Slovenia is a beautiful little country.

Beautiful, located on the south side of the Alps.

And little. The size of New Jersey with a population of 2 million.

We have worked our way south through wine country to stay a week in their lovely pint-sized capital: Ljubljana. The city of the castle and the dragon.

This is a major tourist city, but it is geared up to handle them. The downtown has the largest pedestrian-only area of any city in Europe. The river that runs through the city is lined on both sides with endless bars and cafes and restaurants.

The whole area is lit up in the evening making it excellent for walking or sitting or dining along the river and enjoying life.

The old town is on a horseshoe bend of the river and so the castle on the hill looms over the city from almost any vantage point.

Some beautiful local buildings.

There are plenty of opportunities for walkers, through the pedestrian areas, along the river and in a large city park. There is even a trail circling the city through the suburbs.

This is a beautiful and lively city and I would recommend it to any visitor.

Beyond the ambiance, the quality of the food and wine is very high. The entire country seems bent on expressing themselves through their cuisine and viniculture using their local ingredients. They have their own breed of pig and the pork products, in particular the charcuterie, are superb.

How about this dish. Trout from the hills. Marinated in Beet Juice. Served over a local soft cheese with beet shavings and trout caviar.

Should you wish to visit Ljubljana, as I hope you will, here is a previous post of mine with much more information about the city.

Ljubljana | Lew’s Walkabout (lewswalkabout.com)

We are leaving Slovenia tomorrow and travelling over to Florence for a break from hotel living. We have an apartment in the vicinity of two markets so we can cook and stay at home every night.

I’ll check in from there.

Meanwhile, thanks for coming along.