Manu’s Menu

Authentic Italian Home Cooking & More

  • Home
  • About
    • About me
    • About this site
    • About my photography
    • Privacy and Disclosure Policy
  • Recipes
    • Visual Archive
    • Regional Italian Recipes
  • Books
    • The Cool Side of Summer
    • Manu’s Christmas Menus
    • MsM’s Mobile App
  • Work With Me
    • Affiliate Sign-Up
    • Featured On
  • Out & About
    • Africa
      • South Africa 2019
    • Americas
      • Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize
      • CHILE AND ARGENTINA 2018
    • Asia
      • India
      • Japan 2015
      • Japan 2017
      • Japan 2018
      • Singapore
    • Europe
      • Slovenia and Croatia 2019
      • Italy 2019
    • Oceania
      • French Polynesia (Tahiti) 2017
      • French Polynesia (Tahiti)
      • New Caledonia
      • New Zealand
      • South Island – New Zealand Guide
  • Blogging Tips
    • Blogging Platform
    • Web Hosting
    • Technology Tips
    • Food Photography
    • Increasing Traffic to your Blog
    • Links
      • MsM in Your Kitchen
      • Events
        • 150 years of the Unification of Italy
        • Olio, Erbe e Fantasia – LILT
  • Tips
    • Techniques
      • Pasta and Gnocchi
      • Pizza and Other Doughs
      • Sauces and Other Basics
      • Decorations
    • Cake and Cookie decoration
      • Cake & Marshmallow Pops
        • Flowery Cake Pops
        • Hello Kitty Cake Pops
        • Dorothy the Dinosaur Cake Pops
        • Christmas Tree Cake Pops
        • Sea Marshmallow Pops
      • Fondant Cakes
        • Moo Cake
        • South Pole Cake
        • Lola Cake
        • Hello Kitty Yogurt Cake
        • Dorothy the Dinosaur Cake
        • The Little Mermaid Yogurt Cake
        • The Little Mermaid Fondant Cake
        • Sweet Sushi Mini Fondant Cakes
        • Peppa Pig Cake
        • Tinkerbell Cake
        • Miffy Cake
        • Olaf Yogurt Cake
        • Frozen Cake
      • Sugar Cookies
        • Heart Sugar Cookies
        • Dorothy the Dinosaur Sugar Cookies
        • Christmas Tree Ornament Sugar Cookies
      • Eggless Sugar Cookies
        • Chinese New Year Cookies
        • St. Patrick’s Day Cookies
      • Shortbread Cookies
        • Shortbread and Chocolate Hearts
        • Baby Shower Shortbread Cookies
        • Flounder Shortbread Cookie Pops
      • Easy Chocolate Cookies
    • Conversion Tables
    • Gift Ideas
      • Christmas 2010
      • Christmas 2011
      • Christmas 2012
      • Christmas 2013
      • Christmas 2014
      • Christmas 2015
    • Ingredients
    • Where I Shop for Italian Food in Sydney
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Travel / Ljubljana – Slovenia Guide

Ljubljana – Slovenia Guide

June 1, 2020 By Manu 1 Comment

Ljubljana

Last autumn, my family and I travelled to Europe, as the kids had a school exchange in Italy (more on that in future posts). After a few days in South Africa, we spent 5 days travelling around Slovenia and Croatia before settling down in Italy for a few weeks. Today I will share with you my Ljubljana – Slovenia Guide.

After leaving the beautiful Zagreb, we made our way towards Bled. On our way, we stopped for a few hours in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. I had never been to Ljubljana and I must say I was absolutely impressed with it. It is a really pretty city.

SIGHTSEEING

We only had a few hours to visit Ljubljana, so we only managed to see the main sights. However, I would say a full day – max a couple of days – are enough to visit the central part of town.

The picturesque streets of Ljubljana are full of historic buildings and cultural hotspots, with much of the key architecture designed by the famous creator Jože Plečnik.

Dragon Bridge – Zmajski Most

We started our visit from the famous Dragon Bridge (built in 1901). The dragon is the symbol of Ljubljana, which has been proudly reigning in the city coat of arms since the late Middle Ages. Beautiful dragon sculptures adorn the Dragon Bridge and this is an absolute must-visit spot in Ljubljana.

There are two legends associated with the Dragon Bridge. The first states that Jason, the ancient Greek mythological hero, founded the city of Ljubljana by killing a dragon. The second legend claims that the four dragons the bridge is named after, wag their tails every time a virgin passes by. The beautiful structure of the bridge and the legends associated with it have made it one of the city’s key attractions.

Butchers’ Bridge – Mesarski Most

The Butchers’ Bridge is Ljubljana’s love bridge. It is a place where countless lovers have symbolically padlocked their love and dropped the keys into the Ljubljanica river, which flows underneath.

The Butchers’ Bridge was built in 2010 and it connects the Central Market’s colonnade with the Petkovškovo nabrežje embankment. It occupies the site of the former butchers’ booths and it is adorned with somewhat creepy statues and sculptures by the renowned Slovenian sculptor Jakov Brdar. The large statue standing on the Petkovškovo nabrežje side of the bridge depicts Prometheus, while the miniature statues on the parapet playfully allude to the activities that once went on in the butchers’ vending booths.

Central Market

The Central Market, designed by the famous architect Jože Plečnik and built in 1939, is the place to shop. The architect envisioned 3 main market areas: the covered part of the structure hosts butchers and sellers of traditional Slovenian products, such as cheese, pumpkin oil, bread, etc; the second part is a large outdoor area with stands full of fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers; while the third part is the fish market, located right on the Ljubljanica riverbank.

St. Nicholas Cathedral

The Cathedral of Saint Nicholas was built in 1706, following the designs of architect Andrea Pozzo.

The Baroque style is visible on the church’s exterior and especially in the interior, where the lavish frescoes, statues, and paintings make it a must-see for visitors.

The bronze sculpted doors of the cathedral were installed in 1966, to commemorate the 1,250th anniversary of Christianity in Slovenia.

 

Town Hall and Mestni Square

As the seat of Ljubljana’s municipality, this beautiful building and its signature clock tower were built in 1484. The town hall was later renovated in the 18th century and is now considered one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in Ljubljana.

In Mestni Square, by the Town Hall, stands the beautiful Robba Fountain, designed in the style of the most beautiful Roman baroque fountains. Also known as the Fountain of the Three Carniolan Rivers, it was created in 1751. In the fountain, statues of gods represent the 3 Carniolan Rivers (Ljubljanica, Sava, and Krka). The original fountain, made of marble and limestone, has been moved to the National Gallery to avoid future deterioration – a replica of the Baroque fountain is now displayed in the square.

Prešernov trg Square and Franciscan Church

Prešernov trg Square is the heart of the historic city centre. It is a blend of Baroque, Secession, and architecture of Jože Plečnik. The Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, with its pink façade, is one of the most striking attractions in Prešeren Square. The church was built in the 17th century, though its appearance later changed as a result of the Ljubljana earthquake in 1895.

Triple Bridge – Tromostovje

The main bridge out of the three that form Ljubljana’s Triple Bridge was built in 1842, with the still visible inscription bearing a dedication to Archduke Franz Karl. The other two smaller bridges were added by Jože Plečnik in 1932. Plečnik removed the metal railing from the main bridge and decorated all three bridges with enormous stone balustrades and lamps.

Ljubljana Castle

Ljubljana Castle is located on Castle Hill, and has been overlooking Ljubljana for centuries. Easily reached by a short hike or by funicular, the castle boasts a viewing tower with stunning views of Ljubljana and its surroundings. The tour offered at the castle takes visitors on a journey through time to the five most important historical periods in Ljubljana’s history, while more courageous visitors can descend into the castle’s dungeon, and explore the darker side of the building’s history.

Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to visit the castle. It also started to rain a lot, so we decided to leave this to our next visit.

ACCOMMODATION

Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to spend a night in Ljubljana. However, we stopped for a brief visit between Zagreb and Bled.

CONCLUSION

Ljubljana is a beautiful city and I absolutely recommend a visit, even a short one. However, if you were running short on time and had to decide between Zagreb and Ljubljana, I preferred Zagreb. Just between us. 😉

If you have any questions, leave a comment and I will be happy to help out!

Don’t forget to pin this post!

RESOURCES ON MSM

TRAVEL IN SLOVENIA AND CROATIA

Slovenia and Croatia 2019

Izola and Pula – Slovenia and Croatia Guide

Plitvice Lake – Croatia Guide

Zagreb – Croatia Guide

SLOVENIAN AND CROATIAN FOOD

Bosnian Burek 

Sweet Yogurt Burek 

MAP

Share

Related Posts:

  • Bled – Slovenia Guide
  • Izola and Pula – Slovenia and Croatia Guide
  • Zagreb – Croatia Guide
  • Plitvice Lakes – Croatia Guide
  • Mt. Cook – New Zealand Guide

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: Europe, holidays, Ljubljana, road trip, Slovenia, tourism, travel blogger, travel. guide

« June 2020 Menu Plan
Low Fodmap Curry Spice Mix »

Trackbacks

  1. Bled – Slovenia Guide says:
    June 18, 2020 at 7:07 pm

    […] leaving the beautiful Ljubljana, we made our way towards Bled. I had always wanted to visit this little town, famous for its lake […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Welcome to Manu’s Menu!

Hi! I am Manu, the author of Manu's Menu. I was born and brought up in Italy and my blog can show you how to create authentic Italian food in your own home! Read More…

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

HOMEMADE PASTA MADE SIMPLE – THE BOOK. CLICK TO BUY IT FROM AMAZON NOW!

Homemade Pasta Made Simple

Archives

Categories

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Video Recipe: Orecchiette with Crudaiola Sauce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqSyzFElbRY
foodgawker bowls-150x150
tastespotting150
Tasteologie badge
Pasta & Gnocchi

The Cool Side of Summer e-Book – Click to buy it now! On SALE for only $9.99!

The Cool Side of Summer e-Book

MsM’S EBOOK – CLICK TO BUY IT NOW!

MsM’S EBOOK – CLICK TO BUY IT NOW!
Genesis Theme Framework for WordPress
Community Table Contributor Badge
Sunday Supper Movement

manusmenu

Now on the blog - Low Fodmap Vanilla and Miso Cara Now on the blog - Low Fodmap Vanilla and Miso Caramel Cheesecake Slice.  Clickable recipe link in my profile.

#recipes #manusmenu #manusmenucom #instafood #instayum #foodbloggers #foodstyling #baking #lowfodmap #lowfodmapdiet #miso #cheesecake #cake #dessert #japan
Now on the blog - Low Fodmap Ragù Bianco. A tradi Now on the blog - Low Fodmap Ragù Bianco. A traditional pasta sauce from central Italy. Clickable recipe link in my profile.

#recipes #manusmenu #manusmenucom #instafood #instayum #foodbloggers #foodstyling #Italian #italy #italianfoodbloggers #italianfood #pasta #pastasauce #ragu
Now on the blog - Trieste, Italy Guide. A surprisi Now on the blog - Trieste, Italy Guide. A surprising city. Come check it out. Clickable link in my profile.

#manusmenu #manusmenucom #travel #travelblogger #italy #tourism #Europe #trieste #holidays #beautifuldestinations #history #food
Now on the blog - Sausage and Potato Sourdough Cre Now on the blog - Sausage and Potato Sourdough Crespelle. The best comfort food. Clickable recipe link in my profile.

#recipes #manusmenu #manusmenucom #instafood #instayum #foodbloggers #foodstyling #baking #sourdough #sourdoughstarter #crepes #crespelle #food #foodgram #italianfoodbloggers #italianfood
Now on the blog - WWI, Italy Guide. A guide about Now on the blog - WWI, Italy Guide. A guide about some of the most important landmarks of the Great War. Clickable link in my profile.

#manusmenu #manusmenucom #travel #travelblogger #italy #tourism #Europe #cividale #friuliveneziagiulia #beautifuldestinations #war #history
Now on the blog - Sourdough Crêpes. So good. Use Now on the blog - Sourdough Crêpes. So good. Use up some of your #sourdough discard to make these delicious sweet or savoury crêpes. Clickable recipe link in my profile.

#recipes #manusmenu #manusmenucom #instafood #instayum #foodbloggers #foodstyling #baking #sourdough #sourdoughstarter #crepes #crespelle #food
Now on the blog - Cividale del Friuli, Italy Guide Now on the blog - Cividale del Friuli, Italy Guide. Clickable link in my profile.

#manusmenu #manusmenucom #instafood #instayum #foodbloggers #travel #travelblogger #italy #tourism #Europe #cividale #friuliveneziagiulia #beautifuldestinations #history #food #italianfood
Now on the blog - Hugo. A refreshing Italian cockt Now on the blog - Hugo. A refreshing Italian cocktail and an alternative to your everyday spritz. Clickable recipe link in my profile.

#recipes #manusmenu #manusmenucom #instafood #instayum #foodbloggers #foodstyling #Italian #hugo #spritz #prosecco #drinks #cocktails #elderflower
Now on the blog - Low Fodmap Pork Meatball Satay S Now on the blog - Low Fodmap Pork Meatball Satay Stir Fry. So good. Clickable recipe link in my profile.

#recipes #manusmenu #manusmenucom #instafood #instayum #foodbloggers #foodstyling #lowfodmap #lowfodmapdiet #satay #stirfry #pork #meatballs
Now on the blog - Quick Pickled Cucumbers. So crun Now on the blog - Quick Pickled Cucumbers. So crunchy and refreshing. Clickable recipe link in my profile.

#recipes #manusmenu #manusmenucom #instafood #instayum #foodbloggers #foodstyling #picklingcucumbers #pickles #pickling #garden #cucumber #vegetarian #vegan #video
Now on the blog - Coffee Panna Cotta. Wobbly and d Now on the blog - Coffee Panna Cotta. Wobbly and delicious. Clickable link in my profile.

#recipes #manusmenu #manusmenucom #instafood #instayum #foodbloggers #foodstyling #Italian #pudding #italy #italianfoodbloggers #italianfood #coffee #pannacotta
Now on the blog - Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls. Recipe Now on the blog - Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls. Recipe adapted from the wonderful @jennifer_rodda. The best way to use up some of your Sourdough discard. Clickable recipe link on my profile.

#recipes #manusmenu #manusmenucom #instafood #instayum #foodbloggers #foodstyling #baking #sourdough #sourdoughstarter #pastry #cinnamonrolls #teatime #breakfast
Follow on Instagram

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2011-2020 - Manu's Menu and Manuela Zangara. All rights reserved.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead more