Source: STA
Greece took the top prize alongside such under-the-radar spots as Ljubljana, Plzen and Stavanger in Lonely Planet’s Best in Europe top 10 rankings. Ljubljana came in second.
The ranking criteria include accommodations, cuisine, culture, historical experiences, sports, and activities. But what really comes into play is that je ne sais quoi element or experience that lifts it above the rest and makes it special.
Ljubljana is already one of Europe’s greenest and most livable cities, boasting a friendly cafe culture by day, and vibrant nightlife after the sun sets. This year gives Ljubljana even more reasons to preen, as the city celebrates the 2000th anniversary of the Roman colony Emona on the same site as the modern-day city. Quirky Roman-themed events and exhibitions will take place throughout the year, and the showpiece event ‘Ave, Emona!’ (22-24 Aug) will transport the city’s central Kongresni trg (Congress Square) back in time. Plus it makes the perfect base with plentiful, inexpensive buses radiating out of the city to the rest of Slovenia, which is as picture-perfect as Switzerland but much easier on the wallet.