Slovenia: Loving Ljubljana
Topdeck Trip Leader Carl discovers first-hand that Slovenia’s capital is a mouthful... a tasty one!
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When I first travelled to Ljubljana I was too preoccupied with pronouncing it correctly to build up much expectation. There was much trial and error beforehand (Lub-a-jub? Lubby-larny? Lub-a-jub-a-nana?), but after seeing the city I was never going to forget it.
The small, quaint capital of Slovenia has to be one of Europe’s surprise packages. The charming, compact Old Town is centred on the Ljubljanica River and is overlooked by the impressive Ljubljana Castle. I caught a small funicular to the castle to be greeted by fantastic views of the Old Town and the wider city beyond.
Beautiful Ljubljana. Photo/C.Smith
I’ve become really taken by the historic centres of Eastern European cities – the terracotta roofs and stone buildings give them a really medieval feel, while the modern buildings which grow out from the centre show just how much the cities have expanded over the centuries.
But my love of Ljubljana is based on more than just great views, it has a cosmopolitan atmosphere and come evening time the locals spill out of brassieres, restaurants and coffee shops on to the pedestrian-friendly river banks.
Ljubljana's tree-lined streets. Photo/C.Smith
There are a number of great restaurants in the city centre with all different types of cuisine, but my passengers and I usually head to a Slovenian restaurant for some local fare.
One of my favourites, Restaurant Sokol, has wood-lined rooms and waiters in traditional dress. The menu is bursting with Slovenian favourites such as soups served in bread-cups (any meals where you get to eat the bowl is good by me), game platters (featuring traditional Slovenian meats), and even horse steaks (best eaten as a mane course!).
A traditional meal at Restaurant Sokol, Ljubljana. Photo/C.Smith
The nightlife punches above its weight too – there’s all manner of pubs and bars to be found and the local beer is pretty tasty.
A favourite haunt for several of my groups has been the kitsch Skeleton Bar, an underground cocktail bar decorated with all manner of skeletons and other ghoulish décor.
Imagine if Dracula eased up on the old neck-biting and took a part-time interior design course at his local college then this is the bar he’d come up with. There are around 200 cocktails to choose from and the toilet door is disguised as a bookcase. What’s not to love?! It certainly gives new meaning to the phrase ‘dying for a drink’.
Beyond the capital, Slovenia is a brilliant little country. Nearby Lake Bled is one of those so-beautiful-it-doesn’t-look-real places - dramatic mountains slope down to a sparkling blue lake with Slovenia’s only island sitting in the middle - while the Postojna Caves to the southwest of the city rank amongst Europe’s finest geological attractions.
The people are friendly, it’s relatively inexpensive, the countryside’s beautiful and there’s cool stuff to see and do – Slovenia ticks plenty of boxes as far as I’m concerned!
So don’t worry if you can’t pronounce it 100% correctly, if you ever get the chance I’d recommend paying Ljubljana a visit. It may not be as famous as some other European capitals, but it’s equally as memorable.
Remember though, don’t let anyone force you in to trying horse meat – just say neigh!
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Check out Ljubljana for yourself on one of Topdeck's many trips that visit Slovenia.
Tags: Lake Bled, Ljubljana, Postojna Caves, Restaurant Sokol, Skeleton Bar, Slovenia, topdeck tours to Ljubljana, topdeck tours to Slovenia, topdeck travel, youth travel to Ljubljana, youth travel to Slovenia
