Dragons and Dancing in Ljubljana, Slovenia | #AdriaticHorizons
It's the end of August and the travel FOMO has hit me like a ton of bricks. My Instagram feed is full of posts from friends, acquaintances, and influencers I'll probably never meet heading off to exotic locales, while I haven't really left the East Coast since last fall. I'm gearing up to head to grad school in two weeks (*internal screaming*), and haven't had the resources to go much further away than Florida, and that's totally fine! Some years are more travel-heavy than others, and life has been crazy enough without throwing in overnight flights. But needless to say, I'm missing the road.
How do I cure (or at least treat) raging wanderlust without actually dropping dollars on a Transatlantic flight? Post more photos from my last trip abroad, of course! Yes, there are more #AdriaticHorizons photos left to post. I'm milking this trip for as much content as I can. This is my truth.
After spending the morning exploring the Postojna Caves, we headed to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. As soon as we stepped off the bus in the city's historic section, I immediately fell in love. The buildings lining the cobblestone streets have been incredibly well-preserved, and represent the many facets of Slovenia's history. They're also big fans of dragons. Seriously, they're everywhere and it's the best.
After a short walking tour of the city, we headed up to Ljubljana Castle. The Castle has had many uses over the ages, from army fortress to prison to occasional Habsburg home. Today, it offers incredible views of the city, where you can see buildings dating back to the 18th century alongside Soviet-era apartment buildings. It's a really unique visual representation of the city's history and its many affiliations over the years. Inside the castle, you'll find old prison cells, chambers, and St. George's Chapel, a brightly-painted little church that took my breath away. The view may be the castle's biggest selling point these days, but that little chapel was probably my favorite part of my visit.
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Later on, we met up with the rest of our tour group for a special evening of traditional Slovenian food and dancing with the aptly named Traditional Slovenian Evenings. Dinner included lots of local meats and cheeses (naturally), wine, and an awesome chicken dish. In between courses we were treated to performances of traditional Slovenian music and dances. And of course, there was some audience participation, which, after a bit of Slovenian wine, I was more than happy to partake in.
All told, we were probably in Ljubljana for less than 24 hours, but I am itching to get back there as soon as possible. The architecture and food were incredibly up my alley, and after fighting with crowds in Italy for days, I was elated to be in a much more laid-back city. I'd love to spend some more time in Slovenia in general, and maybe visit Lake Bled and some of the country's other highlights. But that's what's great about tours - you get a soundbite of a city so you'll know where you want to travel in the future. So I guess it's time to start planning my return trip!