iStock International
Slovenia offers pristine surroundings, few crowds, and enormous value
Ljubljana
Ljubljana presents an unusual combination of old-world eastern charm and a surprisingly modern look. An 1895 earthquake devastated the city center, and the dazzling Art Nouveau structures built in its wake came to define the city’s style (a prior quake in 1511 yielded a similar stylistic shift from medieval to baroque architecture). Most first-time visitors begin their trip in this eclectic capital, situated close to the center of the country. Its population of nearly 300,000 is spread across 100 square miles, but Stara Ljubljana (the old town), where the city’s most alluring sights lie, is just about one mile across. The willow-lined Ljubljanica River divides the old town, on the south side, from the rest of the downtown area. Plan on about three days to take it all in.
Taxis and buses are plentiful, but the best way to get a feel for the city is to walk around, since many of the narrow medieval streets in the old town are closed to traffic. The Art Nouveau refinement of the Grand Hotel Union (Miklošičeva cesta 1; from $300/night; 386/1-308-1270, gh-union.si) makes a wonderful base for exploration and a great place to start a city tour. Across the street is the salmon-colored landmark Cooperative Bank, with bold zigzags framing its windows, while a few doors down stands another star attraction—the over-the-top Centromerkur building, built in 1903 by Ljubljana businessman Feliks Urbanc. The flower-shaped glass awning over the grand entrance is once again in full bloom, thanks to an ongoing restoration led by Urbanc’s grandsons.
Close by is the heart of Ljubljana, Prešeren Square, named for 19th-century Romantic poet France Prešeren, considered the country’s greatest bard; the seventh stanza of his signature poem, “Zdravljica” (“The Toast”) is the national anthem. Adjacent to the square is the cotton candy–pink 17th-century Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, one of the city’s older structures.
Stop at Café Tromostovje for coffee before you cross the iconic Triple Bridge, the giant stone balustrades and lamps of which were designed by Jože Plečnik, a Vienna-trained Ljubljana native who devised many of the city’s landmarks during the early 20th century. Butchers, bakers, and fishmongers keep shop in the Plečnik-designed Central Market (Vodnikov trg and Pogačarjev trg; 386/1-300-1200, jh-lj.si), east of the bridge. At the open-air booths, locals fill wicker baskets with produce, flowers, and a smooth, sweet honey liqueur called medica.
Just beyond the market, four bronze Art Nouveau dragons—a reference to Jason of the Argonauts, who, according to mythology, slew a dragon nearby—have guarded Dragon Bridge since 1901. Looking west along the river you’ll see the baroque St. Nicholas Cathedral and, beyond that, 16th-century Ljubljana Castle ($7; 386/1-232-9994, ljubljanafestival
.si/en), built by the Hapsburgs. Reach its fortifications and museum via a funicular tram ($3) or on foot up the steep and verdant Castle Hill.
Back down along the cobblestone streets of the old town, stop to savor tea and walnut-filled pastries beneath the vaulted ceilings of the café Čajna Hiša (Stari trg 3; 386/1-421-2444) and to taste handmade chocolates like the golden praline at chocolatier Čokoladnica Cukrček (Mestni trg 11; 386/1-421-0453, cukrcek.si). The old town is also home to Ljubljana’s first boutique hotel, the charming Antiq Hotel (Gornji trg 3; from $100/night; 386/1-421-3560, antiqhotel.si), which has a private terraced garden in back.
North of the old town in the Metelkova neighborhood, a museum quarter is taking shape. Set close to the central train station, many buildings there served as military barracks first for Austria-Hungary, then for Yugoslavia until the 1990s. Artists were the first to move in when the spaces were vacated, and now some of these structures are being transformed with steel and glass additions into galleries and museums. Here you’ll find the Slovene Ethnographic Museum (Metelkova 2; $6; Tues.–Sun., 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; 386/1-300-8700, etno-muzej.si/en) bursting with folk art, including colorful masks for Pust, Slovenia’s version of Carnival. The National Museum of Slovenia (Prešernova 20; $4; Tues.–Sun., 10 a.m–6 p.m.; 386/1-241-4400, nms.si) opened nearby in March 2008.
Set aside an evening to attend a performance by the renowned Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra (filharmonija.si), founded in 1908 by local musicians rebelling against the German cultural domination of the time. Today, it boasts a diverse program of classical and avant-garde works, an international roster of musicians, and a lovely performance space on scenic Kongresni Trg.
With a climate and topography similar to that of the Bordeaux region in France, Slovenia has a long winemaking tradition and even claims to possess the world’s oldest continuously producing vine, Stara Trta (old vine); located in the eastern town of Maribor, it’s more than 400 years old. Since the end of Communism, a creative, organic-focused winemaking culture has emerged, quickly gaining fans among oenophiles worldwide. Sample Slovenia’s best native wines at the old-town wine bar Vinoteka Movia (Mestni trg 4; 386/1-425-5448). Try the excellent John Dory at Špajza (Gornji trg 28; 386/1-425-3094), though the restaurant really specializes in haute-cuisine takes on a traditional Slovene favorite, horse.
