Lifestyle
STA, 9 July 2019 - Slovenia was placed 12th in this year's report on meeting the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development targets among 162 countries. The country is particularly successful at eliminating extreme forms of poverty and providing access to greener energy sources.
The report was published at the end of June by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network association, under the auspices of the UN, and Bertelsmann Stiftung foundation. The organisations pointed out that this year's results were not comparable to the ones from last year due to a different methodology, with Slovenia ranking 8th in 2018.
According to the government's Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, Slovenia's biggest challenges are implementing measures aimed at eliminating undernourishment, providing for sustainable production and consumerism, mitigating climate change and preserving sea and marine resources.
The results show that four years after setting the targets and three years after signing the Paris Agreement, no country has yet fulfilled all the goals and many areas among 17 global targets have seen a regress.
The report highlights that some countries are inconsistent at implementing relevant measures, particularly the richest ones, which were found to have a negative impact on the progress of less developed ones.
It also warns about a surge in corruption and downward spiral of reducing media freedom, which have been present in some middle-income and high-income countries as well.
The full report can be found here, while the part focusing on Slovenia is here
STA, 9 July 2019 - Slovenian experts are calling for adjusting government policies to allow people to age decently and to enable companies to get enough labour force, as the world is preparing to observe World Population Day on 11 July.
The main problem in Slovenia is a low birth rate and subsequent population ageing, which could be contained with a higher birth rate or young immigrants, Janez Malačič from the Ljubljana Faculty of Economics has told the STA.
Related: Slovenia’s Aging Population, in Graphic Form
Slovenia's total fertility rate - the average number of live newborns per woman in reproductive age - stood at 1.62 in 2017, just above the EU's average of 1.59.
An ageing population comes with many challenges, such as a shortage of labour as young people are leaving the country, while mostly low-skilled migrant workers are coming to Slovenia.
Some problems also stem from differences among regions, as "people are leaving less developed areas, where towns are getting depopulated, some of them already completely depopulated".
This is particularly a problem in border areas but also in some large towns, Janez Nared from the Anton Melik Geographical Institute at the ZRC SAZU has told the STA.
He sees a solution in making these areas stronger economically and in turning them into an attractive living environment for young people with quality services.
Nared believes this is where new housing estates should be developed, but warns the issue should be approached in a comprehensive manner based on an in-depth analysis.
In 2008-2017, the number of residents dropped in more than 70% of Slovenia's 212 municipalities, with the trend bound to continue, says Nared.
Projections show that more than 90 municipalities will see their populations drop by more than 10% in the coming 20 years.
By 2038, some municipalities will have one young person aged under 15 to five or six elderly aged 65 or more, which will seriously affect the labour market, education, social security and the pension system, consequently presenting a major pressure for the national budget, he says.
The UN declared World Population Day in 1989, two years after the global population reached five billion.
UN data shows there are now 7.5 billion people in the world, but the figure is projected to rise to over eleven billion by the end of the century.
World Population Day will this year focus globally on reproductive health, with calls to decision makers to enable women access to services key to reproductive health.
All our stories on demographics in Slovenia are here
STA, 6 July 219 - The average speed recorded on Slovenian roads lowered in 2017 and 2018 compared to 2014 and 2015. The strictness of speed limits correlates to the number of violations, with the latter being more common at night. Drivers do not usually exceed the limit by more than 10 km/h, shows a study by the Traffic Safety Agency.
Recorded speeds on highways and expressways do not vary depending on the day or night, while drivers on other roads are on average faster during the night.
The study included 135.87 million of measurements of 37 speed traps between the start of 2017 and the end of May this year.
The lower the speed limit, the higher the share of drivers exceeding it - at the 50 km/h speed limit, over 35% drivers violate the limit, while at the 30 km/h limit, over 70% of them are too fast but they mostly do not exceed the limit by more than 10 km/h in general.
The 50 km/h limit area stood out because the agency recorded very high violations of driving 180 km/h at two locations within the limit.
Mora than 130 automatic traffic counters also provided data on traffic in March and October in 2017 and 2018. On highways, where the speed limit is set at 130 km/h, the average speed was 110.6 km/h. Between 2008 and 2018, this figure decreased by almost 5 km/h or 4.3%.
Some 13% drivers exceed the highway limit, while around 1% exceed the limit by more than 10 km/h during the day and some 5% during the night.
Drivers on expressways drive on average 99 km/h, with the limit being 110 km/h. During the 2008-2018 period, the average speed there decreased by 5.5%.
The average speed on main roads outside cities, towns and villages increased by some 4% between 2008 and 2015, but started declining after 2015. Some 15% of people driving on such roads exceed the limit during the day (2% exceed the limit by more than 10 km/h), while around 23% do that at night (11% outside the 10 km/h tolerance zone).
The average speed on state main roads and regional roads within urban areas decreased as well - by almost 8%, but as many as 57% of drivers on those roads exceed the limit during the day (some 10% outside the tolerance zone) and 67% of them during the night (some 25% outside the tolerance zone).
The study was conducted at the beginning of June by the Maribor Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering and Architecture Faculty.
This collection of old photos and postcards shows some of the ways Slovenska cesta (also, for some years, Titova cesta) changed and stayed the same in the century, with each image showing buildings you can still see today as you walk along the newly, and mostly, pedestrianised street, with the only traffic now allowed being bicycles and buses.
Another view of hte Cafe Europa, early 20th century.
And another view, with Figovec restaurant just outside the picture on the left. 1911
Mid-20th century
1950s. You can see Šestica restaurant on the left - open in 1776 and still running today
1950s
1950s, and showing the edge of Kongresni trg / Congress Square
Hotel Slon on the right, 1950s
1959
The edge of the Tavčer Palace on the left, 1959
Old buildings being pulled down in front of Nama department store, 1961
1961
Roadworks, 1963
Another view of the Tavčer Palace, with Figovec again just out of sight on the left, 1965
1968
1968
Other stories in this series can be found here
Another in our occasional series of Slovenian memes, aka jazjaz ("me me"), to provide relatively simple, relatively amusing sentences in the target language of choice for many of our readers, with a translation under each image. See earlier posts here.
When you finish writing a test and your classmates start telling you the correct answers.
Finally, a parking space for fat people who like barbecues! ("fat" here is "strong", so something of a euphemism)
Him: Why do you never tell me when you've had an orgasm? / Her: I don't want to call you at work.
Nine-year-old me when I saw the moon in the daytime. "Impossible"
This could be us...but the potatoes are not going to plant themselves
Austrians are Germanized Slovenes. Change my mind
Is 5 big? / Depends on the context / Perecentage? No / Grade? Yes
When your cat has watched too much Masterchef
When I was born I had two choices / A big penis or good memory / What did you choose? / I don't remember
Learning Slovene? Check out all our dual texts here
Keep up with the daily news in Slovenia by checking the morning headlines here
This schedule was prepared by the STA:
MONDAY, 8 July
LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - The EU Court of Justice will hold an oral hearing to determine the admissibility of the lawsuit Slovenia is bringing against Croatia for EU law violations stemming from the country's refusal to acknowledge the 2017 border arbitration award.
ILIRSKA BISTRICA/KOSTEL/ČRNOMELJ - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec, Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar and Police Commissioner Tatjana Bobnar will visit towns along the border with Croatia.
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Commission for the Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services is scheduled to interview the Chief of the General Staff Alenka Ermenc as part of its investigation into the sacking of Force Commander Miha Škerbinc.
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Finance Minister Andrej Bertoncelj will attend a two-day Eurogroup ministerial.
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Labour Ministry State Secretary Tilen Božič will take part in an EU employment and social affairs ministerial.
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina - President Borut Pahor and Defence Ministry State Secretary Dobran Božič will attend a meeting marking the end of Bosnia's presidency of the South-East European Cooperation Process.
TUESDAY, 9 July
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly will start its July session. The agenda includes, among other things, a second reading of changes to private primary school funding.
LJUBLJANA - The upper and lower chambers of parliament, the National Assembly and the National Council, will host a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of Prekmurje reunification with Slovenia.
WEDNESDAY, 10 July
LJUBLJANA - Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister Rijad Malki will visit Slovenia, meeting his counterpart Miro Cerar and parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan.
HOČE - The official opening of the Magna Steyr car paint shop. Prime Minister Marjan Šarec and Economic Development and Technology Minister Zdravko Počivalšek will be in attendance.
BLED - The NATO Mountain Warfare Centre of Excellence (MWCOE) will host a conference of NATO excellence centre directors.
THURSDAY, 11 July
LJUBLJANA - The victims of the 1995 Srebrenica massacre will be commemorated with a minute of silence in City Square.
LJUBLJANA - Weekly government session.
LONDON - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar will attend the Global Conference for Media Freedom.
HELSINKI, Finland - Environment Ministry State Secretary Marko Maver will take part in a two-day informal meeting of EU minister responsible for the environment.
FRIDAY, 12 July
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor will host a working lunch for presidents of parliamentary parties and deputy group heads to discuss election legislation changes.
SATURDAY, 13 July
No major events are scheduled.
SUNDAY, 14 July
No major events are scheduled
If you're not in town for the week of this guide (08 to 14 July, 2019) then you can see all the editions here, and if there's event or activity you want to promote in a future edition of What's on in Ljubljana please get in touch with me at flanner(at)total-slovenia-news.com or try and find me on Facebook.
In town and want to follow the news? Check out our regular morning headlines for Slovenia here.
As ever, links to the basic listings are after the following selection, while a comprehensive PDF of events for the next seven days, as prepared by Ljubljana Tourism, is here.
Learn more about The Miha Artnak here
The summer continues to heat up, and you can expect more events each day throughout the season, both free and paid, with the streets coming alive with music, performances and crowds.
Photo: JL Flanner
The biggest thing is the Ljubljana Festival, which continues until 5 September and has a packed programme of world-class concert, opera, and ballet events – see more here.
Other festivals of note include the start of Gala Hala Summer Stage at Metelkova Mesto, running until 31 July and offering bands and DJ sets, with all evenings free. Details here (Slovene only).
Thursday, 11 July, Film Under the Stars begins again, giving the chance to watch some of the leading art films of the past year outside at Ljubljana Castle, each night at 21:30. The full schedule and trailers are here.
Monday and Wednesday there are some concerts of baroque music at Town Hall, in the Old Town, at 20:30 (details here).
Every Thursday in the summer, at Kavarna Plato, Ajdovščina 1 (on end of Slovenska cesta, not far from Nebotičnik) there’s free open-air salsa, starting 20:00.
Same same, but different, every Friday, 20:30, there’ll be free live jazz in Stari trg (Old Town Square).
Ljubljana Castle – Parallel Worlds of Alan Hranitelj runs from July 5 to September 8, showing the work of acclaimed costume designer Alan Hranitelj.
The Summer in Ljubljana Old Town goes on until 28 August. This presents classical concerts, many of which are free, in the churches, inner courtyards and squares in the old city centre. The programme is here.
Running until 1 September is the Mini Theatre’s season for children and young people, with details here.
Volčji Potok Arboretum (Volčji Potok 3) has a rose garden in bloom until 31 August, nature permitting.
If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here
While the Old Town is quaint, and full of music, where does Ljubljana really shop? One popular answer is BTC City, a vast complex of malls, entertainment facilities and more, including more than 70 different food vendors, offering everything from Slovenian to Thai, Indian to Italian, Mexican to Chinese. Check out my recent visit here.
Looking for something different to eat? Trubajeva cesta, running right by Dragon Bridge, has the greatest concentration of "ethnic food" places in Ljubljana, and thus perhaps the country. Check out our walk through guide as of June 2019.
Photo: JL Flanner
- Cinemas and films
- Clubbing
- Live music
- Theatre and dance
- Harm reduction and drug testing
- Things to do with children
- LGBT+ Ljubljana
- Ljubljana Castle
- Museums and galleries
- Other things to do in Ljubljana
- Daytrips
- Getting around & miscellaneous
Cinemas and films
You can read about all the cinemas in town here, while a selection of what’s playing this week is below, and note that kids' movies tend to be shown in dubbed versions, while non-English language movies for older viewers will have Slovenian subtitles.Parents should also pay attention to Kinobalon, which is Kinodvor's regular weekend series of film screenings and events for children, from babies on up, with special parent/child events, "first time in a cinema" screenings, and babysitting. Learn more about it here, and see the current schedule here.
Thursday, 11 July, Film Under the Stars begins again, giving the chance to watch some of the leading art films of the past year outside at Ljubljana Castle, each night at 21:30. The full schedule and trailers are here.
Note - Toy Story 4 only seems to be shown in dubbed versions Kinodvor –This is an arts cinema, not far from the train station, that shows new features as well as hosting the occassional festival.Kinoteka – And not far from Kinodvor you can find this revival cinema, which shows art house classics along with some deep dives in the archives.
Kino Bežigrad - A relatively small theatre, but one which usually has the biggest of the new releases.
Kolosej -The multiplex out at BTC City Mall shows all the big movies, with well over a dozen titles on the schedule, although note that there are far more movies than screens, so some of the older ones mayonly be playing once or twice a week.
Komuna – The cinema in a basement behind Nama department store shows two or three different features a week, usually including the biggest titles.
Clubbing
Compared to some European capitals it can seem that nightlife in Ljubljana ends rather early, especially along the river, but there are still bars that stay open late and clubs were you can dance until dawn, and perhaps the best place to stumble across something interesting is the legendary Metelkova. Be aware it's a grungy kind of place and not for all tastes, but also that there's considerable variety to found within the various clubs there, from death metal to electropop, gay cabaret to art noise. You can read "the rules" of the place here. And if you're curious about how the place started then read our story, and look at some pictures, about last year's 25th anniversary.
Božidar - DJ events aren't too common here, but when they happen they often have a big name.
Channel Zero – DJs shows here include regular dub nights as well as electronic music.
Gala Hala – Another Metelkova venue, you can sometimes hear bhangra and Bollywood here, but more often funk, hip hop, breakbeat and so on.
Klub Cirkus – The more commercial end of clubland, and a venue that aims to serve the student party scene. Expect house, anthems, and bangers.
Klub K4 – The home of techno, old and new, along with various other electronic genres,
Koncertna Dvorana Rog– There are irregular DJ sets at this underground (not literally) venue at the far end of Trubarjeva cesta, and they range from techno to goa to drum'n'bass.
Orto Bar– 80s and 90s throwback nights can often be found here, along with rock-based DJ sets.
Live music
Balassi Institute – Free Hungarian music, when available, from the Hungarian cultural institute just a short walk downriver from Dragon Bridge.
Cankerjev dom – The main arts venue in the country hosts classical, opera jazz, folk and occassinally pop.
Cvetličarna – Regional pop and rock concerts can be found here.
Channel Zero – This Metelkova venue sees live shows from punk and rock bands, as well as others.
Gala Hala – Another Metelkova venue with indie bands of various styles.
Kino Šiška – One of the top live venues in the city, with a varied programme that include indie, rock, pop, experimental, hip hop, and so on.
Klub Gromka – Live music is often metal, from sludge to stoner, death to thrash, while punk bands also appear, as do others.
Križanke – The venue that hosts the Ljubljana Festival often has classical music, and some rock, in the open air.
Ljubljana Castle – Jazz, funk and pop every Friday night.
Orto Bar– The home of live rock, metal, punk and other guitar-based genres.
Pinelina dnevna soba – LIve music is rare here, but it does happen.
Slovenska filharmonija– Classical music in the centre of town.
SNG Opera and Ballet - As the name suggests, here you'll find the best of opera and ballet in the country.
Španski borci - While dance is more common here, they also have some contemporary and experimental music shows.
Theatre and dance
Cankerjev dom- The main arts venue in the country always has something of interest going on.
Gledališče IGLU - IGLU Theatre – Saturday night this group is usually putting on an English improv show somewhere in town, but it’s generally promoted after this is written, so check the Facebook before putting on your shoes.
Kino Šiška – One of the top live venues in the city also hosts some dance performance, often of the more experimental variety.
Mini Teater Ljubljana –The English schedule of varied performances, for adults and children, for the month is here.
Ljubljana Puppet Theatre - Puppetry has a long and noble tradition in Slovenia, and you can see performances for children and adults (including non-puppet shows) drawing from the Theatre's rich repetoire as well as new productons.
SNG Opera and Ballet - As the name suggests, here you'll find the best of opera and ballet in the country.
Španski borci - The home ofcontemporary dance(and the EnKnapGroup) in Slovenia.
Pocket Teater Studio– There are regular flamenco evenings at perhaps the smallest venue town, but note that the number of seats is very limited, and thus you should make a reservation via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 070 325 522.
Harm reduction and drug testing
Drogart is an organization that aims to minimise harm on the party scene, and offers drug-testing services and reports on their webpage. It’s in Slovene, but you can Google translate it or work things out yourself, and our story on the group is here.You can find the latest warnings on fake drugs and high strength pills and powders (in Slovene) here. However, be aware that all the usual drugs are illegal in Slovenia.CBD is legal, though, and our retailer of choice can be found on Trubarjeva cesta - read more about Sena Flora here.
Things to do with children
You can find our Top 12 list of things to do with kids in Ljubljana here. If want to read more about the philosophy behind the wonderful House of Experiments look here, while our trip to the Museum of Illusions is documented here, and there’s always riverside walks, pizza and ice cream. With regard to the latter, take a look at our guide to six places that serve good ice cream in winter, and thus are serious about the dessert.
Mini Teater Ljubljana – The season sees a lot of puppet performances for children, in Slovene, at this theatre not far from Križanke. The English schedule for the month is here.
Ljubljana Puppet Theatre - The puppet theatre near the Central Market and next to the Castle funicular has a full programme or shows, for children and adults, with the schedule here.
LGBT+ Ljubljana
If you're looking for more general links on "gay Slovenia", including a history of the scene and various projects, then you can find that here, while our stories about the community can be found here.
Klub Monokel – This lesbian bar in Metelkova is open every Friday, although sometimes there are other events
Klub Tiffany –And the gay bar next door is also open on Fridays. Other things coulds also be planned, so click on the name to find out.
Pritličje – This seems to be the only "always open" LGBT-friendly cafe / bar / events space in town, and perhaps the country, so it's a good thing it's such a good one, open from morning to night, and with fliers and posters letting you know what's happening outside the narrow confines of, say, a general interest online what's on... guide.
Screenshot from Google Maps, showing the location of the Castle vineyard
Ljubljana Castle
The city’s main attraction is said to be the top tourist draw in the country overall, and to my mind it earns a spot near the top just for the history and views. But beyond that the current owners, the City of Ljubljana, have laid out a varied, interesting and enjoyable programme of events, one that rewards regular revisits. On until 17 November Mighty Guardians of the Past: Castles in the Slovenian Lands, a presentation that delivers on the promise of its title.
I try and get up there every Saturday morning to clear my head and move my feet on the trails, and never tire of that end of the hill. At the other end, where the Castle sits, there’s a lot more than fresh air on offer. There are guided tours, restaurants, a café, Castle museum, puppet museum, a Watchtower you can climb to the highest point in the city, art shows, dances, live music, movies under the stars, festival days and more – enough to reward multiple trips up the hill through the year. All of these activities and events can be found on the Castle website, while on TSN you can see “25 things to know about Ljubljana Castle” here, and “Ten Ways to Enjoy Ljubljana Castle” here.
Museums and galleries
Most public galleries and museums are closed on Mondays, although not the National Museum, and - as noted at the start
Cankerjev dom – On until 3 March 2020 there's an exhibition on Ancient Greek Science and Technology. Details here.
Plečnik's desk. Photo: JL Flanner
Plečnik’s House is worth a visit if you want to learn more about the architect who gave Ljubljana much of its character, and it's also in a really nice part of town, Trnovo, just a short walk or cycle upriver. Read about our guided tour here.
Balassi Institute – The Hungarian culture centre is next to a Spar and Hofer, and not far from Dragon Bridge, and always has something interesting going on. Learn more here.
City Museum – The Museum in French Revolution Square an interesting permanent exhibition on the history of Ljubljana, from prehistoric times to the present day, with many artefacts, models and so on that bring the story alive.You can read about my visit here. On until 25 September is Treasures from Russian Museums, an exhibition showcasing more than 80 Russian icons from leading Russian museums.
The Faces of Ljubljana in the City Museum. Photo: JL Flanner
International Centre of Graphic Art – The 33rd Biennial of Graphic Arts runs until 29 September. It's called Crack Up – Crack Down, and is curated by the collective Slavs and Tartars, with a focus satire and the graphic arts. Learn more here.
Ljubljana Castle on until 17 November Mighty Guardians of the Past: Castles in the Slovenian Lands, a presentation that delivers on the promise of its title.
MAO – The Museum of Architecture and Design has much of what you'd expect, along with some temporary shows and a good cafe. On until 19 September is a show called Creators, on contemporary Slovenian fashion and textile design, which is being promoted with the following image.
Photo: Urša Premik
A new show by one of the best photographers of the city, Igor Andjelič, on the theme of Bauhaus, is on at Galerija ŠKUC until 17 July (here).
Photo: Igor Andjelič. See more of his work here
Moderna galerija – The main branch of this gallery, to be found near the entrance to Tivoli Park, has a good collection of modern art, as well a nice café in the basement. Opening Thursday, April 25th, 20:00, The Visual Arts in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, 1929–1941, which then runs until September 15th 2019. This offers “an overview of painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, photography, and film from the time the king's dictatorship was set up (6 January 1929) to the beginning of World War II on Yugoslav soil (April 1941)” - you can read more about it here. The museum's Metelkova branch also has a big new show, runing until at least September 2019, an the art of the Non-Aligned Movement, with an example shown below.
Rafikun Nabi: Poet, 1980, print, 96.5 x 110 cm. Courtesy of the Contemporary Art Center of Montenegro. On display at the Metelova branch of the Moderna galerija
Alan Ford at the National Gallery
National Gallery – The country’s main gallery has “the best” of what’s on offer from the Middle Ages to non-contemporary modern visual arts, and is in a great location for exploring other areas, just by Tivoli Park and opposite the main branch of the Moderna galerija. You can read about our visit to the room containing sacred art from the Middle Ages here. The Space Within the Space: Scenography in Slovenia before 1991 will provide a comprehensive historic, stylistic, visual and theatrical overview of Slovenian scenography until 8 September. There’s also a big show on Alan Ford, one of the great comic books of the Yugoslav era, on until 13 October.
JL Flanner
The real Robba Fountain can be found in the entrance to the National Gallery - the one you see in the Old Town is a genuine fake, as seen below and reported here.
Photo: JL Flanner
National Museum of Slovenia – There’s plenty to see in the permanent collection here, from Roman times, Egypt and more. Running until 3 November is Roma Aeterna: Masterpieces of Classical Sculpture. With sculptures from the collection of the Santarelli family in Rome, ranging from the age of the Roman Empire to that of neoclassicism. Meanwhile, the museum's Metelkova branch, located between one branch of the Moderna galerija and the Ethnographic Museum has some rooms on Church art, furniture and weapons, with the latter including more guns than you'll see anywhere else in town, and quite a thrill if coming from a nation where such objects are not household items.
Natural History Museum – On until the end of December 2019 is Our Little Big Sea, which takes a look at the oceans.
Roma Aeterna: Masterpieces of Classical Sculpture - see below
National Museum of Contemporary History - Tucked away in park Tivoli, in addition to his permanent collection will be showingIn Search Of Freedom: 1968-2018 until 16 August. Until 29 September there also a retrospective on the photographer Edi Šelhaus, which is being promoted with the following image.
Photo: Edi Šelhaus
Slovene Ethnographic Museum – The museum has two permanent exhibitions. One of these is called Between Nature and Culture, and has a great collection of objects from Slovenia and around the world, well worth the trip up to the third floor to see it (as recounted here). From April 18 until October 19 (2019) you can also see a show calledShamanism of the Peoples of Siberia, from the Russian Museum of Ethnography, Saint Petersburg. The place is located near the newer branch of the Moderna galerija and Metelkova. You can read about this fascinating show here. On until September 15 is Petra Šink: The circle between design and nature, in which the award-winning designer takes visitors through the life cycle of useful products for the home which are made from natural biodegradable fungal materials.
Union is "the Ljubljana beer", but now both it and Laško are owned by Heineken. There are many local brews on offer around town, though, if you want to explore IPAs, stouts, wheatbeers, sours and so on Photo: JL Flanner
Union Experience – The Ljubljana-based brewer has a museum showing the history of the company, with the ticket also including access to part of the factory and a few samples of the product. You can read about our visit here.
Volčji Potok Arboretum - Running until 3 November you can see a large collection of cacti here.
It's not a formal museum, but if you're interested in "Yugo-stalgia" then you'll enjoy a trip to Verba, a small, privately run space that's crammed with objects and pop culture items from the era, and is conveniently located at the start of one of the short walks to the castle. It's also a great place to take pictures, if you leave a donation, and you can read more about it here.
Verba. Photo: JL Flanner
Alternative Ljubljana isn't a museum or gallery, as such, but instead turns the city streets into a museum and gallery. Learn more about their tours of street art, history and LGBT Ljubljana here.
Photo: JL Flanner
Other things to do in Ljubljana
Learn more about Ljubljana with "25 things to know about Slovenia's green city of dragons", or take a look at our guide to spending from four to 48 hours here.
If you like the city's architecture then check out this great book, Let’s See the City - Ljubljana: Architectural Walks & Tours, with our review here and a page from the book shown above. We took a walk with one of the authors who showed us how much there is to learn and enjoy if you slow down and pay attention - read about that here.
Open Kitchen brings market stalls selling food and drink from some of the best restaurants in town every Friday, from 11am to 11pm, in the square between the cathedral and the river - just follow your nose and the crowds. Read more about it here.
Photo: Open Kitchen
Ljubljana has some beautiful buildings from the early 20th century, in the Secessionist style, like the one below. Learn where to find them here.
Photo: Neža Loštrek
Photo: JL Flanner
Some view of the city you can only get from the river. If you'd like to take a boat ride then read about my experience here. If you prefer to get in the water rather than on it, then here's a guide to the various open air pools in Ljubljana. Note that it was written last year and so the prices and times may have changed, so do click the links and check.
If you'd like to spend an evening painting with others, then take a look at Design with Wine, which organises painting parties on Trubarjeva cesta,
If you want to see some antiques, then check out the wonderful Antika Carniola, as discussed here. The man behind it, Jaka Prijatelj, has a fine eye for life on this street, as you can see on his Facebook account.
Photo: JL Flanner
If you’re in town and want to go jogging or walking in nature, why not take another look at the Castle, with a brief guide to the trails here. If you want something bigger, head to Tivoli Park.
And if you're bored with the Old Town, why not take a walk, cycle or boat ride to nearby Špica and enjoy the riverside life. Learn more about that here.
visitljubjana.si
Want to stretch and breath? Then check out our list of drop-in yoga classes for tourists, visitors and the uncommitted. We go to Nataraja Studio, by Dragon Bridge, and here's a story about it.
Prefer to have someone else stretch you? The check out the totally legit massages you can get from Sense Wellness - either in one of their spas or in you home, office or hotel. (And - to repeat - these are legit and non-sexual in nature)
There are some golf courses near Ljubljana, but even ones further away are not far, as seen in our list of all the golf courses in Slovenia.
Photo: maxpixel.net, public domain
Daytrips
Most of Slovenia is only a few hours from Ljubljana, and you can easily visit Lake Bled, Lipica Stud Farm, Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle, the coast and other locations, while if you'd like to take a photo of from that bench in Bled, then you can learn how to get there here. If you’re looking for something more ambitious, then check out our recent guide to the 17 members of the Association of Historical Towns of Slovenia. We've also written guides on spending from four to 48 hours in Bled and Piran.
Photo: Google Image Search
Getting around & miscellaneous
If you want to get a Ljubljana Tourist Card, which gives you travel on the city buses and entry to a lot of attractions, then you can read more about that here, and if you want to use the bike share system, as useful for visitors as it is for residents, then you can learn more by clicking this. Visitors with reduced mobility will be pleased to find that downtown Ljubljana is generally rated as good with regard to accessibility, and that there’s a free, city-sponsored app called Ljubljana by Wheelchair highlighting cafés, attractions and so on with ramps, disabled bathrooms and Eurokey facilities, which you can read about and download here. Manual wheelchair users can also borrow, for free, an attachment that will motorise their equipment, as reported here.
Screenshot from a Twitter video
If you’re driving into town and don’t know where to part, our guide to how to park in Ljubljana is here.
There aren't many places to eat after midnight, and most of them are by the train station, as reported here.
Want / need cigarettes but the stores have closed? Here's an incomplete list of bars downtown that will satisfy your craving for the demon weed. While if you’re having trouble with the ATMs then here’s a guide to the Slovene you’ll see on screen. If you get a hangover then find out where to get paracetamol (and prescription drugs) in Ljubljana here, while details on emergency birth control can be found here.
Ljubljana is a small and relatively safe city, but if need to contact the police then there’s a special number for foreigners, and that’s 113.
Photo: JL Flanner
Summer nights offer many pleasures, but those in Ljubljana present the opportunity to indulge in one that’s rather special – watching movies in the open air, in the courtyard of a castle, with a bar serving drinks and a great view of the city at the end.
It’s that time when Kinodvor takes over the main attraction after the sun goes down, with screenings of some the best art movies of the past year, plus some never seen before in the country. All films start at 21:30 and are shown in their original language with English subtitles, unless the original language is English, in which Slovenian is used for the subs (although note that movies like The Square, which are predominantly in English but have sections in other languages, are likely to be fully subbed in Slovene.)
In case of bad weather the screenings will be cancelled, as announced at kindovor.org and ljubljanskigrad.si by 19:00 on the day of the scheduled screening, with rescheduled screenings taking place the following evening at 21:30 at Kinodvor.
Tickets are 5 euros for regular screenings, 6 for premieres and “special screenings”. You can buy tickets at the Castle and Kinodvor, or online from the links under the the titles below.
Thursday, 11. 07 - My Last Year as a Loser
Slovene language only / Buy tickets
Friday, 12. 07 - Diego Maradona
English subtitles / Buy tickets
Saturday, 13. 07 - Green Book
Sunday, 14. 07 - Woman at War
English subtitles / Buy tickets
Monday, 15. 07 - Colette
Tuesday, 16. 07 - Rocketman
Wednesday, 17. 07 - Pain and Glory
English subtitles / Buy tickets
Thursday, 18. 07 - Maria by Callas
English subtitles / Buy tickets
Friday, 19. 07 - The Dead Don't Die
Saturday, 20. 07 - A Star Is Born
Sunday, 21. 07 - Stan & Ollie
Monday, 22. 07 - Shoplifters
English subtitles / Buy tickets
Tuesday, 23. 07 - Pavarotti
English subtitles / Buy tickets
Wednesday, 24. 07 - Everybody Knows
English subtitles / Buy tickets
Thursday, 25. 07 - The Favourite
Friday, 26. 07 - Free Solo
Saturday, 27. 07 - The Old Man & the Gun
Sunday, 28. 07 - If Beale Street Could Talk
Monday, 29. 07 - The Children Act
Tuesday, 30. 07 - The White Crow
English subtitles / Buy tickets
Wednesday, 31. 07 - Bohemian Rhapsody
Thursday, 01. 08 - Cold War
English subtitles / Buy tickets
Friday, 02. 08 - BlacKkKlansman
Saturday, 03. 08 - Yesterday
The Slovenian National Theatre (Slovensko narodno gledališče – SNG) Drama Ljubljana recently posted an advertisement for a job that’s attracting attention for the broad range of duties the successful candidate for the position of associate in graphic design, public relations and marketing is expected to have.
While no details on the salary have been released, we present the following job and task description, along with a details of how to apply at the end, if, along with Slovenian language skills, you’re capable of the following:
- designing promotional materials for print and the web (knowing how to use Illustrator, Indesign, Photoshop, Premiere and Lightroom tools),
- photographing events and editing photos for print and online use,
- creative writing and editing of texts,
- editing the website and sending e-news,
- independent content and design management on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube),
- organisational skills to help organise and promote press conferences, premieres, concerts and other external and internal events,
- precision for administrative tasks,
- a sense of aesthetics and manual skills for taking care of outdoor displays, framing photographs and decorating
We are looking for an associate in the 2019/20 season for the period from 19 August 2019 to 19 July 2020, with the possibility of extension.
Please send written applications with past promotional materials and written products up to 21 July 2019 to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the title "Application for an associate coworker". Interviews with selected candidates will take place on August 12, 2019.
STA, 4 July 2019 - A debate which was part of an annual get-together of Slovenians living abroad, hosted by the parliamentary Commission for Relations with Slovenians Abroad, discussed youth brain drain, with participants being critical of the state and sharing their views on homeland and personal experience.
At the debate focusing on the issue of the young emigrating from Slovenia and returning to their native country, the vice-president of the Commission Karla Urh pointed out that economic growth and higher recruitment rate did not curb the emigration. She thus called for determining causes for that and developing mitigation strategies.
The slogan of this year's get-together reflects the issue, posing a question of why the young are still leaving despite the improvements.
Speaker Dejan Židan said that the nation is not defined by genetics, but mostly by the "memory, language, culture and awareness of being part of the community". According to him, globalisation and internationalisation pose a threat to national identities.
Minister for Slovenians Abroad Peter J. Česnik said that he himself was an expatriate, having lived in Australia for a long time, and highlighted that living abroad was not easy. He pointed out that Slovenian national awareness at home was not as strong as that found in Slovenian communities outside the country, where the culture was maintained voluntarily.
The event was addressed by keynote speakers, including constitutional judge Klemen Jaklič, Jure Leskovec, an IT associate professor at Stanford University and co-founder of the American-Slovenian Education Foundation, an EU Parliament assistant Nežka Figelj and secretary at the Ministry for Slovenians Abroad Dejan Valentinčič.
Leskovec said that a lot of people emigrated from Slovenia to transcend the system of wage levelling, which forced them not to stand out or achieve exceptional results, adding that some also left to open a company abroad due to excessive red tape and high taxes at home.
Around half a million Slovenians or people of Slovenian descent identifying as such live outside Slovenia, representing some 20% of the Slovenian nation.
STA, 2 July 2019 - The 22nd Ana Desetnica street theatre festival is coming to Kamnik and Nova Gorica on Tuesday before it visits a total of eleven towns, including Ljubljana, until Sunday.
Held under the slogan By People For People, Ana Desetnica - which its organisers dubbed "a travelling legend of many miracles, a diva of streets and squares" - wants visitors to get involved to make the festival a big home party.
This fits with its new Living Room concept which the festival's organisers Ana Monro Theatre have been developing in Ljubljana since 2017.
While pop-up livings rooms will also be set up in Nova Gorica and Novo Mesto, the Slovenian capital is where Ana Desetnica will dwell the longest, from Wednesday to Sunday.
Chairs, armchairs, coffee tables and other pieces of furniture will occupy Slovenska Street, with story tellers, poets, musicians and chat lovers dropping in.
Passers-by and festival visitors will be invited to help create the right atmosphere for dancers, circus artists, jugglers and other performers.
The Kazina Dance Group will lift the curtain on the Ljubljana's section of the festival with Oni (They) by dancer and choreographer Ada Kogovšek.
It will also feature Great Britain's Southpaw Dance Collective performing Icarus, a dance theatre interpretation of the classic Greek myth, and Spanish circus Vaiven playing a high energy, poetic show that combines dance, acrobatics and physical theatre with contemporary circus tricks.
The festival will feature artists from eleven countries.
For the third year running, the urbANA ljubljANA 2019 award for best international street show will be given out by a jury of experts and a member of the audience.
Ana Desetnica has hosted more than 5,000 street artists from more than 40 countries, who have put on at least 1,000 shows, attracting almost one million visitors over the past two decades, according to the Ana Monro Theatre.
