If you have booked Hedonistic Hiking's Slovenia and Friuli trip you may wish to extend your walking tour in Italy and Slovenia by spending some time in Ljubljana.

Often compared to a "little Prague" Ljubljana is the capital city of Slovenia and its political and economic heart.    It has by far the largest population of any Slovenian city and is also the centre of cultural events.    But many people comment that this hidden gem does not feel like a capital city - the pace of life is measured,  it is never too crowded and the attractive narrow streets of the Old Town are bustling with welcoming cafes and bars.

Highlights:

Ljubljana Castle

You can walk up to the castle in about 15 minutes, but the fastest way up is to take the funicular from Krekov trg.   (Trg is the word for Square.)   It is the city’s most prominent landmark, a medieval fort overlooking the old centre which dominates the skyline.   The watchtower offers great views over the capital and visitors can see a permanent exhibition on Slovenian history.    Open 9 am - 9 pm.    €4 entrance fee, €6 if combined with funicular ticket.

Cathedral of St Nicholas

Built in the 18th century out of pink marble the cathedral stands close to the river on the site of an early Romanesque church dating back to 1262.    It has a beautifully frescoed interior.     The open-air market close by sells good quality local produce.

National Gallery

This impressive gallery keeps works by Slovenian and international artists from the period of Gothic art through to the famous Slovenian Impressionists.    It is open from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm Tuesday to Sunday.

Where to stay:

Antiq Palace Hotel and Spa
Pricey but rather luxurious, this hotel has 13 beautifully appointed suites in the very centre of town.

Allegro Hotel
A period hotel with a touch of Baroque style situated in Ljubljana Old Town's pedestrian zone.   Each of the 11 rooms is decorated in a different colour scheme.

Antiq Hotel
Not to be confused with the one above with a similar name, this 16 room hotel offers comfortable accommodation and is part of the Slovenian Houses of Tradition (Hiše s tradicijo) association.

Where to eat:

€€€  Restavracija JB
Managed by the world renowned Slovenian chef Janez Bratovž, this restaurant, with a very unassuming exterior, is committed to maintaining the traditions of both haute French and traditional Slovenian cuisines.  In 2010 it ranked no. 89 among the world's best 100 restaurants on the S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants list.   Miklošičeva cesta 17    Tel +386 (0)1 474 72 19

€€ Pri Vitezu
Pretty vaulted dining room in a historic building serving good mix of international/Mediterranean cuisine.    A winner of Ljubljana's Quality award.    Breg 20    Tel +386 (0)1 426 60 58

€€ Gostilna Kovač
A more traditional style restaurant serving Slovenian dishes plus some Mediterranean options.    A winner of Ljubljana's Quality award.    Pot k Savi 9    Tel +386 (0)1 537 12 44

€€ Pr' Noni
A little to the south west of the city centre, this interesting timbered restaurant serves Slovenian dishes, Mediterranean dishes, good buffet salads, and premium Slovenian wines.   A winner of Ljubljana's Quality award.  
Cesta v Gorice 1,   Tel +386 (0)1 242 58 20

Ljubljana is also home to myriad cafes and teahouses, so for a quick stop and something sweet, the narrow streets of the Old Town are full of options.

What to order:

Kranjska klobasa (Carniolan sausage) is the best known Slovenian speciality. The earliest known mention of a sausage referred to by this name dates back to 1896.  Kraški pršut (Kras prosciutto) is dry-cured pork leg. It goes particularly well with a glass of Kras Teran, a red wine grown in the Kras region.

Prekmurska gibanica (Prekmurje layered cake) is a moist dessert consisting of layers of poppy seed, cottage cheese, walnut and apple filling. It is protected under the Traditional Speciality Guaranteed designation and can only be sold under its name when prepared according to the traditional recipe.    Štruklji is a traditional Slovenian boiled or baked dough roll with a variety of different sweet or savoury fillings, served either as a main or side dish. The best known are tarragon, cottage cheese, walnut, apple and poppy seed.   Potica, a yeast-dough cake with a variety of filling options, is the most typical Slovenian dessert. The best known of over 80 varieties are made with tarragon, walnut or poppy seed.

Slovenia does not yet have a wide global audience for its wines, but their output should not be under-rated and much fine wine is produced, so don't miss the opportunity to get tasting!  The grapes go by Slovenian names for familiar Western European varieties - Pinot Grigio is "Sivi Pinot" in Slovene, but you will find Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and other local grapes shared with Italy, such as Tocai Friulano ("Frilanski Tokaj"), Ribolla ("Rebula") and Refosco ("Refosk").

Transport:

Ljubljana airport has flights to all major European cities but there is no long-haul service.    Routing through London, Paris, Frankfurt or Munich would offer the widest choice of onward connections.

The city has excellent rail links with major European cities such as Vienna, Budapest, Munich and Venice.  http://www.slo-zeleznice.si is a useful rail website, with an English version.

If you are making plans for wider Europe then www.raileurope-world.com is a useful site.