love from ljubljana part i
Wearing: Alpha60 Zali Sweat | Anthropologie Petite gingham market skirt | Pandora lace botanique pendant necklace
Hello Ljubljana! Ljubljana (pronounced 'loo-blee-ah-na') might be the largest & capital city of Slovenia, but it is also one of the smallest capital cities in one of the smallest countries in Europe, making it a charmingly romantic place to explore. There are about 2 million people in the whole of Slovenia but 4 million people in Melbourne alone! Whilst the official language is Slovenian, almost everyone here speaks extremely good English. Its baroque and art nouveau buildings sit alongside its pretty river with the medieval Ljbuljana Castle perched on the hill nearby. All of its main attractions are in old town around the Ljubljana River which winds through the city. Any day trip from Lubljana is only about an hour and a half away, given the compact size of the country. Ljubljana was one of the most affordable cities we visited and was filled with some of the best food and some of the most friendliest people we've met during our travels. The things we got up to in Ljubljana that we loved and suggest include:
PREŠEREN SQUARE & TRIPLE BRIDGE
Wearing: Lilya Ada dress in polenta | Boohoo Megan cross body bag (similar here) | Fossil original boyfriend chronograph watch in navy | Bared Shoes Toucan black lace up sandals | Pandora Forever silver & zirconia earring studs | Dior Vernis Porcelaine 204Prešeren Square is the main square in Ljubljana and is where many of the city's community events are held and also where most of the main attractions can be found. As seen in my previous post, Prešeren Square is right next to the unique three bridges forming Triple Bridge. This area is the perfect starting place for exploring the city as its filled with top-rated cafes and eateries nearby and is a great scenic spot to relax, take in the views and people watch.
RIVERBANKS OF LJUBLJANA
From Prešeren Square, we loved walking down the banks of the river. There are a number of bridges connecting both sides of the town including Dragon Bridge with its perched green dragons on each end (seen in the first image here), Butcher's Bridge which is covered in love locks (as above) and so many more. Don't forget to stop by Cacao (seen in the last image) for some ice-cream and cake - they are one of the best places for that in Ljubljana and despite its prime positioning right next to Prešeren Square, it's prices aren't sky-high at all.
LJUBLJANA'S MARKETS
There's a massive open-air market between Triple Bridge and Dragon Bridge by the name of Central Market where you can get all of your fruit and veggies, flowers and souvenirs. It's on every day except Sunday and is a great place to pick up locally produced food for your stay in Ljubljana. We also spotted a fresh milk vending machine (the first one we've ever seen!) over here where you can bring your own bottle and dispense fresh milk from the machine. On Fridays in the warmer seasons there is also a food market here by the name of Open Kitchen (Odprta Kuhna) where lots of local restaurants and cafes come together and have an open-air food market however when we were there, sadly it was cancelled due to stormy weather or I would have loved to have shown you around there too!
LUNCH AT GOSTILNA DELA
Backpack: Fjallraven Kanken Backpack in sky blue
Just off the main street of Slovenia is Gostilna Dela, a beautiful modern decorated cafe with a strong focus on giving vulnerable young people the opportunity to learn from their chefs. The place serves some pretty delicious food. They have a small daily menu of Slovenian and Mediterranean dishes and the best pumpkin seed oil - you have to try it on your salad! I hope you all enjoyed Part I of my Slovenia travel diary - Part II coming tomorrow including Ljubljana Castle which I mentioned above :-)Photographer: Thomas Debono & I