{"id":27191,"date":"2022-11-30T08:16:08","date_gmt":"2022-11-30T16:16:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelthefourcorners.com\/?p=27191"},"modified":"2025-06-23T12:23:29","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T19:23:29","slug":"the-laid-back-charm-of-ljubljana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelthefourcorners.com\/the-laid-back-charm-of-ljubljana\/","title":{"rendered":"Ljubljana’s Laid-Back Charm"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Charming Ljubljana sits high above a river called the Ljubljanica that winds through the Art Nouveau-inspired town.<\/p>

Rather than taking a boat cruise to discover the more subterranean Ljubljana, we explored the Old Town at street level, admiring the Austrian-Baroque buildings, Vienna-Secessionist bridges, and sculptures inspired by Greek mythology.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Date of Visit: September 19, 2022\u2014Ljubljana, Slovenia\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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<\/i><\/i><\/i><\/i><\/i><\/div>Our Destination Rating 4.8<\/span><\/cite>\t\t\t\t\t
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On a lovely, sunny September morning, Chris and I reached the Croatia-Slovenia border. Our driver, Frane, had picked us up in Zagreb for the two-hour drive to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.<\/p>

Everything was perfect. The rain was gone. Croatia Airlines had dropped off our lost luggage at our hotel the night before<\/a>. We had clothes, shampoos, cosmetics, and toothbrushes. All the things that we didn’t or couldn’t pack in our carry-on luggage.<\/p>

Now I was looking forward to seeing the city’s Art Nouveau architecture. Damaged by an earthquake in 1895, part of the Old Town was rebuilt in the Vienna Secessionist style. This art form influenced several impressive structures. The Dragon Bridge, Triple Bridge, and some of Pre\u0161eren Square’s buildings are among them. And yet, top of my list was a visit to the Baroque castle on the hill.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Ljubljana Castle provides a fairy-tale backdrop for Ljubljanica River crossings in the Old Town. Image by JAG.\n<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Getting to Ljubljana <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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There are many ways to travel between Croatia and Ljubljana. These include commuter planes, rental cars, private transfers, buses, and trains.<\/p>

But hiring a private driver for our 14-day trip was the best thing we did. There was no need to learn foreign traffic regulations or worry about toll money. We also didn\u2019t have to buy a \u201cvignette,\u201d which is Slovenia\u2019s mandatory highway windshield sticker. Instead, our driving company<\/a> handled all the transportation headaches and paperwork.<\/p>

The proximity of Croatia and Slovenia is but one of many reasons to begin a trip in Croatia\u2019s capital, Zagreb. (See Arrival in Rainy Zagreb<\/a>). We drove past green fields and distant tidy villages. The deep blue sky edged pitched red rooftops and church steeples. Some steeples had onion designs, but most had Italianate square edges.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Clouds over Slovenia form castles in the sky iStock.com \/AndreimLazar\n<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A Strategic Crossroads<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Located at the crossroads of Europe, Slovenia links central and southeastern Europe. Wedged between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea, and despite its small size, this land was once considered a strategic foothold by the Romans, Austro-Hungarians, Ottomans, and Napoleonic French. In World War II, Slovenia was later carved up and annexed by Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, and Hungary.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Slovenian Alps<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Slovenian Alps are the southern backbone of the European mountain range stretching from France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia. They include the Julian Alps, the Karawanks range, and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, which can be seen from Ljubljana.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Julian Alps rise above Bohinj Lake. Image by JAG.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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While Slovenia is still off the beaten track for most tourists, its undulating mountains, green valleys, cerulean lakes, and winding rivers attract adventure-seekers and nature lovers of all ages. In addition, Slovenia has a sliver of coastline on the Gulf of Trieste, where the medieval town of Piran is located. At certain times of the year, a 2 1\/2-hour ferry ticket can be booked from Piran to Venice.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Our Itinerary to Visit Slovenia<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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With only a few days to spend in Slovenia, we planned to stop in Ljubljana (pronounced loo-blee-aa-nuh) for a tour with a local city guide who would show us the castle, famous bridges, and Pre\u0161eren Square, named after Slovenia\u2019s beloved bard.<\/p>

Then we would drive another 45 minutes northwest to Lake Bled to spend the next two nights at Grand Hotel Toplice on the waters\u2019 edge. Photos of this hotel looked stunning, and it would be our biggest hotel splurge for the entire trip. Finally, on the third day, we would return to Croatia along a southwesterly route to stop and see the Lipica Stud Farm. For our full 14-day itinerary, see Road Tripping on the Balkan Peninsula<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Flavor of Ljubljana <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Ljubljana (its Roman name was Emona) sits on the banks of the Ljubljanica River. Outdoor caf\u00e9s, restaurants, and bars line the right bank. Ljubljana has a population of just over 270,000 people. In the pre-Covid years, it nearly doubled in size, with several hundred thousand tourists who came from all over the<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Ljubljana is perfect for sipping coffee while people watching. Image by JAG<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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world to see this bustling cultural hub that is home to a Baroque castle (one that has been revamped from its beginnings as a medieval fortress), art galleries, theaters, and museums. Yet it is still relatively undiscovered and has the feel of a laid-back college town with many students coming here to attend the universities, business schools, and colleges.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Ljubljana's Turbulent History<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Ljubljana\u2019s artsy, relaxed culture belies the country\u2019s turbulent history. The Roman Empire conquered the resident Illyrians and Celts and ruled from the second century BC to 400 AD. Finally, their weakened empire could no longer resist the Germanic barbarian invaders and the nomadic Huns.<\/p>

The Slavs, who today make up the predominant ethnicity in Slovenia and the rest of the Balkan peninsula, were relative newcomers when they came from the Carpathian mountains or Black Sea region in the sixth century. They ruled autonomously until they were absorbed into the Holy Roman Empire in the ninth century.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Habsburgs<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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During the Late Middle Ages, the Austrian Habsburgs took control of most of what is now Slovenia in the mid-14th century, and it remained largely under their rule until World War I.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Habsburgs fighting the Ottoman Army in what is now Slovenia.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Counts of Celje (a medieval noble dynasty once a vassal of the Habsburgs), Ottoman invasions, and peasant wars challenged Habsburg rule. The Ottomans never gained a foothold in Slovenia as they did in Croatia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, and other countries in the Balkan Peninsula, but they were a constant menace.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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During the Napoleonic Wars, the First French Empire ruled the area briefly from 1809-1814. Napoleon made Ljubljana the capital of his Illyrian Provinces.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Yugoslavia and Socialism<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Many years later, the Slovenians began to agitate for independence, and in 1918, they joined with the Serbs and Croats to form Yugoslavia. During World War II, Slovenia was occupied by the Italians, Hungarians, and Germans before becoming an independent state of Slovenia within the\u00a0Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia\u00a0<\/span>from 1945 to June 1991, when it gained independence from the crumbling socialist regime.<\/span><\/p>

It is against this history that Ljubljana\u2019s architecture begins to make sense. The Old Town reflects Austrian influences, but those have been commingled with the more modern Art Nouveau movement. The rest of the city shows more signs of its socialist past.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Ljubljana Earthquake Sparks Revival<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Many of the Old Town’s well-preserved buildings date back to the Ljubljana Revival period that followed the Easter Sunday 1895 earthquake. Ten percent of Ljublana’s buildings were damaged or destroyed in the earthquake that measured 6.1 on the Richter scale.<\/p>

See Total Slovenia News’<\/em>\u00a0“Old Photos: Ljubljana After the Earthquake.<\/a>“<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Art Nouveau<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Ljubljana’s more iconic buildings and bridges were rebuilt in the Vienna Secessionist style<\/a>, an offshoot of Art Nouveau.<\/p>

This style was popular in Europe from 1892 to 1906. The Hauptmann House on Pre\u0161eren Square was redesigned in the Art Nouveau style even though it was undamaged by the quake.<\/p>

Some buildings retain Baroque facades from the 16th and 17th centuries and give the Old Town an Austrian feel.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Hauptmann House in Pre\u0161eren Square is an example of Art Nouveau\u2019s \nVienna Secessionist style. \niPhoto.com \/ Pablo_1960<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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But the Dragon Bridge, Triple Bridge, and Cobblers’ Bridge all reflect the decorative curves and motifs of the Vienna Secessionist style influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement.<\/p>

It\u2019s easy to explore the pedestrian-only Old Town on foot. Other than bicycles and the free lime green electric \u201cKavalirs\u201d (cars that are called Gentle Helpers), that is your only option. A Funicular<\/a> leaves every 10 minutes from Krek Square opposite the Ljubljana Central Market to carry passengers 230 ft up to Ljubljana Castle.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Ljubljana Castle has been extensively renovated since the 1960s. Image by JAG.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Ljubljana Castle<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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We met our tour guide, Mirzeta “Mirza,” in front of the empty Riverside Market. It was Sunday, so the market was closed. We decided that our tour would start with the Baroque-style Ljubljana Castle, which sits high above the city and provides a great view of the surrounding mountains. We jumped on the funicular that lifted us effortlessly up to the castle.<\/p>

As we wandered the castle grounds with Mirza, we learned about the castle’s history. Archeological excavations reveal little about the site’s ancient past, but it is believed to have been settled as early as 1200 BC.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Romans and the Fortress<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Whether the Romans occupied the original fort on the hill between 100 BC and 50 BC is a mystery, though several legions were camped below on the river banks. A wooden fortress owned by the Carinthian Dukes of Spanheim stood on this site in the 12th century. The Habsburg family took control in 1335 and, in the 15th century, changed the fortress into a residential castle.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The castle was used as a military warehouse in the mid-17th century. The French briefly occupied it in 1797 and again in 1809 during the Napoleonic Wars.<\/p>

In 1815, the Austrians returned and converted the castle into a penitentiary.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Today, the castle gets short shrift in the tourist guidebooks because it bears little resemblance to its 12th-century past. Major renovation work began in the 1960s and continued for three decades.<\/p>

Nonetheless, Chris and I thought the castle was well worth seeing. The penitentiary and St. George’s Chapel were interesting relics of their periods.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In addition, the views of Ljubljana and the distant mountains were beautiful.<\/p>

Mirza told us a story about an imprisoned knight who escaped the castle. We tried to imagine how he slipped the hermetically-sealed dungeon in the Tower of Erasmus. He was wealthy, so it was most likely he bribed a guard.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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St. George's Chapel<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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St. George\u2019s Chapel dates back to the 15th century. Image by JAG.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Painting of St. George in the castle's St. George Chapel. Image by JAG.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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St. George’s Chapel is a beautiful and vibrant sight, with its pink walls and colorful coats of arms. It is in stark contrast to the dingy cells of the castle’s prison built by the Austrians. The chapel’s interior walls were decorated in the Baroque era, while the exterior walls are much older.<\/p>

After walking around the castle, we took the Funicular down the hill to explore the Old Town. Our first stop was at The Dragon Bridge.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Jason and the Dragon Bridge<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Mythological Jason, leader of the Argonauts inspired Dragon Bridge. Image by JAG.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Art Nouveau Dragon Bridge, with its four giant copper dragon statues, was one of Europe’s largest reinforced concrete bridges when it was built in 1901. It replaced a wooden bridge called Butcher’s Bridge that was damaged in the earthquake and was rebuilt nearby.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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A closeup of one of the four large dragons on the Art Nouveau Dragon Bridge. Image by JAG<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Local folklore says that Jason, the Greek mythological leader of the Argonauts, is the founder of Ljubljana and that he slew a dragon that guarded the Golden Fleece.\u00a0<\/p>

That is the inspiration for the dragon motif, which is very impressive.<\/p>

We walked on to Butchers’ Bridge.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Butchers' Bridge<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A new pedestrian Butchers\u2019 Bridge was built in 2010. There are thousands of padlocks etched with initials or personal messages dangling from the cable railing. Like other European bridges, the padlocks are put there by love-struck couples.<\/p>

Despite the romantic symbolism of the padlocks, the bridge has a slightly unnerving feel with the surrounding sculptures. There is a freakish cluster of butchered animal heads on top of the railing to commemorate the original Butchers\u2019 Bridge, where animal parts were tossed into the river. A few padlocks have been secured around the jaws of the gruesome creatures.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Padlocks left by lovers on Butcher\u2019s Bridge. Image by JAG.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Padlocked sculptures on Butchers\u2019 Bridge. Image by JAG.\n<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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A tall statue of Satyr, the mythological lusty man-beast, stands on the bridge, as do figures of the banishment of Adam and Eve from Paradise, and Prometheus, who an eagle gutted, according to another myth.<\/p>

They are all creations of local sculptor Jakov Brdar whose artwork is scattered throughout Ljubljana. It\u2019s not apparent why these sculptures co-exist with the lovers\u2019 padlock theme, but there must be a connection somewhere.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A headless Satyr designed by local sculptor Jakov Brdar. Image by JAG.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Pre\u0161eren Square and the Poet<\/span><\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It was a different scene further on at Pre\u0161eren Square.<\/p>

At the center of the pedestrian, Pre\u0161eren Square stands a tall bronze statue of this city center\u2019s namesake, Slovene romantic poet France Pre\u0161eren. He is looking across the square at his muse, Julija Primic, who is sculpted into the wall of a yellow house.<\/p>

Meanwhile, the topless Muse of Poetry sits above him, dangling a laurel over his head. The truth is, France Pre\u0161eren was a man about town, known for his drinking and womanizing, not only for his poetry. Our guide, Mirza, told us a funny story about the statue’s unveiling in 1905. The statue was in full view of the nearby Franciscan Church of Annunciation. The priest and his parishioners were so distraught about the muse\u2019s state of undress that someone came by daily to cover her up.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Triple Bridge with Ljubljana Castle in the background. Image by JAG.\n<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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France Pre\u0161eren and the scandalous topless muse (Image by JAG)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Triple Bridge and Cobblers' Bridge<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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We continued our walk past Triple Bridge. As its name suggests, it is three bridges side-by-side. Impressive stone balustrades and lanterns give all three bridges an opulent air. An organ grinder cranked out a cheerful tune on the middle bridge as people strolled by. <\/span><\/div><\/div>
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All in all, there are 17 bridges in Ljubljana. Another noteworthy bridge besides Dragon Bridge, Butcher’s Bridge, and Triple Bridge is Cobblers’ Bridge. It takes its name from the shoemakers who once practiced their trade nearby. <\/span><\/div><\/div>
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The European Green Capital award went to Ljubljana in 2016<\/a>. The city’s pedestrian areas and green space preservation were among the main reasons it won the prize. In 2022, Britain’s The Independent<\/a> listed Ljubljana as one of the six best sustainable destinations.<\/span><\/div><\/div>
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Other Things To Do<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In hindsight, we needed a day rather than three hours to explore more of the Old Town and venture further into the city.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>
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If I go back to Ljubljana, here’s what I want to do:<\/span><\/div>
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