Marko Orel (1986)

When you first arrive in Ljubljana, you will notice that all the locals hang along the riverside. There are several charming pathways and along the one called Breg, you will bump into a huge monument, which represents one of the main milestones of Ljubljana’s modern history.

The monument on Breg is dedicated to Ivan Hribar, who was a Slovene politician, diplomat and mayor of Ljubljana. He was first elected as a mayor of Ljubljana at the end of 19th century and quickly became famous for implementing a large scale reconstruction of the town after the 1985 devastating earthquake. Hribar compared Ljubljana to a human body and thus stated that every city should have their lungs to breathe and legs to move. Soon numerous green areas were erected and new bridges were built. Only two years after his election, the first electrical tram hit the narrow streets of Ljubljana. If we sum it up – Ivan Hribar made Ljubljana a modern European capital.

But Hribar’s statue doesn’t only represent the modernization of Ljubljana, it is also a reminder of his tragic end. After the Italian annexation of Ljubljana, Hribar committed suicide. On the eve of 28th December 1941, he jumped into Ljubljanica from the exact same spot, where his statue stands nowadays. Check it out, stop a local and ask for a brief history lesson!

Dunajska pekarna is a simple bakery, which can be found next to a beautiful pathway along Ljubljanica river. As an honest spotter, I cannot say that this is the best bakery in Ljubljana, but it is still my favorite one. The reason for this is simple – they offer various baking goods, ranging from traditional French croissants to small pizzas, for very affordable prices.

When you take a nice, relaxing and romantic walk along the Ljubljanica riverside, you will probably stop in one of the many bars along the way and drink a beer or two. Before you go home, you will probably want a quick and cheap snack, just to regain your energy. Besides all the standard bread variations as mentioned before, you will also be able to enjoy a warm and semi-traditional Slovenian fast food dish, called Burek – a simple, yet delicious pie, filled with either cottage cheese or minced meat. Bon appétit or as we locals would say – dober tek!

Zlata Ladjica, which means golden ship in Slovenian, is one of the oldest restaurants in Ljubljana and has its roots in the 14th century. In medieval times, Zlata Ladjica represented a place where sailors rested and drank their drink, after they loaded and unloaded goods from ships that sailed on Ljubljanica river.

Throughout the centuries the interior of Zlata Ladjica has not changed much. Sure, instead of rum, there is a DJ booth inside a wooden barrel and coffee is made with a fancy and shiny machine, but otherwise, everything remained more or less the same. In the winter, you can spend time inside the pub, where you can find several small rooms to have an intimate moment with your date and in the summer time, you can sit down on the spacious wooden terrace, enjoy the sun and drink a cold beer or two.

Personally, I can say that Zlata Ladjica is one of my favorite places in town – not only because of the historical feel, but also because of its position in the heart of Ljubljana and its very affordable prices. Check it out, you won’t regret it!

Restaurant Plato is an upscale restaurant, yet they hold very affordable prices. The reason for this is simple – Restaurant Plato is located in a small and central business quarter. People in suits are always in a rush, but from time to time, they need to stop and grab a bite – and since majority of these business men are financial advisors or brokers, they are always calculating prices and trying to save every cent. Restaurant Plato offers them hot meals for cool prices.

Besides good and affordable meals, Restaurant Plato offers spacious, sophisticated and a modern culinary interior. If you visit Ljubljana in the summer or spring time, you will be able to enjoy the sun on their large terrace on the first floor, where you will be able to see Ljubljana’s Nebotičnik on one and the Alps on the other side. This magnificent view over a glass of fine Slovenian wine, makes Restaurant Plato worth paying a visit! Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

When you are visiting a city as a tourist, it’s usually a habit to buy yourself or somebody else something small, just to have or give it as a memory. But with that also comes the question – what to buy? Look no more! On the last day of your stay, take a mindless walk along Ljubljanica, starting from Prešeren square. At some point, you will notice wooden stands, where you can buy various items, ranging from hipster t-shirts to cheap, plastic jewellery.

There are around ten of these stands open every day, from dusk till dawn, from hot summer days to cold winter evenings. When you see an item you like, don’t ask for the price straight away – show the item to the seller and propose your own price. The seller won’t be really happy at first, because he will see you as a tourist and for them tourists equal money. Don’t step down from your proposed price, rather enter the bargaining process and get the item cheaply.

Put the few Euros you save in your pocket, continue your walk along the river and spend that money in one of the nice bars – as a reward for your negotiation skills!