• Beyond Ljubljana
• Ljubljana
BEYOND LJUBLJANA
Emphatically not to be missed while you're in Ljubljana is a visit
to the Postojna Caves - easily managed either as a day-trip from the
capital or en route south to Slovene Istria, to Croatia or to Italy. A
lower-key alternative to the cave stopoff is Lipica , where the
celebrated white Lipizzaner horses are bred, or Predjamski Grad , near
Postojna, an atmospherically sombre castle high above a cave entrance in
the midst of a dramatic landscape.
Close to the borders with Italy and Croatia, the towns of Slovene Istria
have long been popular tourist resorts, although through all the crowds,
concrete and tourist settlements, the region has managed to retain some
charm and identity. The basis of this is Italian, coming from the 400
years of Venetian rule that preceded the region's incorporation into the
Austro-Hungarian Empire, and eventually into the Yugoslav federation.
There's still a fair-sized Italian community here although many of the
Italian speakers left Istria after World War II, afraid of what might
happen once the communists took control. Even so, Slovene Istria remains
one of the most Italianate parts of the entire region: there's a steady
flow of traffic to and fro across the border, Italian is fairly widely
spoken, and road signs are in Italian as well as Slovene. Along the
coast, diminutive towns like Piran , with their cobbled piazzas,
shuttered houses and back alleys laden with laundry, are almost
overwhelmingly pretty. Koper , too, is worth a look, more port than
resort and a good base for exploring northern Istria.
To the northwest of Ljubljana, and within easy reach of the capital, are
the mountain lakes of Bled and Bohinj , Slovenia's number-one tourist
attraction. The Soca valley , on the western side of the Slovene alps,
is much less touristed, although small towns like Kobarid and Bovec are
excellent bases from which to indulge in rafting and walking. East of
Ljubljana on the main route to Hungary, Ptuj is Slovenia's oldest town
and one of its most attractive.
LJUBLJANA
LJUBLJANA curls under its castle-topped hill, an old centre marooned
in the shapeless modernity that stretches out across the plain, a vital
and self-consciously growing capital. At first glance it seems Austrian,
a few strands of Vienna pulled out of place, typically exuberant and
refined; but really Ljubljana is Slovenian through and through, with
outside influences absorbed and tinkered with over the years. The city's
sights are only part of the picture; first and foremost Ljubljana is a
place to meet people and to get involved in the nightlife - the
buildings just provide the backdrop.
The City
Ljubljana's main point of reference is Slovenska cesta, a busy north-south
thoroughfare that slices the city down the middle. Most of the sights
are within easy walking distance from here, with the Old Town straddling
the River Ljubljanica to the south and east with its castle and
cathedral, and the nineteenth-century quarter to the west, where the
principal museums and galleries are to be found
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