The Art of Living Lightly in Ljubljana, Slovenia

Image credits: Visit Ljubljana & Birdie Ljubljana

There’s a moment, as you walk along the Ljubljanica River, when you realise why the locals call this “a city made for people.” The air feels unhurried; bicycles glide past painted façades, café chatter drifts over cobblestones, and everywhere, the soft green pulse of Slovenia’s capital hums with quiet confidence. For Imagine Magazine’s latest travel dispatch, we spent four days in Ljubljana during its most stylish week of the year, Ljubljana Fashion Week (#LJFW), discovering the balance between culture, cuisine, and conscious living that makes this city so magnetic.

Day One: A Gentle Arrival

We arrived on a bright Thursday morning to Dvor Jezeršek, a countryside estate turned contemporary inn by Jezeršek Catering. Between plates of house-smoked trout, mediterranean quiche and freshly baked rye, it felt like an introduction to the Slovenian obsession with provenance, everything, down to the butter, felt local and loved.

Image credits: @jezersekcatering

Later, we joined the LJFW opening night at Gospodarsko Razstavišče, where the city’s creative pulse was in full flow, architects, musicians, and designers converging under soft neon to celebrate Edition #16 of Slovenia’s premier fashion event. Dinner followed at Pri Trubarjevi Mami (@pri_trubarjevi_mami), a restaurant that’s pure Slovenian soul food with a modern wink, think creamy žganci, local wine, and candlelight that glows against stone walls once frequented by poets.

Image credits: @pri_trubarjevi_mami

Day Two:  Markets, Menus, and Modernity

Friday morning began in the Old Town with @visitljubljana’s walking tour, winding past the Triple Bridge, the Town Hall, and Ljubljana Castle via funicular, with the river glittering below. The city’s layered architecture, Baroque meeting Secession meeting Brutalism, felt symbolic of Ljubljana itself: a constant conversation between history and renewal.

Image credits: Visit Ljubljana

Lunch was at Odprta Kuhna’s Open Kitchen on a Platter (@odprtakuhna), a culinary showcase that distills the capital’s open-air food market into a refined tasting menu. We chose the “Urban Ljubljana” and “Tast Slovenia” menus, where smoked char met pork ribs braised in white wine and micro herbs told the story of a city balancing sustainability with indulgence.

Image credits: Visit Ljubljana

By evening, the crowd reconvened for the runway at LJFW (@ljfw), a parade of sustainability and self-expression, before dinner at AFTR by Chef Jorg Zupan (@aftr.lj), one of Ljubljana’s hottest new tables. It’s a moody, modern bistro where each dish, like miso-infused butter or aged duck glazed with forest honey, felt both rebellious and romantic.

Image credits: Visit Ljubljana & Taste Slovenia

Day Three:  Design in Motion

Saturday began slow at Dobra Vila Picerija (@dobravilapicerija), where the pizza dough ferments for 72 hours and the playlist is as carefully curated as the toppings. Between bites of truffle burrata and late-morning coffees, we talked with designers from the previous night’s shows about sustainability as both philosophy and practice, a recurring theme at LJFW this year.

Image credits: dobravilasendvicerija & mindtrip

Evening saw us back in the city centre for more runway presentations and a brief stop at Pri Trubarjevi Mami, now a familiar haven between shows. Later, Birdie Ljubljana (@birdie.ljubljana) became our dinner of choice: a sultry, speakeasy-style restaurant where cocktails arrive like modern art and the DJ doesn’t start until dessert.

Day Four: Slow Sundays and Style Reflections

Sunday was slower, softened by the city marathon that temporarily closed the centre. We lunched at Kaval Group’s Kaval Restaurant (@kavalgroup), a leafy escape of wood-fired flavours and local wines, before the final shows of LJFW, where the atmosphere was equal parts celebration and creative exhale. The evening closed at Sarajevo84 (@cevabdzinicasarajevo84), where smoky cevapi and homemade ajvar offered one last comforting hug before departure.

Image credits: Visit Ljubljana & Trip Advisor

Image credits: Visit Ljubljana & Trip Advisor

Why Ljubljana Feels Different

Ljubljana isn’t just picturesque, it’s personal. The city has been named one of Europe’s greenest capitals for good reason: almost everything is walkable, water fountains run drinkable mountain spring water, and even the fashion week prioritises sustainability over spectacle.

Image credits: Visit Ljubljana

Whether you come for the art, the food, or the fashion, it’s impossible not to feel at home here. Ljubljana thrives on small details, hands clasped over espresso cups, riverside conversations that last too long, and the constant hum of creativity that lingers long after you leave.

Where to Stay:

Try a design-forward stay at Hotel Cubo or B&B Hotel Ljubljana Park, both of which focus on sustainability and local art. If you prefer accommodation outside the city centre, Four Points by Sheraton Ljubljana Mons is an excellent choice, offering stunning landscape views and a nature-inspired design.

Getting Around:

Walk, cycle, or take one of the city’s free electric Kavalirs, Ljubljana’s adorable silent shuttles that glide through the pedestrian zone.

When to Visit:

April for spring blooms, or October to catch Ljubljana Fashion Week, where sustainability meets storytelling.

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By Phillza Mirza, October 2025