Ljubljana – The Dragon City!!

This article is in continuation to Holiday Haven – Slovenia…

The largest city in Slovenia, Ljubljana is about 2 hours of drive from Koper (if I count the repair time it took to get our car on road then our trip was of 5 hours! :)). The Ljubljana Dragon is the symbol of the city and is prominently depicted in the coat of arms on the country flag also. There is a bridge called the Dragon Bridge crossing Ljubljanica River right in the heart of the city. The whole of this area can be explored on foot.

A little ahead from the Dragon Bridge as you walk you come across the Cobbler’s bridge also called the Shoemakers’ bridge designed by the architect Plecnik. It received its name after many shoemakers set up their stalls on this bridge to sell products. However, now you can find musicians and street artists performing on this bridge.

Another bridge which is a landmark in Ljubljana is the Triple Bridge which connects the main square and a newer part of town with the Old Town and the Market. It is the best place to take a break and experience the surroundings. As you cross this bridge you find yourself in Preseren square, the main square in Ljubljana. Preseren square or Presernov Trg is dedicated to the greatest Slovenian poet Dr. France Preseren. A statue of the poet has been ensconced at this square and serves as an ideal landmark for meeting friends. Just across this statue is a street that opens from the square where you can see a head of a women stuccoed on a building. Apparently, this woman is none other than lover of the poet Preseren named Julija looking at the statue of her admirer! (Legend has it that she used to stay there and the poet used to write & recite poems for her from the ground floor!!)

It is in the market close to Preseren square that I had my first Burek, which constitutes to the fast food culture of the country. Extremely rich, Burek is a layered pie with cheese, meat or apples. It is difficult to finish off one portion in one sitting, at least that is what I can say about myself! Nevertheless, it is delectable and a must try when in Slovenia. Having been under the influence of German, Austrian and Hungarian powers in the past the Slovenian cuisine is a mix of all these cultures.

Other attractions to this city are the St. Nicholas Cathedral located at the Vodnik Square walking distance from the Triple Bridge and the Ljubljana Castle dating from the 16th century. I also sneaked a peek at the Ljubljana University, which was quite impressive. I found a lot of people smoking in groups outside and was informed by my friend who was taking me around the city that it was no more allowed to smoke in enclosed areas, hence the groups outside. This is quite opposite to the smoking rule we have here in India where smoking is prohibited in public areas while you are free to do so in the confines of your room! Having had a walk around the centre of the city, I headed back home for a short break. Later in the evening along with few others I headed out to Metelkova, a place frequented mostly by students. Not a very posh set up, this place acts as a pub cum recreational hub for the local youth. You have various activities like acts / bands etc running in parallel. It also had a hostel which used to be prison once upon a time! The hostel however was done up nicely and had a nice café on the ground floor. This place is where the youth of Ljubljana hangs out. The music is loud & there are several places which you can hang out, depending on your choice – trance, rave, techno, house…etc. I met a DJ performing at the open stage there and was thrilled to hear strains of Bollywood music. It so happens that he visits India for 3 months every year & he is as clued to the Indian music scene as I was!!

I was staying with a friend in Vrhnika, 20 minutes drive from the capital city Ljubljana. One of the days I also managed to get invited by my friend’s friend to her Violin making factory, which was truly an enriching experience. The musical saga ended with an Indian evening my friend hosted where I exhibited my culinary skills along with teaching few Bollywood moves!

The next day was reserved for a day excursion to the delightful Lake Bled which was another picture cut out from the fairy tales. A popular tourist destination Lake Bled is a glacial lake in the Julian Alps located in the North West of Slovenia. It is the most romantic sight that you can think of, may be that is why you have couples coming to get married at the Church on the Bled Island.

I actually saw a bride sitting pretty in her white wedding gown and her groom suave in his black suit on a boat on their way to the church to take their wedding vows. You can make a trip to the island on a boat along with other tourists. Per person cost is €12 which I was told was a steal since normally it costs somewhere in the range of €20- €25. Was it my lucky day? May be! You are given approximately 30 minutes on the island after which you need to get back to your boat. Do not forget to ring the church bell which is said to make your wish come true! (Since mine had already come true, I did not!!)

Characters dressed in traditional Slovenian attires (looked more like theatrical Roman attires!) welcome you into the medieval Bled Castle located on the top of the lake. Bled Castle is yet another place where couples loved to get married and I met two such couples amidst a grand set up. The entry cost is around €7 which in my book of accounts is a bit too much for there is nothing much the castle can boast of. There is a small museum detailing Slovenian history & highlights along with delightful costumes. Of course, the stunning bird’s eye view of the turquoise blue Bled Lake, is unforgettable and is definitely not to be missed.

The Bled lake is 35 kilometers from the Ljubljana International Airport and 55 km from the capital city Ljubljana. Bled offers its tourist a wide range of sport activities like skiing, horse riding, golf, fishing, hiking and trekking. Having filled up my lungs with fresh air, my mind with tranquility the Bled Lake had to offer and my thoughts with everlasting memories I headed back home. Even today when I think of Slovenia – Bled Lake & the Castle comes foremost to my mind and of course Burek follows a close second!!