Ljubljana [lub-lee-ahna], is the capital of Slovenia. But you knew that right?
As a traveler in Europe in April, there was no real escaping the whole Volcano-in-Iceland-erupting-and-causing-mass-havoc-to-transport-everywhere.
For me that meant a cancelled flight, then walking to the local station in Budapest, taking one look at the 3+ hour line of people waiting in the international ticket cue, then walking off to get a kebab, and repeating the process the next day, and the next day, and the next day..
When I finally could get a ticket, my plan was to go to Venice, but as Ljubljana is en-route, I decided to stop there for a few days to re-visit a city I previously didn’t have the chance to spend much time in.
Not on most backpackers ‘to go’ lists, Ljubljana is actually really great.
Prauge or Ljubljana? Ljubljana.
Munich or Ljubljana? Ljubljana.
Krakow or Ljubljana? Ljubljana.
You get my drift.
Compact enough to get around by foot, but big enough to still find your own private space, the city is green and fresh with trees and parks everywhere.
The main river running through the center (nicknamed ‘the beach’ as thats where everyone seems to spend most of their free time) has a plethora of cute little cafes lining the sides, and is and awesome spot to latte the afternoons away.
Never does the feeling arise that your walking around in a tourist trap either, its real people in a real city.
And most of those people are students.
Being home to Slovenia’s only university, Ljubljana’s population is officially 15% (65,000) students. Walking the streets though you get the feeling its more like 80%, this is a young persons city, and the bikes and the street art, and galleries, and gig flyers everywhere show it.
Camera:Lomo LCA
Film: Fuji Superia X-Tra 400
Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia. April 2010.
Photoshop: None.
Another perk of visiting Ljubljana is the food, legit ćevapčići and burek without having to travel down into the Balkans. There’s enough onion and garlic in this stuff though to kill all the vampires in Twilight, so make sure your not planning to rip up the town afterwards.
Visit Ljubljana, you wont be disappointed.
Leave Me Here.. 
What a beautiful place. Thanks again mysterious traveller!
On the whole, randomly speaking, in most of the English-speaking world a forgotten country with an obscure history and unknown people…. A remote reference might be the Austrian Alps and those who have been there.
Someone once said to me that many generations ago, I had ancestors from there. Short of some very real miracles, I will not be visiting and I want to thank you very much for the glimpse of that world. If the lines in Budapest prompted it, well, I can’t exactly thank the Hungarians for getting in the way of your adventures, but I’m happy with it.
I’m backpacking throughout Europe from July until December and this has just re-affirmed my intentions to leave Ljubljana towards the top of my list of ‘must sees’.
Thank you.
….and because of all those students, Ljubljana (and by extension) Slovenia may be the easiest country in Europe to hitchhike around. On outskirts of Ljubljana the students form orderly lines by the highways and wait to get picked up.
Thanks for blogging, it’s always good to know there are other Ljubljana devotees out there.
When backpacking through Europe I made sure to visit Ljubljana because I’d fallen in love with it in my head, after reading Paulo Coelho’s “Veronika Decides to Die.” So I fell in love with the real city, though I could only stay for a week.
I found your website via Frankie magazine, btw, and having seen how wonderful your pictures of this place I adore are, I think I’ll have to investigate taking up photography myself. If you ever find yourself in Canberra, give us a hoy.
Next time you are in Slovenia be sure to check out Maribor to. It’s an even more compact city that also has an university so Ljubljana isn’t the only one. Lots of students and very friendly people in general. 😛
greetings from Slovenia
You might as well kick yourself in the butt instead of writing about only one university (i think we have three major universities in the state, plus som more that are still developing and could find their bitter end).
I love the lomo photos and some of your writing’s style, though ;-).
haha. I can’t really reach my own butt, though I’ll get my girlfriend to spank it. Deal?
I thought there was more Universities! The guide I was with was insistent though.
Poor little Lomo is dead at the moment, need to find another one (4th for this trip!).
Before I even finished scrolling down to see the rest of the photos, your words painted such a beautiful image in my head.
I know little to none about Slovenia (okay, I know nothing) and I’m now curious enough to make me want to visit.
Like your Lomo pics;)
I became a fresh Lomo (Diana mini) user, so I have maybe a stupid question, but anyway – how do you digitalize your analog pictures? Do you use a scanner?
Thanks!
LEgicA from Slovenia;)
I just came past your blog and really like this post and your photos. Most people including myself get seduced by the fantastic atmosphere in the city which is one of the few that really make use of its river. Most other European cities have a road on each side of the river which completely spoils the atmosphere. It might be a boring fact but I think it makes a huge difference to the feel of the place.
Finally, this has to be added:
Ljubljana is and remain the best place to do nothing, you’re simply forced to enjoy life!
Hope you come back soon,
Stefan
Thanks for this one. It was a rare pleasure and a surreal experience to see my hometown through the eyes of an outsider.
Definitely a great city!