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a perfect rendezvous
Take a day to relax at the Brdo Estate
Charming Alpine surrounding Rich aristocratic history World-class cuisine at the Hotel Brdo Golf Brdo Horse riding Unspoiled nature Warm hospitality
BRDO ESTATE Predoslje 39 4000 Kranj, Slovenia, Europe T: 00386 (0)4 260 10 00 T: 00386 (0)4 260 15 01 E: sales@brdo.si W: www.brdo.si FB: Brdo pri Kranju
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New Art Nouveau-Themed Souvenirs In 2015, Ljubljana celebrates Art Nouveau, a style of art that appeared at the turn of the 20th century. Apart from hosting a wide range of events marking the 150th birth anniversary of the famous Art Nouveau architect Maks Fabiani, whose buildings have a significant impact on the appearance of Ljubljana, Vienna, Gorizia, and Trieste, a new Art Nouveau-themed souvenir collection has been launched. Visitors to Ljubljana can now choose from mugs, towels, notebooks, and water bottles decorated with motifs depicting Ljubljana’s famous Art Nouveau façades. Unquestionably elegant, colourful, and useful. Check also other Ljubljana souvenir collections. www.visitljubljana.com
Visit Ljubljana on Social Media Share your experiences of Ljubljana on social media and use the hashtag #visitljubljana to get in touch with us. The most inspiring stories will be featured on our Social Wall at www.visitljubljana.com.
Follow us at: facebook.com/visitljubljana twitter.com/visitljubljana instagram.com/visitljubljana storify.com/visitljubljana
The New Art Nouveau-themed Souvenir Collection, Available at Ljubljana’s Tourist Information Centres; Photo: T. Jeseničnik
Ljubljana Is a Wi-Fi-Friendly City Ljubljana, with its WiFree Ljubljana network, which covers the whole city centre, gives you excellent opportunities for free wireless internet access. The WiFree Ljubljana network allows you to use free Wi-Fi for up to 60 minutes a day and gives you unlimited access to all the websites owned by the City Municipality of Ljubljana, including the Visit Ljubljana website. The network also provides you free 24-hour access without any restrictions at all if you are a Ljubljana Card holder. A visitor-friendly approach when it comes to Wi-Fi access is also used by Ljubljana’s hotels.
Most of them offer free internet access in all rooms. Free Wi-Fi is also available at a large number of cafés, bars and restaurants, particularly those located in the city centre. In Ljubljana you can also choose from an array of public internet access points. One of the best is located at the Slovenian Tourist Information Centre (STIC), next to the city’s Central Market. www.visitljubljana.com
Ljubljana, a Wi-Fi-Friendly City – in Public Areas and Hotels
We Have Dragons! Ljubljana has nothing to do with the Game of Thrones, but it definitely is the home of dragons. These mighty and ferocious monsters have been here since ever and they represent everything that has always been cool about the city.
The Little Dragon, Ljubljana’s Friendly Mascot; Photo: D. Wedam
For this reason, Ljubljana Tourism has created a new Storify story titled The Dragons of Ljubljana,
which brings together the Ljubljana Dragon-themed content posted on social networks over the last few years. Being the symbol of the Slovenian capital and the sentinel of its iconic Dragon Bridge, the Ljubljana Dragon is comfortably the city’s most recognizable resident. Not only does he perch, with teeth bared and wings spread, on all four corners of the aforementioned bridge, but his image also appears on the town’s coat of arms, flag, river walls, manhole covers, and even on the crest of the local football team. The origins of the Ljubljana Dragon are as old as the legend
The Dragon of the Iconic Ljubljana Dragon Bridge; Photo: L. Esenko
about the origin of Ljubljana itself. Who was it that the city’s mythical founder Jason killed in the moorland by the river Ljubljanica on his way to Greece after he had stolen the golden fleece from King Aeëtes and fled, along with his fellow Argonauts aboard the ship Argo, across the Black Sea and up the rivers Danube and Sava all the way to the site of the present Ljubljana? Who else but the monster now sitting atop the
A Perfect Rendezvous, Newsletter for Travel Trade Professionals Publisher: Ljubljana Tourism, Krekov trg 10, 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, Petra Križan, Nika Pirnar • Production: Mediamix Komunikacije • Head of advertising: Zdenka Šarlah, Mediamix Komunikacije, phone +386 (0)2 235 05 67, zdenka.sarlah@mediamix.si • Printed by: Collegium Graphicum • Spring/Summer 2015 • Committed to caring for the environment, we print on recycled paper.
castle tower depicted on the city’s coat of arms. Dragons come in all shapes and sizes in Ljubljana and you can find them in the most unlikely places. If you haven’t been photographed next to one of them, you can hardly claim that you have visited Ljubljana. Learn more about dragon experiences in Ljubljana at www. storify.com/visitljubljana/dragonsof-ljubljana.
4 European Green Capital 2016
A Rose Called Ljubljana Last year, on the first day of summer, five different white rose cultivars were planted by Ljubljana Tourism in the Tivoli Park’s rose garden to undergo a selection process aimed at identifying a pure white rose to be named after the clean and green Slovenian capital. In collaboration with the Slovenian Rose Society, rose breeders from different European countries were invited to take part in the project. Two of the roses planted came from Italy, two from Germany, and one from Belgium. From the day they were planted, their growth and flowering have been monitored by a panel of experts, who will select the best of the five cultivars and officially declare it as ‘Ljubljana Rose’ this June. The pure white rose for the clean and green Ljubljana, the European Green Capital
2016, will then be planted in parks, at roundabouts, and in other public spaces across the city. Roses in Tivoli Park’s Rose Garden; Photo: D. Wedam
Cycling as a Lifestyle Fast, inexpensive, convenient, and healthy – this could be the motto of cyclists in the Slovenian capital. The number of those advocating cycling not only as a means of transport, but also as a lifestyle, has for long been on a steady increase. Since the spring of 2011, when the Bicike(LJ) self-service bicycle hire network was introduced in Ljubljana, city cycling in the Slovenian capital has become truly easy. The network offers more than 300 bicycles from 32 docking stations across the greater city centre area. Bicike(LJ) bicycles can be used upon registration at www.bicikelj.si. During the summer and early autumn months, the so called Ljubljana Bikes are available for hire from the Slovenian Tourist Information Centre (STIC). www.visitljubljana.com Specially for city cyclists, a removable, rollable mudguard for the rear bicycle wheel called Musguard was developed in Ljubljana by a group of young innovators believing in cycling as a lifestyle. www.musguard.com Another smart invention by a Slovenian
cycling enthusiast is the FlyKly Smart Wheel, a rear bicycle wheel for powerassisted pedalling, which turns an ordinary bicycle into an electrically powered one. www.flykly.com Those wanting to have their old bicycle re-styled can visit the Karocikel bicycle workshop at the BCT City shopping centre or the Pici Bici bicycle workshop in the Šiška area. www. karocikel.si, www.picibici.com Ljubljana also boasts a tricycle delivery service called Trostreščki, which delivers fresh milk, eggs, and bread to any address within the city and offers delivery of heavier objects to and from repair shops. Apart from that, Trostreščki also makes custom tricycles and provides road assistance to the city’s cyclists. www.retro-rats.com/dostave.html Nika Pirnar
Guided Ljubljana Cycling Tour; Photo: D. Wedam
Ljubljana, the European Green Capital 2016, Loves It Green Over recent years, Ljubljana has gained widespread international recognition for its love of everything green, reflected not only in its huge amount of greenery and close connection to its green surrounding region, but also in several important titles and awards. A decade ago, Ljubljana started on the path of fulfilling the objectives set out in the strategy document Vision 2025. Since then, Ljubljana has seen the completion of more than 600 sustainability projects of different sizes, all of them intended to improve the quality of living of the local residents and turning Ljubljana into a green city living in a green way. And a great green city to visit! At the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) global summit, taking place on 15 and 16 April 2015 in Madrid, Ljubljana won the Tourism for Tomorrow Destination Award for 2015. The jury pointed out that in recent years Ljubljana »has been completely redesigned with sustainability in mind«.
In 2014, Ljubljana made an assessment using tools developed by Green Destinations based on globally agreed sustainable tourism criteria for destinations – and Ljubljana was listed in the Sustainable Destinations Global Top 100. Ljubljana is also the first ZeroWaste European capital, a double European Mobility Week Award winner, and – last but not least – the proud holder of the European Green Capital 2016 title. www.visitljubljana.com (Green Ljubljana) Viktorija Grašič Bole Ljubljana is a City with Lots of Greenery; Photo: J. Kotar
Urban Gardening and Crop Swaps Ljubljana’s green soul is deeply rooted in the local residents’ green lifestyle. This is reflected in initiatives such as crops2swap, an innovative platform allowing urban gardeners to exchange green delights and ideas. This spring, crops2swap (referred to as Zelemenjava in Slovenian) is entering its third season of bringing together and promoting mutual support between urban gardening enthusiasts. Crops2swap allows gardeners to exchange seeds, plug plants, crops, recipes, experience, and inspiring insights gained in their urban gardens. The hottest goods at the first crops2swap event held in Ljubljana this year were seeds of native bean, tomato, and long-vined chayote varieties, while the most bizarre swap involved the exchange of seeds for a wicker cat basket. More crops2swap events will be held later in the season, both in Ljubljana and elsewhere in Slovenia. Crops2swap is going even further by bringing to Ljubljana the Chelsea Fringe garden festival, born in London in 2012 as an alternative to the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show. This year’s Ljubljana event, set to
take place from 16 May to 7 June, will feature a programme of noncompetitive events, offer visitors an opportunity to socialize, and spread awareness about the importance of green public spaces in cities. www.zelemenjava.si Darja Fišer Crops2swap; Photo: Zelemenjava Community Archive
5 City of Delights
Taste Ljubljana with Locals The culinary offer in Ljubljana is varied enough to suit every taste and the easiest way to discover it is with the help of locals. Iva from Ljubljananjam invites you to a personally tailored food walk through Ljubljana’s foodie hot spots. www. ljubljananjam.si You can join smaller groups who taste traditional Slovenian food during guided tours through the old part of the city (Green Embrace www.sloveniaguides.si and Roundabout www.travel-slovenia. com) or book a traditional Slovenian evening, including a dinner with the local folklore group performance. www.slovenian-evening.com Cooking enthusiasts are invited to
roll up their sleeves and join the Slovenian Cuisine Culinary Workshop with Cook Eat Slovenia. www.culinaryslovenia.com Tjaša Janovljak
LJubljana’s Foodie Hot Spots with Ljubljananjam
Keep Yourself Salty Salt rooms are getting more and more popular, especially as a way of relaxation with beneficial therapeutic effects. The atmosphere in rooms reminds of the one at the sea or in natural salt caves, which is why they are recommended particularly for healing respiratory diseases and skin ailments. The salt therapy (halotherapy) is based on inhaling dry aerosol of natural rock salt, which is blown into the room. A number of these rooms is also available in Ljubljana, now including also the recently opened Solni tempelj (Salt Temple) in the centre of Ljubljana. www.solni-tempelj.com
Recently Opened Salt Temple in Ljubljana; Photo: Solni tempelj Archive
Open Kitchen Food Market From the first day of spring until the end of October, sunny Fridays in Ljubljana are reserved for casual get-together at the Open Kitchen Food Market. This year already for the third time! The Open Kitchen at Pogačarjev trg square next to the main Ljubljana marketplace is a must-visit, no matter who you are with: your family, friends or alone, just having a quick lunch. A unique marketplace of freshly prepared delicacies has become a synonym for pleasant Fridays in Ljubljana and a gourmet hot spot for both, visitors and locals! Every Friday from April to November between 8 am and 8 pm
a number of freshly prepared homemade goodies and a variety of international dishes at affordable prices is served. Not to mention the unforgettable vivid atmosphere, right in the heart of the city. This year, the organisers have promised a few surprises. Follow the programme and share your moments at the Open Kitchen using hashtag #odprtakuhna. www.odprtakuhna.si Nina Gaspari
Open Kitchen Food Market, a Must-visit; Photo: Odprta kuhna Archive
New gourmet tour of Ljubljana – Taste Ljubljana
Want to learn about the contemporary cuisine of Ljubljana and at the same time get an insight into its history and tradition? Join us on a new Taste Ljubljana guided tour, where you will have a chance to taste local goodies in as many as six different typical restaurants and cafes.
Tasting Carniolan Sausage at Klobasarna; Photo: Bobo
Ljubljana has always been a crossroads of different culinary worlds – from the Mediterranean, Alpine, Pannonian and Balkan to a variety of international cuisines. But it has nevertheless managed to maintain a unique culinary heritage, which has recently been united
under the Taste Ljubljana brand, including as many as 60 restaurants. The new guided tour of Ljubljana includes a visit to six of them. From the street food experience in Klobasarna Carniolan Sausage Bistro, the restaurant with a very special, historical concept (Pri Trubarjevi mami), the example of social entrepreneurship (Druga Violina) to the modern Romansa Restaurant. The Skyscraper will offer you spectacular views of the area, while Šnopcotecca will nicely round up the tour with a digestif. You also pass the Central Market and, in the Old Town, our guides will show you the locations of former open-air markets from more distant times. You will also go to Krakovo and take a look at the gardens on the
very threshold of the historic area. Regular tours are available every Wednesday and Saturday at noon (starting point is Ljubljana
TIC at the Triple Bridge), for prebooked groups at any time. www. visitljubljana.com Špela Paternoster
One of Six Stops in Taste Ljubljana Gourmet Tour, the Skyscraper; Photo: D. Wedam
6 City of Delights
LePotičke – Miniature Traditional Slovenian Poticas
Potica is an important part of Slovenian gastronomic heritage. Since the recent introduction of the first Slovenian specialist potica brand, le Potica, this traditional dessert has also been available in a trendier and handier
size. Miniature poticas, referred to as lePotičke (Little Beauties), are prepared to well-tried traditional Slovenian potica recipes, using natural ingredients. They are easy to hold and can be eaten in a few bites. LePotičke, available with walnut, hazelnut, tarragon, plum or chocolate filling, are perfect for giving as a gift, serving as finger food or enjoying as a dessert with coffee. www.le-potica.si
New Places to Enjoy Gastronomic Delights
Wondering where to go for lunch? To a Brazilian favela, the Indian subcontinent, the Mediterranean coast or a place in the heart of historical Ljubljana? No need to think further. Just stay in Ljubljana and enjoy gourmet flavours from all continents.
La Favela; Photo: D. Dubokovič
La Favela (Kersnikova ulica 5) is a Brazilian restaurant surrounded by delicious aromas of authentic Brazilian food. As the restaurant’s name suggests, the menu is based on simple and humble ingredients, but the dishes these ingredients are made into are delicious beyond belief. www.favela.si Luda (Poljanska cesta 11) is
a small restaurant located in the vicinity of Ljubljana’s Central Market. With the environment in mind, it prepares food using local ingredients from carefully selected suppliers. It changes its menu weekly and serves excellent set meals and exclusively organic wines. www.luda.si Curry Life Figovec (Gosposvetska cesta 1) offers
Miniature Slovenian Poticas, Named LePotičke (by le Potica); Photo: le Potica Archive
Taste Ljubljana in the Sky The smash hit Dinner in the Sky®, presented across continents, is coming to Ljubljana in May this year. The idea is to offer an unforgettable fine dining experience in the sky – together with exclusive atmosphere, breathtaking views, and food from top chefs. The Taste Ljubljana in the Sky 2015 experience will be available from 13 to 17 May above Ljubljana’s centrally located Kongresni trg square. A table with 22 guests will be suspended at a height of 50 metres above the ground by a team of professionals, with a guest chef and waiting team of Jezeršek Catering serving from the centre of the table. You can an opportunity to explore and delight in the wealth of flavours and aromas from the Indian subcontinent. It serves, among other things, proper British curries, a choice of traditional Slovenian dishes, and various cakes and ice creams freshly made daily at its
choose from Brunch in the Sky, Lunch in the Sky, Champagne in the Sky, Dinner in the Sky, and Cocktail in the Sky. A gastronomic experience like no other, complete with the tastes of traditional Ljubljana dishes. www.dinnerinthesky.si
A Taste of Dinner in the Sky; Photo: Sora Catering
patisserie. www.currylife-figovec.si Gostilnica 5-6 kg (Gornji trg 33) is a new all-in-one restaurant, tapas bar, and pizzeria located in the historical city centre of Ljubljana. www.gostilne.si/5-6-kg-gostilnica Nika Pirnar
The Coolest Coffee Shops in Ljubljana
Enjoy your coffee at a coffee shop with a difference. Order a coffee and a comic book, pick a new title to add to your bookshelf or marvel at the feline beauties that have made themselves at home at a coffee shop.
TOZD; Photo: TOZD Archive
Barabuk (Rimska cesta 23) is a coffee shop and bookshop running a daily programme of events for people who love music, books, poetry readings, travel lectures, theatre, film, and a good laugh. facebook
TOZD (Gallusovo nabrežje 27) is a small coffee shop and wine bar with its own coffee roasting facility. Apart from fragrant fair trade coffee, it also offers you to buy any piece of its elaborate retro interior decoration or borrow a book for an unlimited period of time as long as you leave one of your own at its library. facebook Pritličje (Mestni trg 2) is home to a comic shop where you can always get a fresh supply of comic books from around the world. It is a coffee shop and bar during daytime, while at night it is a place to go to meet people or attend an electronic music event. www.pritlicje.si Ziferblat (Vegova ulica 8) is primarily about being a space for
socializing rather than a coffee shop. You can definitely enjoy coffee or tee and even help yourself to biscuits, but you are not charged for any of that. What you pay for is the time you spend there. www.ljubljana.ziferblat.net Klub Daktari (Krekov trg 7) is decorated as a cosy living room with comfortable sofas, period furniture, and a piano in a corner. During daytime, it is a coffee shop where you are left to read in peace newspapers and books borrowed from its well-stocked library, while in the evenings it turns into an evening club. www.daktari.si Cat Caffe Ljubljana (Hrenova ulica 19) is Slovenia’s first cat café. Guests can enjoy excellent service and are allowed to pet the five
furry beauties queening it over the place. They must observe, however, the etiquette required in the presence of feline hosts. facebook Nika Pirnar Cat Caffe; Photo CC Archive
7 City of Delights
Comic Books for Exploring Ljubljana
New Urban Winter Garden Mural The Croatian artist Miron Milić, an artist in residence in Ljubljana, has recently painted a blind façade of the historical Mahr House next to Ljubljana’s Central Market with a mural depicting a tropical garden captured inside a glasshouse. The new ‘urban winter garden’ mural is an interesting artistic addition to Ljubljana, an example of a seamless incorporation of street art into the city’s historical environment, and the announcement of the beginning of activities marking Ljubljana’s status as the European Green Capital 2016. Tamara Langus
Ljubljana has two new tourist guides written in comic book form to offer young visitors to Ljubljana a friendly way to explore the city.
The Newly Painted Mahr House Next to Ljubljana’s Central Market; Photo: Kino Šiška Archive
Experience the City in a Unique Way
One of the two guides, set to be released on the occasion of the 5th Castle Days festival, held at Ljubljana Castle from 15 to 17 May 2015, is a fun and educational family guide for exploring Ljubljana Castle. It takes children on an interactive castle walk between nine different points and helps them unlock the castle’s secrets through a series of questions to answer and tasks to complete. If you plan to visit in mid-May, check out not only the new guide, but also the programme of events for the Castle Days festival, which will be particularly interesting this year in celebration of the 110th anniversary
of Ljubljana Castle being purchased by Mayor of Ljubljana Ivan Hribar in the name of the city from the state government. www.ljubljanskigrad.si The other new guide is a comic album created by the LUD Literatura literary and artistic society during a series of young people’s comic book workshops held under the title of Head in the Clouds. This unique comic album, available from Ljubljana’s Tourist Information Centres, tells, through text and illustrations, stories about Ljubljana’s famous sights as seen by the city’s secondary school students. Miša Novak
If you want time to turn back so that you could peek into history, but still stand with both feet on the firm ground of reality, special experience tours of Ljubljana are a perfect choice for you. Would you be interested to know where the greatest Slovenian poet, France Prešeren, lived, worked, and received his education? Join a guided city tour called Tracing Prešeren’s Footsteps and learn all about the poet, including the Slovenian anthem. www.visitljubljana.com At Ljubljana Castle, you can take a tour called Time Machine, which lets you explore the six most important periods in the history of Ljubljana Castle and the development of Ljubljana. At the stops on your journey though time you will meet different historical personalities who will each give you an insight into their time. www.ljubljanskigrad.si Perhaps you would like to join a torchlit evening tour called Experiencing Roman Emona,
which gives you an opportunity to put on Roman robes and take a walk through the city’s streets in the company of a guide and a Roman legionary to explore the traces of a period 2,000 years ago. www.visitljubljana.com Another interesting option is an interactive street theatre performance titled Ljubljana Stories, which begins under the chandelier in the Gornji trg square and then takes you to places related to the period of Illyrian Provinces, the time when Ljubljana was surrounded by a barbed wire fence, the so called ‘brotherhood and unity’ period, and the year 1895, when a devastating earthquake shook the earth beneath the city. www.ljubljanskezgodbe.si Nika Pirnar
Ljubljana Stories Guided Tour; Photo: L. Dakskobler
Comic Stories: Ljubljana in Bubbles
Minicity – a Miniature City for Children The first ‘children’s city’ in Slovenia has recently opened its doors in BTC City, Ljubljana’s popular business, shopping, and entertainment quarter. The new facility, called Minicity, provides educational entertainment for the whole family and offers children an opportunity to get to know various professions and learn through fun and play. Minicity, with its tiny bakery, hospital, police station, TV studio, and some twenty other play units in the form of little houses lining little streets, is reminiscent of a real city. Led by experienced activity instructors, children can try their hand at appearing in front of the camera in the role of a presenter in a
television studio, sit behind the mixing desk of a radio studio, and change into different work clothes and assume the roles of painters and decorators, police officers, firefighters, pilots, and people of many other professions. Parents can take part in various educational activities or sit down at the Minicity’s little café or cake shop. www.minicity.si Meta Celestina
Children Getting to Know Various Professions in Minicity; Photo: A. Domitrica
Hotel Nox **** Hotel Nox with 24 completely uniquely furnished rooms offers guests a unique experience of hotel stay. The rooms are designed by different Slovenian designers, that had complete freedom when designing them. Each room is different, with its own character and name. The attractive environment, the wonderful ambient, the power of design, the playfulness of all the different ideas and more, will conjure up a pleasant feeling. CONTACT: info@hotelnox.com www.hotelnox.com
Every room has its own story. RICH TRADITION AT A PREMIUM LOCATION
Comfortable rooms, exquisite food, professional staff and mighty architecture await you in the centre of the city. The Grand hotel Union offers you the grand experience that includes:
TRIPADVISOR CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE 2015 WINNER
E grand@union-hotels.eu T + 386 1 308 1270 WWW.UNION-HOTELS.EU
• an exclusive location in the heart of Ljubljana city centre, • comfortable and stylishly furnished rooms with large working areas, • 176 comfort and deluxe rooms, 12 suites and 9 hotel studios, • a luxury selfservice breakfast, • an indoor swimming pool, fitness centre and sauna, • best culinary adventures in an awarded restaurant Smrekarjev hram, • an excellent coffee or tea along sweets and fine music in the legendary Union Café TRADITION • EXCELLENCE • COMFORT • SINCE 1905
T: 00 386 (0) 1 200 95 00 F: 00 386 (0) 1 200 95 01
9 City of Arts and Culture
Ljubljana Festival – At the Heart of Your Ljubljana Experience One of the major European summer festivals will enthral culture lovers with the world’s renowned music, opera and dance artists for three months. The 63rd Ljubljana Festival begins on 28 June 2015 with the film music by Tan Dun. Other major highlights include the Polish Requiem by Krzysztof Penderecki, Elīna Garanča with some of the most beautiful opera arias and the Romeo and Juliet Ballet performed by the Mariinsky Theatre from St. Petersburg under
the baton of Valery Gergiev. Not to miss are also the renowned pianist Nikolai Lugansky, the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Zubin Mehta and the China National Opera House (CNOH) from Beijing with Puccini’s Turandot. The most relaxed part of the festival will be the performance of 2Cellos, while the Young German Philharmonic Orchestra (Junge Deutsche Philharmonie) will conclude the festival on 28 September. www.ljubljanafestival.si
Flow Festival Takes Over Ljubljana One of the most creative and unique music festivals in the world is expanding beyond its native borders of Helsinki, for the first time ever. The Flow Festival Ljubljana will take place between 26 and 28 June.
Flow Festival Ljubljana is Coming to Ljubljana; Photo: Flow Festival Archive
Flow Festival is characterized by its strong environmental awareness and commitment to using recycled materials, renewable energy sources, and sustainable products. Ljubljana, designated the European Green Capital 2016, therefore seems to be the ideal choice for the expansion of this legendary festival. Similar to Helsinki’s Flow, the newfound festival focuses on an inspiring pop music, urban culture, visual arts, engaging services
and an entertaining location; the Ljubljana Flow Festival will take place in a unique former tobacco factory milieu dating from the late 19th century. The Flow Festival Ljubljana performers list includes Pet Shop Boys, Róisín Murphy, Run The Jewels, Caribou, Metronomy, José González, Bonobo DJ set, Âme, Dixon, DJ Koze and Derrick May, as well as local and regional artists such as Bad Copy, Edo Maajka, Polona Kasal x KALU and Torul. www.flowfestival.si
Lighting Guerrilla – In the Dark The Lightning Guerrilla International Festival will take place between 22 May and 26 June, bringing a series of events about the original lighting fixtures and lighting to Ljubljana. Parks, streets, galleries and cultural centres will beat to the rhythm of this festival, which each year covers a certain topic - this year’s topic is In the Dark. Check out the programme and locations. www.svetlobnagverila.net
Sophie Guyot: Flux House, 2014; Photo: DK
Vivid Ljubljana
Without doubt, festivals represent one of the most interesting and vibrant attractions of Ljubljana, filling up the streets, squares and bridges of the town. The series of festivals attracting young and old from Slovenia and abroad begins with June in Ljubljana, the festival taking place between 12 and 21 June at the Kongresni trg square, including music and theatre performances. This will be followed by the Ana Desetnica International Street Theatre Festival, filling up the streets between 1 and 4 July. www.visitljubljana.com Between 2 and 25 July, movie lovers are invited to Ljubljana Castle, to watch the movies. Film under the Stars includes a
selection of some of the most acclaimed films of the cinema season, as well as some premieres. www.ljubljanskigrad.si The medieval part of Ljubljana in the summer becomes a perfect backdrop for classical, jazz and folk concerts performed by various international and domestic groups as part of the Summer in Ljubljana Old Town Festival, which concludes with a series of events between 27 and 29 August, named Nights in Ljubljana Old Town. www.imagosloveniae.net Tjaša Janovljak
Summer in Ljubljana Old Town Festival; Photo: J. Kotar
31st Biennial of Graphic Arts, 60 Years The 31st Biennial of Graphic Arts is entitled “Over You”, originating from a note in the drawing by Martin Kippenberger. It seems like an unsolved equation or a supposition indicating the instability of the image that can still be reproduced. For 60 years, the Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts, which is also considered one of the oldest in the world, has put on display works of modern graphic authors. This year’s biennial explores the reproduction techniques as a strategy for communication and
movement. The main exhibition entitled Over you is put on display at the International Centre of Graphic Arts, the Museum of Modern Art, Tivoli Park and Švicarija, while the traditional exhibition of the previous edition’s winner, Cuban
artist Maria Elena Gonzalez (she was awarded the Grand Prix for her work The Tree Talk Series at the 30th Biennial of Graphic Art), is displayed at the Gallery of Cankarjev dom Cultural and Congress Centre. In addition to this, Jakopič Gallery hosts the
exhibition by Giles Round, who reinterprets the history of the biennial. The 60th anniversary brings also a number of accompanying events between 28 August and 3 December 2015. www.mglc-lj.si Karla Železnik
10 City of Arts and Culture
Ljubljana Castle to Open the Puppet Museum As a tribute to great Slovenian puppet artists and more than a century long tradition, the first puppet museum in Slovenia is opening in May 2015 at Ljubljana Castle. The permanent museum collection, whose content is contributed by the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre, will outline the milestones of the Slovenian puppet history and represent the traditional and contemporary puppet art in an interactive way. Visitors to the museum will learn about
the puppet characters, different puppet techniques and the comprehensive process of creating a puppet show. At the end, they will also have the opportunity to try themselves in the puppet arts. This new content is suitable for visitors of all ages and represents an important enrichment to the existing four permanent museum collections at Ljubljana Castle. www.ljubljanskigrad.si Janja Rozman Raubar
The Owl Castle, by M. Klemenčič, »Father« of the Slovenian Puppet Theatre; Photo: Z. Koritnik
150th Birth Anniversary The Water Museum of Art Nouveau Exhibition as an Intro Architect Maks Fabiani to the European Green Capital 2016 In 2015, Ljubljana celebrates the 150th birth anniversary of architect Maks Fabiani, who created his best works at the turn of the 20th century using the then new artistic style known as Art Nouveau.
Water, a joint project of the City of Ljubljana Museum & Galleries and many other partners, is the first in the series to mark the title of European Green Capital 2016. Ljubljana with its surroundings boasts high-quality water, which makes it one of the few capitals in the world where it is still possible to drink tap water. Apart from this, rich water resources, which have enabled more than 5,000 years of continuous settlement, are still accessible to all. The exhibition entitled Water, which will be displayed between 23 June 2015 and 15 May 2016 at the City Museum of Ljubljana, along with several accompanying events aims at raising the public awareness about the importance of water as a necessary asset in our lives, which is too often taken for granted.
Krisper House; Photo: M. Kambič
Thanks to Maks Fabiani and several other, mostly Slovenian architects, Art Nouveau is one of the styles that significantly influenced the architecture of Ljubljana. Did you know that one of the most popular sights in Ljubljana, the famous Dragon Bridge from 1901, is an example of Art Nouveau architecture? Maks Fabiani (1865-1962) belonged to the circle of Vienna Secession artists, who in the early 20th century set the foundations of modern architecture, which should be free, unburdened by the past, useful and serving the needs of the present times. Each building in Ljubljana designed by Fabiani is carefully placed into the environment.
This derives from the ambitious urban development plan made by him in 1895, after a devastating earthquake. Ljubljana will mark this important anniversary with numerous events and exhibitions, including the major exhibition Maks Fabiani: a Monarchy’s Architect - Overview Exhibition in the Town Hall between 26 March and 27 June, and the exhibition entitled Art Nouveau Ljubljana and Architect Maks Fabiani, put on display between 22 April and 30 September at the City Museum of Ljubljana. www.mgml.si Keep up to date with the programme. www.visitljubljana.com Miša Novak
The exhibition features four stories about the importance of water: water as an essential part of survival in different time contexts; water as a means of mobility for people, goods, ideas and knowledge; the meaning of water in mythology, religion, art and language; and lastly, the importance of water in the natural water cycle and ecology. With the first three topics the story is primarily built on museum objects, while the fourth includes an experimental interactive element, which is primarily designed for experiential children’s workshops. www.mgml.si Urša Karer
Neue Slowenische Kunst Get ready for the Neue Slowenische Kunst (NSK) exhibition entitled From Kapital to Capital at the Museum of Modern Art / MG+MSUM in Ljubljana, put on display from 12 May to 17 August. The show, curated by Zdenka Badovinac, will be the first in a series of major NSK exhibitions, the art collective founded in 1984 by three groups – Laibaich multimedia group, Irwin visual arts group and the Scipion Nasice Sisters Theatre (SNST). When everyone else just pretended to believe in socialist self-management of disintegrating Yugoslavia, NSK clearly told that the emperor was naked – from the first poster campaign by Laibach in Trbovlje in 1980, all the way to the rear
internal co-ordinated series of projects entitled Kapital (Equity) in the early 90’s. The exhibition focuses on the transformational 1980’s and represents a part of the five-year programme The Uses of Art – The Legacy of 1848 and 1989, organised by L’Internationale and supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, EU Culture Programme and Foundation for Arts Initiatives. www.mg-lj.si Miša Novak
11 City for Meetings
From Ljubljana Airport to 27 Scheduled Destinations This Summer The summer timetable, valid from end of March to the end of October, features more than 160 direct scheduled flights a week from Slovenia’s main airport to 27 destinations. Among the novelties, Swiss
is launching a daily service to Zurich, while the national carrier Adria Airways is adding Stockholm and Berlin to its network. Turkish Airlines is now serving Istanbul ten times a week instead of seven, while Finnair is
resuming its flights from Helsinki with four weekly connections. Other airlines operating flights to/from Ljubljana are Air France, Air Serbia, easyJet, Wizz Air and Montenegro Airlines. www.lju-airport.si
Novelties from the Hotel Industry Tradition in the Heart of the City This year, the Grand Hotel Union celebrates its 110th anniversary, having first opened its doors in 1905. Since then it has contributed significantly to shaping many aspects of the life in the capital and welcomed a number of illustrious guests, among which head of states and royalties. The Grand Union Café and Union Hall have served as the centrepoint of the city’s cultural, political and social life over the decades and still continue to host a wide range of resounding events.
Two Halal-certified Hotels Muslim travellers most often look for establishments offering services in accordance with Islamic values. While aiming to expand saes efforts to new markets, a number of hotel properties in Slovenia are investing an effort to meet their requirements in terms of accommodation and food preparation. Following detailed assessments, Grand Hotel Union and Four Points by Sheraton Ljubljana Mons have recently been awarded the Halal certificate, which represents an added value in the competitive tourism economy.
Grand Hotel Union Interior, in 1905; Photo: GH Union
Crowne Plaza Confirmed for Ljubljana The Serbian company Delta Holding plans to build a luxurious hotel, set to have 23,000 sq metres of surface over
20 floors. Representatives of the Intercontinental group were pleased with the central location and will make a decision on which chain to include the new hotel in. As yet the start date for construction remains uncertain.
Ljubljana Congress Highlights in 2015 The Slovenian capital is an established, yet fresh destination geared to welcome congresses with up to 2,200 delegates. The array of meeting venues features two convention centres, several convention hotels as well as a number of academic and business venues found mostly in the downtown area. The walking dimension of Ljubljana- European Green Capital 2016, is definitely one of its assets. With 1,200 delegates from 130 countries, the 40th World Scout Conference – WSC 2014 was not only the largest in 2014, but also the most international event ever held in Ljubljana and Slovenia by the number of their countries of origin. The year 2015 features only one event with more than 1,000 delegates, however a series of midsized ones are on the calendar. At CD – Cankarjev dom Congress Centre, the busiest
months are May and June, with the 11th IEEE Conference on Automatic Face and Gesture Recognition – FG 2015 (300 delegates), Plant Health for Food Security (250), Medicine of South East Europe (700), 16th European Congress of Pediatric Surgery – EUPSA 2015 (600), 13th Meeting of the European NeuroOphthalmological Society – EUNOS 2015 (300) and 53rd Symposium of the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision – ISCEV (200).
40th World Scout Conference – WSC 2014, at GR – Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre; Photo: GR Archive
Cankarjev dom Congress Centre, Gallus Hall; Photo: T. Bernik
Scheduled in September: the 25th Annual Conference of Alzheimer Europe (500), International Conference on Engineering Vibration IFToMM (300); in October, the CIVITAS Forum (500), and the Mediterranean Incontinence and Pelvic Floor Society Congress (300) in December. The highlights at GR – Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre are instead: in August, the 27th International Lepton Photon Symposium (550 delegates) and in September, the congress of the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia & Pain
Therapy – ESRA (1,500) - the major one in Ljubljana and Slovenia in 2015. The most notable among association events at Grand Hotel Union, the largest city convention hotel, is the 5th European Conference for Social Work Research - ECSWR 2015. Confirmed congress bookings for Ljubljana are in place for as far as 2018. Destination partners focusing on the corporate and incentive markets are also reporting a positive outlook for business in 2015. www.visitljubljana.com/meetings Tatjana Radovič
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13 City for Slovenia
Taste Ljubljana and Central Slovenia at Expo Milano 2015 From 15 to 30 June 2015, Ljubljana and the Central Slovenia region will be presented at the Expo Milano as part of the presentations on Slovenian tourist regions held at Slovenia’s dynamic pavilion of prismatic shapes made from natural materials. A stall providing information on Ljubljana and Central Slovenia will be there from 1 May to 31 October. The major focus of the presentations on
Ljubljana and its region will be traditional cuisine, marketed under the brand names Taste Ljubljana and Taste Central Slovenia. Ljubljana will be presented as a dynamic culinary destination and a green city holding the European Green Capital 2016 title. Over two weeks in June, a stage set up in front of the Slovenian pavilion will host a programme of events featuring, among others, Central Slovenia’s best chefs. Visitors will also be entertained by the Little Dragon, Ljubljana’s friendly mascot. www.visitljubljana.com
Slovenia’s pavilion at Expo Milano; Photo: SPIRIT Slovenia Archive
Ljubljana – a Perfect Destination for Golf Holidays
Ljubljana Quality: Top Places to Eat in Ljubljana and its Region
Ljubljana is a city closely connected to nature, so it is not surprising that just a few minutes’ drive from the city centre you can find three golf courses and a new practice field. Thanks to Ljubljana’s central location, also the country’s other golf courses are within quick and easy reach.
Striving to provide visitors with the best possible culinary experiences, Ljubljana Tourism has for more than a decade been conducting a biennial quality assessment of catering outlets in Ljubljana and, since recently, also in the region. Ljubljana Quality Mark is your guide to the best culinary experiences in Ljubljana and Central Slovenia.
Just outside Ljubljana, no more than twenty minutes from the city centre, you can find two 18-hole golf courses, Golf Arboretum Ljubljana in the village of Volčji Potok, which offers stunning views of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, and the Diners Club Slovenia Golf Course in the village of Smlednik. You can also play at the Trnovo Golf Course, which is a smaller, 9-hole golf course situated on the southern edge of Ljubljana, or practice your skills at the Barje Golf Club’s recently opened practice field in the Ljubljana suburb of Gunclje. A number of hotels and guest houses in and around Ljubljana offer packages combining golf
with accommodation and various leisure activities. For an even more dynamic golfing experience, you can also choose from a number of other Slovenian golf courses easily accessible from Ljubljana, the largest and most popular including those in Bled, next to Otočec and Mokrice Castles, in Moravske Toplice, and in Ptuj. In October 2014 Slovenia was awarded the prestigious title of the Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year 2015 at the International Golf Travel Market at Lake Como, Italy. www.visitljubljana.com (Golf in Central Slovenia), www. sloveniagolfcourses.com Petra Križan
Golf With a View of Ljubljana Castle; Photo: D. Wedam
Between March and September 2014, an expert commission assessed the quality of 68 catering outlets in Ljubljana, 27 catering outlets in the Central Slovenia region, and 378 shops in the city centre of Ljubljana. The results were published in December 2014. The Ljubljana Quality winners are recognized for achieving high standards of quality in terms of choice on offer, service, and facilities. The assessment process was rigorous and only the best outlets, scoring over three-thirds of the maximum points, were awarded a Ljubljana Quality silver sticker and plaque to display at their premises. So which are the highest rated catering outlets in Ljubljana? Five Qs, which stand for ‘Outstanding’, were awarded to the restaurants Strelec, JB, and Maxim and four Qs, standing for ‘Excellent’, to the restaurants Harfa and Cubo, the Japanese restaurant Maru, and the
cafés Zvezda and Cacao. The best-rated catering outlets in the Central Slovenia region include the guest house Grič in Šentjošt nad Horjulom, the traditional gostilna Čubr in Komenda, the modern restaurant Mihovec and the traditional gostilna Belšak – Slavkov dom in Medvode, the little gostilna Kamrca in Mengeš, the bar Pr’ Mrtinet in Grosuplje, the gostilna Pr’ Kopač in Brezovica, and the café and cake shop Park in Vrhnika. The announcement of the awards was accompanied by a brochure entitled Ljubljana Quality 2015: Eating Out and Shopping Guide, which is now available from Ljubljana’s Tourist Information Centres, the Visit Ljubljana website, and as part of the mobile application Visit Ljubljana and More. www.visitljubljana.com (Ljubljana Quality) Viktorija Grašič Bole
Grič, One of Top Restaurants in the Central Slovenia Region; Photo: P. Irman
14 City for Slovenia
Vrhnika. Nearby. Green. Interesting. Remarkable.
Bistra, Technical Museum of Slovenia; Photo: U. Vodopivec
Looking for some inspiration for a short trip from Ljubljana? Why not visit Vrhnika? This small town, located 20 kilometres to the west of Ljubljana, is connected to the capital by the Ljubljanica,
an intermittent karst river that flows underground for a distance before it re-emerges (vrh-nikne in Slovenian) on the surface near Vrhnika and, by doing so, gives the town its name.
If you do decide to visit, the town’s new website, Visit Vrhnika, may be of great help to you as it not only describes the town, but also provides a host of handy ideas for one-hour, two-hour or half-day leisure activities that you can choose from to see for yourself what the town’s new slogan, ‘Nearby. Green. Interesting. Remarkable.’ is all about. You can also visit Vrhnika’s Tourist Information Centre and learn even more about what it is that makes Vrhnika so remarkable – apart from the fact that it was the birthplace of one of the greatest masters of the Slovenian language, Ivan Cankar (1876–1918), who has been referred to as ‘the Slovenian Kafka’
and is particularly famous for his sketch story A Cup of Coffee. Vrhnika is the starting point for numerous hiking, walking, and cycling trails. It is best visited in June, when it hosts the Argonaut Days festival. Not far away from the town, in a former Carthusian monastery in the tiny village of Bistra, you will find the Technical Museum of Slovenia, which is unquestionably one of the country’s must-see museums. And when visiting Vrhnika, make sure to have a cup of locally brewed coffee, immortalized by Ivan Cankar, or if you prefer, a glass of beer made by the local Human Fish Brewery. www.visitvrhnika.si Janja Furjan, Marija Zakrajšek
Special Experience Tours of the Heart of Slovenia Visit the so called Heart of Slovenia, a scenic region to the east of Ljubljana. You can choose from an attractive array of tours, offering you an opportunity to explore the region, taste the local culinary specialities, and meet the local handicraftsmen. The Heart of Slovenia, located just a few minutes’ drive east of Ljubljana, is a heart-shaped region radiating from the geometric centre of Slovenia. You can take a herdmen’s lunch on top of the Velika planina plateau, Slovenia’s largest high mountain pasture with more than a hundred herdsmen’s cottages. Once you are back at the foot of the plateau, you can visit the medieval small town of Kamnik, explore its sights, and join a guided tasting session titled Taste Kamnik, and take some time late in the afternoon to relax at the Terme Snovik thermal spa.
At the Tunjice Healing Grove you can surrender to this natural health resort’s energy fields and drink from a spring of living water. You can also take a leisurely walk at the Volčji Potok Arboretum or visit the Geoss Adventure Park in case you have a taste for adrenaline-pumping experiences. From there, you can continue to GEOSS, the geometric centre of Slovenia, and learn about Slovenian national symbols. Nearby, you can find a number of excellent traditional gostilna-style restaurants, typical of the Slovenian countryside. If you are visiting with children,
Velika planina, Easily Accessible From Ljubljana; Photo: D. Wedam
you can opt for adventures in the Land of Charcoal Burners, where you can learn about the tradition of charcoal burning. In the small town of Domžale, you can learn about traditional straw plaiting, meet a potter to help you make an earthen bowl using a potter’s wheel, let a
herbalist show you the secrets of medicinal herbs, and prepare your own herbal spread. To find out more about the above guided tours or just get an idea for a pleasant trip, visit the Heart of Slovenia website. www. heartofslovenia.com Ana Savšek
Ljubljana and Its Region Are Motorhome-Friendly Visitors to Slovenia travelling by motorhome will agree that all roads lead to, or from, the capital. Both Ljubljana and the Central Slovenia region, particularly its eastern part, offer a well-developed network of campsites and stopover sites for motorhomes. Several motorhome stopover sites with hook-up facilities are located on the outskirts of Ljubljana. Motorhomes are also welcome to the campsite at the Ljubljana Resort recreation and leisure complex, from where a public city bus service takes you to the centre of Ljubljana. If you prefer to leave your motorhome
closer to the city centre, choose from the NUK, Tivoli II, and Žale III car parks, where parking is allowed for limited periods of time. If you head east or southeast from Ljubljana to the tourist destination of The Heart of Slovenia, you can use a network of motorhome stopover sites located at tourist farms and next
to a number of welcoming guest houses. This will give you an opportunity to meet the locals and supply yourself with locally produced food, which is available from most of the area’s stopover sites. Another stopover site for motorhomes is located at Terme Snovik, the thermal spa located closest to Ljubljana, just a few minutes to the medieval small town of Kamnik. www.visitljubljana. com, www.heartofslovenia.com (Camping & Caravanning) Miša Novak
One of Numerous Motorhome Stopover Sites East of Ljubljana; Photo: M. Pavše
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First Recycle Pub in Ljubljana
Now you can first have a great lunch, and then, if you like the plate, you simply buy it. The same applies to the glass, from which you drank. Gostilna dela is a small restaurant employing young people without secondary education and young people with disabilities in the hospitality industry, by providing them with tutors to help them enter the labour market more successfully. Now, they have joined forces with the second hand shop named Stara roba nova raba
(literally the name translates as Old stuff, new use). Both projects are examples of social entrepreneurship, with the latter employing only the homeless. The restaurant has been provided with the plates, saucers, glasses, cups, vases, board games, books and many other items, which are also for sale. By buying the items you like, you will support the social
entrepreneurship and re-use something that might otherwise be thrown away. The joint name of the project is Poljanska 7-14, revealing the locations of both projects; you will find the restaurant at Poljanska 7 and the shop at Poljanska 14. www.robaraba.si, https://sl-si. facebook.com/Gostilnadela Tjaša Janovljak
Would You Be Able to Escape When you and your team are locked up in a room and the only way to escape from there is to solve puzzles and riddles, reveal secrets or use your logical reasoning.
Enigmarium Wall of Fame; Photo: Enigmarium Archive
In less than a year, six escape rooms have opened in Ljubljana, each using their own tricks and puzzles. Most of the rooms can usually be entered by a group of 2 to 5 players. As the puzzles and riddles are hidden in numbers, symbols, colours, etc., the language you speak is irrelevant to the game. The first escape room to open in Ljubljana was Enigmarium, which also has the most rooms: the Professor’s Secret, the Classroom of Doom or the Salvation Room. www.escape-room.si
The Key Escape Room; Photo: Bojan Pahljina
Mind Maze boasts two rooms: the Alchemist’s Chamber, where the key is hidden in the golden egg of Ljubljana Dragon and the newly opened room named Occupied Ljubljana, where you will find yourself in WWII, when the city was surrounded by wire. www.mindmaze.si
Gostilna dela, Example of Social Entrepreneurship; Photo: Gostilna dela Archive
Close to Prešernov trg square, another escape room named The Key is located, composed of two adjoining rooms: the Da Vinci Room and Sherlock Holmes Room. They are already planning a new room, the content of which is still a mystery. www.thekey.si On the outskirts of Ljubljana, Orehov gaj Estate offers Team Building Lab Programmes. You can choose a challenge of escaping from the barn, a 60-minute game of survival, which can be carried out as a fun component of a business event or as a personnel evaluation for the competence identification and development. www.orehov-gaj.si Tjaša Janovljak
Let’s Grab a Beer! There are two major breweries in Slovenia that have many followers among the Slovenian beer drinkers. The decision which beer is better, Union or Laško, is yours, but let us mention that while tasting Slovenian beer, you should not ignore numerous Slovenian micro-breweries that produce great beer types in smaller quantities.
Union Brewery Pub; Photo: Union Brewery Pub Archive
Union Brewery Pub (Celovška cesta 22) operates under the auspices of Union Brewery, which boasts a tradition of brewing beer since 1867. They offer a wide range of beers from their own production, as well as a few from their main competitor, Laško
Brewery, found in the pleasant spa town of Laško located by Savinja River, which boasts an even longer tradition; this year, they are celebrating 190 years of brewing beer. Visitors can join guided tours of the Union Brewery manufacture and visit the renovated brewery
museum. www.pivnica-union.si Sir William’s Pub is located in the Art Nouveau part of Ljubljana on Tavčarjeva ulica 8a. It offers more than 120 types of beer. Apart from a vivid daily happening, numerous themed evenings and beer tasting are organised on a regular basis. www.sirwilliamspub.webs.com Patrick’s Irish Pub (Prečna ulica 6) is designed as a typical Irish pub, where you can taste more than 90 different types of beer and typical British and Irish dishes. The pub also organizes live streaming of major sporting events, occasional concerts of Irish music and pub quizzes. www. irishpub-ljubljana.si Svarog Pub (Ajdovščina 7) and Kratochwill Pub (Kolodvorska ulica
Dobro pivo pri Ščurku Beer Shop; Photo: Dobro pivo Archive
14) are known for serving their own beer brands. www.facebook.com/ pivnicasvarog, www.kratochwill.si If you want to buy some beer, visit Dobro pivo pri Ščurku Beer Shop (Knezova ulica 1) or Pivoteko za popen’t Beer Shop on Stari trg 5, where you will find a wide selection of beers produced by Slovenian micro-breweries. www. zapopent.si, www.dobropivo.si Nika Pirnar