Center District

Ljubljana is the capital and largest city in Slovenia. The Dragon City, which straddles the Ljubljanica River, survived Roman, Habsburg, and Yugoslavian rule to lead the mountainous country into independence. Slovenia has become the Green Heart of Europe, while Ljubljana is one of the greenest capitals on the continent. This charming city is home to less than 300,000 people. It's a university town, a tech center, and an artist's haven. The Old Town is full of Baroque buildings with red-tiled roofs, detailed bridges, and lively squares. Cafes with terrace seating line the river, which is used by kayakers and sightseeing boats. New hotels, restaurants, and wine bars keep popping up in this car-free area. While Ljubljana Castle stands on a hill overlooking it all. The compact city is a central base for adventures all over the small country. But best of all: Ljubljana still feels like an under-the-radar destination. Go fall in love with this enchanting city before everyone else catches on. This detailed guide includes: Places: neighborhoods Stay: hotels Eat: cafés, pizzerias, restaurants Drink: lounges, wine bars Shop: antique markets, toy stores Do: bridges, castles, cathedrals, churches, city models, fountains, funiculars, monuments, parks, puppet museums, rivers, sculptures, squares, statues

Emerald rivers. Glacial lakes. Hidden karsts. Historic cities. Snow-capped peaks. Sun-drenched beaches. Undiscovered wine regions. Untouched forests. You don't have to traipse all over Europe. The little country of Slovenia features everything you love about the continent in one place. So it's even been nicknamed Little Europe. Start in the Dragon City. Ljubljana survived Roman, Habsburg, and Yugoslavian rule to become one of the greenest capitals in Europe. Then start exploring hidden caves, medieval towns, scenic drives, and a tiny sliver of coastline. There are adventure sports, award-winning restaurants, grand castles, and stunning views along the way. You'll quickly wonder why it's taken you so long to get here. The Slovenia Guide works as a great circular road trip through Western Slovenia. Start in Ljubljana, drive north toward the Austrian border, head west toward the Italian border, circle through wine country, and end up back in the capital. This detailed guide includes: Places: cities, neighborhoods, towns Stay: hotels, resorts Eat: cafés, ice cream, Michelin stars, pizzerias, restaurants Drink: lounges, wine bars, wineries Shop: antique markets, toy stores Do: bell towers, boat tours, bridges, castles, cathedrals, chapels, churches, city models, fountains, funiculars, hikes, history museums, information centers, islands, lakes, libraries, monuments, mountains, mountain ranges, national parks, parks, puppet museums, rivers, roads, squares, statues, streams, ticket offices, valleys, viewpoints, waterfalls Transportation: airports, parking lots