Did you ever visit Slovenia? It is a small country in the south Europe that has various natural beauties for you to see and explore. However, this time I will guide on a tour around its capital Ljubljana. The city has rich culture and history, and many local attractions that are waiting for you so let’s see what this largest Slovenian city has to offer.
Travel guide for The City of Dragons
First, I should tell you how the city got its nickname. A dragon is a symbol of the city because of Jason, a hero of Greek mythology who fought a dragon at the river Ljubljanica and defeat it. A dragon symbol accompanies the city from ancient times where the animal was present on the medieval coat of arms. Nowadays, this monster is a symbol and a symbolic protector of the capital and can be found on the Dragon Bridge.
Top local attractions that you must see
I am presenting you top attractions in Ljubljana that you should see and explore.
The Ljubljanica river tour
The Ljubljanica River is your opportunity to see the city’s beauties from the boat or a paddle-board which you can hire there. If you will go on a cruise with a boat you will start your tour at Town Hall and proceed to the historical city centre which buildings reminds us of famous Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik.
What will you see from the river? You will see the beauty of various picturesque bridges, embankments and façades. You will not be hungry since the boat is having a stop at a restaurant where you can taste traditional Slovenian food. A two-hour tour includes a tourist boat cruise, guidance, and a tasting session.
You can buy a ticket at the website Ljubljana Tourist Information Centre where you will also find other important tourist information.
Ljubljana Castle
The next attraction to see is the Ljubljana Castle. Take time and visit it since you will be surprised how many exciting things are there to see and hear. You will have an opportunity to have a guided tour named Time machine, where costumed characters show you how it was to live in medieval times.
With audio tour you are able to hear the history of the Castle, the architectural data and the stories of the people who had an important influence on the development of the Slovenian capital symbol. There is also a movie about the Castle’s history till today which you can see in a 20-minutes movie.
You can download a mobile app Nexto that works on iOS, and Android platform. It will locate you at the Castle and guide you to see all of the attractions on the castle.
The Tivoli Park
If you want to relax in the greenery then visit a Tivoli Park which is the largest in Ljubljana. A French engineer Jean Blanchard designed it in 1813. It covers an area of five square kilometers of interesting trees, flowers, walking paths, fountains and statues. There is a Rožnik hill close by where you can prolong your hike and get some fresh air.
If you want you can visit Kamp Ljubljana Resort nearby where you can camp with your tent or spend the night in their sleeping facilities.
National Gallery of Slovenia
The Nacional Gallery of Slovenia is the central national facility of older art in Slovenia which has the largest art collection on Slovenian territory. There you will be able to see paintings of Slovenian artists from different eras, The Robba Fountain, Narodni dom Palace, relax in the Gallery Café, draw your favorite sculpture and so on. It is the right place for culture lovers. At a souvenir shop you can get a souvenir that will remind you of Ljubljana and Slovenia.
Ljubljana Beer Experience
Are you a beer lover? Now you have a chance to go on a guided culinary tour and try various local beers and learn about history of brewing beer in the city. You will visit five drink outlets, and a pub where you will taste bears made from Ljubljana beer breweries and other Slovenian breweries. A tour also includes a tour of Pivovarna Union’s brewery museum.
The Catedral (Church of St. Nikolas)
Another sight to see is Church of St. Nikolas that is the most important Baroque church in the capital city. It was burnt out in the past but people build it again. You will see a baroque interior with frescoes of Giulio Quaglio, and statues of Emona (Emona was the name of Ljubljana in the Roman days). The Church has an entrance door relief made from Tone Demšar (Slovene sculptor), while the side doors with bishop’s portraits are made from Mirsad Begić (sculptor) and are beautiful to see.
The masses are hold through whole day so you can attend if you wish to.
Visit the European green capital
Ljubljana received the title European green capital in 2016. The city is trying to run sustainable tourism with high environmental consciousness for which they received international awards.
The city has a rich cultural, historical, musical and culinary offer which you should see and try for yourself. Now, at summer time, you have many events happening there so don’t hesitate to go. Don’t skip Slovenia as your next trip destination as you won’t be bored with Slovenia activities for many days ahead. Ljubljana is perfectly located in the middle of Slovenia and it is easy to get day trips to visit the rest of Slovenia. With the good Slovenia tours option, people can reach the Alps in 1 hour and the Adriatic sea in an hour.
