Ljubljana- The Cutest European Capital You Can’t Pronounce

Posted on 14. Mar, 2010 by in Destinations, Europe

Ljubljana is completely unreal.  As in, it literally does not seem like a real place. It’s too clean, too pastel and too nice- kind of like if Disney decided to build a European capital and give it a whimsical unpronounceable name. Except that unlike Disney, there’s actual character lying behind the sparkling façade.

Even the train ride into town was surreal. After the hot June air of Belgrade, the soft greenness of Slovenia was a refreshing splash of water. For the past few weeks in Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro I’d been struggling to process the harsh contrast between beautiful people and wrenching destruction. Right away I could tell Slovenia was different. While it was also a part of the former Yugoslavia, Slovenia managed to untangle itself from the genocidal mess with barely any violence at all. It was, and still is, the wealthiest of those states, and the only one that is a part of the EU.

After a sweltering 12 hour train ride, I spent my first 24 hours In Ljubljana wandering in aimless, disoriented awe, blueberry gelato in hand. It’s a tiny place (less than 300,000 people) but it’s also a microcosm of everything you would expect an old world European city to be.

Here are a few things that make Ljubljana such a tiny gem:

 

Gorgeous Architecture


I’m not a building buff, but I know beauty when I see it, and the old town of Ljubljana was full of it It’s a distinct mix of Baroque and Art nouveau architecture with intricate details, all in a palette of pastels. You would never ever guess this country used to be communist- none of those Eastern block style apartment buildings squat here. The centerpiece of the old town is the elegant Triple Bridge designed by Jože Plečnik, which seems to be a meeting place for beautiful young Slovenians.

Café culture

One of my favorite things about Europe, and the Balkans in particular is the enjoyable activity of doing nothing. A slew of pleasant little cafes lie along the banks of the peaceful green Ljubljanica river (bonus fact: Ljubljanica literally means “loved nicely”). You could sit in the shade all day with a coffee or a beer and watch the covered boats drift down the river.

Romance


I don’t just mean for couples (although it was the perfect spot to reunite with my boyfriend after three weeks apart). Whether exploring the back alleys, stumbling upon the weekly flower market or strolling along the river at night with the buildings lit up around you, there is a certain level of enchantment to the city, which is enervating.

 

Ljubljana Castle


Like Ljubljana itself the castle is small, tidy and pretty. It’s a true medieval castle dating back to the twelfth century (with older ruins scattered around). Perched on top of a large hill in the center of town, it’s visible from basically anywhere. It’s a hike up the hill but there are great views of the orange roofed city.

 

The Ljubljana Dragon

Every good fairytale city needs it’s own dragon. According to legend Jason and the Argonauts passed nearby on their way to the Adriatic. Near the city Jason fought and killed a monster- the dragon that is now the symbol of the city. Representations can be spotted all around the city: on the coat of arms, on t-shirts and on the famous Dragon Bridge.

While beautiful, Ljubljana is a tiny city, and it only took a few days before restlessness started to creep in. I spent a week total in Slovenia and was continually amazed by the sharp contrast between it and the rest of the former Yugoslavia.

(And for the record it’s pronounced lyoo-BLYAH-nah.)

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32 Responses to “Ljubljana- The Cutest European Capital You Can’t Pronounce”

  1. Keith

    14. Mar, 2010

    Sounds (and looks) as beautiful as I thought it would. It’s on my list for my next European trip.
    .-= Keith´s last blog ..A Tale of Two Travel Archetypes: Breadth and Depth =-.

    Reply to this comment

  2. Adam

    14. Mar, 2010

    “One of my favorite things about Europe, and the Balkans in particular is the enjoyable activity of doing nothing.”

    That sounds pretty awesome to me, too! I noticed a bit of that in Poland, though I was in some pretty touristy areas.
    .-= Adam´s last blog ..Inside Vermont: Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour =-.

    Reply to this comment

    • Steph

      15. Mar, 2010

      Cafe culture is one of Europe’s best selling points for me. It’s great to sit with a coffee or a beer and watch the world go by.

      Reply to this comment

  3. Bobbi Lee Hitchon

    14. Mar, 2010

    This is so cute. Wish I had stopped here when I was in the neighborhood. Next time.

    Reply to this comment

  4. katie

    15. Mar, 2010

    LOVED this city. After living in spain for 6 months studying, my friend and I swept through eastern Europe and ended up spending extra days in Ljubljana to visit the Potsdam Caves and visited Lake Bled which was one of the most beautiful and magical places ever. theres a tiny island with a church at top of the hill in the middle of the island and tradition says that if the husband can carry his brand new bride up all the stairs they will have good luck.

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  5. Shannon OD

    15. Mar, 2010

    You have hit this SPOT on. I went to Ljublijana for a couple of days and stayed for a week! All of these points are just perfect, the city has an undeniable charm :-)
    .-= Shannon OD´s last blog ..A Little Confusion…The LP and a Confusing Belize Border Crossing =-.

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  6. Cyprus Girl

    15. Mar, 2010

    Great information. Thank you!

    Reply to this comment

  7. travel montenegro

    15. Mar, 2010

    I was in Ljubljana, a business, and the city I really liked. It seems to me quite as peaceful. The streets are beautiful and architecture fascinates.

    Reply to this comment

  8. Matt

    15. Mar, 2010

    Ljubljana was one place I hoped to see when I was doing the inter rail thing, but I didn’t manage to fit in. Terrific post – your pictures make me regret my decision!
    .-= Matt´s last blog ..Monday Escape: Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand =-.

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  9. Jon Ridge

    15. Mar, 2010

    Metelkova is the gem of the city, and one of my favourite places on Earth. An old communist-era barracks taken over and now run by the people pretty much autonomously as an arty-cultural city within the city.
    It’s amazing. Go there.

    Reply to this comment

  10. ehalvey

    15. Mar, 2010

    I really want to go there! I’m half Slovenian so I want to see where my family came from. It just looks so idyllic. I agree about the joys of cafe culture. I loved sitting and doing nothing by Lake Zurich, lingering over a glass of wine by the Pantheon, or spending 4 hours in a pub without a server trying to rush me out if my pint’s empty. Sigh.
    .-= ehalvey´s last blog ..Aran Islands =-.

    Reply to this comment

  11. Sofia - As We Travel

    17. Mar, 2010

    Looks gorgeous! I love baroque style! and pastel colors!

    Reply to this comment

  12. Katie

    18. Mar, 2010

    I was in Slovenia last April and didn’t make it to Ljubljana at all. We actually stayed in Kobarid, in the Alps for two nights. Such a wonderful place with amazing people. The Soca river that runs through the area was the most amazing turquoise color. I can’t wait to go back and explore Lake Bled and Ljubljana.

    Reply to this comment

  13. John Media@dedicated server

    08. Jun, 2010

    Wow such a nice country, I wish I could visit this place one of this days. It’s so clean and those scenery are so tempting. I love these kind of places.

    Reply to this comment

  14. Michael

    08. Oct, 2010

    I wish that I had read this before I went to the Balkans in May…. I really wanted to make it to Ljubljiana, but ran out of time. We did hit Croatia and Montenegro though. I love the region and definitely want to return someday!

    Reply to this comment

  15. Barbara

    03. Jan, 2011

    I stumbled your article and I am still laughing! The title is killing me. :) I am from Slovenia!
    The word Ljubljana is believed to be derived from a word “ljubljena”, which means “loved, beloved (woman)”; it is an adjective.
    I am glad you liked visiting Ljubljana, it is really a beautiful city and it truly has its charm!

    Reply to this comment

  16. Sandra

    13. Mar, 2011

    Nice to hear that you people like my country. You are all very welcome:)) and if i may, i do recommend you go and see town Piran on the seaside, lake and city Bled in the Alps, Postojnska jama or Postojna Cave, there you will also see Proteus, ofcourse Ljubljana, the capital, river Soča is also something you have to see, colors will fascinate you and many many more places, but those are really nice to see if you decide to visit Slovenia. And for chilling time or nice partying, yes i agree you have to visit Metelkova city and catch a little bit of various night life in Ljubljana in one place, at the same spot there is nice hostel called Celica, rooms are actually renewed from prison, so every room is prison cell and each is different. Little bit from me to you and I hope you will enyoj staying in my country. Greetings from Ljubljana and hope see you soon in one of the cafes near Ljubljanica:)) Sandra

    Reply to this comment

    • Steph

      14. Mar, 2011

      Thank you for your comment! I was lucky enough to visit Piran and Bled and they were both uniquely beautiful! Great country.

      Reply to this comment

  17. Nino

    14. Mar, 2011

    Great article and I’m very happy you liked the capital of my home country. Sorry to correct you and another person, as a linguist I need to say that although ljub- usually has something to do with love in Slovenian, in this case Ljubljana and Ljubljanica have nothing to do with it. The word is much older and has other meanings.:)

    Last year I brought my Taiwanese girlfriend to see Ljubljana and we took some awesome pics, I posted them on my blog, if you’re interested, it’s here http://si.tc/mg

    Hope to see you again in Slovenia :)

    Reply to this comment

  18. Vesna

    16. Mar, 2011

    Hey! I live in Ljubljana and must admit that I sometimes take things for granted and it is great to read a reminder of the town’s actual beauty from an impartial observer. :) Nice article!

    Reply to this comment

  19. Illuminatus

    20. Mar, 2011

    Nice article, but please be “gentle” with using the word “Balkans”, and not limiting historical references to just one of the former countries/regimes, because it’s not really “politically correct”. ;) Slovenia is in central Europe (by which the people with knowledge usually mean “Germany and most of the surrounding countries and regions”, and not exclusively ex-communist countries as the general lamestream-media and politics today refer to), and not in the Balkans. Even Croatia, by certain definitions, is not in the Balkans — neither culturally nor geographically. Kind of like saying the USA and Canada are in the Caribbean…
    The communist/Balkan era only lasted a few decades (around 40-70 years, depending on the exact part of the country), as opposed to centuries of being part of either Austrian empire, German Bund, French empire, Holy Roman Empire, the first independent Slovenian state of Carantania, the old Roman empire etc. Hence, also the “clean and nice” part, which you mention. Really nothing special in “this part of the world”. ;)

    As for the name of the city — despite it’s generally taught otherwise, most of the (for the lack of a better word) “real” Slovenians pronounce the name of the capital “loo-BLAH-nah”. It was once spelled Lublana, but the Slovenian grammar (along with quite a few place names) was changed hardly in the 19th century, to fit the “illyrists” who saw the future together with the south Slavic people and trying to change the language as well.
    The pronunciation you mention is (unfortunately) “official”, but again — you can mostly hear it in the media and on the train announcing the station, or from tourists who have no other choice. As a rule of thumb — whenever you see the “LJ” or “NJ” combination of letters in Slovenian place names, you can be sure those were artificially changed so in the 19th century (mostly, it would simply revert back to just “L” or “N”). Certain people today are lobbying to get the original place names back, though. I’m pretty sure it would be easier for everyone to have Lublana instead of Ljubljana (or, at least, if they allow to use both, just like certain places in the Netherlands: e.g. the Hague is both Den Haag and ‘s-Gravenhage).
    Thus, as Nino already mentioned, Ljubljana (Lublana) have nothing in common with “love”, or “beloved”; this too is again just the contemporary media/marketing/mainstream thingie…

    Reply to this comment

  20. Michael Hodson

    20. Aug, 2011

    those are some great pics, you should think about doing some of them up in bigger sizes.

    Reply to this comment

    • Steph

      20. Aug, 2011

      Thanks Michael, you have a really good point. I have a lot of older posts that would benefit from some sprucing up!

      Reply to this comment

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