Ljubljana

This city of 300,000 feels more like a provincial county seat instead of the capital of a nation, and that's part of Ljubljana's charm. People are friendly, the pace of life is slow, and the architecture is beautiful. This is a nice place to rest for a few days before continuing your journey south to Croatia or east to Hungary.

WHAT TO SEE: The buildings around Presernov Trg. The beautiful pink Franciscan Church towers above it, and in the center you'll see the statue of the poet France Preseren. Around this square are some wonderful Art Nouveau buildings. You can cross the Ljubljanica River on the Triple Bridge to Old Town, where you'll see the Town Hall, which dates from the early 18th century. On the west side of the River, you have the Municipal Museum and the buildings that comprise Ljubljana University. There are other excellent musuems near here on Subiceva Ulica. Definitely take a hike up to Ljubljana Castle, which offers a fantastic view of the city.

WHAT TO DO: Bring a book and a deck of cards, especially if you're in town on a Sunday. Most places are closed, or like the museums, they close at 1:00 p.m. It's even difficult to find a restaurant or coffee house that's open. You'll see people out, but there's no where to go. If you're up for a picnic, explore Tivoli Park. Take a walk early in the morning and count how many bars are open: people here love their beer. We arrived at 3:00 a.m. and could not believe how many people were drinking and gabbing away at the train station's bar.

WHAT NOT TO DO: Slovenia is probably one of the safest countries in Europe. I mean Europe, not just Eastern Europe. Nine out of ten crimes involve theft, so use your common sense.

WHERE AND WHAT TO EAT: We found dining in Ljubljana disappointing. We could not find one Slovene restaurant: a couple that were recommended had closed. Breakfast is usually burek, cheese or meat pies, which is everywhere and is a tasty treat if you can get over the greasiness. Every night in this town, we ate at the Ljubljanski Dvor, Dvorni Trg 1, which has great wood fired pizza and pasta. Most of the restaurants are Italian, and you can find McD's and even a Dairy Queen. If you want to self-cater, the produce market by the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, near the River, is excellent, and you can also buy groceries at Maxim's Department Store.

WHERE TO STAY: The best hostel is the Dijaski Dom Tabor (321 067) on Vidovdanska Ulica 7, near the city center. Open only during the summer (this is a dorm), the rooms are very clean, the staff friendly, and they have a great breakfast bar. If you want to stay in a private room, which I encourage, go to the Tourist Information Center, in the Kresija Building, south of the Triple Bridge. The staff there is very helpful and friendly. We managed to get a room not far from the center, but I understand most are in the northern part of the city, in Bezigrad.