I'm not sure what it was that added Ljubljana to my list of places to visit a few years ago. Something that made me think it was a place I needed to visit. And something made me believe it would be a place I would love.
Perhaps it was just Slovenia's proximity to Croatia, a place that had been on my list for a while. Or perhaps it was something I read in one of the many travel sites I follow or one of the many travel magazines I used to read. But there was something that drew me to Ljubljana over two years ago when I was planning my initial trip to Croatia in September 2020. Something that made me think it was a place I needed to visit. And something that made me believe it would be a place I would love.
I remember beginning my research for that trip before the pandemic began and knowing that I planned to start my trip in Ljubljana, I focused my reading on Slovenia first. I also remember very quickly thinking that the two days I allotted for Ljubljana and Slovenia in general would not be enough. I don't remember why I thought that; there was just something, that the more I read, I knew I was going to love it there.
Yes, I've used the word "love" twice now as that was just a feeling I got so many times before I left about this place I had not yet explored. And well, as I quickly learned after arrival, one of Slovenia's touristy phrases is aptly, "sLOVEnia." They know you're going to love it there. So, to say I fell in love with Ljubljana and Slovenia is an understatement. In the months leading up to my trip, I'd also talked to a few people who recently been, one said with enthusiasm, "Slovenia was truly fantastic. A hidden gem. Ljubljana is the easiest, most pleasant city I’ve ever visited. Any café by the river is a perfect place to spend an afternoon." Just the positive energy I felt in reading her email provided affirmation that I'd love this place I hadn't yet visited. And I couldn't wait to get there to see if it was right.
September 10th, 2022
It took me about 20 minutes to realize my gut hadn't led me astray. I landed in Ljubljana's tiny airport after an uneventful journey via Munich and enjoyed a lovely conversation with a Spanish man who was traveling for work in our shared transport to the hotel. As I arrived at my hotel, the City Hotel Ljubljana, was instantly greeted by the reception staff. My room was not yet ready (it was just about 12noon) so I grabbed the essentials, stored my bags, got directions to the "Old Town" area and set off to explore. Those directions, by the way, were super easy - a right out of the hotel and a left at the next stop light and go straight. Within 5 minutes I was in the pedestrian area of Ljubljana and the main square, Prešeren Square. The view leading up to the square was picturesque and it was just the beginning.
As I spent the next few hours wandering around Ljubljana that afternoon, I was immediately taken with its colorful, natural beauty. The Ljublijanica River flows through the center of the city and there are trees, cafes, shops and wine bars (yep, wine bars- more on that in a bit) lining the pedestrian streets on either side of the river. It was a Saturday when I arrived so as I walked around, I encountered the Farmer's Market and its many stalls lining the river and overflowing onto a nearby square. I took in the bustling streets, that while busy and filled with pedestrians left me with a laid-back feel of the city.
As I made my way along the river, I sought out a place to eat. A tip for those that travel solo, always look for a place where most of the tables are full. It's usually a good sign that it's decent food. I quickly found Pop's Pizza and asked a server to for an available table. He ushered me to a spot near the servers outdoor stand and said, "wait here" as all the tables were full. After waiting about 10 minutes, I wondered if I had made a mistake in waiting and was considering finding somewhere else when a woman walking by asked if I was waiting for a table. I said yes and that I'd been waiting for 10-15 minutes but was not sure if I should continue to wait. She said, "Oh, it's totally worth the wait. I live right around the corner, and I eat here once a week. I'll come back when they are less busy. But definitely wait- it's the best pizza in Ljubljana." There's nothing like confirmation from a local. And hey, she was right. The pizza was probably the best I'd had outside of Italy, which I later learned the chef trained in Italy from my server. So hey, a little bit of Italian influence in Slovenia- I'll take it!
Rallying from the imminent jetlag that was rapidly kicking in, but feeling the need to walk off some of the calories from the pizza and taking advantage of the gorgeous weather as storms were predicted later in the afternoon, I spent more time walking along the river and getting a few more pictures of this beautiful gem of a city before I headed back to my hotel to check into my room. A friend of mine said later after I shared the pictures from my first few hours in Ljubljana that it looked like scenes from a postcard. I have to agree.
As I made my way back to my hotel, I quickly realized that my gut was right. Even in the few hours I had spent wandering the small city, it was somewhere I knew I was going to love exploring and returning again and again. As I checked in my newly constructed deluxe terrace room at the City Hotel Ljubljana, I could not have been more pleased with my choice in accommodations. Not only was the room spacious, immaculate, and modern, the quaint terrace provided a beautiful view of the city and Ljubljana castle. And as one nice touch, I had a complimentary tray of fruits and a lovely note from the hotel. So, as I settled in for the evening as a massive thunderstorm rolled through outside, I knew this was the start to another amazing adventure. Soli seemed instantly at home, too.
"Every dreamer knows that it is entirely possible to be homesick for a place you’ve never been to, perhaps more homesick than for familiar ground." – Judith Thurman
There's so much more to come from my time in Slovenia. Stay tuned.