Ljubljana

I took an overnight train from Zurich Hauptbahnhof (Main Train Station) to Ljubljana. It was an 11-hour train ride, and it cost me CHF146. Arriving the next morning, I called the hostel to have someone picked me up at Železniška postage (Main Train Station). The hostel is about 20 minutes bus ride to the Old Town Square.

Squeezed between the castle hill and Ljubljanica River, the Old Town has two squares, the Mestni Trg (City Square) with the Robba fountain and the city hall behind it, and, farther on, the Gornji Trg (Upper Square). Well-preserved medieval buildings now house local designer shops, and several popular cafes and restaurants. Although they may look creepy, the perfectly safe narrow lanes can lead to charming little squares and buildings in Baroque style.

This compact riverside city offers the romantic delight and hip underground vitality of Prague, without the crowds. Summer in Ljubljana can be pretty nice. I did not waste anytime since I had plan to stay for only two days, and my first point of interest was to Saint Nicholas Cathedral. Easily identifiable due to its green dome and twin towers, it is located nearby Ljubljana Central Market and the Ljubljana Town Hall. Triple Bridge (Tromostovje) which is just a stone throw away from the cathedral, consists of three separate picturesque bridges located next to one another. They do provide a majestic entrance to the Old Town.  If you are not in a hurry, just sit by any cafe for tea or ice-cream, and watch the world go by. The water from Ljubljanka River does give a very nice relaxing feeling, with tour boats creating small water waves as they slowly move back and forth. Further down from the river, there's the Dragon Bridge. Completed in 1901, it is guarded by four detailed dragon statues from the city's coat-of-arms. One has to be careful around this area, as traffic can be heavy, and being a tourist you might get inattentive to your surrounding. I almost slipped and fell admiring the dragons. 

Between these two famous bridges, is Ljubljana Open Market. There is a flower market, fish and dried fruit on one level, bakery, dairy and meat on another level. There are also stalls selling herbs, spices, and local handicrafts such as baskets, and embroideries. 

Ljubljana has some pretty interesting architectures. Two buildings really stand-out - Ljubljana Town Hall and the National and University Library. The Town Hall is close to St Nicholas Cathedral. It has a combination of Baroque and Classicist style. It has a nice courtyard, and there is a small gallery showcasing its local arts and crafts. The Robba fountain originally located outside the Town Hall was renovated and moved into the National Gallery in 2006. What stands today in its previous site is just a replica. The National and University Library is designed by Jože Plečnik, a famous Slovenia architect. The central staircase which leads to a reading room, set between colonnades of dark stone, is characteristic to his design style. Surrounding the walls outside the reading room, are pictures of famous political figures and inventors. They are the ones who shaped the world as we know today.  There is a souvenir shop by the entrance, and I couldn't help but got myself three printed art pieces. 

I took a bus to Postojna Cave the next morning.  The bus station is just outside the Main Train Station. One way ticket is €6 and it is less than 2 hours trip. The cave is amazing. It is one of the top tourists sites in Slovenia. However, be prepared to pay €19 for the entrance. It is home to the blind endemic olm, the largest trogloditic amphibian in the world. Going into the caves through the tunnel is a 10-minute electric train ride from the cave railway station. Tour starts at the Conference Hall, which is large enough to host meetings and concerts. 

As I was planning to go to Zagreb later the next day, I took the opportunity to visit the Ljubljana Castle. Entrance to the Castle Courtyard, Chapel and Gift shop is free although you have to pay for the funicular railway ride up the hill, and there is a charge for access to the tower. The tower has magnificent views all over the city. After some time relaxing in the Courtyard with a cup of tea, I went back down and head to the Outdoor Market again. 

I had a tomato and mozzarella cheese salad for lunch before my departure. I noticed that the waiters were allowed to smoke while on the job. This was not going to happen in America. It was really nice to be able to see Ljubljana. It came as a surprise to me that for such a small city, there was no deficiency compared to the bigger cities in any way except for its size.