Yet while driving from Bled Lake through beautiful neat and perfect fields, forests, villages, and mountains of Slovenia we began to wonder why it’s so nice here. Well, really, everything is like in a picture as the eye can see. Calmness and harmony – we were constantly haunted by these two feelings.
The picturesque Lake Bled is one of the most outstanding places that are worth visiting in Slovenia
Interesting in Ljubljana.
Modernity. Modern design is embedded, integrated everywhere for the convenience and they don’t interfere with the historical center.
For example, minimalist glass bridge that is almost invisible has been built near the main triple one.
Another bridge is semi-stony, semi-glassy with weird sculptures. There’re free toilets below and the trees growing on the lower level are carefully protected by making holes in the bridge top.
There’re concrete stairs along the street, grass and bushes closer to the river, along the promenade, where most restaurants are concentrated. Also there’re almost invisible roped fences.
Facilities advertising signs are as well worth noting. They are neat, minimalistic and almost invisible!
Drinking fountains.
Ljubljana dwellers are very proud of them. They even developed an iPhone application marking the fountains, since you can drink not from each of them.
Many parks are beautifully equipped here – everything for the comfort and recreation.
People.
They create comfortable and relaxed atmosphere it’s so nice to be in.
The historic center is fully closed for cars, those making deliveries are almost invisible – they drive politely and quietly, making way for pedestrians.
But there are so many cyclists – from child to old man. The youth also likes skates and rollers. Everyone is going with baskets, children, not interfering with each other. Older people drive motor vehicles. There are little tourism cars for the senior people (by the way, Ljubljana gets a bonus for such a gesture)
Bicycles are left on the parking sites with and without locks. Pedestrians and cyclists seamlessly coexist in the streets)
Dogs. People here just love dogs. They take dogs out very often; people sit in cafes on the terraces with them, walk along the central streets, run, and ride bicycles. Near the drinking fountains there’re bowls for dogs.
Atmosphere.
There’re neither “inviters” into restaurants, nor beggars in Ljubljana. But there hang out a lot of youth, senior people. Most tourists are Germans, Austrians, the British, and Italians. People are very friendly, quiet, unhasting, the retired are as well cycling.
All restaurants and cafes are filled with customers sitting on beautiful terraces without fencing. The restaurant border can be seen only by different design of chairs and tables.
Everything looks neat, cute, and colorful around. Beautiful Ljubljanica river channel passes through the center, fancy facades, signs and white umbrellas without those terrible beer or Coca-Cola logos are seen on the banks.
People are sailing in boats over the channel but they are scarce. You need to wait a little to see one passing by. Soft dark turquoise water.
Tourists are enough here. Help in navigation over the city – many brochures, entertainment, tips – is very well developed. Many phone applications.
You can rent a bike for just 2 €/ 2 hours in one of the infocenters. The whole day’s price is 8 €. There are other, more expensive, bicycle rentals.
We would like to mention Ljubljana Castle towering on a hill over the city.
Little remained from the original castle since there were destruction, transformation into prison, and residential buildings for the poor. Gothic clock tower remained from the old design. Eventually Ljubljana Castle has been constructed anew, and that’s not a restoration but a modern project being very well implemented.
This is not a boring museum but creative and atmospheric space where festivals and concerts are held. However, everyday anyone can go inside its area to spend time in perfect environment with a restaurant, a coffee shop, an observation deck, restrooms and parking site, park area, and space for gatherings. Everything’s free.
Paying 7-10 € separately you can climb up the old Gothic tower with the visit to the museum. Another paid service is lifting or lowering on the newly built very cool cable car. Ticket price to and from is 4 €. However, walking uphill to the castle is not difficult; there are many paths and points offering beautiful views on diverse sides of Ljubljana.
Ljubljana Castle is the place you want to visit often.
Ljubljana outlandish SCULPTURES
There’s one most strange bridge among others over Ljubljanica river. Butcher Bridge (Mesarski most) or the bridge of deterrent sculptures. A second reason is that lovebirds attach padlocks on this bridge as a sign of their love)
Ljubljana is a pleasant, comfortable, and beautiful city. Ljubljana dwellers probably wanted something extraordinary, so perhaps due to this you can find here works of contemporary art you won’t wish to contemplate, take photos of or approach ) But for sure they’re always on lips of every guest of the city who will tell in their stories about Ljubljana’s funny and weird sculptures.
Why is Ljubljana a friendly CITY?
There’s one big free parking site in the center of Ljubljana. This is a wonderful gesture of the city towards visitors and tourists. This is the first item on Ljubljana friendliness.
The second is free dressing rooms. There’re toilets under each bridge in the center and in the castle. These are beautiful modern structures, minimalist and laconic. They work not round the clock but according to a schedule.
The third item – everything needed is equipped for cyclists who feel comfortable in daily using this transport.
The fourth – drinking fountains.
The fifth – free city maps and professional infocenters. This is an important item and we mention free maps because this paper trifle is paid, for example, in Venice and Florence (3 €?!).
Ljubljana earned the title of Green capital 2016 owing to many parks, including downtown, and clean drinking water in the fountains. As well as to environmental care and waste separation in special containers.
Ljubljana’s TASTY facilities
The most interesting and the most popular facility in Ljubljana is Lolita. Everyone is first of all attracted by interior design, as it’s unique, interesting, beautiful, and elegant in somehow “girls” style. And huge black cherries, acting as lamps and being the key decoration deserve a special notice. Old high windows up to ceiling, plenty of space and shop-windows with incredible sweets. It’s a “must visit” place in Ljubljana.
Cappuccino + dessert cost about 4.5 €.
The most delicious coffee in Ljubljana according to all sources is in a small cozy café – Cafe Čokl
As the coffee shop owners assure, they buy coffee beans from the best producers, and then roast the beans on their own. So, you can have really delicious and aromatic coffee, including the one brewed in alternative way, in Cafe Čokl.
And buy coffee beans or ground coffee. Price for 250 g is 8 €. Cappuccino costs 1.5 €.
Chemex 100 ml – 2 €.
Located right next to the cable car leading to the castle.
To enjoy ice-cream you should go to facility entitled Cacao on the riverwalk. Ice-cream is incredibly delicious here, always long queues, spacious terrace overlooking the river and everything in chocolate.
You can have a sausage roll snack that’s so popular in Austria in a small facility Klobasarna. There is even soup with sausage rolls and the serve price is 4 €.
The symbol of Ljubljana.
The most important inhabitants and guardians of Ljubljana are Dragons living on Dragon Bridge and other important attributes of the city. And the most popular bridge in Ljubljana is Tromostovje – a triple bridge as if throwing beams from one point to the other side of the river and connecting the main Preseren Sqaure with Town Square.
Visiting FOOD FEST in Ljubljana is compulsory
Every sunny Friday in the warm season Ljubljana dwellers arrange gastronomic feast called Otprta kyhnja, i.e. Open Kitchen.
This is Outdoor food fest where local restaurants and coffee shops offer interesting dishes cooked on open fire. Or bakeries offer freshly baked goodies. There are so many deliciousness that you’re eager to taste everything! The atmosphere is very pleasant and appetizing.
The Open Kitchen is made primarily for local residents, whom organizers offer relaxation and hanging out after a hard week and starting the cool weekend.
This fest takes place in the center of Ljubljana in the Pogačarjev trg square which is very close to the cable car to the Castle, the bridge of the outlandish sculptures, and the river. Thus be sure to plan your trip so that you come to the Friday fest. But looking at the weather forecast and the official website in advance
It is the festival where you should enjoy national Slovenia goodie – Potica pastries. It’s like delicious poppy rolls.
So, with no doubt opt for Ljubljana for your next trip. You’ll definitely love this city!
Adriatic gem of Slovenia – beautiful Piran or a little Venice
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