Arrival and brief vist to the city
The hotel we paid the same evening, the staff is friendly but speaks little Italian, but in return a perfect English. Regarding parking, there are several nearby but are free only in the evening, during the day will be charged. We next morning we asked where we could park and the receptionist told us to park in the parking well ... free.
After seeing the room we decided to start exploring the city. We are in good heart and we see immediately that
Ljubljana is full of youth!
We do recommend a restaurant by the hotel staff and I must say it was good advice. It's called Sokol and have Slovene specialties. The prices are not exaggerated but be careful where you go ... time the kitchen closes at 22 ... and they are categorical. The restaurant is very beautiful, situated on two floors inside seems to be in a courtyard ... very typical!
After dinner we take a walk along the river and cross the famous Bridge of Dragons, I must say that I thought it was bigger but it is a very beautiful building and also curious.
Let the marketplace and we hope that the next day they do. (Then we discover that the market is daily).
Back at the hotel and collapsed from exhaustion
Second day
We had a tour called, we decided to explore the city ... so lost in its streets.
We arrive at the Bridge of Dragons and I must say that it is quite another day! Beautiful, too bad the cars that go ...?
We arrive at the market square (Market Plecnik) and find that it is great! The whole square is embraced by a colonnade very characteristic. We immediately notice a lot of stalls and goods ranging from fruit to clothing to household items! We are amused to discover the different habits of Slovenes! And we noticed that they are very attached to their traditions.
We stuck an old lady selling vegetables ... we paused to see the products and we were surprised to see that they were products of his garden, with the earth still attached, I see only markets fruits and vegetables ... so clean it I have only seen in Calabria in the local markets of the hinterland villages. It 'was really good to see that we still keep the quality of local product.
Abbiamoscoperto also a mini market inside a building near the square, you get down the stairs ... just open the door you are assaulted by the scent of spices, cheeses, meats ... the beginning is weird but you get used to it now! We begin the "tour" ... we immediately notice that the sides are engaged in niche shops, wine sellers, who seem almost ... oil fairs Italian style ... then we dive into the nuts and ... a lot of people ... and sell it already peeled ... spectacular, walnuts, peanuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts .. then dried figs, dried apricots ... even glazed fruit like strawberries, grapes, currants ... we stop near a bar owner and admire these delicious, so ... seeing lit .. gives us a taste of strawberry frosted ... my mother ... we ... we had resisted buying a little '! We also got a bag of black currant iced! Slovenes are very nice!
We continue our tour and see Banquet of salami, very similar to ours, banquet of bread and cheese ... we wanted to taste everything but unfortunately we had no time! We leave this gastronomic world ... it's raining outside and the smell of rain assails us but we do not get discouraged.
We continue along the river admiring stalls of local handicrafts, wood and porcelain objects, but also glass and ceramics. We reach the triple bridge (Tromostovje), as first impression is very strange ... but it is not clear immediately after, viewing from various angles you find that is a beautiful building! In the beginning there was only the central stone bridge (1842) and only after the two sides have been built (1932). Crossing the bridge we see the square Preseren (Slovene poet), you immediately notice the facade of the Franciscan church of the second half of 1600. Let's take a ride through the streets ... and they are rich and famous shops a lot of people in and out with bags and souvenirs. Not far from the square, walking in the street right of the church, is a very beautiful building that breaks the dark colors of the buildings that surround it, the front is orange with red and blue Greek very nice to see.
We continue our visit back in the old city and along the river, we discover a different
Ljubljana, many bars, shops and alleyways characteristics.
We arrive at the bridge of shoemakers (Cevljarski most) is so called because it was once covered by a roof and enclosed on the sides by shops of shoemakers, was later amended. Cross the bridge and follow our left we come to another square, town hall (Rotovz). In front of this building you can admire the beautiful fountain carniolini of three rivers: Sava, Krka and
Ljubljana.
We come back to the market place and decide to go and visit the castle. There are several ways to get there: on foot, by car and the funicular, we decide to take that which is right opposite the market.
We only ticket 1.80 euros, the wait is short and soon we are in this rectangle of glass in 60 seconds takes us up the hill.
We get almost inside the castle, we are a bit 'confused, can not understand where to go ... but then take a path at random and we are left to climb the stairs that will lead us right in the main square.
This hill was once used by the Romans as a Point militareed the castle was built in early 1100.
During our visit he was being restructured and certain areas were not visited. We climb the walls and we enjoyed a breathtaking view over the city imagining how it must be with clear skies and the sun ... (at that time it was raining ...).
Despite the rain, I'll walk down the street is not very long back in the market place.
We visit a few more stalls and then, reluctantly, we head for the hotel to return the car and leave for home.
In conclusion it was a pretty crazy,
Ljubljana surprised us with its vitality, its history and traditions.
On the way back to Italy we will see a part of
Slovenia ... we really liked. From
Ljubljana to Trieste there are only fields, woods and some village. We planned to go see this area.
Dear friends, the next trip!