PR! Issue #10 (Spring/Summer 2013)

N e Sp ws rin let g/ ter Su fo rT m m r er ave 20 l & 13 M ee tin g Pr of es si on al s

pr!

a perfect rendezvous

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Summer Excursions from Ljubljana

Ljubljana, with its location in the Central Slovenia region, does not only offer visitors an urban experience, but is also an excellent base for exploring the region and the rest of the country. The array of excursions from Ljubljana prepared by Ljubljana Tourism for this spring and summer is vast; each day,

visitors can choose from as many as eight to fifteen half-day or full-day excursions. Some of them include Slovenia’s top tourist gems, such as Bled, the Postojna Cave, Piran, the Škocjan Caves, and Lipica, others offer experiences such as rafting, canyoning, climbing, and cycling. Also available are excursions offering the experience of the diversity of the Central Slovenia region. www.visitljubljana.com

Three-Day Hotel Packages

The Visit Ljubljana website now offers an opportunity to book probably the best hotel packages developed to suit visitors seeking to explore Ljubljana. The three-day packages on offer, attractively priced at €110, €130 and €150 per person, include two nights’ accommodation with breakfast in selected higherend, mostly four-star hotels in Ljubljana and a twoday Ljubljana Tourist Card. www.visitljubljana.com

The Beloved Ljubljana: An Increasingly Popular European City Break Destination

Ljubljana’s name is supposed to be derived from the Slovenian word ‘ljubljena’, meaning ‘the beloved’. Whether this is true or not does not change the fact that Ljubljana is a much-loved and popular tourist destination not only on occasions such as the EuroBasket 2013 championship, which is expected to attract huge numbers of visitors in September, but also at other times.

In 2012, Ljubljana recorded a 7.7-percent increase in the number of tourist nights and had the highest tourism growth rate in Slovenia. 2012 was the second record year in a row.

Since 2001, the annual number of tourist nights in Ljubljana has more than doubled. Ljubljana also has the highest internationalization rate of all Slovenian and European cities; as much as 96 percent of all tourist nights are spent by visitors from abroad.

Over the last years, Ljubljana city centre has seen the opening of a number of outstandingly good boutique hotels, an array of hosteltype establishments offering modestly priced accommodation, several new fine dining restaurants, and a number

of vibrant club venues.

The last few years have seen the revamp of the banks of the river Ljubljanica, which winds its way through the heart of the city centre, and the construction of several new bridges. The revamp project, due to which the riverside area of Ljubljana is more pleasant than ever, was awarded a prestigious international architectural prize in 2012.

Ljubljana Tourism, who are well aware that what counts most with city break visitors is the choice of experiences on offer, are actively developing new tourism products.

Among those particularly worth mentioning are the products combining urban experiences with

Ljubljana Old Town; Photo: P. Hieng

experiences offered by the city’s near surrounding areas, where visitors can, for instance, watch birds in a nature park, explore the world of underground caves, visit an Alpine

herdsmen’s village or taste traditional farm delights on the very doorstep of the city. Definitely something that not many European city break destinations have to offer. www.visitljubljana.com

New Benefits for Ljubljana Tourist Card Holders The fact that the Ljubljana Tourist Card is a competitive tourism product by European standards was proven last autumn, when a tourist card comparison test was conducted

by European automobile clubs.

The test involved tourist cards in 14 European cities and the Ljubljana Tourist Card achieved third place.

The card’s excellent ranking was a welcome recognition of Ljubljana’s efforts and an incentive for further

development of the card.

The Ljubljana Tourist Card, which offers the best and the most affordable way to explore Ljubljana, now entitles visitors to free 24-hour access to the city’s wireless internet network, WiFree Ljubljana. A new addition to the existing card is the Ljubljana Tourist Card for children aged between six and fourteen years, available at a favourable price.

Ljubljana Tourism has also

broadened the range of benefits in the form of discount coupons. Ljubljana Tourist Card holders now receive a 20-percent discount on bowling at the Arena Play&Party leisure centre, a 20-percent discount on admission to the Atlantis water park, a fiveeuro coupon redeemable at Casino Rio, and a 7-percent discount on all purchases at the Galerija Emporium and Emporium BTC fashion stores. www.visitljubljana.com

Ljubljana Tourist Card; Photo: Studio DTS

Ljubljana for LGBTQ Visitors

The Ljubljana LGBTQ scene might not look much at first sight, but actually it is quite vibrant and diverse.

Pride Parade; Photo: N. Žgank

Each year in November, the city hosts the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, which was first held in 1984 and is Europe’s oldest film festival of its kind. Other large LGBTQ events include the annual Pride Parade, held in June, and the Red Dawns festival, held at the Metelkova mesto

A Perfect Rendezvous, Newsletter for Travel Trade Professionals

alternative culture centre each year in March. Metelkova mesto is also the location of two LGBTQ clubs, Monokel and Tiffany, where club nights are held on Fridays and Saturdays.

LGBTQ events also take place at the legendary Klub K4 club, which hosts monthly Pink Saturday nights, and

the Euforia club in Tivoli Park, where LGBTQ parties are held on Saturdays.

The city’s most popular LGBTQ bars are the centrally located Green Moon and Cafe Open, situated in the Prule area. In the Bežigrad area there is a men-only sauna called Gymnasivm. www.visitljubljana.com

Publisher: Ljubljana Tourism, Krekov trg 10, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, phone +386 (0)1 306 45 83, fax +386 (0)1 306 45 94, info@visitljubljana.si, www.visitljubljana.com.

Editorial board: Petra Stušek, Tatjana Radovič, Barbara Vajda. • Production: Mediamix Komunikacije d.o.o, Kajuhova ulica 12, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; Phone: +386 2 235 05 50; www.mediamix.si • Printed by: Collegium Graphicum • Spring/Summer 2013 • Committed to caring for the environment, we print on recycled paper.

4 City of Delights

World Music Stars to Perform in Ljubljana Ljubljana, more precisely Stožice Hall, will host quite a few concerts of world music stars in the forthcoming months. On May 4, Mark Knopfler, one of the best guitarists of all time, will hold a concert there. 25-yearold star Jessie J, one of the most recognizable British vocalists, will put on the concert on June 27. The music legend, Leonard Cohen, will once again stun Slovenia with an exclusive concert on 25 July.

Jessie J; Photo: MTV press

Leonard Cohen; Photo: M. Inhof

Ljubljana Urban Culinary Novelties

Ljubljana welcomes spring with new restaurants and world cuisines.

Dorian Gray Restaurant in Šubičeva ulica offers a sophisticated fusion of tastes from different continents, spiced up with a dash of exotic flavours. www.doriangray.si. In Prešernova cesta Bazilika Bistro has found its home. Guests are pampered with fresh sweet and savoury pies, soups, salads, healthy sandwiches, smoothies, banana bread, muffins. www.bazilika.si. Indo-Nepalese Himalaya Maharaja Restaurant in Vodnikova ulica offers over 60 authentic dishes prepared by chefs from Nepal and India. www.maharaja.si.

In Prvomajska cesta, the first Egyptian restaurant called Laziz has opened up, offering an original Egyptian experience. www.laziz.si.

The icing on the cake is the culinary events at the main Ljubljana marketplace where delicacies from different regions are represented. www.lpt.si

Upcoming Summer Boasts Numerous Festivals Throughout the year, Ljubljana hosts numerous interesting festivals. The majority of the most popular ones, however, are staged in late spring and in the summer. This year, summer in Ljubljana will again be long, hot and vibrant, boasting cultural events for all ages and tastes. The venues are various; from the town squares, streets and halls to exhibition grounds.

The summer festival season starts with the 5th Festival June in Ljubljana, taking place from 7 to 21 June. It is best described as a festival of light entertainment during the day and high culture in the evening – both free of charge. Held at Kongresni trg, it represents a unique introduction into the summer festival season. www.visitljubljana.com The third Saturday in June will already traditionally be culturally inspired. On the Summer Museum Night (June 15), a number of cultural institutions open their doors free of charge from late afternoon until midnight and await you with numerous exhibitions, workshops, films, guided tours, concerts and lectures.

Offering a repertoire of classical music concerts performed in picturesque surroundings of the old

Ana Desetnica; Photo: B. Okorn

town, traditional international festival Summer in Ljubljana Old Town takes place from June until the end of August. With most of the events being free of charge, the festival enriches the happening in the city. It ends with the event called The Night in the Old Town. www.visitljubljana.com On the weekend from 10 to 12 June the 29th International Druga godba Festival takes place at various venues. The programme is performed as a two-day concert marathon. www.drugagodba.si From 3 to 6 July, the streets are filled with the 16th International Ana Desetnica Street Theatre Festival. The programme following the mission of connecting East and West includes 85 multi-media performances, acrobatics, fire

shows, vertical dance, juggling, entertainment, puppet shows, walking and body movement performances. www.anamonro.org 54th Ljubljana Jazz Festival is held from 2 and 6 July. The festival is dedicated to the life of German jazz saxophonist and clarinettist Peter Brötzmann and promises unstoppable creative jazz of all shades and dazzling performances of shining and rising stars. www.ljubljanajazz.si Throughout August, Ljubljana breathes with Trnfest International Festival, presenting various local and international artists from the fields of music, theatre, dance, film, fine arts, visual arts and photography. In a nutshell: over 30 days and nights of free events for young and old. www.kud-fp.si

Ana Desetnica; Photo: O. Žan

Jazz Festival; Photo: N. Žgank

Mladi levi 2013 – International Festival of Theatre and Dance takes place in the second half of August, hosting bands and artists distinguished by unique approach to contemporary theatre and dance. www.bunker.si For high art performances enthusiasts the already 61st Ljubljana Festival 2013 opens its doors at the beginning of July and last to September 10. More on Page 8. www.ljubljanafestival.si Meta Stvarnik

Young Lions; Photo: Festival’s Archive

Three Ljubljana Cultural Festivals Awarded At this year’s EU call for tender for co-financing EU cultural festivals Slovenia was very successful. Among 235 applications only 11 were approved, among which the City of Women (Mesto žensk) received staggering 100 out of 100 possible points!

The EU Culture Programme provides one and three-year cofinancing of the EU cultural festivals.

In 2013 the competition was intense (235 applications from 31 countries

were estimated), but the Slovenian festival City of Women was more than successful. Since this year’s festival programme is linked to International Feminist and Queer

Festival Red Dawns, it has been named Red Dawn over the City of Women.

Within the same set of the EU Culture Programme call for

tender in 2010, two other Slovenian festivals, Ex Ponto organised by B-51 Association and Young Lions organised by Bunker Association acquired three-year co-financing.

5 City of Delights

Run Alpe Adria, without Borders Run Alpe Adria is an international running cup series including three biggest running events in the AlpeAdria Region, which joined to form this unique cup to demonstrate that running knows no borders. The cup will start on May 5 with Marathon D’Europa in Trieste, continue in the summer with Wörthersee Halbmarathon and end on October 27 with Volkswagen Ljubljana Marathon. www.ljubljanskimaraton.si

Ljubljana Resort Awarded by Ciao Campeggio

One can compete in three different categories, depending on the total distance of the races participated: Gold Class (2 marathons, 1 halfmarathon), Silver Class (1 marathon,

Launch Of International Run Series; Photo: Timing Archive

2 half-marathons) and Bronze Class (3 half-marathons). www.run-alpe-adria.com

In the shade of tall trees along Sava River, near the ring road and only 10 minutes from the centre, Ljubljana Resort Campsite is situated. Thanks to this modern campsite, the city has become attractive also to the visitors travelling by caravan or motorhome. Recently, at Salone del Camper Fair in Padova, the campsite was presented Premio Ciao Campeggio Award. The readers of Il Carapace magazine have ranked it among the best campsites in Europe. www.laguna-camp.com

Rock Otočec – Bathing Paradise for All Senses The 17th consecutive performance of traditional Rock Otočec Festival will take place from 5 to 7 July at Laguna Resort, the biggest Slovenian town bathing area, in Ljubljana.

Until now, this extremely popular and internationally recognised festival was held in an idyllic location of Otočec Castle close to Krka River. To allow visitors even more comfortable and diverse experience, this year the event will be moved to a new location. The new venue

will be Ljubljana Resort, a grassy and shady 2.5 hectare campsite, which boasts a large swimming pool area and has received numerous European awards for neatness and kindness.

Rock Otočec has so far hosted numerous world famous bands, including Fun Lovin Criminals, Living Colour, Guano Apes, Gogol Bordello, Asian Dub Foundation, Apocalyptica, The Subways etc. This year’s programme has not been finalised yet, but the organisers are thrilled to announce the performance of Canadian group Billy Talent, who Laguna at Ljubljana Resort; Photo: Ljubljana Resort Archive

performed at world-renowned rock and punk festivals, such as Rock am Ring, Reading, Glastonbury etc.

Rock Otočec Festival will take place on the outskirts of Ljubljana, only some 100 metres from the ring road and only 10 minutes from the centre, if using public transport. This

Rock Otočec Audience; Photo: B. Okorn

allows the visitors not only to attend an outstanding music event, but also to experience nearby attractions of the capital of Slovenia. www.rock-otocec.com Franci Kek

Film Under the Stars, Overlooking the City For the 5th time, Kinodvor, the leading Ljubljana city cinema, organizes movie nights under the summer sky at Ljubljana Castle.

Film under the Stars at Ljubljana Castle Courtyard; Photo: N. Žgank

The summer cinema festival named Film under the Stars, taking place from 25 July to 17 August 2013 in the courtyard of Ljubljana Castle, is meant for all movie enthusiasts who consider the ambience equally important as the movie itself.

The programme is once again highly varied. It includes a selection of some of the most acclaimed films of the past cinema season (e.g.

Anna Karenina and Argo), Kinodvor hits (Danish movies, A Royal Affair and The Hunt), the most influential films of the last Liffe Festival (e.g. M. Haneke’s Amour), and many other.

Also quite some premieres and prepremieres take place.

Kinodvor, the city cinema at Kolodvorska 13, boasts one of

the most beautiful cinema halls in Europe. It was exactly 90 years ago, when Kinodvor cinema-theatre opened. This high anniversary will be celebrated by a great number of events including screenings, presentations and exhibitions. They will take place from autumn 2013 to autumn 2014 at Kinodvor and elsewhere in the city.

Today Kinodvor is more than just a cinema; it has become a vibrant socializing place and a meeting-point of international film festivals. The movie programme is accompanied by numerous events, workshops and exhibitions at the Gallery and in the bookshop the movie literature can be purchased. www.kinodvor.org Tjaša Smrekar

6 City of Delights

Kiss from Ljubljana Macaron Last year, Ljubljana got its own pastry, a cake bearing the name Ljubljana, with the aim of getting the symbol of the city. This year, the creators of Ljubljana Cake have taken on a new culinary challenge and caught sophisticated culinary taste of Ljubljana Cake in a delicious biscuit, a macaron with a unique, Slovenian flavour. They named it Kiss from Ljubljana. For now, both can exclusively be tasted in the very centre of Ljubljana, at Čopova 14, but soon also in other locations. www.facebook.com/TortaLjubljana

Traditional Slovenian Evenings Also this spring and summer, traditional Slovenian evenings organised by Židana marela bring a touch of traditionalism to Ljubljana. Featured by live music, singing, dancing, homemade Slovenian food and wines, Slovenian evenings represent the basics of traditional Slovenian hospitality. They take place several times a week, starting at 7.30 p.m. in Skriti kot Restaurant, in the centre of Ljubljana. www.zidanamarela.si

Following Paths of the 2000 Year Old Heritage of Roman Emona

Ljubljana and its surroundings hide numerous Roman remains.

The predecessor of Ljubljana, Emona, was back then an important military outpost. To mark 2,000 years of Emona – which will take place in 2014, an interesting experience of discovering the Roman heritage has been arranged.

Emona Remains ; Photo: D. Wedam

Ljubljana Macaron; Photo: Ljubljana Cake Archive

Folk dance; Photo: Židana marela Archive

Vintage Is New Black To the delight of fashion nostalgic enthusiasts, the number of vintage shops, pop-up shops and retro coloured events is growing with every day in Ljubljana.

Thus, the city has turned into a mecca for all lovers of well-preserved vintage clothes, jewellery, furniture and home accessories. Vintage enthusiasts say that second-hand clothes have unique character and charm. They are made from higher quality materials than today’s mass production, environmentally friendly because they are recycled and have a greater sentimental value because they bear the story of the previous owner, never go out of fashion and are thanks to favourable prices suitable to almost any pocket.

In Ljubljana, vintage clothing can be found in the following shops: Moje Tvoje, Divas Vintage, Pri Klari v omari, Ab Fab Boutique, Gvant and 2nd Chance Shop.

There are also more and more nostalgic events taking place in Ljubljana, where vintage clothing can be found. One of such events is the Vintage Weekend, which takes place every few months and offers a wide selection of various unique clothing and accessories from the previous centuries. In the summer, at the weekends,

Nostalgic Saturdays and Garage Sales are organised at Tabor Park, attracting the lovers of nostalgia, exotic, bizarre, kitsch and elegance.

Vintage has also inspired the newly opened Brooklyn Bar on Ajdovščina platform, a multipurpose space which serves as a cafe, club, cinema and a host of pop-up vintage shops.

Even the interior is designed in the spirit of recycling and responsible shopping – the furniture is brought to the bar from different parts and places of the world. Špela Golčer

2nd Chance; Photo: M. Tančič

Guided Tours of Roman Emona Visitors will discover the traces of the former Roman city of Emona, head 2000 years back in time and get to know the life and habits of Emona citizens. Both day and night tours are possible.

On the day tour, visitors dressed in Roman toga and accompanied by a tour guide, will discover the Roman remains on the streets, squares and houses of Ljubljana. The night tour is perhaps even a bit more original in experience thanks to the torches and the quiet night atmosphere.

Tours are available from 1 May to 30 September: day tours take place every Saturday at noon (starting point: iEmona), while night tours take place every Thursday at 8 p.m. (starting point: TIC Ljubljana, next to the Triple Bridge). Both tours take two hours. iEmona Last autumn, the City Museum of Ljubljana located in Chopin Pass next to Kongresni trg, opened a modern museum display, presenting the heritage of Emona discovered in the last archaeological research of

Kongresni trg. The impression of the 2000-year-old Roman colony is created by a scenic illuminated monument of the original Roman pavement. This is followed by the virtual Roman Road, where the movie entitled Colonia Iulia Emona (One day in Emona) is shown. For all who want to learn more: under the model of Emona, information about its origin, development, demise and later archaeological research is kept.

The tour is free of charge. Chopin Pass is open 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Renewed Archaeological Parks Experience of Roman Ljubljana is rounded with three renewed archaeological parks – the Roman Wall, the Emona House and the Early Christian Centre. New is also the circular Emona Route that connects ten Ljubljana Roman monuments, each of them equipped with explanations. For visitors, also the map of Emona is available, a special children’s guide, Emona from E to A, while with smart phones one can enjoy an easy access to auditory and visual information also via QR codes. www.visitljubljana.com Maja Kovač

Renewed Archaeological Park; Photo: D. Wedam

8 City of Arts and Culture

The World’s Oldest Wheel The City Museum of Ljubljana hosts an exhibition featuring the world’s oldest wheel with an axel, made between 3350 and 3100 BC and found by archaeologists at the Ljubljana Moors in 2002.

Expert analyses suggest that the ash wood wheel and its oak wood axle were made using a remarkably advanced technology, which took into consideration fluctuations due to wood expansion and contraction and included sophisticated methods for joining parts. The exhibition also offers an insight into the Ljubljana Moors’ prehistoric pile-dwelling culture and the history of the invention of the wheel. www.mgml.si

U3 Triennial of Contemporary Art The 7th U3 Triennial of Contemporary Art in Slovenia, set to be held from 20 June to 29 September 2013, will focus on the young generation of Slovenian visual and performance artists who have explored the theme of co-existence and new ways of collaboration. It will bring together projects relating to the concept of co-existence between the three museums in the Metelkova Museum Quarter and the nearby Metelkova Mesto alternative culture centre. www.mg-lj.si

Metelkova Museum Quarter; Photo: D. Habicht

Ljubljana Festival: The Very Best of Artistic Experiences

For 61 years now, Ljubljana has been hosting an international summer festival which is considered to be one of the oldest and most important festivals in Slovenia and its region. This year, from 27 June to 10 September.

The 61st Ljubljana Festival will open on 27 June with the musical and visual performance Ars Electronica. Until 10 September, the whole city will feel at one with the outstanding festival artists and their audiences.

The highlights of the festival will be performances by 2Cellos (28 June), Béjart Ballet (4 July), the Gewandhaus Leipzig Orchestra under the baton of the conductor and bandmaster Riccardo Chailly (28 and 29 August), and Saint

Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra under the conduction of Valery Gergiev, who will play a concert and perform Wagner’s operas The Rhine Gold and The Valkyrie of the tetralogy The Ring of the Nibelung (30 July, 2 and 3 September).

The festival will also feature the Russian choreographer Boris Eifman and his namesake ballet troupe, who will perform Eifman’s best ballet, The Brothers Karamazov (9 and 10

September), and the summery musical Grease, performed by excellent artists from London’s West End (19–22 August).

Other major events to take place at the 61st edition of the Ljubljana Festival will include a show by the Belarus state folk dance company Khoroshki (2 July), a performance of Verdi’s Requiem (9 July), a concert of operatic arias performed by the soloists of the Accademia Teatro alla Scala (11 July), a flamenco

evening with María Pagés (18 July), a concert by Saint Petersburg’s Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka Choir (25–27 July), and a concert by the Buena Vista Social Club Orchestra with Omara Portuondo (23 July).

A major contribution to the spreading of the festival spirit will unquestionably be the Ljubljana Festival’s new information point at no. 17 Mestni trg square. www.ljubljanafestival.si Sanja Kejžar Kladnik

A Panoramic Flight over the Theatrical Stage From 30 May to 6 June, Ljubljana will host the 7th edition of the Overflight theatre festival, one of the few festivals of its kind where visitors from abroad can feel absolutely comfortable as all the performances are either surtitled or otherwise translated.

The Overflight festival, founded in 2007 by Ljubljana’s Mladinsko Theatre, was conceived as a seasonal review of the Theatre’s most acclaimed productions. Being well known for forging new paths in theatrical art and developing innovative theatrical practices, the Mladinsko Theatre has made a name for itself not only in Slovenia, but also abroad. Each year it gives from twenty to thirty performances at prestigious international theatre festivals such as the Dialog Festival in Wroclaw, the Kunstenfestivaldesarts in Brussels, the TransAmériques

festival in Montreal, and the FITB festival in Bogota. In 2008 it was named European Cultural Ambassador.

Since last year, the Overflight festival has been organized in collaboration with the Glej Theatre, Slovenia’s oldest experimental theatre and a place where fresh new energies are being born and shared by generation after generation of new artists. The Mladinsko and Glej Theatres have similar ideas about art and its social role and both of them strive valiantly to broaden its boundaries.

At this year’s edition of the Overflight festival, the Mladinsko

Ljubljana’s Mladinsko Theatre; Photo: Ž. Koritnik

and Glej Theatres will present a condensed review of their thematically and formally diverse productions, many of which have been performed to great

acclaim on European stages, and offer their audiences a rich and rewarding theatrical experience. www.mladinsko.com Tina Malič

9 City of Arts and Culture

Two Exciting New Art Exhibitions Ljubljana hosts two new art exhibitions worth your attention.

The first one, entitled PA.SLIKA, presents the work of the painter Ivo Prančič, who is considered to be one of Slovenia’s leading artistic figures of his generation. The exhibition will be on view from 5 June to 25 August at the gallery of the Cankarjev dom. www.cd-cc.si The other exhibition, on view until 1 September, is a retrospective shedding light on the four creative phases of the painter Marko Šuštaršič. Bringing together more than 250 paintings, prints, and drawings, it is the most extensive exhibition of the artist’s work so far. www.mg-lj.si

The Heroic Africa through the Camera

Ivo Prančič Archive

Throughout the summer, you can visit the exhibition The Heroic Africa, on view at the Galerija Fotografija gallery. The exhibition presents three photographic projects by Philippe Bordas, each of them focusing on a specific social group in one of the African countries: the hunters of Mali, the boxers of Kenya, and the wrestlers of Senegal. Rather than telling a story about hunting and sports, the exhibition explores the stories of three marginal social groups. www.galerijafotografija.si

Imagining the Balkans

Art in Slovenia

Throughout spring and summer, the National Museum of Slovenia will host an exhibition entitled Imagining the Balkans: Identities and Memory in the Long 19th Century.

This travelling exhibition, part of an international project initiated

by UNESCO, brings together objects from 12 national museums, most of them located in SouthEastern Europe. The honour of organizing and inaugurating the exhibition has been bestowed on Ljubljana’s National Museum of Slovenia.

Exhibited objects tell stories about the nations living in the countries of South-Eastern Europe, while the exhibition as a whole highlights the fact that

Turkish tablecloth; Photo: NMS Archive

the stories of individual nations living in the area are inseparably connected with the story of the area as a whole, which is key to understanding the present character of the Balkans.

Differences between the South-Eastern European nations are presented as something enriching and similarities between them as a foundation for building relationships and easy cooperation. The exhibition deals with ten themes, one of them being the culture of coffee-

19th-century tobacco box; Photo: NMS Archive

Seal of the Bulgarian Exarchate 1872; Photo: NMS Archive

drinking, which is characteristic of the entire area, but varies from nation to nation and thus offers a direct experience of the area’s cultural diversity.

The exhibition will be on view until 25 August 2013. The National Museum of Slovenia offers free admission every first Sunday of the month. www.nms.si Meta Stvarnik

Humoristic Map of Europe in the Year 1870; Photo: NMS Archive

30th International Biennial of Graphic Arts: Interruption

From mid-September to the end of November 2013, Ljubljana will host one of the world’s oldest and most important events of its kind, the International Biennial of Graphic Arts, whose establishment in 1955 placed Ljubljana and visual art in Slovenia firmly on the world map.

The Ljubljana International Biennial of Graphic Arts, organized by the International Centre of Graphic Arts, is a prestigious, internationally recognized event which has significantly contributed to the renown of Slovenian art outside the country. It presents contemporary works of graphic art from around the world and examines the aspects of and developments in printmaking.

2013 will see the 30th edition

of the Biennial, which has, particularly over the last twelve years, refreshed its own concept and redefined and expanded the concept of graphic arts as a medium of expression.

This year’s edition of the Biennial, set to be held from 14 September to 24 November under the title of Interruption, will highlight some of the developments that graphic arts have undergone in recent times.

Apart from the main exhibition, curated by Dr. Deborah Cullen, the Biennial will also include solo exhibitions by two artists who won awards at the 29th International Biennial of Graphic Arts: the Hungarian conceptual artist Miklós Erdély (1928–1986), the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Guatemalan artist Regina José Galindo (born 1974), the Grand Prix winner.

The National Gallery’s recently updated permanent exhibition Art in Slovenia offers an overview of the history of art in Slovenianinhabited areas from the mid13th century to the 1920s.

Works by Slovenian artists are juxtaposed to works by European artists who lived and worked north and south of the Alps from the 14th to the 20th century. www.ng-slo.si

20th Century Public Architecture A large exhibition providing a coherent overview of 20th century public architecture in Slovenia will be on view at the Museum of Architecture and Design – Fužine Castle until 15 September 2013. The exhibition, entitled Under a Common Roof: Modern Public Buildings from the Museum’s Collection and Other Archives, features a large number of projects for the building of schools, hospitals, cultural buildings, etc. which improved the quality of daily life in Slovenia and represent an important chapter in Slovenian architecture. www.mao.si An accompanying exhibition held at the gallery of the Cankarjev dom cultural and congress centre will explore the historical role of the Biennial. More accompanying exhibitions will be held at Ljubljana Castle, the Kresija Gallery, the Jakopič Promenade, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Lek Gallery in Ljubljana and at the Calcografía National in Madrid, Spain. www.mglc-lj.si Petra Klučar

10 City for Meetings

Coming soon: the Nox Design Hotel

This June a new hotel with a special touch is to open in Ljubljana. The Nox Hotel will offer 24 exclusively furnished rooms, each reflecting its own style signed by various Slovenian designers. Apart from accommodation, the property will also house a furniture showroom, offering a custommade furniture service under the same roof.

Nox Hotel is located at the end of Celovška Street - one of the main city arteries, close to the ring road. www.hotelnox.com

Adria Relaunches Paris Route

Hotel Nox; Photo: Hotel Nox Archive

Adria Airways, the national airline of Slovenia, has recently relaunched flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Air France operates one daily flight to Paris, and adding Adria’s, the French and Slovene capitals now have two daily connections. Adria Airways is a Star Alliance member and connects Ljubljana with fifteen destinations. www.adria.si

Green is the Name of the Game

This is what they say at the two main congress venues in Slovenia, CD Congress Centre Ljubljana and GR – Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre. Both are endeavouring to keep pace with the times through the implementation of new sustainability measures.

The renovated and modernized CD Congress Centre Ljubljana continues with its gradual refurbishment and equipment advancement.

Between 2006 and the end of 2013 considerable investments will amount to approximately €10,500,000.

In December 2006 the Foyer II was thoroughly renovated. The 1,375 sq. m flexible space can now be divided, by means of sliding walls, into two or three rooms, also allowing ample space for registration and refreshments.

On the same level, the overall renovation of the Kosovel Hall (170 seats) followed. Practically all the multi-purpose areas (Foyer I, Grand Reception Hall and the main entrance reception) were entirely refurbished. In early 2008 new life was given to the CD Club on the top floor, sporting a view over the Old Town as well as the Tivoli Park.

The value of improvements in 2012 alone amounted to €1,250,000.

It will now be the turn of the two largest auditoria, with 616 and 2,000 seats, respectively.

In 2013 the Linhart Hall will be wholly renovated and, a year later,

chairs in Gallus and Linhart Halls are to be replaced. In addition, three smaller conference rooms with natural light are to be built on the 5th floor. Furthermore, the CD Information Centre Box Office is scheduled for an overhaul, too. The investments within the next three years are estimated at €3,500,000.

All the equipment that facilitates the realization of technologically complex events has been advanced and updated (the digital projectors in Kosovel and Linhart Halls, the information system and appertaining equipment, plasma screens, digital advertising points etc.).

Renovations also reduce costs: new surround-sound systems, stage lighting, air conditioning and general lighting systems have been installed, resulting in substantial energy-saving measures. What’s more, CD has cut down the operating costs and updated the logistics and work organization.

A good three decades after its opening, CD Congress centre is gearing up for the next thirty years! www.cd-cc.si

The GR - Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre is, among other initiatives, promoting the development of green workplaces in Slovenia. After it hosted the Green Workplaces Conference at the Nature-Health Fair in 2012, the GR became a model case for developing the criteria for the greenness of Slovenian organisations. Green workplaces aim to contribute to the sustainable development and the reduction of the environmental impacts of businesses and economic sectors alike.

Environmental policy has become an integral part and modus of their everyday business activities and organisational

GR; Photo: Lukowski

mission. A study carried out at the GR by the Institute for Sustainable Coexistence included various areas and all the phases of the work process, such as electricity consumption and usage of electronic devices, paper storage and printing, the consumption of water, waste management, cleaning, and the social component. The latter enhances the awareness of the “wellness at work” concept among the staff as well as in the work process. www.gr-sejem.si Tatjana Radovič

CD Congress Centre Ljubljana; Photo: B. Cvetkovič

Ljubljana’s Destination Support for Bids

The leading meeting industry players are striving to strengthen Ljubljana’s competitiveness on the international association market. They have recently joined forces in a public private initiative, the “Ljubljana Strategic Bidding Team” – LSBT, whose aim is to secure more international scientific congresses, primarily with 500+ delegates, for the Slovenian capital.

By supporting this project, coordinated by the Ljubljana and Slovenian Convention Bureaus, 23 partners from the entire supply chain have expressed a joint commitment to contribute to the destination’s team spirit and the delivery of a highly professional service. This has resulted in the launch of a destination support

scheme, specially designed for association congresses with 500+ delegates. The below elements encompass various aspects in the process leading from a (successful) bid to the realization of an individual congress. Decisionmaking process: complimentary inspection visit for two association representatives; promotion and

pre-marketing: complimentary material presented at previous or associated congresses; delegate boosting (Ljubljana CVB staff) at the event prior to Ljubljana, access to royalty-free HR photo bank and other media tools, liason with the City Hall; at the time of the congress: complimentary promotional material for delegate packs, onsite welcome

desk staffed by Ljubljana Tourism, free public transport for delegates, welcome reception (participation to catering expenses, depending on size of congress).

Additional concessions relate to sponsored city tours and complimentary overnights. www.visitljubljana.com/meetings Tatjana Radovič

11 City for Meetings

Refreshed Meeting Planners’ Guide

Airlines Flock to Ljubljana

Adria Airways, the airline of Slovenia, has hosted in April the ZED MIBA AGM 2013. This business network unites 210 airlines from 112 countries, including the major global carriers. Their recent conference was attended by 140 delegates from 100 airlines, who left Ljubljana as real ambassadors of our country. Hopefully this meeting will indirectly contribute to increasing the airline connections to Slovenia, which is of importance to the tourism sector.

GH Union; Photo: I. Lapajne

Tresor – Ljubljana’s New Hostel with a Story Ljubljana, whose Hostel Celica, housed in a former military prison, is renowned across the world, now has another special place - the Tresor Hostel. This new themed property, which prides itself in its uniquely decorated rooms, is housed in the premises of a former bank. Even the bank’s vault, where money, valuables and securities used to be kept in the past, has been converted for use as bedrooms.

Hotel Tresor; Photo: Hotel Tresor Archive

A Key to Ljubljana for Meeting Planners is a publication featuring the principal conference and special event venues as well as the service providers in our city. The updated version is to be printed by mid-May, on time for the IMEX trade show in Frankfurt. It can be downloaded from www.visitljubljana.com/meetings

The Tresor Hostel boasts a privileged downtown location, set along a busy pedestrian street just a few steps away from the Old Town and popular meeting spots, such as Prešeren Square with the monument to the most revered Slovenian poet, and the famous Triple Bridge.

The hostel has been developed in an early 20th century Art Nouveau building which housed, over its history, several banking companies. As a unique remnant of the past, the so-called ‘floating vault’ in the basement of the building, has been converted into the breakfast room and a communal area.

The hostel’s owners have

preserved the old-fashioned appearance of the former bank premises and integrated some of the banks’ interior decoration elements, such as metal vaults and filing cabinets, in designing the hostel’s concept.

The property is otherwise furnished to modern standards as to provide comfortable accommodation. Its total capacity is 104 beds, distributed in 29 rooms, all providing internet access and air condition.

Each bedroom is named after a different currency and also features interesting quotes about money and finance by various famous people. www.hostel-tresor.si

Room in Hotel Tresor; Photo: Hotel Tresor Archive

A Lively Academic Summer in Ljubljana Summer is generally perceived as a low-intensity season for congresses, meetings and business travel. However, this year again Ljubljana is to host several academic events in various fields of expertise, mainly intended for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Among the 26 faculties and academies of the University of Ljubljana, some have been organising summer schools for years, which has helped positioning our city on the European scientific events’ map. Compared to »classical« congresses, the specificity of such educational meetings is their long duration – often two or even three weeks. The attendees are mostly accommodated in student residence halls, which are vacant during the summer.

The largest courses alone are estimated to generate 16,000 overnights and, apart from the economic impact, the indirect one

is also valuable. We are aware that promoting our city to foreign students, among whom some will develop careers in academic and scientific spheres, is of importance.

A positive experience during their stay in Ljubljana can, even after years, influence on their decision to return for business (maybe even for holding an event) or in private. Not to mention that the business and knowledge networks generated by such events also represent a strong asset.

In 2013 Ljubljana looks forward to welcoming the 32nd Summer School of Slovene Language (1–26 July, 125 delegates, Faculty

of Arts), 14th Ljubljana Summer School - Take the Best from East & West (8–26 July, 480 delegates, Faculty of Economics), 8th ECPR Summer School (25 July–10 August, 350 delegates, Faculty of Social Sciences) and the 2nd Alpine Sleep Summer School (26–30 August, 100 delegates, Grand Hotel Union).

The European Consortium for Political Research, having been most pleased with the hosts’ organisational skills, the welcoming atmosphere of the city and its young vibe, took the decision to hold the ECPR Summer School in Ljubljana for

Ljubljana Summer School; Photo: Faculty of Economics Archive

four years in a row.

The Ljubljana Convention Bureau has lent its promotional support and »insider’s knowhow« to several faculties that are organising the summer schools.

This is an excellent investment for the future development of scientific and expert meetings in our destination.

Tatjana Radovič

www.visitljubljana.com

Ljubljana Tourism, photo: Aljoša Rebolj

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13 City for Slovenia

Lipko, Official EuroBasket 2013 Mascot Lipko, whose name derives from the Slovenian word for linden tree, which symbolizes the Slovenianhood, was chosen as the official mascot of EuroBasket 2013. The character of Lipko is youthful, lively and friendly and his appearance reflects the greenness and natural beauties of Slovenia. Since the beginning of 2013, Lipko, together with the mascot of Ljubljana, the Dragon, attended numerous fairs, trade shows and other events across Europe, promoting the EuroBasket 2013 and Ljubljana, ensuring that the event will surely not go unnoticed. You can follow Lipko tweets on @Lipko2013.

EuroBasket 2013 in a Nutshell

Dragon and Lipko; Photo: Petra Stušek

EuroBasket 2013 – Discover Slovenia Palma, the official tourist agency of EuroBasket 2013, has prepared tailor-made EuroBasket 2013 programmes. Next to accommodation and entrance tickets, the packages also include transfers, sightseeing tours, car rental etc. Since Ljubljana lies in the very centre of Slovenia it thus represents a perfect starting point for exploring Slovenia! www.palma.si

EuroBasket 2013 – European basketball championship 2013 – will take place from 4 to 22 September in Ljubljana, Celje, Koper and Jesenice.

This is the largest ever sporting event in the independent Slovenia. What is more, Slovenia is also the smallest country ever to host the European basketball championship and also the first selected unanimously.

While the first round of the games will take place at four different locations – next to Ljubljana also in Celje, Jesenice and Koper, the second round and the finals will be hosted by Ljubljana alone.

In Ljubljana, A Group will host France, Great Britain, Germany, Ukraine, Belgium and Israel, B Group in Jesenice will host Macedonia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Latvia and Serbia, C Group in Celje will host Spain, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, Georgia and Czech Republic and D Group D in Koper will host Russia, Greece, Italy, Finland, Turkey and Sweden. www.eurobasket2013.org

EuroBasket 2013 – Final Countdown has Begun!

The final countdown to the biggest European basketball event – EuroBasket 2013 – has begun. By being the central host city, Ljubljana will be in the centre of sporting events, which is already strongly felt in the city beat of Ljubljana.

Ljubljana as well as other host towns will to do their best to show the European basketball elite and their fans the beauties of the country.

Ljubljana Tourism has two objectives: the primary is to enchant visitors with the capital’s beauties and sights, so that they will return as private guests with their families and friends; the secondary is to extend the stays of guests during the Championship.

EuroBasket visitors will have an opportunity to choose from a number of special tours in Ljubljana and in the central region of Slovenia. To name but few: a relaxing rowing trip down the river Ljubljanica, rowing down a calm moorland river; a helicopter trip above Central Slovenia, accompanied

with archery session; adrenaline experiences at Geoss Adventure Park, if you have no fear of height or have always wanted to get rid of it; hiking along Iški Vintgar Gorge, one of the wildest and most unspoilt river gorges in Slovenia; visit of the unique herder’s settlement on Velika planina, Slovenia’s largest highland pasture. All within an half an hour drive from Ljubljana! www.visitljubljana.com

Helicopter trip; Photo: A. Hodalič

Velika planina; Photo: A. Frelih

Adrenaline experience; Photo: Geoss Archive

Rowing the river Ljubljanica; Photo: Iska Adventure Archive

EuroBasket 2013 at Visitljubljana.com During EuroBasket 2013 Ljubljana expects to attract large numbers of basketball fans.

For this reason, Tourism Ljubljana has created a special section on the Visit Ljubljana website to serve as a guide for EuroBasket 2013 visitors.

Eurobasket; Photo: A. Rebolj

Apart from providing schedule and venue information, the EuroBasket 2013 in Ljubljana web guide also offers information about the programme of accompanying events in Ljubljana Old Town, useful visitor information and recommendations for city tours and trips to the

surrounding areas, which will be available at particularly attractive prices during the championship.

In Ljubljana, which will host the first-round of games in A Group, the second-round games between the top 16 teams and the championship finals, a fan entertainment zone will be

arranged. Furthermore, a large number of free open-air events will be held in the city centre as well.

The programme of free openair events accompanying the championship will be published at www.visitljubljana.com/en/events/ eurobasket-2013.

14 City for Slovenia

The Tastes of Central Slovenia

Straw Plaiting Museum

Ljubljana and other municipalities in the Central Slovenia region have set about developing a tourism product encompassing the region’s diverse culinary offerings, from international cuisine and superbly presented traditional Slovenian food to the delights offered by traditional countryside establishments in Ljubljana’s surrounding areas. Useful tips for exploring the tastes of the Central Slovenia region have been collected in a guide published by Ljubljana Tourism. www.visitljubljana.com

Traditional gastronomy; Photo: T. Jeseničnik

Here is a tip for an interesting museum visit just a short way from Ljubljana.

Take a ride to the small town of Domžale and visit a museum whose permanent exhibition traces the town’s 300-year history of straw plaiting. While in many places straw plaiting only existed in the form of small handicraft businesses, in Domžale it grew into a major industry.

At the Straw Plaiting Museum you can view a collection of straw hats and straw plaiting tools, learn about straw plaiting techniques, and see a straw plaiting and sewing demonstration as part of a museum tour.

Straw Plainting Museum; Photo: R. Kos

Pastoral Idyll just Outside Ljubljana The Ljubljana Moors nature park, situated on the southern edge of Ljubljana, just a bit away from urban streets, is an increasingly popular spot for walking, running, bird and butterfly watching, and exploring natural curiosities and the heritage of a prehistoric pile-dwelling culture. Since recently it has also been a perfect place for those seeking good food and pleasant accommodation.

We are talking about the new Trnulja estate, the nearest tourist farm to Ljubljana, which is situated only eight kilometres from the city and is accessible by city bus. The

farm serves excellent organic food and provides accommodation in four pleasant holiday apartments.

Trnulja is actually an old farm renovated in keeping with the

Trnulja; Photo: M. Pupis

principles of sustainable building and the area’s traditional style.

In the farm’s communal rooms you can bask in the rich warmth of wood while taking inspiration from views of endless marshy landscape. In your apartment you will find hemp fabrics and beneath the washbasin in your bathroom stones from the river Iška, which empties into the Ljubljanica river only about 700 metres away.

The farm produces organic soya been, rapeseed, corn, wheat, buckwheat, barley, hemp, and cold-pressed pumpkin seed oil,

all of which you can taste during your stay. Various organic spreads, flour, oils, and baked goods are also available to take away.

Trnulja offers plenty of exciting experiences. Besides taking a farm tour, you can learn about the cold-press method of extracting oils, find out about sustainable building, join a culinary workshop, take a horse and carriage ride across the moors or simply enjoy an idyllic pastoral setting just a stone’s throw from the capital. www.trnulja.com Maja Hajdič

Calligraphy Workshops at a Medieval Abbey

The Stična Abbey, home to Cistercian monks, is the oldest spiritual and cultural centre on the territory of the present-day Slovenia.

It is well worth visiting not only for its rich history, but also for calligraphy workshops held inside the mighty abbey walls.

The Stična Cistercian Abbey is best known for a series of illuminated medieval manuscripts called the Stična Manuscripts, which represent one of the oldest written documents in Slovenian.

The medieval monks who worked at the Stična Abbey scriptorium were well known for their

excellent writing and document illumination skills.

If you are curious to know just how hard the work of calligraphers was, you are welcome to join a calligraphy workshop. Your mentors will first introduce you to the world of Caroline minuscule, a script

developed as a calligraphic standard in medieval Europe, and then lead you through the adventure of holding the quill pen at just the right angle, dipping it in such a way as to get just the right amount of ink, and drawing lines of just the right width to be able to write your name in calligraphy.

At the end of the workshop you will be happy with your progress, but you will also have to say hats off to the abbey’s medieval masters of calligraphy. The fastest of them, Egilbert, was able to write up to 45,000 characters a day. www.mks-sticna.si Mateja Kregar Gliha

National Costumes and Clothing Heritage Days

National Costume; Photo: B. Težak

From 5 to 8 September 2013, the pleasant little alpine town of Kamnik, known since medieval times, will once again, for the 43rd year running, host the National Costumes and Clothing Heritage Days, one of the largest traditional events in Slovenia.

The four-day event will feature a programme of exhibitions, performances, folklore shows, and music evenings based around the theme of ‘avba’, a richly embroidered traditional Slovenian women’s headdress.

The event will culminate

in a colourful procession of over 2,000 people in national costumes from home and abroad, who will walk through the streets of medieval Kamnik on Sunday 8 September. www.kamnik-tourism.si Alenka Hribar

HOTEL KRONA RESTAVRACIJA

Hotel KRONA – HOTEL OF HOSPITALITY AND FAMILIARITY Hotel Krona Domžale 3* is located in Slovenia, directly at the exit from the highway A1 Ljubljana – Maribor. Hotel is 16 km faraway from the Jože Pučnik airport and just as much from the centre of Ljubljana. Hotel offers 21 double bedrooms and 2 single bedrooms, and 15 extra beds. It offers air-conditioned rooms with a balcony, free access to Wi-Fi and a flatscreen satellite TV. Within the hotel you

can also find a bar and a restaurant with a terrace, where you can enjoy delicious Slovenian and international dishes. The Great Hall in the restaurant receive up to 130 people. Free private parking is also offered at the hotel. In the vicinity there are tennis courts, a football stadium, a supermarket, a pharmacy and a doctor. Golf course Golf Arboretum is 5,6 km away, to the ski resort Krvavec is 1 hour drive away.

Ihanska cesta 2, Zaboršt 1230 Domžale, Slovenija tel.: +386 1 72 40 600 fax.: +386 1 72 40 625 hotel.krona@siol.net www.hotel-krona.com

VILA SILVA MARIJA – A GREEN OASIS OF PEACE Vila Silva Maria 3* is located in Slovenia in Kozjanski park. Villa is placed in the untouched nature on the sunny side and is surrounded with a beautiful garden. It offers 7 apartments, of which is 6 apartments with a balcony and can accept up to 36 people. Apartments are air conditioned and have fully equipped kitchen, modern bathroom, and living room with cable TV and there is also free Wi-Fi. By

advance order is also available the option of breakfast or half board. In front of the Villa is also a swimming pool with heated salt water and picnic area with a barbecue for entertainment in the evening. Free parking is also available. The Villa is from the airport in Zagreb 50 km away, from the airport in Maribor and from the airport Jože Pučnik is 120 km away. In the vicinity is 7 thermal spas, which are maximum 12 km away.

Apartmaji Vila Silva Marija Pišece 36 8255 Pišece, Slovenija tel.: +386 7 45 21 960 gsm: +386 41 352 154 hotel.krona@siol.net www.apartmaji-pisece.si

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Ljubljana Shortlisted for Green Capital of Europe in 2015 Bristol, Brussels, Glasgow and Ljubljana have been selected as finalists to advance to the next selection phase for the green capital of Europe in 2015. Organised by the European Commission, the title is awarded to a town that stands out with its environmentally friendly attitude and friendly urban lifestyle.

So far, five towns have been awarded the title of the green capital of Europe: Stockholm in 2010, Hamburg in 2011, VitoriaGasteiz in 2012, Nantes in 2013 and København in 2014. The evaluation process starts with the expert committee evaluation of the town according to 12 environmental criteria. This is followed by an evaluation of achieving high environmental standards in towns, their commitment to sustainability and ambitious objectives for further improvements in environment care and sustainable development. Last but not least, the jury also observes how these towns can work as a role model to other towns.

The final decision about which town will receive the title of green capital of Europe in 2015 will be announced on 14 June 2013 in France.

Why could Ljubljana serve as a role model for other cities? And from the tourist point of view;

Greenery in City Centre; Photo: D. Wedam

what is it which makes Ljubljana a friendly and green capital? To start with: the locals are friendly, speak foreign languages​​and love to help visitors. In Ljubljana, a wide network of licensed tourist guides (over 100) has been developed, offering tours in 17 languages. Tours that take two hours are usually done on foot, thanks to the fact that Ljubljana is small and easily manageable.

One can easily walk around the

city also alone, with the help of free maps and brochures available at Ljubljana TIC. Furthermore, within the pedestrian area an electric vehicle named Kavalir (Gentleman) is available for all visitors free of charge. The most visited sight is Ljubljana Castle, which can be reached either on foot, by tourist train or funicular. Furthermore, Ljubljana also boasts probably the largest monument in the outdoors –

Ljubljana Boast its Own Snowdrop

Did you know that Ljubljana is also rich with snowdrops?

The Dutch Royal General Bulb Growers’ Association (KAVB) has recently registered Ljubljana Snowdrop. In the spring, you can admire them on the path to Ljubljana Castle, but if you wish to see them as early as in December, then you can do so in Ljubljana Botanical Garden, which recently celebrated its 200th anniversary and also manages the meadow in Roje on the outskirts of Ljubljana – one of the greatest botanical treasures of Europe. Within only a stone’s throw away from the city, Ljubljana Marshes Landscape Park with many endemic animal and plant species can be found. www.botanicni-vrt.si

the Path of Remembrance and Comradeship (Green Ring), which is unique in the world and passes the paths of the once occupied Ljubljana. Tourist attractions can also be explored with Ljubljana Tourist Card, which was ranked as the third in Europe according to the ADAC quality survey in 2012.

Urban Sports Scene in Ljubljana

Ljubljana is a lively, youthful and trendy capital, full of urban sport challenges. Stand up paddle surfing on Ljubljanica River, slacklining in parks, climbing in the Urban Roof Sports Centre or the Roman Wall, skate parks, parkour etc. All this is Ljubljana!

The Urban Roof Sports Centre boasts a 200 m2 climbing wall and the latest equipment. Each month, 30 new marked problems are arranged, thus satisfying the needs of the most demanding climbers. In their indoor Skate Park every skater and BMX enthusiast will find something interesting. From low banks with curbs, high lines with jump boxes and quarters and the icing on the cake: two real bowl corners. In addition, there is also an outdoor skate park. www.urbanroof.si Ljubljana also follows the trend of slacklining. In Tivoli Park, close to Jakopič Promenade, slackline enthusiasts can almost always find a rope among the

trees. If you search for further ones, head to Mostec and Tabor Park. www.ujemiravnotezje.si/slackline Ljubljana is ideal also for stand up paddle surfing (SUP), one of the fastest growing forms of the water recreation. One stands on the surf and paddles at the Ljubljanica river. An excellent choice for combining sports and discovering of beautiful hidden places. But Ljubljana offers something more: since Ljubljanica River winds its way right into the city, this enables a completely new way of experiencing of the capital! www.standuppaddler.si For the climbers, the Roman Wall in Mirje, the biggest

Climbing wall; Photo: Urban roof Archive

remaining part of the Roman Emona, will bring a real test of climbing skills. Climb with a bit of history!

Last but not least, a hint for urban “Spidermen”: also in Ljubljana parkour, the sports discipline, which many compare to skating, only without skate

Slackline; Photo: L. Matijevec

boards, is becoming more and more popular. Street Flow Crew of Ljubljana paves the way for this sport discipline that already gained many admirers: no wonder, watching the crowd that moves and overcomes obstacles with crazy jumps and tricks is one of a kind experience.