TURNIPSEED TRAVEL
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Partner With Us
  • New Visitors
  • Social Media

Green Travel Dream: Eco-Friendly Charm in Ljubljana

2/4/2017

 

Green travel is dream travel in Ljubljana, where eco-friendly initiatives bring endless charm.

Yellow and green flower graffiti Picture
If terms like "eco-friendly" and "green" bring to mind dowdy images of damp granola and hemp fabric the color of dishwater, Ljubljana - one of the greenest cities in the world - is going to blow you away.  Both the Slovenian capital and the 2016 European Green Capital, Ljubljana is filled with charm and whimsy, incorporating its environmental priorities with a deft hand and an eye for design. The result is nothing short of wondrous -a beautiful city with a perfectly preserved historic core, seamlessly integrating sustainable objectives. Even the graffiti is endearing, with a nod towards conservation! Here's what else won over our hearts.

Hop along to the water fountains.

Kangaroo water fountain Picture
Costly and destructive water bottles? Absolutely not! Ljubljana has about 30 public drinking fountains flowing with fresh, clean water and none is so charming as the kangaroo.

Just outside the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre, across from the farmers' market and at the base of the funicular entrance to the castle, the kangaroo is nearly impossible to miss but you should take the time to specifically seek it out all the same. You're not going to find a more charming piece of sculpture, let alone a water fountain, anywhere in the city. Every time we passed I would gulp down the contents of my water bottle, simply for an excuse to pop over and pay it a visit for a refill.
Vanessa at the kangaroo water fountain Picture
While no one can compete with the kangaroo, this hybrid bird-human water fountain not far away at the other edge of the farmers' market is a close second. No, the design is not a figure of a bird-human! At the bottom of the structure are taps for humans to fill their water bottles, as well as a traditional fountain spout at the top.  The water that spills over is pumped down a narrow trough between the two,  perfect for birds to quench their thirst. Now, I'm not entirely sure that it works exactly as I've described (my knowledge of fountain engineering is rather shaky), nor that it was indeed designed for birds to indulge themselves, but as far as I can tell it's a perfect set up.
Bird at a fountain Picture
Bird at a fountain Picture
Water fountain Picture
Water fountain Picture
If your idea of the perfect water fountain is a little more hands on, taking your chances with the "rain cloud" installation will be more your thing. This nifty set up in the pedestrian zone of Prešeren Square in the city center (not far from the three bridges) has been creatively designed to periodically send down 'rain showers' thanks to overhead rigging. You might think it's a kids only zone but in the summer heat, plenty of adults were checking it out and enjoying the refreshing mist.  
Children play at a water feature Picture

A farmers' market like no other.

Quenching your thirst is just the starting point of Ljubljana's green charm. You don't want to forget to eat! The Central Market consists of an open air farmers' market (featuring local Slovenian fruits and vegetables as well as international produce), a covered market with stalls for meat, bread, cheese, and fine oils (including pumpkin seed oil, a local favourite), and small food shops along the river under the colonnade.
Vanessa eat a nectarine at the market Picture
Busy farmers market stall Picture
Produce at the farmers market Picture
Dairy vending machine Picture
Dairy vending machine Picture
Baskets at a market stall Picture
Flowers at a market stall Picture
We feasted on delicious local nectarines but you can pick up just about any ingredient imaginable here, as well as handicrafts and fresh flowers. The covered market shops generally close around 2:00 pm and, in general, we found most of the open air stalls were winding down around then as well. 

Keep your eyes open for the mlekomats, milk and dairy vending machines, next to the covered market. These innovative machines sell raw milk in the bottle (or you can bring your own bottle for a refill) for about 1 Euro for a liter. The heat of the day discourage us from enjoying any (a full belly of milk before a hike doesn't appeal to me) but summer visitors can take comfort in knowing that, should the temperature of the milk ever increase, the machine stops working, ensuring that the milk is always kept cold.

An amazing farm-to-table food scene.

Cafe sidewalk tables Picture
We tried the aforementioned pumpkin seed oil in an Italian restaurant called Julija, when a conversation with the staff resulted in a bottle being brought to our table and we dipped some fresh bread into the deep green, slightly nutty oil. Curiously, no one seemed to know what happens to the massive amount of pumpkins that would have to be harvested to get enough seeds to press into oil. The conclusion was that they must go to animal feed and I felt this was a bit of a shame - think of all the delicate ravioli and pastries crying out for some pumpkin stuffing!
Wine a restaurant terrace Picture
But if pumpkin flesh is underrepresented in Ljubljana's food scene, it's the only thing that's missing. The city's commitment to green initiatives meant that we ate very well and very local. Even when the flavors were Italian, or even Indian food! (Shout out to Namaste Indian!) We also had meals of delicate soups and salads made from local vegetables, homemade pasta, ​

Wait.... even the GARBAGE is charming?

Municipal garbage bins Picture
I know I'm not the only one who's seen this in busy cities around the world during peak travel times - overflowing trash bins outside popular tourist attractions, the small cylinders unable to cope with the volume of refuse left by so many visitors. It's never pretty and, if you've got my kinda luck, said garage bin will be right next to a landmark where you've agreed to meet someone. Nothing like the company of flies and garbage fumes to keep a gal company!

Ljubljana has taken this common problem and found a way to not only make it attractive but also actually make money for it. A series of clean bins, with easy to interpret photos, indicate where to place your different categories of recyclables, your biodegradable compost, and your non-recyclable garbage. While the bins appear to be of average size, they're a bit like icebergs, with the majority of their bulk hidden underground. 

There's very little waste and the compost, when it fully biodegrades, finds its way to city gardens. And if you're a local resident, you use this system too, separating your household waste into the appropriate bins, but there's one extra step. A code opens up the garbage bin to receive large parcels of household garbage, which is WEIGHED before it is deposited. You're levied a charge based on the weigh of the garbage (which is presumably added to your property tax or city account). I am so enamored with this system - and so are Ljubljana residents, who recycle enthusiastically (or, perhaps, are just passionate about saving money!) (Don't worry - if you have just a small amount of waste, you don't pay to throw things away - the pay portion of the system is for locals and serves as their garbage collection system).

Green doesn't mean gritty or grungy.

Vanessa rides in a sightseeing boat Picture
Ljubljana is pioneering so many wonderful environmentally friendly initiatives that partner perfectly with the city's historic, romantic charm. And while many of the eco-friendly measure are designed with the well being of local residents in mind, there's no denying that visitors are reaping the benefits as well. We adored Ljubljana and it ranks in our mind as one of the most livable, beautiful cities we've ever seen - and we know you'll love it too!

  • In town for just a day or two? The New York Time's36 hour guide to the city is a lot of fun.
  • Want the scoop on free festivals, museums, and even language classes? The Ljubljana tourism board has some great resources.
  • While in Ljubljana, we stayed at Hotel Park, a leader in the city's green hotel movement. Read reviews about this property here.


Heading to Europe soon? These blog posts will help you plan your trip.
Save, Splurge, Steal in Vienna
The Lute, The Lovers, and The Lasagna: Visiting Rome For The First Time.
The Recipe For A Great Time In Prague? Cooking Classes.

Our visit was facilitated in part by the local tourism board and we thank them for their support. All research, writing, and opinions are our own. 

Comments are closed.
    Recent Posts
    Posts by Location
    Turnipseed Travel Category Canada
    Turnipseed Travel Category USA
    Turnipseed Travel Category Europe
    Turnipseed Travel Category Africa
    Turnipseed Travel Category Australia
    Turnipseed Travel Category Asia

    Post Categories

    All
    $200 Challenge
    200m Challenge
    Accommodation
    Africa
    Amsterdam
    Anti Adventurist
    Asia
    Australia
    Belgium
    Business Travel
    Camping
    Canada
    Central Counties
    Cozy Travel
    Destinations
    Europe
    Experiences & Activities
    Female Travel
    Food And Drink
    Gear And Packing
    Golf
    Greece
    Guest Posts & Interviews
    Health
    Inspiration
    Making Travel Memories
    Montreal
    Most Popular Posts
    National Parks
    Norfolk County
    Ontario
    Ottawa
    Paris
    Partners
    Pet Travel
    Photo Essay
    Preparation
    Press Trip Portfolio
    Reviews Accommodation
    Reviews Gear Packing
    Round The World
    Saving
    Toronto
    Transportation
    Travel Cooking
    Travel Memories Series
    UK & Ireland
    United States

    Posts by Date

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

Disclaimers, Privacy, and Cookie Policy

Top 100 Travel Influencer
As named by the Obama White House in 2014.​
White House Study Abroad Logo 2014
Turnipseed Travel Logo 2019
DMCA.com Protection Status
© COPYRIGHT 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Resources
  • Partner With Us
  • New Visitors
  • Social Media