Just Heading Out

On my way home from Italy, I thought I might as well take a little detour into Slovenia. I mean, it’s right next to it, so why not right? Slovenia is a former Yugoslavian country that declared independence on the 25th of June 1991. Three days after my birth. Coincidence? I think not! (definitely a coincidence).

Either way, Slovenia has become very popular in the past few years as the new must-see destination in Europe, due to its stunning nature, quaint little towns and reasonably affordable prices.

Since I am always late in hopping on the bandwagon, everyone kept telling me to go and I was super excited. My first stop was Piran, which I immediately fell in love with. From Piran, I took a bus to Slovenia’s capital: Ljubljana.

Ljubljana is a small University city, with a beautiful historic city centre. Although it is small and Slovenia is a country you should visit for its countryside scenery, I really liked Ljubljana’s fairytale architecture. It is a great base to explore the country from and perfect to relax for a day or two. Here are some tips on things to do in Ljubljana:

Walking around the historic city centre of Ljubljana

You can really see the Austrian-Hungarian influence on Slovenia in Ljubljana’s architecture. The historic city center has all the same fairy tale charm as small towns in Austria and some elegant Jugendstil and Baroque design of Vienna.

A great way to explore this city and its fascinating history is by joining the twice-daily Free Walking Tour. They will take along all the highlights, such as the Dragon Bridge, Cathedral, Market and Town Hall. The city center is small and easy to navigate, so simply wander the cute little streets and take in all the colorful buildings, boutique shops and hip cafés.

I also highly recommend strolling along the river boardwalk at night when all the bars have string lights and lanterns up on their terraces.

I love free walking tours so much that I do them on every solo trip

Climb up to Ljubljana Castle

One of my favorite things about Ljubljana is that you can catch a glimpse of the castle everywhere you go. The view of the castle through the little streets is really pretty and the view from above is great as well. I didn’t find the castle itself all that interesting, but its worth the steep hike to the top (or take the funicular).

Visit a museum

Ljubljana has a couple of great museums. The National Gallery houses paintings and sculptures from different time periods and hosts some great temporary exhibitions as well. It is also right across from Tivoli park, which is perfect for a stroll in sunny weather.

If you want to know more about the man who basically designed Ljubljana, visit Plecnik House. And for some lighthearted fun: the popular Museum of Illusions.

Take a day trip to Lake Bled & Bohinj

The main reason that people flock to Slovenia is to see the beautiful Bled Lake. This mountain lake has a little island in the middle of its crystal clear waters with a pretty church. Boats are available to peddle you there and back. Although it is a very picturesque place, it is also very touristic, especially in summer.

Close to Bled lies Bohinj lake, a much more rugged and bigger lake, right between the mountains. Here, there are no shops and cafés, but it is perfect for hiking. If you decide to go to Bled and/or Bohinj, you can take the bus from the train station (1,5 hours) which continues to Bohinj (30 min). You can see both in one day and I would recommend spending minimal time at Bled, just to see the island.

Eat delicious Slovenian food

Slovenian cuisine is a delicious mix between Austrian, Balkan and Italian cuisine. The best food is found at the weekly open-air food market on Fridays. Every Friday (if the weather allows), local restaurants cook here. Here you find both Slovenian and international cuisine, as well as local wine and craft beer. Perfect for lunch and/or dinner. If you want to buy fresh produce and local artisan craft, visit the normal market which is on every day except Sunday.

Here are some tips on delicious foods to indulge on in Ljubljana.

Slovenian food is heavily meat-based, but there are plenty of international restaurants and vegetarian and vegan options available as well. My favourite is Loving Hut, which has a delicious and affordable vegan buffet.