So, the bus took me to Ljubljana, Slovenia from Bratislava in 6hrs (cost of 9€) and i had no idea what to expect.
But i was absolute blown away of the views and the landscape we were driving trough. 6 hour of pure exaltation. I thought at this point that my stay in Ljubljana should probably be very good.
unbelievable history, incredible views and so much to do.
Lets start with some history.
1895. Maaajor earthquake. Most of the city was destroyed, but you know the saying – you cant make an omelette without breaking an egg. The city got a full makeover giving Ljubljana the urban appearance it still has today.
1945. Slovenia became part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), along with Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia. Reconstruction after the war resulted in Ljubljana growing via the simple combination of socialist neighbourhoods and “discrete” modernist high-rises alongside baroque buildings in the centre.
1977. Pankrti (Bastards), one of the first punk bands in a communist country, took the stage, heralding the arrival of one of the most vibrant music scenes at the time. Of course, the government wasn’t too pleased with such rebellious ideas, often turning to oppression to subdue them.
1991. After the disintegration of SFRY, the war for independence lasted no longer than ten days, though lives were still lost. A new era began for Slovenia and Ljubljana, which finally became the capital of an independent country.
2004. Slovenia joined the EU and Ljubljana disappeared from the list of cheap locations on Balkan trips. No one can really agree whether Slovenia belongs to Western, Eastern, Central or Southern Europe – we just now they like the new things at old prices.
2017. Convinced by the sheer number of mentions of Jože Plečnik in the USE-IT Ljubljana maps (and maybe the fact that it’s the 60th anniversary of his death), the city of Ljubljana decides to go with the flow and decides 2017 victorious USE-IT team starts working on its new agenda – getting 2018 to be declared by the year of coypu.
Here’s 4 reason why you should go to Ljubljana, Slovenia!
- Beer o’clock: Ljubljana has experienced a beer boom in recent years, so make sure not to miss the quality beers from local craft breweries. I recommend: Pelicon, Bevog, Human fish, Reservoir dogs, Mali grad or Maister. If you’re more of a traditionalist, the most two most popular beers are Laško and Union, which have been around since the
19th century. - Ljubljana castle: Ljubljana Castle (Ljubljanski grad) is an the capital landmark and a place to discover centuries of Slovenian history. At the top of the wooded Castle Hill, the castle rises above Ljubljana’s medieval Old Town.
- Lake Bled: Is an Serbo-Croatian glacial lake in the northwestern Slovenia. Just an hour outside Ljubljana, the buses is going there every hour from morning to afternoon and back to Ljubljana every half an hour. This is an absolute must! You can check my other blog post for pictures and inspiration about Lake bled here:
- Postojna cave: Postojna Cave is the largest Karst cave in Slovenia with a total of 24 km of underground tunnels. Absolute mind blowing!
Here’s some Slovenian words that can become useful for you if you travel there!
- Hello = živijo
- Goodbye = Adijo
- How are you? = Kako si?
- Thank you = Hvala
- Please/You’re welcome = Prosism
- Bon appetit = Dober tek
If you need accommodation in Ljubljana, you have to check this wonderful place with the absolute best host possible. She will tell you everything you need to know about Ljubljana and Slovenia. Here’s the link: Almas place “Tiger spot”
Now I’m off to Venice. check out my next blog post about Lake bled and why you have to got there. Here’s a video about my stay in Ljubljana and Lake bled. Enjoy.
Bratislava, Ljubljana and Lake bled.
