Ljubno ob Savinji – part I

It would be unfair to claim that an individual has discovered the one and only paradise on Earth. We all know there's no arguing about taste and that perfection has different sizes or repetitions. Yet I can easily say that this pearl of Slovenian destinations will make you feel you've saw a glimpse of paradise if you ever go this way. So where to go? Ljubno ob Savinji! You might even call it the cute place along Savinja river. It's one of the many must-see locations in the upper valey of Savinja and you will not stay untouched by the beauty even if you just visit for a day. It's much nicer to stay a few days thought. There are many things to do and many things to see, with the rich cultural and historical background, which will satisfy the heftiest history buffs. So what's the basics to see in order to get the feel of the place? There's river floats and the floater's ball, ski jump, potica (Slovenian pastry in various local varieties), warm people and the "savinski želodec" (a Slovenian culinary speciality). Some of the words might seem unfamiliar to you, but you really should remember them and above all try and find out what they are.

One of the most noted things you'll find about Ljubno is the rich heritage of river floats. They cut down trees in local forests, bound it in floats and went down river to sell it. In case of the town of Ljubno they used the Savinja River to go down to Serbia and even all the way to Romania to the Black Sea. This was an activity that connected whole families and became a matter of pride for local residents who still live there. You can experience the genuine feelings connected to the activity among people, who still organize a festival called Flosarski bal, which is among the oldest ethnological events in Slovenia. The cultural, sporting and fun loving event brings back memories of the past and makes for great fun in the present. One of the best times to visit Ljubno is summer, as the bal takes place at the end of July, beginning of August. 

If you want to feel the beat of the place and understand the people you should go to Ljubno in winter time, especially when they host the women's world cup in ski jumping. Yes, you've read that right – women world cup ski jump. OK, if you're interested in winter sports you've known that already – or you were really fast to google the fact. The ski jump in Ljubno is a pride of the inhabitants from near and far, who love to contribute to the event by a lot of volunteer work. As soon as you arrive people will start telling you about the ski jump and use any chance to mention it (no matter if you're looking for directions or ordering breakfast). The people give so much of themselves, and there's so much enthusiasm about the ski jump that it's really the people who make it something special, standing out from similar sporting objects serving the same purpose.

 

And it's the people who're the important part of the puzzle that makes up the whole picture that keeps attracting visitors back to the town. One of the places to come to is the Hostel Ljubno ob Savinji, which also houses the restaurant Pevc. The right word to describe them is – yummie! You'll lick your fingers just reading the offer. It's a friendly hostel with a home feel to it, radiating warmth that we all crave – and acceptance. The ever friendly hosts will take the time for you to explain everything and also to give you some advice about lesser known parts of Ljubno you just got to see. They also offer bicycle rental, which is – remarkably enough – free of charge! I'm sure you'll start thinking where to take your new steel set of wheels and what you can see and learn. And now it's a good time to start learning about patience, as I'll present this in the second part of the article. Catch you later!