Previous: Slovenia: The View From The Train
(7 on the map)
Beautiful Ljubljana impressed me so much in 2009 that I planned a whole trip (this one) to see more of Slovenia in 2011. So I looked forward to returning to the city, even if for only two nights. I arrived early enough in the evening from Celje to get down to the main square, Preseren Square, before dusk to shoot some pictures. Unfortunately, the rains returned – heavy rains – just after after the sun went down. Lucky I was able to shoot pictures in great dusk light before it got wet
Franciscan Church, Triple Bridge, Dusk, Ljubljana
then (forgot my umbrella!) hustled back to my B&B (the B&B Slamic). I found pizza at the Pizzeria Folcus, a place I’d visited in 2009.
Little Ljubljana is a big university town, so it’s usually crawling with students – and to me that always makes a city seem more alive and real than some of the tourist traps you find in Europe. The town is also full of beautiful architecture, largely thanks to the famous architect Joze Plecnik who designed many of the elegant buildings and bridges in town. (You can tour Plecnik’s modest house with a tour guide – I did in 2009, very worth doing.) It almost seems like a fairy tale town, with beautiful little bridges over a tiny river, with a castle above the town. It’s a great city just for wandering around and soaking in the atmosphere.
Here’s a view of Preseren Square in the rain, later that same niht:
It was still raining pretty hard when I woke up the first morning.
Slovenska cesta, Rain, Ljubljana
I’m so glad I had visited before so I had already seen the beautiful town! The rains gave me an excuse to take it easy and rest my sore feet in my tiny B&B room (single bed was bit cramped for a tall guy, but I managed). Still, I couldn’t help going out and walking in the rain, anyway. I left my heavy camera behind for a change and toured huge Tivoli Park with my umbrella and a point-and-shoot camera. This rainy day turned out to be a Monday – when most of Ljubljana’s museums were closed. But luck was with me, as I discovered a photography exhibit…OUTSIDE, in the park! I spent a half hour browsing the beautiful photographs of Serbia by photographer Dragoljub Zamurovic.
Dragoljub Zamurovic Serbia Photography Exhibit, Tivoli Park, Ljubljana
At lunch I revisited another favorite pizza place from 2009, this one a much less-known hole-in-the-wall called Pizzeria Sestinka. A place with slices patronized largely by workers at lunchtime, it seemed. It’s a great casual place to grab a quick slice – and quite good too! As a solo traveler, I appreciate finding casual places that have good food but where I’m comfortable also.
Pizzeria Sestinka, Ljubljana
Pizzeria Sestinka, Ljubljana
After lunch I retrieved my big camera and still wound up walking all over Ljubljana for hours – so much for taking it easy! This was one of my favorite cities in Europe – I wasn’t going to waste an opportunity to enjoy it, rain or otherwise. By the afternoon the rains stopped
Trnovo Church, Ljubljana
Town Hall, Old Town, Ljubljana
Butcher's Bridge, River Reflections, Ljubljana, Slovenia
and by dusk I was pooped, camped out near Preseren Square again on a dry bench, waiting to shoot more dusk pictures as the skies cleared again. I wanted to photograph not just the famous Triple Bridge but also the Dragon Bridge and the Cobbler’s Bridge – always wanting to improve my pictures from previous attempts!
Dragon Bridge, Dusk, Ljubljana
Triple Bridge, Franciscan Church, Dusk, Ljubljana, Slovenia
When I was finally done shooting pictures, as dusk gave way to night, I headed over to an Italian restaurant I’d picked earlier in the day, only to find they’d closed early. Oh, well…I headed back to Pizzeria Sestinka, if only because I knew they’d be open and have good food!
[bookingcomad1 aid=”1302799″ destid=”-87271″]