Ljubljana

A quick stop in the capital city of Slovenia

Piero: leaving Trieste we have to drive just under 100 kilometers, an hour by car, to reach Ljubljana.

Angela: stop at the last service station in Italy to buy the Slovenian vignette, which is necessary to drive on the Slovenian highway as soon as you cross the border.

Piero: we reach the capital in the early afternoon and we immediately approach the city center: the time available is not much and must be optimized.

Angela: Ljubljana is a quiet and romantic city and has a very rich cultural heritage resulting from contaminations over time.

Piero: the city center can be easily explored walking and the main attractions are all concentrated there.

Angela: we start from Prešeren Square, one of the main squares of the city, and from there we continue until we reach the banks of the Ljubljanica river that crosses the city.

Piero: having a bit more time available, it could have been nice taking a boat ride: next time!

Angela: the riverside is full of nice cafes and clubs that are crowded especially at night; during this period of the year, the atmosphere is filled with magic with the Christmas lights that make Ljubljana even more fascinating.

Piero: the castle on the other side of the river dominates the city: the sunset makes its profile less severe than usual.

Angela: we arrive at what is one of the main attractions of the city: the Dragon Bridge.

Piero: four green winged dragons guard this arched bridge. The legend says that the Greek hero Jason, founder of the city, killed the dragon that lived in the swamp near the source of the Ljubljanica river. The bridge and the dragon are so important to the city that they are their symbol on the flag.

Angela: we continue our walk and reach the central market area: the wooden houses are decorated for the Christmas holidays and they make this place, which is always interesting, even more fascinating.

Piero: we decide to tackle the challenging climb to the castle even if we could have used the funicular.

Angela: this building dates back to the Middle Ages and later became the property of the Habsburgs.

Piero: with the exception of the external walls and the chapel of St. George, all the main buildings of the castle were rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries following the terrible earthquake of 1515.

Angela: it was a prison for a long time, today the castle is a popular tourist destination where concerts, cultural events, exhibitions and performances take place. The play of lights inside and outside which attracts children are simply fantastic.

Piero: being a reconstructed castle, it has certainly lost much of its ancient charm. The toy museum is definitely worth seeing inside, but above all you should visit the panoramic tower from which you can enjoy a privileged view of the whole city.

Angela: at this point it's dark and it's time to go back. But let's take a different route to see the last two things in town.

Piero: certainly not least important. These are two of the most important symbols of the city: the Cathedral of St. Nicholas and the Triple Bridge.

Angela: we can only visit the cathedral from the outside though: the two bronze portals are very beautiful, as well as the two bell towers and the dome. Nearby there are the Robba Fountain, which recalls Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona (Rome), and the town hall.

Piero: to reach the point where we started we have to cross the river again and we do it from another symbol of the city: the Triple Bridge.

Angela: it is a very special bridge: the original project included only one driveway bridge; the increase in city traffic has led to the construction of two other pedestrian bridges on the sides, oblique to the central one: today, of course, they can only be accessed on foot.

Piero: the time available for Ljubljana is over; it is a very quiet and nice city in which it is certainly worth spending a weekend or even making it the base for a wider tour of Slovenia.

Angela: next time; to the van now: let’s go to Zagreb!