Part 1: Ljubljana
For most travellers in Europe, Slovenia is hardly high on their list of destinations. Despite this, it stands out to me as a beautiful and fascinating part of the Mediterranean. In these first few posts, I'll recall, review and recommend some of my experiences during my time travelling in Slovenia.
The country's main selling point is its natural riches; it's one of the most densely forested nations on the continent, more than half of its land is protected, it has a rich network of rivers and waterways, it's home to some 10,000 caves, and it is home to mountain ranges such as the towering Julian Alps.
However, before I get into the nature side of things, I think that the country's charming capital, Ljubljana, is worth a visit. It boasts a deep and interesting history, and nowhere is that more clear than in the central Old Town. Some highlights of this district include the city's Central Market, perched on the bank of the Ljubljanica River.
And the
Fransciscan Church of the Annunciation, an iconic religious building with a spectacular vaulted ceiling inside.
There are quite a few famous bridges to check out too. There's the Triple Bridge, or Tromstravje, which offers great views of the Baroque buildings that line the green river.
Then you have the Butchers' Bridge, which is festooned with love locks and features some rather gruesome sculptures of Greek mythological figures.
One of the biggest attractions in the city is Ljubljana Castle, which sits atop a hill overlooking the city. To ascend said hill, you can take a strange contraption known as a funicular railway. From the top you get a great view of the whole city, although to be fair the apartment blocks seen from this vantage point detract from the Old Town's antiquated charm.
A visit to the castle itself is definitely worthwhile; the architecture is impressive, and there's even a rather disturbing Puppet Museum which might be scary for younger children.
There are actually quite a lot of museums in Ljubljana; one which I found particularly interesting was the small House of Illusions, which showcases a wide variety of mind-bending optical illusions.Lastly, I'll cover the city's largest park: Tivoli Park.
This expansive green space is a great place to walk and relax, and it houses an attraction which animal fans will not want to miss out on: the Ljubljana Zoo. Considering Slovenia's small size, I wasn't expecting much before I visited, but the zoo was very impressive. For me, the lion, cheetah, bear, wolf, tiger and sea lion exhibits stood out in particular.
To get around Ljubljana, you can drive, use the city bus system, rent a bike or board a sightseeing boat and cruise down the Ljubljanica River.
But that's all from me for today. Hopefully I managed to at least scratch the surface of this brilliant capital, and I fully recommend a visit there to anyone interested. Here's a rough map showing all the attractions I mentioned:
Next time, I'll be discussing other aspects of Slovenia, namely the more rural parts. The second post will focus largely on two main attractions: the coastal resort town of Piran and the breathtaking Lake Bled.
Thank you, everyone, for reading - if you enjoyed this post and would like to see more, be sure to keep on eye on this fledgling blog.
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