We made a day trip to this beautiful green country from Zagreb. We first drove to Ljubljana, the capitol of Slovenia in the morning. It is about 1.5 hours from Zagreb(141 km). After a nice breakfast, we wandered around the vibrant & colorful old town which is clustered right along the banks of the Ljubljanica river. You get to see the cafes, markets, shops, churches, and many buildings as you stroll along Cankarjevo Nabrezje, the pedestrian-only street that lines the Ljubljanica River. There are several bridges across the river, many for pedestrians only and adorned with dragons, sculptures, and love locks, and are interesting to visit.
- Ljubljanica River
- Dragon Bridge
- Triple Bridge
- Locksmith Street
- Vintgar Gorge
- Lake Bled
The Ljubljanica River’s distinctive character is largely due to architect Jože Plečnik, who redesigned the old city’s embankments, created tree-lined riverside walks, and built or renovated key bridges such as the Dragon Bridge and the Triple Bridge.
The riverbanks are the heart of Ljubljana’s social life, lined with lively cafés and outdoor seating. Visitors can explore the city from a different perspective by taking a boat cruise along the river. Beyond its scenic beauty, the Ljubljanica also offers unique activities, including paddleboarding and kayaking through the city during the summer.
Triple Bridge – It may seem a bit odd to have three bridges sitting side by side, but there it seems that there is a historical reason for it. In 1842, the central bridge was built to replace the original wooden medieval bridge. About 90 years later, two pedestrian bridges where constructed on either side of the central bridge, forming what is now the Triple Bridge. Triple Bridge connects Preseren square with the historic heart of Ljubljana. They continue to remain as now pedestrian bridges.
Locksmith Street – As you continue walking along the Ljubljianica River, you will come across the Locksmith street. As you enter the narrow street, a mysterious sight unfolds, with the middle of the street adorned with hundreds of strange little faces, some happy, some sad, some crying or distorted. This is the work of the renowned Slovenian sculptor Jakov Brdar, whose bronze figure was also on Butcher’s bridge. The faces were inspired by a piece of writing by the poet Rainer Maria Rilke “To think, for instance, that I have never been aware before how many faces there are. There are quantities of human beings, but there are many more faces, for each person has several.”
Vintgar Gorge – After spending a couple of hours in Ljubljana, we drove out to Vintgar Gorge which is about 64 km north (45 min drive). There is a parking lot where you can park your car for €10 and the entry ticket to the gorge is another €10 per adult.
For about a mile, boardwalks crisscross their way along Radovna river creating a stunning landscape. With rains on the previous day and earlier on the day we were visiting, the waterflow was pretty intense, adding to the beauty of the gorge and the numerous little waterfalls.
You have to return to the parking lot on a separate hiking trail 2.5 miles of strenuous walking since you will be climbing back up. Plan to spend 2-3 hours here.
Lake Bled – Our last stop for the day was at this gorgeous Lake. We found parking to be a bit of a challenge and finally found a spot (€20 for 2 hours). We had to walk about quarter of a mile to get to the lake. Walking around the lake (6 km long) is a popular thing to do here, and can take roughly an hour and a half or longer depending on the stops to admire the gorgeous views and sceneries, and the cafes.
There is a small island in the middle of the lake, which can be visited by renting a row/paddle boat or pay to go in a Plenta. The island has a pretty church and you can also get an amazing view of the Lake Bled castle at the top of the steep hill.
After spending 2-3 hours in Lake Bled and relaxing with a cup of coffee and cake in one of the cafes, we drove up to Lake Bled castle. We walked around the grounds of the castle and enjoyed the view of the lake from the top, but did not visit the museum or the restaurant inside the castle.
One of the things we could not do and is worth doing is a hike to Mala Osojnica (45-60 min round trip) for one of the best views of Lake Bled. The hike starts on the west side of the lake, where there is a bench here and a small sign marking the trailhead.