Ljubljana is the capital and largest city of Slovenia.

Pronouncing “Ljubljana” was like attempting to gargle with a mouthful of marbles, and let me tell you, I received more than a few bewildered stares when I innocently inquired if our destination was Hogwarts. Honestly, I was the one left questioning the reality of this magical place when Mummy casually dropped the bombshell that we were actually about to set foot in it!

Venezia Mestre to Venice Marco Polo Airport

To avoid the chaos of hunting down the elusive magical mystery bus to Ljublana—and trying to decipher the arrival time at this enchanting wonderland—we opted for the sanity-saving route of hopping on a bus from Mestre to the legendary Venice Marco Polo Airport.

After all, we had a private DRD Turizem “private customized” chariot on standby, practically begging us to hop in and whisk us away to Ljublana—at least that’s what we conjured while placing bets on who’d manage to trip and break a leg first in a mad dash for the best seat! Little did we know, our first great adventure of the trip was about to unfold!

Venice Marco Polo Airport

Just as we were all set to jet off to Ljubljana from Venice Marco Polo Airport via DRD transportation, alas, the instructions on our voucher were as clear as mud! Our pick-up turned out to be more of a “no-show” than a scheduled arrival, leaving us wondering if our driver got lost or decided to take a spontaneous vacation of their own.

We had no choice but to traipse back to the airport complex to rummage through the internet for transfer services to Ljubljana for same-day arrival. After a little detective work, we decided to roll the dice with GoOptic since they appeared to be the busiest bees buzzing around with pick-ups and drop-offs. Thank goodness for their hustle! After spending what felt like a decade at Venice Marco Polo Airport, I was starting to dream that the airport itself was sending me friendly “hello” messages!

Oh one more bit not to expect at Venice Marco Polo Airport is cushioned seats. You are in Venice. Be tough like a Venetian. Start practising on hardening your bump

Thanks to my impeccable talent for procrastination and a questionable grasp of time, we arrived in Ljubljana just as the sun decided it was time for a beauty sleep. What should have been a breezy 2-3 hour ride from Venice Marco Polo Airport turned into an epic saga! In fact, I barely noticed the picturesque towns and highways we passed; I was too busy treating my parents and the driver to a symphony of snores that could rival the best of lullabies!

I heard rumors that Ljubljana is not just bicycle friendly but practically begging for pedestrians to take a stroll. So, why not soak up the local vibe and walk to the Dragon Bridge from the train station? After all, who needs a bike when you can channel your inner tourist and take a leisurely stroll instead?

Good news! Terrain from Ljubljana Train station to the Dragon Bridge is a smooth downhill. Time to pray that the wheels do not fail us. The distance to the Dragon bridge is approximately 1km from GoOptic drop-off point. With luggage, it took approximately 15mins inclusive of stopping by the kebab shop to purchase dinner.

We got to somehow eat and yes, on budget but this is a contingency plan for the night and purchase fresh food the next day from the Central Market.

We found an awesome accommodation along the Ljubljana river. Our host was very accommodative and understanding to let us have the ground floor apartment so that we do not need to carry our luggage up the steep steps.

Thank you so much, Maria of “Apartments Maria”. Apartments Maria is a reasonably priced serviced accommodation with a good view of the Dragon Bridge and the Castle. Our host and her caretakers have been excellent. The spacious apartment includes a kitchen with cooking utensils and standard condiments such as coffee, tea, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Dragon Bridge

The Dragon is the most recognizable symbol in Ljubljana.

The Dragon bridge (Zmajski most), situated in the Ljubljana’s Historical center, is a road bridge which stretches across the Ljubljana River between Kopitar Street (Kopitarjeva ulica) and Ressel Street (Resljeva cesta).

The bridge was originally named “The Jubilee Bridge of the Emperor Franz Josef I”. However, it was renamed as Dragon Bridge in 1919. Today, the bridge is also pedestrian friendly.

Please note not to confuse this bridge for the Dragon Bridge in Vietnam.

Google is not always accurate when identifying locations and entrances. I suppose this is part and parcel of traveling and being there to discover the facts for yourself.

Ljubljana Cathedral

The Ljubljana Cathedral is also known as Saint Nicholas’s Cathedral (Catedrala Sv. Nikolaj) was a Gothic church. The Cathedral can easily be spotted from the Dragon Bridge by its green dome and twin towers.

Sometimes the best way to make discovery is to follow the crowd. While walking around the Cathedral building looking for its entrance, we saw some locals entering through the entrance along Ciril-Metodov trg 5-4.

Information: Holy Mass on Weekdays – 0600hrs; 0700hrs; 0800hrs; 0900hrs and 1030hrs. Entrance to the Cathedral is from Ciril Metodov trg 5-4.

Ljubljana Market

The Ljubljana Central market also known as the  Plečnik’s Market. There are three parts of it – the open-air market at Pogačar Square which sells fruits, vegetables and flowers to clothes and accessaries; one covered market at Pogačar Square which sells poultry, snacks and cheeses and another covered market situated under Plečnik’s Colonnade which sells crafts, souvenirs and spices.

Do not go round the church and flower market searching for the entrance to the indoor market. There is only one entrance &/or exit from the Square. Find the door which is below the words “Pokrita Trznica” and you will find the entrance to the covered market for poultry and snacks.

It is impossible for anyone to miss out the sheltered market under Plečnik’s Colonnade unless the stalls are not open yet. When we were there, there were only 3 stalls opened for business. The stalls will be lined with back facing the River under Plečnik’s Colonnade,

Tip: Outdoor market – Close on Sundays and Public Holidays. Winter: Daily between 0600hrs to 1600hrs; Summer – Weekdays between 0600hrs to 1800hrs and Saturday 0600hrs to 1600hrs. Pogačar Square and under Plečnik’s Colonnade- Weekdays between 0700hrs to 1600hrs and Saturdays 0700hs to 1400hrs.

Reflection of Ljubljana

My first time to Ljubljana was quite an experience.

Despite the delightful chaos—thank you, DRD coach, for turning our day into a marathon of airport lounging at Venice Marco Polo with only one measly day left to explore the Capital; and who knew the funicular to the castle would take a vacation of its own?—I still squeezed in some fun during our stay in Ljubljana by becoming a night photography ninja!

The Capital comes alive like a party on roller skates, where dining and chilling by the river is so peaceful you might just hear the fish gossiping about last night’s dinner. With all the beautiful reflections, it’s like nature is trying to convince you that you really do look good today!