Slovenia Series: The Fairytale Capital, Ljubljana.
Ljubljana feels like it belongs in a fairytale! It's such a mystical and endearing city, with Roman ruins, old legends and so many stories to tell. The old town is full of beautiful colourful buildings, cobbled streets, little cafés and beautiful bridges, with the Ljubljanica River winding its way through the heart of the city and Ljubljana Castle looking down from above. The Ljubljana Dragon is everywhere, and has become such an iconic symbol of the city. You’ll spot it on the coat of arms, perched on the famous Dragon Bridge and popping up in all sorts of little places around Ljubljana. According to local legend, the dragon was defeated by Jason and the Argonauts, and it’s been part of the city’s story ever since.
One of the first things we did in Ljubljana was head up to Ljubljana Castle. Despite looking like quite the climb, the walk was surprisingly easy, with plenty of beautiful side streets and views to stop and admire along the way. And lots of cute cats pottering about which is obviously a bonus! We took a lesser known route up at the northern end of the old town, along a street opposite Piccola Pizzeria, which does amazing stone baked pizza (had to try some for walking energy purposes haha). You can also take the funicular railway or follow the steeper paths running alongside it.
Back down in the old town, there was plenty more to explore. visiting one of Ljubljana’s chocolate shops is a must, you can taste what’s on offer before choosing your favourite. The unusual Rosemary and Salt dark chocolate was delicious! The Central Market is also well worth a wander, especially for the locally grown produce and homemade apple juice.
Booking a walking tour with a local guide through GuruWalk was easily one of the best decisions we made in Ljubljana. It was the perfect way to uncover layers of the city's history we would have otherwise missed wandering around on our own. We definitely wouldn't have discovered the fascinating legends behind the city's iconic dragons, or learned the bittersweet tale of 'the poet and his muse' hidden right in plain sight. it was also fascinating learning about Slovenia's massive brown bear population, with nearly 1,000 bears roaming the country's ancient southern forests, it's incredible how locals have mastered the art of coexistence with these majestic creatures.
The Ljubljanica River is very much part of the character of the city. We spent plenty of time wandering alongside it, watching the swans taking what looked very much like flying lessons and keeping an eye out for nutria swimming through the water (that was a first for us!) There’s also the famous medieval Dragon Bridge, one of Ljubljana’s most recognisable landmarks, with its four dragon statues standing guard over the river.
For a completely different view of the city, head up to Nebotičnik. When it was completed in 1933, it was the tallest building in the Balkans and the ninth tallest building in Europe. The top floor is now home to a cafe, restaurant and nightclub, making it the perfect place to grab a coffee or cocktail and admire views across the city and see Ljubljana Castle from a distance.
Another great spot we found when we'd walked enough for one day, is Biljardna Hisa, a lovely chilled atmosphere for a game of pool and a beer before heading home for the evening.
Ljubljana may be small, but we certainly didn’t struggle to fill our time here. Between the castle, markets, river, parks, food and all those little streets waiting to be explored, there was always something else to discover. During our time in Slovenia, we also visited Lake Bled which you can view here and Lake Bohinj which you can view here.
Ljubljana, Slovenia 2023 © Kerri Williams Photography. All rights reserved.
