This is what Ljubljana tastes like

A coincidence rarely comes alone. Such a chain of coincidences happened a few weeks before our trip to Slovenia and ended in me finding Vesna – or Vesna me. Vesna grew up in the small village of Plave in the Soča Valley. An area that is now known for daring kayaking, among other things. The Soča bubbles with its typical green-blue colour – “like an emerald”, Vesna tells us later, her eyes shining – 136 kilometres from its source in the Trenta Valley to Friuli and flows into the Adriatic Sea. Vesna loves her homeland and that’s exactly why she founded Slocally – experience Slovenia with locals. She has recently created two themed herbal guest rooms in her parents’ house. In addition, it offers its guests and other interested tourists culinary and sports activities (hiking, cooking regional dishes with local products, basket weaving) in the Primorska region.

Enjoy
home advantage

We meet Vesna on Prešeren Square. “Everyone knows him,” she writes to me in advance. In fact, Prešeren Square, named after the Slovenian national poet France Prešeren, is the beating heart of charming Ljubljana. Today, Vesna wants to let us in on the culinary secrets of Slovenian cuisine. Normally she doesn’t offer food tours in Ljubljana, but since I don’t have enough time for a detour to Soča Valley, she makes an exception for me. After all, she knows every nook and cranny in Ljubljana.

Marktfrische

We cross the Ljubljanica River, the blue vein of Ljubljana, on the most famous bridge – Tromostovje, designed by Jože Plečnik in 1929. On the opposite side of Prešeren Square is the market. Depending on the day of the week and the season, you can buy handicraft products as well as fruits and vegetables from the surrounding villages.

Honey and schnapps

Just a few meters from the Market Square, there is the delicatessen Krasevka (Ciril Metodov trg 10). From brandy to chocolate to various types of honey, you can buy almost everything here that can be made from the raw materials of Slovenian nature. I was quickly seduced by the numerous scents. I can’t resist and leave the shop richer with a Karst chestnut honey (5.20 euros). Mom and Dad will be happy. For 2.50 euros, I can also afford a bar of the famous Strast chocolate with rosemary (a taste experience in a class of its own).

Sausage and bread

Only five house numbers away (Ciril Meteodov trg 15) is the small restaurant Klobasarna. Here everything revolves around a very extraordinary sausage. In the small snack bar, you can get the most famous culinary product from Slovenia – the Carniolan sausage – in fast food style. The shopkeeper stands out not only because of his charming manner, but also because of the ostentatious watch on his wrist. Until six months ago, he made watches here in the shop, he explains. Now he has switched to Slovenian Cultural Heritage. For the small hunger in between, an ideal food stop.

Andrej also had a culinary dream. During his time as a temporary chef in various restaurants, he dreamed of opening his own bakery. No, not a bakery, but an exclusive boutique bread shop. With a lot of manual work and the active support of his girlfriend, an architect, he realized his vision and opened the Osem bakery (Gornji trg 23) in December. The shop is furnished in a minimalist style. Seating steps have been cleverly installed at the entrance. The central element is a block of wood where the crispy breads are ready. Seven days a week, he is in the shop early in the morning and bakes fresh rolls. So much passion has spread quickly and the store has already made a name for itself. We try his latest creation – white bread enriched with cinnamon – and are delighted.

Soup in the village square

The neighbourhood west of Prešeren Square looks a bit like a sleepy village. There is absolutely no rush here. Galleries, small boutiques and restaurants are lined up here. It seems to be slowly becoming hip. We sit in the sun at the restaurant Druga Violina (Stari trg 21). Pure village square feeling. For three euros you can get an extremely delicious soup of the day. An ideal spot for a relaxed, traditional Slovenian lunch. By the way, the restaurant is committed to the social sector and hires people with physical disabilities.

Sweet break

Of course, we also dedicate ourselves extensively to sweet temptations, and there are plenty of them. Vesna says that ice cream from Zvezda is definitely a must-see in Ljubljana. Zvezda is a chain and there are several ice cream stalls in the center.

Another special feature is the Ljubljana cake, in which all the delicacies of Slovenia are mixed into a tempting dessert. Oh yes, this unique blend of figs, chestnuts and buckwheat is simply bombastic.

Aperitif with a view

Slovenia has two large breweries, one of which has bought up the other. Vesna leads us to Zlata Ladjica, which is located right on the Ljubljanica waterfront. One of her favorite places to ring in the weekend. Zlata Ladjica has an extensive selection of beers, which includes not only the “standard” beers, but also numerous types of beer from Slovenian microbreweries.

Alternatively, the Art Café in Tivoli Park offers a great terrace in the middle of Ljubljana’s green oasis. A nice place to relax.

Schlossmahl

After a day filled with food, we have to earn dinner first. We walk up the castle hill. The difference in altitude could also be overcome by means of a glass lift, but on the one hand it is free on foot and on the other hand you can marvel at the wonderful view on the way. With a bit of luck, we will get a seat in the restaurant Gostilna Na Gradu, which is located in the stone vaults of the castle.

We order the four-course gourmet menu (30.30 euros each) and feast on first-class dishes, most of which contain products that come fresh from the water, forest and fields of Slovenia. We’re eating spring!

Afterwards we walk back to the city center and enjoy the wonderful view of a brightly lit Ljubljana.

Many thanks to Vesna, who took a whole day to introduce us to the land of milk and honey that is Slovenia. A truly delicious experience!

The most important facts about Ljubljana

Best time to visit:	Spring and Autumn
Entry requirements:	Valid Swiss identity card – a Swiss passport that has expired for less than 5 years will also be accepted. (February 2019))
Currency:	Euro (EUR)
Languages:	Majority Slovenian
Population:	288,250 (July 1, 2017)