“Why would I fly when I can sleep on a train and enjoy the journey?” asks Nora, a construction manager from Stuttgart, who is on her way to visit her family. Lying in our bunkbeds, we’re sharing a ladies-only compartment, or couchette, aboard the Lisinski train. We’re discussing the fun of travelling overnight, from meeting interesting people to the changing scenery outside our bedroom window. I’m travelling to understand how Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, can be reached in 20 hours from the UK, with brief and enjoyable stops in Paris and Stuttgart.
Our conversation slows as we’re rocked to sleep from the clickety-clack of the train while it snakes around the Swabian Alps. The night passes smoothly and carefree. These sleeping carriages are as comfortable and clean as any in Western Europe, with the added hospitality of super-strong coffee, croissants and personal alarm calls. In a little over 11 hours, an eclectic mix of blurry-eyed families, business people and backpackers have travelled through Munich, Salzburg and Bled, to arrive in Ljubljana.
Ljubljana is often described as a fairytale city, with its tales of dragons, its majestic medieval castle and ever-present River Ljubljanica. Within minutes of arriving, I’m ambling along car-free, cobbled streets, embodying the city’s motto of “relax and enjoy”. Chatter and laughter from busy restaurants and bars form the city’s background hum, interrupted only by the Cathedral’s bells or a passing cyclist.
Ljubljana is one of Europe’s greenest capitals
(Yvette Cook)
I get my first taste of local food at one of the oldest inns in the city, Slovenska Hiša Figovec. “Hiša” means “home”, which is how I feel while I’m there, with piles of books, tapestry cushions and welcoming aromas. Over succulent kranjska klobasa (Carniolan sausage) and idrijski žlikrofi (stuffed dumplings with a creamy beef sauce), Polona, a local who works for the city’s tourist board, tells me about the origins of Slovenia’s vision to be the sustainable tourism destination of choice. “Over 60 per cent of the country is covered in fores, so Slovenians have a connection with nature; it’s in our DNA,” she tells me. It’s part of what prompted the success of Slovenia’s Green Scheme, which promotes sustainable tourism and has helped the city win a slew of awards, including…
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