Ljubljana
Tiny, tidy and with a village-like atmosphere
We arrived in Slovenia's capital from Vienna, a train ride of about six hours.
The country was once part of the former Yugoslavia. The change was already noticeable from the architecture of the station, older and smaller than that of the great imperial city, with almost no infrastructure. But that first impression, more decadent, soon changed and gave way to the enjoyment of a very beautiful city with rich gastronomy.
The official language is Slovenian, but some fifty local dialects are also spoken among its 2.5 million inhabitants.
The proximity to Italy gives it a more energetic touch than other Eastern European capitals. Perhaps a bit more hipster, easier for the young public.
We had only one full afternoon to walk around and see the main attractions. But we were efficient and it was enough.
We chose the budget option of the colossal Accor chain, which always works, especially in Europe, in this case with Ibis. hotels. It was halfway between the station and the historic city center, which in Ljubljana means a couple of blocks.
From there we started a walk to see first the Dragon Bridge, Zmajski Most, art noveau style, from the early 1900's with the animal symbol of the city, over the Ljubljanica river.
Then the Butcher's Bridge, Mesarski Most, where the meat from the adjacent market was sold, where today the sculptures of frogs and fish and Adam and Eve stand out. The sides have a glass floor that allows to see the flow of the river. Today it is the bridge of love, as in many European cities lovers seal their love with padlocks on the bridge.
Next to it is the Central Market, where vendors offer fresh vegetables and fruits: the most outstanding, undoubtedly, the red ones. It was already close to 4 pm, closing time, so the cantankerous stallholders showed little patience with our visit without any chance to buy.
Next came the Cathedral of San Nicolás, with its green towers. We knew that inside there were some frescoes but they charge an entrance fee and it is not well lighted, so we decided to continue on to the Triple Bridge, Tromostovje, from the 19th century.
We then visited Preseren Square, one of the main squares in the city, with the statue of France Preseren, the most important Slovenian poet.
The Church of the Annunciation, of the Franciscan order, reminded us of the Basilica of San Francisco of our beloved Salta, for the Italianate style and the colors of its facade.
We walked along the waterfront, between the bars and restaurants to the iconic sculpture of Faces on Ključavničarska Ulica, the Street of Locksmiths. It consists of seven hundred grotesque bronze statues also by local Jakov Brdar. For its manufacture and creation, the artist took inspiration from a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke that says: “There are many human beings, but there are many more faces, because each person has several”.
From there we crossed the river to see the Cyanometer, a sculpture a few meters from the Metelkova Mesto, a former military barracks. In addition to the different shades of blue, it is a device that measures the quality of purity of the environment.
We did a little shopping in the neighborhood Zara until dinner time.
We chose Figovec, a bistro restaurant with Slovenian cuisine. The best option, without a doubt. Delicious gastronomy and an excellent local wine with a view of the castle with the thick clouds highlighting its figure.
Back at the hotel we took advantage of the complimentary drink on the rooftop, also with a view of the beautiful Ljubljana castle.
The next morning, a FlixBus would take us to rival Zagreb. It was drizzling and the improvised station did not even have a shelter, although the huge cranes show the city of the meandering river is planning to improve it.