Ljubljana is a well-guarded secret

The Slovenian capital Ljubljana is definitely a place worth discovering. Tucked away between Austria and Italy, this city is a true pearl of great price – like a miniature Prague, but at least for the time being well off the beaten track for the tourist hordes. Even the name of the place is enough to describe its character: The word Ljubljana means beloved.

Human dimensions and human appearance 
Ljubljana is an excellent destination for a short city break, as it is very suitably dimensioned. The city is home to about a quarter of a million people and it takes only about half an hour to traverse the downtown area on foot. The finest cafés and restaurants are near the castle mound. Visitors seeking shopping opportunities should explore the city to the west of the river, which is where a majority of the most interesting shops and market squares are located.

Ham and kraški teran
Ljubljana is a city that truly rewards those who simply stroll around with no particular destination in mind. And if tiredness sets in at any point, then you can regain your energies, for example, with a helping of karst and kraški teran. The former is a local prosciutto-style air-dried ham, while the latter is a fine red wine from the Kras wine region, which the locals claim to have medicinal effects to boot.

Mountain vistas in Bled
The town of Bled lies by Lake Bled at the foot of the Julian Alps, just 50 kilometers from Ljubljana. Bled is also on the edge of the Triglav National Park, which provides a huge number of marked trails for hikers and nature enthusiasts. This is a place truly worth spending some time, as the mountain vistas of Slovenia are every bit as fine as those of the Alps.