2019-09-01_Lonely_Planet_Traveller

CUT THIS OUT AND TAKE IT WITH YOU

SLEEPING

THE URBAN EDIT

ILLUSTRATION: STELLA ISAAC

EXCURSION

Chancesare,if you’ve

onlyseenonephotoof

Slovenia,it’sof Lake

Bled, 35 milesnorthwest

of Ljubljana.Andthe

turquoiselake,

embellishedwitha

steepledchurchon a tiny

tear-shapedislet,set

againsta backdropof

snow-cappedmountains,

is justas gorgeousin the

flesh.Fillyourlungs

withfreshmountainair

as youglideacrossthe

laketo theislandaboard

a traditionalpletna

rowingboat,takea dipin

thecrystal-clearwaters,

or hikeup thehillto

storybookmedievalBled

Castleandenjoythe

magnificent views.

BYDESTINATIONEXPERT

ANNA TYLER

FAMOUS
LJUBLJANCANS

IMPORTS...JamesJoyceand
NoraBarnacle(foronenight),
JasonandhisGoldenFleece
EXPORTS...skijumperPrimož
Peterka, painter Ivana Kobilca

DRAGONS’DEN

TheDragon Bridge

was fundedby Vienna,

aftera cunningmayor in

the early20th century

persuadedhis neighbour

that the riverneeded

an additionalcrossing.

The bridgeis adorned

withbronze

dragons.

BUDGET

HOSTELVRBA

hostelvrba.si

Oneof ourfavouritebudget

digsin Ljubljana,thisnine-room

hostelontheGradišcˇicaCanal

is justoppositethebarsand

restaurantsof delightfulTrnovo.

It hasthreetwindoubles,dorms

withfourto eightbeds(including

a popularall-femaledorm)

andanalways-warmwelcome.

Freebikesin summer.

MID-RANGE

HOTELGALLERIA

hotelgalleria.eu

ThisOldTownboutiquehotel

hasbeencobbledtogetherfrom

severaltownhouses.Thereare

16 spaciousroomsanda tiered

backgarden.Therearegreat

design touches everywhere.

Welikeenormousroom8, with

viewsof theHerculesFountain,

androom13,forglimpses of

LjubljanaCastle.

TOPEND

VANDERURBANIRESORT

vanderhotel.com

Thisstunningboutiquehotelin

theheartof Ljubljana’sOld

Townis formedfromfour

17th-centurybuildings.But

historystopsthere,forthis

hostelry,with 16 roomsover

threefloors,is super-modern.

Designedbythetrendsetting

SadarVugaarchitecturalfirm,

theroomsarenothuge,but

eachis uniqueandmakesuse

of naturalmaterials.The

rooftopterracehasaninfinity

poolandviewsof Ljubljana

Castle and the Old Town.

WHILEYOU’REHERE

DOhirea bicyclefrom

oneof 51rentalpoints

aroundtown,andpedal

alongtheriver.

WATCHopen-air

theatre,operaand

balletat summer’s

LjubljanaFestival.

BUYAdriaticbathsalts,

handmadesouvenirs

andintricatelacefrom

Idrija along Mestni trg.

MORE INFO...Slovenia guide (£15.99) // Guides app (free) // lonelyplanet.com/slovenia/ljubljana

MAPKEY

SIGHTS

CentralMarket

LjubljanaCastle

PrešernovTrg

ACTIVITIES

Barka Ljubljanica

EATING

Ek Bistro

GostilnanaGradu

DRINKING

KlubDaktari

WineBarŠuklje

SHOPPING

Honey House

SLEEPING

HostelVrba

HotelGalleria

Vander Urbani Resort