When you visit Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia, you will discover for yourself why this is dubbed to be one of Europe’s most prized hidden treasures. The rich and alluring history of this gem of a city, the green surroundings, friendly locals, and stunning architecture are just some of the many reasons why more and more visitors flock to Ljubljana every single year.
Ljubljana’s streets are dotted with restaurants, cafes, and bars where you can get a taste of the country’s cuisine and have an up-close and personal interaction with the locals. While there are many other reasons to pay a visit to Ljubljana, below are the top reasons to explore the city at least once in your whole life.
Summary
The Location
The central location of Ljubljana is what makes this city the perfect headquarters during your Slovenian escapade. From the city, most if not all of Slovenia’s tourist attractions are accessible through a short drive in a car. If you want to enjoy dipping in the Adriatic Sea, it will only take you one hour and a half to get there
During winter, Ljubljana is only a two-hour drive to reach Kranjska Gora Ski Center where you can indulge in skiing on the gorgeous ski slopes. If you want to get to the country’s eastern part, such as the Murska Sobota, it will not take you over two hours driving a car. Bled, which is among the most recognizable tourist attractions in Slovenia is just 30 minutes away from the city of Ljubljana.
The History
If you will visit Ljubljana, you will have the chance to get a glimpse of its outstanding history. People who lived in pile dwellings first inhabited Ljubljana Marshes during 2,000 BC. Not long after, Ljubljana, named Emona back then, was among the Roman Empire’s most important cities.
To this day, you can still feast your eyes on artifacts that came from that era when it was still ruled by the Romans. The architecture in the city center’s older part, as well as the narrow streets, showcases the bits and pieces of medieval times. When you visit Ljubljana, it will seem like historical traces can be seen no matter where you look.
Galleries and Museums
The galleries and museums in Ljubljana is one of the best ways to discover the history, tradition, and culture of Slovenia. The National Gallery serves as the home to the best art of the country from the 13th century to the first half of the 20th century. Here, visitors can admire notable works of some of the most prominent painters such as Ivana Kobilica, Rihard Jakopič, and Ivan Grohar.
The Modern Art Gallery has two different locations for its exhibits. The small gallery Kapelica hosts global modern investigative art in the form of live art events, theoretically-reflective lectures, and spatial setups. The Slovenian Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of Slovenia are housed in one building located near Tivoli Park. The city’s guests can explore over 80 galleries and museums during their visit.
Parks
Parks in Ljubljana are considered as the city’s green oases. The most popular and biggest park in the city is called Tivoli Park. Students who want to hang with their friends choose Zvezda Park, which is located at the heart of the city. There are also other smaller parks including Memorial Park Navje, Park Tabor, and Hrvaski Park, where visitors and locals may stop for a moment and sit on one of the benches.
They can also take a few minutes to relax. Ljubljana Botanical Garden has thousands of various subspecies and species. Established in year 1810, a walk through in this park is a must for all nature lovers out there.
Cafes and Restaurants
When it comes to food in Ljubljana, it’s actually known to be diverse and delicious. Stopping at one of the restaurants in the city will give you a chance to be familiar with the dishes such as Kremna Rezina, Deer Goulash, Soca Trout, and Kranjska Klobasa. Even if majority of the restaurants offer some vegetarian options in the menu, there are also restaurants in the city that specialize in serving vegan and vegetarian food. The selection of the restaurants offering delicious food from various parts of the world is now more diverse. Many Mexican, Brazilian, Indian, Japanese, and Middle Eastern cuisines are also being served in Ljubljana.
Slovenians enjoy drinking coffee and it’s no different in Ljubljana. The beautiful city is full of cafes where locals meet with their friends and enjoy coffee while they chat. In Slovenia, it’s a renowned way to meet your friends for coffee and catch up for hours. A lot of cafes in the city are situated at the river bank of Ljubljanica. A perfect place to sit down is the outside seating area.
Music and Architecture
Ljubljana is also a city of music. There’s always a musical event happening in the city any time of the year or any day of the week. Kino Siska hosts contemporary musicians from different genres and considered as the center of urban culture.
When it comes to the architecture in Ljubljana, it’s a mix of several styles. Even if the buildings look different sometimes, they complement one another and work well as a whole. Alleys and buildings in the old part of the city center of Ljubljana still shows some signs of medieval architecture. In the rest of the city, the predominant architectural styles are Vienna Secession and Baroque. A lot of essential structures and buildings in Ljubljana were designed by Jozef Plecnik, the most popular architecture of Slovenia.
Shopping
The city of Ljubljana is full of shops offering international and local brands. Fashionistas may find trendy wear in Galerija Emporium, a luxury department store. There are also boutiques that are owned by some local fashion designers. Ljubljana’s arranged windows of small shops are inviting and offering something for everybody. Some of the goods that you may find fascinating in Ljubljana shops are natural beauty products, unique gifts, art, jewelry pieces, Slovenian food delicacies, and handcrafted souvenirs.