Slow & Lovely – Slovenia
By Aruna Rathod Feature Writer | Travel, Food & Lifestyle
Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia is a great destination for a slow holiday that will leave you refreshed
If you are looking for a slow-paced holiday, then Slovenia is the place to go. The capital Ljubljana is quiet, peaceful and a gourmet paradise with a maximum number of Michelin restaurants. The city Centre offers a peep into the history of the city and can be easily covered on foot.
The capital is connected very well by road, air and train from other parts of Europe. Just a word here if you are on a shoe-string budget, flying into Ljubljana may cost you a bit more as the airport is almost 35 kms outside the city.
Within the city, if you buy the Ljubljana card, you can get free transportation on buses and trams, on the funicular to the castle and a boat ride that explores the city on water.
The city has a style of its own – partly to Italian baroque and partly to Art Nouveau. This style was maintained after the earthquake of 1895. In the first half of the 20th century, modern Ljubljana was shaped by the strong personal style of Jože Plečnik, a great European architect and a local of Ljubljana.
City Centre – The Heart of Ljubljana
Ljubljana is a city of culture. It is home to numerous theatres, museums and galleries, and boasts one of the oldest philharmonic orchestras in the world.
The best way to begin is in the historical city centre, around which all the main buildings are located. The Franciscan Monastery and the Church of the Annunciation are the two buildings contributing most significantly to the appearance of the Prešernov trg square, the central square in Ljubljana. Until the end of the 18th century, the monastery was the home of Augustine monks. The Church of the Annunciation was built between 1646 and 1660. Its façade, completed around 1700, rebuilt in the 19th century and renovated in 1993, is adorned with a copper statue of St. Mary, Ljubljana’s largest Madonna statue.
From the Prešernov trg square is the Triple Bridge that makes for a good photo. Two pedestrian walkways are full of interesting buildings and stores. The Plečnik’s Market is a great place to relax and have a coffee or snack before heading to the Dragon Bridge – the history of Slovenia is dominated by the dragon story.
Walk into the St Nikolas Cathedral to admire the classic interiors, continue to the Town Hall and the Robba Fountain, cross the Cobblers’ Bridge, pass the National and University Library to reach the Križanke Summer Theatre, and continue to the Kongresni trg square. The Town Hall, the museum, theatres are all beautiful structures and if you are interested you could watch a show or two.
Shopping for Eats
The Central Market is open every day except Sundays and offers fresh meat, fish and you can just sit and relax outside the stores. The open-air market is a great place to try out the local specialities – dumplings, meat and soups and wash it down with coffee and pastries.
In the next neighbouring square called the Pogačarjev trg you can check out the stalls selling everything from foraged wild mushrooms and forest berries to honey and homemade cheeses.
A Castle With a View
The Ljubljana Castle is one of the best places to visit during the day. You can hike up the hill, or take the funicular. You can spend an entire day or a few hours at the castle, exploring the beautiful vantage points, castle cellars and storerooms. The castle halls are full of paintings made by the best artists of their time.
The funicular allows for fantastic view of the city as it goes up and there are a couple of viewing galleries at the castle too.
A Modern and Lively City
The first impression a visitor gets of Ljubljana is that it is an exceptionally young city. It is home to over 50,000 students, who give it a special vibe. There are plenty of places to cater to the students so snacks are galore in the city. Well-priced cevapi (kebabs); pastas, pizzas, dumplings are easily available.
Retail Therapy
If you are looking for some retail therapy, visit BTC centre that will take care of shopping, leisure and fine meals. BTC is one of the largest European shopping, leisure, recreation, culture and business centres awaits you with its 450 stores and 70 bars and restaurants. The produce market and outdoor culinary park cater for all tastes and the numerous possibilities for leisure and sports activities, along with the always refreshing Atlantis water park with its 17 pools, 15 saunas and exciting adrenalin park mean you will always be spoiled for choice.
Pic Courtesy: pegasus/ images are subject to copyright
