Living From a Suitcase

Accommodations

• Airbnb “Central spacious apartment next to the city park”: Even though the apartment isn’t in the Old Town, it has a pretty good location right around Tivoli Park. It’s about a 15-20 minute walk to get into the heart of Old Town but the walk through the park is always a delight. The apartment is nicely updated and the host, Luka, has quite a few dining recommendations handy. The only thing I found tricky was that there is only an open bath tub (no doors/curtains) with a handheld shower spray...very European style. So just takes some getting used to for the Westerners.

Sites/Tours

• Lake Bled SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard): By far the best thing I did while in Ljubljana and one of my favorite memories in Eastern Europe. Bananaway has a variety of different options for SUP, including a paddle through the Ljubljana river, but the highlight of this excursion was Lake Bled. The lake is so serene and you can hike up the hills for a view of the entire lake and tiny island in the middle. Even if you have no interest in SUP, you should still make the trek out to Lake Bled to be awed by the scenery.
• Tivoli Park: Beautiful park in walking distance of Old Town. Perusing through on foot or bike, you can catch fountains, outdoor exhibits, skateboard ramps, miniature golf, ice cream stands … something for everyone.
• Triple Bridge: Originally only one bridge from the late 1800’s, the updates and expansion of the bridge from one to three walkways was designed by Jože Plečnik. One of the most iconic Ljubljana sights, the bridge(s) connect the main town to the Old Town. You’ll find plenty of people walking the bridges with their ice cream in hand and enjoying some music or other entertainment you can almost always find at one end of the bridge (or both).
• Central Market: Beginning near the Triple Bridge moving east, you can find a long building lining the Ljubljana River that is home to the central market. Also designed by Jože Plečnik, the building’s high archways do well to shade the market goods and customers in the summertime while still absorbing the beauty off the river. 
• Ljubljana Castle: Hovering over the Old Town, you can hike up or take the funicular to the Ljubljana Castle. Relative to other European castles, this is a small one and doesn’t take much time to get through. You have a couple nice views up here but if you are in a time crunch, I’d say skip this one. 
• Congress Square: Take a stroll through here to see what events will be going on or what outdoor exhibits they have going. There are quite a few outdoor concerts here in the summertime and has a wealth of outdoor cafes to enjoy.
   

Food

• Cacao Ljubljana: Known for its homemade ice cream, you can find one of its locations on the banks of the Ljubljana River overlooking the Triple Bridge. Expect lots of tourists at this location.
• Ek Bistro: A bit more hidden away down the Ljubljana River, you can rustle up a decent breakfast and brunch here. This is definitely more known to the locals and has an excellent rustic charm.
• Cafe Romeo: Along the banks of the Ljubljana River, it’s oddly a local favorite, that’s also smack dab in the middle of the tourist zone. It’s a bit of an odd menu with Mexican, fushion, drinks and desserts.  
• Pritličje: Just a hop, skip and jump away from the Triple Bridge, this is a laid back place to grab a drink after dinner with the locals. This venue also hosts a variety of events so you may be able to catch a band playing as well.