Ljubljana – Searching for Dragons in Slovenia’s Capital

Sitting at one of the cafes along the Ljubljanica river, one can easily mistake Slovenia’s capital of close to 300 000 inhabitants with that of a quaint touristic town in the region. This bicycle-crazy city offers plenty of activities, architecture and culinary delights for tourists and locals alike. With over 10 000 kilometres of marked hiking trails, Slovenia is one of our favourite countries and the capital lives up to this expectation.

Accommodation gets more expensive as you book closer to Old Town so if you are travelling on a budget, it’s important to find a balance between accommodation cost and the distance to the city centre. We stayed at Villa Teslova, which offered affordable apartment or B&B options and is a quick 15-minute walk from Old Town. Our apartment was clean and spacious and the quiet residential area in which it is located made for peaceful nights. We opted for the B&B option which included a continental and cooked breakfast. Apart from our arrival in the city and taking a bus from the central station to our accommodation, we had no need to make use of public transport and walked where we wanted to be.

The sights and sounds of Old Town Ljubljana immediately transport you back a few hundred years when the majestic Ljubljana Castle on top of the hill was built. There are multiple hiking routes taking one up to the Castle or, if you are not in the mood for walking, the funicular will get you there without the effort at an extra cost. There is no cost associated with exploring the Castle grounds but certain areas are off limits unless you purchase a visitors access card at the Information Centre.

If you choose to spend your day wandering around Old Town be sure to download or pick up a tourist map at one of the Information Centres. The Dragon which is symbolic to Ljubljana can be found all over Old Town. Crossing the Ljubljanica are several architecturally impressive bridges like the Triple Bridge, Dragon Bridge or the more ironic Butcher’s Bridge filled with lover’s locks. There are also a number of Geocaches in the area so be sure to download the list offline while you have wi-fi access.

We were fortunate enough to visit Ljubljana during the festive season which meant that the walkways along the Ljubljanica river were filled with stalls selling food, hot wine and hazelnuts. During the rest of the year, a number of restaurants selling traditional and modern food are open next to the river where one can sit and enjoy the last rays of sunshine reflecting off the crystal clear river.

Some tips when planning your trip to Ljubjlana:

• When visiting the city during the festive season, be sure to visit the Christmas markets next to the river. The buzzing Christmas markets welcome you with their traditional drinks, food, music, dance and festive lights.
• When traveling with Flixbus; if you pre-book a ticket and reserve a seat (pay online/pay at a counter beforehand), you pay an extra sum. So for those counting their Euros, be on time at the bus station and pay on the bus.
• Slovenia is extremely clean from the streets to the deep waters of their rivers and lakes. Slovenians take pride of their surroundings and they’re serious about recycling. Think twice about what you’re throwing away and ensure you’re putting it into the correct bin (paper waste, mixed waste, plastic and cans, organic waste).
• Pack in a tripod, evenings next to the river offers perfect opportunities for night photography.