most of the events take place at night, it’s a great place during the day if you are a lover of street art or interested in alternative styles of living.
You should also try and get out of Ljubljana and see some of the rest of Slovenia. The magical, fairy-tale town of Bled is just a 45-minute drive away and is an absolute must-see. Also, it’s only two and half hours by road to Zagreb, which we went to by bus and was the next stop on our trip around the Balkans.
Thank you for dropping by. Tell us what you think by leaving us a comment down below and check out some related posts below.
Author
Nick Abbott
Hi, I’m Nick. Visiting foreign countries has been an important part of my life since my parents moved to Kano in Nigeria in 1977. Since then, as both a military officer and in later jobs I have enjoyed the huge privilege of being exposed to many different countries and cultures.
I am delighted to be able to support my wife Monique and Yes2Yolo primarily by contributing travel articles, providing editing and proof-reading services and being a general sounding board.
Interesting article Nick!
Thank you Elizabeth!