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As we already told, on February the 13th the second Sparkling Wine Festival is going to take place at the Union Grand Hotel in Ljubljana.
Let’s see what you can see in Ljubljana on St. Valentine’s day.
5 tourist attractions you must see in Ljubljana
after the Sparkling Wine Festival
Ljubljana is a very charming city, with a small and quiet old town you can have a lazy walk in, simply enjoying the architecture and the view on the castle on the hill, or where you can breath the Central European air while having your breakfast sitting at a coffee shop table on the embankment along the river Ljubljanica.
Here are 5 tourist attractions you can’t miss during your stay in Ljubljana, even if you have to leave the town the very day after the Sparkling Wine Festival.
1. Prešeren Square (Prešernov Trg)
France Prešeren is probably the most important Slovene poet ever. We talk about him in our guide, as he is the author of the poem whose seventh stanza had been chosen to be the lyrics of Slovene national anthem (Zdravljica!).
A square in the city center wears his name and is the place where inhabitants use to meet.
it’s nice to stop and stair at the buildings surrounding the square (such as the Church of Annunciation/Cerkev Mirijinega Oznanjanja) as well as watching citizens enjoying their own town.
2. Triple Bridge (Tromostovje)
Formerly called Špital bridge, it was built in XIX century and leads to the actual old town (which is traditionally considered the part of the city center on the river’s southern bank).
Its beautiful arcades were added in the Thirties by the famous architect Jože Plečnik, who was born in Ljubljana and gave his town most of its present-time look.
3. Central Market (Centralna Tržnica) and Pogačarjev Trg
South-east of the Triple Bridge lies Pogačarjev Trg, place of the local market.
Here you can buy typical Slovene products, such as cheese (sir) and honey (med), as well as some hand-made souvenir.
Look at the elegant arcade by the river, they were made by Plečnik, too (Plečnikov Arkada).
In Pogačarjev Trg you’ll also see the town’s cathedral, a church built in the XVIII century and dedicated to St. Nicholas.
4. Mestni Trg
Keeping on walking southward from Triple Bridge, you’ll reach Mestni Trg, the heart of the old town.
The Town’s Hall, with its golden dragon on the top, lies here.
In the center of the square you can admire the fountain build by the Venetian sculpture Francesco Robba, depicting the rivers of the region Carniola: Ljubljanica, Sava and Krka.
5. Castle (Grad)
The guided tour lasts a couple of hours, but the sight on the town from the castle hill worths the walk even if you can’t step in.
The present look of the castle is the effect of the deep restoration made in the XVI century, after the castle was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1511.
It was the king’s residence; later, it was turned into barracks and a prison. Nowadays it’s a place for exhibition and ceremonies, including weddings (if we remember correctly, on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, just in case your St. Valentine’s day develops quickly).
… and, before leaving:
Have one last glass of your favourite sparkling wine on the top of the town’s skyscraper at Nebotičnik (meaning “skyscraper”, Štefanova ulica 1), a restaurant, bar and café from whose terrace you can admire the whole town of Ljubljana.