After a slight stressful trip to Spain last March—where a cascade of missed connecting flights left us stranded in multiple airports—we decided to change our approach to family travel for our trip to Slovenia. Our new rule? Skip the tight flight connections, breathe deep, and embrace the rails.
We flew direct from Houston to Munich, and instead of boarding another plane, we hopped on an Intercity (IC) train down to Villach, Austria, before catching our final connection into Ljubljana. Sure, it took all day, but watching the stunning Alpine scenery roll past the train window completely beat sitting on an airport floor waiting for a delayed gate.
We arrived late into Ljubljana, but our stress levels were at an absolute zero. Better yet, our hotel was just a short, easy walk from the train station.
The next morning, after filling up on the hotel’s breakfast buffet, I set out on my own to get a feel for the city, wandering along the ring roads that wrap around the historic Old Town.
My first stop was Prešeren Square, the vibrant heart of the city dedicated to Slovenia’s national poet, France Prešeren. Standing in front of his statue, I loved reading the story behind it—the monument is positioned so that the poet is forever gazing across the square toward the statue of his elusive muse and great unrequited love, Julija Primic, mounted on a building wall opposite him.
Right nearby, across the river, I discovered Fetiche Patisserie, a spot that would inadvertently become the official anchor point of our entire day. To be honest, we visited three times in a single day. Yes, it was that good.
Visit 1 (Just Me): A solitary slice of rich Black Forest cake while watching the city wake up.
Visit 2 (Me & My Wife): A mid-morning escape for a blueberry cake and a perfectly poured cappuccino.
Visit 3 (The Whole Family): A late-afternoon return where my wife and I simply sat back and watched the kids happily sample a colorful array of pastries.
Towering right over the city is Ljubljana Castle. Because the paths up are so accessible, I actually ended up tackling it twice.
On my morning solo walk, I took the quiet back path up to the castle grounds and walked down via the popular "Student Path." The paths are short, shaded by dense green forest, and completely manageable. I loved it so much that I dragged the kids back up right before evening.
Traveler Tip: Entering the castle courtyard and grounds is completely free! You only need to buy a ticket if you want to go inside the museum exhibits or climb the main watchtower. There is a funicular railway that costs €3 per person, but the walk is short, fun, and our kids genuinely enjoyed navigating the stairs and the forest trail.
To beat the peak mid-day heat between our castle treks, we took a lazy boat ride down the Ljubljanica River. It gave us a breezy, shaded view of the city’s famous bridges and weeping willows from a completely different perspective.
We timed our second castle walk perfectly to watch the sunset bleed across the red-tiled roofs of the city.
Once the stars came out, we headed back down to Prešeren Square. The daytime bustle had melted into a relaxed, late-night hum. We grabbed ice cream cones and sat right in the square, soaking in the cool night air and listening to the city around us.
On the way back to our hotel, we crossed the famous Dragon Bridge, Zmajski most. My younger daughter is completely obsessed with the four fierce, sheet-copper dragons guarding the corners. It was the perfect, magical endnote to a day where we finally learned to stop rushing and just enjoy the journey.
We are spending time in Bled right now, I don’t know when I will write that bit of the story, perhaps when I get back. These are all written and edited on my phone so expect some formatting issues.
