Ljubljana’s castle offers great views, but the unusual architecture makes the Slovenian capital distinctive.
What’s Ljubljana all about?
Few countries manage to fly under the radar quite like Slovenia. It’s a relatively pocket-sized, prosperous place full of lakes and mountains, with an outdoorsy mindset and an admirable absence of chaos. It’s where Central Europe meets the Balkans, and capital Ljubljana encapsulates that.
Ljubljana is a near perfect place to hang out. It’s easily walkable, surrounded by and dotted with big green spaces, and very pretty to look at. A river lined with café terraces, a hilltop castle, and some highly distinctive architecture help that magical blend. It’s the sort of place that gives you a hug, and you happily hug back.
A walk through Ljubljana’s highlights
Central Ljubljana has a lot of agreeably pretty Mitteleuropa architecture, but one man has had more influence over the city’s look than any other. Jože Plečnik imposed his own visions – which borrowed and repurposed classical elements, while playing with lines of sight – all over the place. Key examples include the colonnaded market, which runs with the curve of the river.
Visit Ljubljana offers Plečnik-themed walking tours from the tourist information office twice a week. This includes two masterpieces – the first being the National and University Library, which is full of artificial stone columns, and deliberately designed to be lighter near the top than the bottom to simulate the enlightenment of learning. The other is Plečnik’s home, now a museum where his studio and architectural plans are on display.
Once you’ve finished touring Plečnik’s visual trickery, the House of Illusions should make you think a little more about how things are put together. It’s full of optical illusions, from tilting rooms that look flat to physically impossible sketches and double reversing mirrors that allow you to see yourself as others see you.
Ljubljana’s top attraction
Ljubljana’s castle sits high on a hill, reached by funicular, and is a remarkable place to wander around. That’s partly due to the views from high on the bastions, but more to do what has been crammed into it – often highly impressively. There’s a jazz club seemingly built into the castle hill, casemates full of temporary exhibitions and a permanent exhibition that uses touch screens and movement triggered videos to explain Slovenia’s history, from Roman times via the Habsburg and Yugoslavian eras.
Opposite the castle hill is the ‘flower hill’, a largely forested green lung where locals like to let out their outdoors instincts on the walking trails. The Tivoli Park in front of it is more formal, primped and full of open air photography exhibitions.
Ljubljana tours and experiences
Other great Ljubljana activities include a day trip to Lake Bled and Bohinj, a Slovenian culinary experience and a bike tour.
You may also wish to combine Ljubljana with Trieste in Italy. In which case, take the bus rather than the train.
Where to eat in Ljubljana
There are several good choices along the river, but set back and slightly harder to find is the hugely atmospheric Spajza, which has a decoratively-painted ceiling, old wooden beams and wooden floors. Its strength is traditional Slovenian dishes such as rabbit, horse fillet or deer with forest fruits.
Inside a rounded tower at the castle with arrow-slit windows looking out at the city, Strelec is spectacular. The menu is high concept, telling stories of Slovenia’s culinary history, but the flavour combinations are superb. Ginger peps up pumpkin soup, beef comes in rich garlic sauce, and carrot cake is dotted with little chunks of tangerine.
Shopping in Ljubljana
The most interesting shopping is to be found on the first street back from the river on the eastern side, which annoyingly changes its name on a frequent basis. Here, you’ll discover a wonderful world of crafts and local produce shops that are absolutely on the right side of the souvenir shop tackiness line.
Ika Za Pika Na I boasts of being “uniquely Slovenian” and sells everything from very cute, brightly coloured baby shoes to ceramic knick-knacks and folklore-patterned tea towels.
Rogaska, meanwhile, concentrates on rather expensive but magnificent glassware – all handmade in the east of the country.
Ljubljana hotel recommendations
The Cubo doesn’t look like much from the lobby, but the rooms are impressively sleek, with lighting strips behind the headboard, high quality bedding and humungous rain showers in the bathroom. It’s the little extras – such as the fridge full of free drinks and the 4G connected phone with pre-loaded city guide that guests are welcome to use while in the city – that really impress, though.
On a much larger scale altogether, the Grand Hotel Union (union-hotels.eu) is 112 years old, comes with three restaurants and has a pool complex surrounded by Balinese-style statues. Once inside the art nouveau building, the shiny wood panelling, big drape curtains and high ceilings give it the air of classic luxury. But, importantly, everything looks fresh rather than fusty.
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