Ljubljana
Slovenia’s enchanting capital, Ljubljana, is a mixture of Habsburg-era architecture and pulse of modern metropol. It has appr. 277,000 residents, and it is located in the Ljubljana Basin in central part of the country.
Around 50 BC, the Romans built a military encampment on the site, later that became a permanent settlement called Iulia Aemona. Ljubljana was first mentioned in the written source in 1161, as ”Laibach”. Through the centuries city prospered under the Habsburg regime until it became part of Yugoslavia in 1918. It has been the capital of independent Slovenia since 1991.
Shopping
City’s most popular shopping areas are the BTC City Shopping District at the north-eastern part, and the Rudnik Shopping District at the south-eastern part.
Central Market (Vodnikov trg, right bank of the river) offers various local produces, e.g. delicious cheeses.
Recreation
The nightlife district of the city are concentrated on the streets running parallel to the river, radiating from Prešernov trg, which is the main square of Ljubljana.
K4 (Kersnikova 4) is a decent club with high-quality DJ’s.
Gloss Adventure Park few kilometres away from the city is a good and funny all-family site.¨
Something to explore
Castle
Present castle complex in this site is build between 15th and 17th centuries, but the hill under it has been settled since 1200 BC. A funicular railway to the top of Castle Hill has been serving visitors since 2006. It is a biggest castle of Ljubljana and its main attractions include the Museum of Slovene History and the Virtual Castle documentary in the chapel. Castles viewing tower offers an idyllic vantage over the Ljubljana and mountain range nesrby. There is a café in courtyard and a restaurant serving traditional Slovenian food in the chapel. Classic guided tours and a tour named Time Machine are available.
Dragon Bridge
This triple-hinged road bridge crossing the Ljubljanica River was opened in 1901 and is a fine example of Vienna Secession architecture and remain of Slovenia as being a part of mighty Austro-Hungarian empire. Notable details are four dragon statues of the bridge, hence a dragon is the symbol of city of Ljubljana. The local legend claims that when a virgin crosses the bridge, the dragons will wag their tail.
Old Town
Old center of Ljubljana is situated between the castle hill and Ljubljanica river. It is well-known for its medieval buildings, which houses decent designer boutiques and comfy cafés. Mestni trg (City square) with the Robba fountain is a good place for strolling.
University Botanic gardens
This garden of University of Ljubljana, being located at the address Ižanska cesta 15, is a lovely green paradise and it has also a tropical glasshouse.
Tivoli Park
This park is the largest one in Ljubljana. Notable landmarks here are the Tivoli Castle, Cekin Mansion housing the National Museum of Contemporary History, and the park’s rectangle-shaped pond. On a lawn beside the pond, an open-air library operates in warm weather and a workshop on recycling books and other printed matter, called “The Read Ones.” During winter, the library moves into the nearby greenhouse.
How to get around in Ljubljana
City’s transportation authority LPP operates over 20 bus lines within the city. Information about prices and timetables are visible here. To ride the buses, one must first purchase an Urbana card. These can be bought at self-service stations (“Urbanomat”) found at the larger bus stops across the city, LPP sales sites, Tourist Information Centers and newspaper stalls.
Bikes are available for rent at the Slovenian Tourist Information Center (beside the Central Market) as well as some of the hotels in the area. There is also a system called Bicikelj, where one can rent bikes for a week for just 1 €. It has 300 bikes on 30 stations around the inner city. More information here.
How to get in Ljubljana
The international Jože Pučnik Airport serves the capital, being located near the village of Brnik, 24 km northwest Ljubljana. List of its airlines are visible here, destinations here.
Ljubljana’s main bus station is situated right next to the train station at Trg Osvobodilne fronte and has services throughout Slovenia. International bus connections to/from the city are visible here.
The domestic railway company Slovenske železnice operates trains in Slovenia. The cheapest trains are LP or RG, which stop at every station. The fastest one is ICS (InterCitySlovenija) which runs from Koper to Maribor via Ljubljana. Direct international connections include Zagreb, Rijeka, Graz, Salzburg, and Pula. Ticket prices and timetables are visible here.
Top 5 in Ljubljana
- Shopping at Central Market
- Strolling in Old Town
- Family fun at Gloss Adventure Park
- Castle
- Tivoli Park with the National Museum of Contemporary History
Text: Timo Hellman
Photos: With the CC licence / Tiia Monto, Guillaume Speurt, Alois Staudacher, JRodSilva, Sporti, Yerpo, DancingPhilosopher
