July 29, 2018
At the height of summer each year the city has fun joke playing in Prešeren Square, a small area with its own weather, a light rain all day and (and possibly) all night. The brainchild of the artist Zmago Modic, it was first installed in 2008 and then returned in 2015. It’s a nice way to cool off, a good spot to watch confused and then delighted tourists work out what’s happening, and one of the many small pleasures and surprises that Ljubljana offers in the season, which together make up its considerable charisma and charm.
Another of these is scheduled for the end of the week, when if you’d rather be at the coast and can’t leave town then instead perhaps take advantage of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, which brings the sand, ball and net to Congress Square (Kongresni trg / Zvezda Park) for Friday to Sunday, August 3–5. Meanwhile, the Ljubljana Festival continues to run until early September and presents a series of live music concerts, with a bias towards classical, opera, and ballet; see here for details.
Some of the other events on around town are presented below. As ever, clicking on the venue name will get you more details with regard to the time, price and location, as well as other events on this week, and if you want to get a Ljubljana Tourist Card, which gives you travel on the city buses and entry to a lot of attractions, then you can read more about that here, and if you want to use the bike share system, as useful for visitors as it is for residents, then you can learn more by clicking this.
And if there's something you want to promote in a future edition of What's on... please get in touch with me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CINEMA
You can read about all the cinemas in town here, while a selection of what’s playing this week is below, and note that kid’s movies tend to be shown in dubbed versions, so do check before driving out to a multiplex and dropping off the young ones. (And if you like watching trailers with Slovene subtitles, then catch up on some from earlier this year here and here).
Kinodvor – The arts cinema not far from the train station, but still rather tucked away, showing, among other features, Isle of Dogs, Mary Shelley, On Chesil Beach and Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot, although note that the program won’t be finalised until Monday (due to possible replacement screenings from rained off Film Under the Stars events), so check it by clicking the theatre’s name.
Kinoteka – The revival house at one end of Miklošičeva is just showing one movie this week, but it’s a great one for those of a certain age and inclination: Michael Winterbottom’s meta-fictional account of the post-punk and rave scene in Manchester, following Joy Division, New Order and the Happy Mondays – 24-Hour Party People.
Kolosej – The multiplex out at BTC City Mall is playing all the big movies, which this week include – deep breath – Mama Mia 2: Here We Go Again, Looking Glass, Sicario 2, Future World, Skyscraper, Ant Man & Wasp, Adrift, The First Purge, Tag, Hereditary, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Deadpool 2, Book Club and Loving Pablo, among others. From Thursday there’s also a dubbed version of Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation.
Komuna – The cinema in a basement behind Nama department store is showing Mama Mia 2, Book Club, Incredibles 2 (dubbed), Loving Pablo and Ocean’s 8. From Thursday there’s also a dubbed version of Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation.
CLUBS
Not sure how to behave in Metelkova? Learn more here.
Božidar – Friday, August 3, the club at Vilharjeva 11 has a night of techno headlined by the legendary French DJ Zadig, with a recent set heard below.
Gala Hala – Monday night is Dub Lab, this week with Koneski & theW!ldCitizen. Thursday the garden hosts Laid Back Ceki, with a nostalgic mix of 80s indie and more. Friday and Saturday you can then enjoy an all-nighter and all-dayer of hip hop, breakbeat, electro and drum’n’bass with DJs Dado, Woo-D, Sushi and Zhe.
Klub K4 – Nothing seems to be planned for this week.
Why are there shoes hanging over Trubarjeva cesta? Find out here.
EXHIBITIONS
Please note that public galleries and museums are closed on Mondays.
Ljubljana Castle has an exhibition on the history of dragons that runs until November 11, and is being promoted with the following video.
Plečnik's desk. Photo: JL Flanner
Plečnik’s House is worth a visit if you want to learn more about the architect who gave Ljubljana much of its character. Read about our guided tour here.
The Balassi Institute (The Cultural Centre of the Embassy of Hungary) – This is at Barvarska steza 8, Ljubljana, not far from Dragon Bridge, and hosts various events. Until August 6 it’s also showing photos by Ora Hasenfratz.
Jakopič Gallery – Fans of Magnum and photography in general will wish to check out the Marc Riboud show here, as detailed in an earlier story, and on until October.
Marc Riboud. Huangshan, 1985. On the right, the pine named Flower-Formed-on-the-tip-of-a-Dream-Paintbrush. On the left, the Sublime Peak. ©Marc Riboud – all rights reserved.
Cankerjev dom – Running until the end of February 2019 is an exhibition titled Ivan Cankar and Europe: Between Shakespeare and Kafka. This is “An examination of Cankar’s art through an analysis of influences and interpretations, and juxtaposition with contemporary European writers. The visually elaborate architectural and graphic layout, supported by audio-visual media, installation art and diverse visual highlights, offers a vivid account of Cankar’s excellence, his comprehensively exquisite aesthetic and artistic vision.”
City Art Gallery – On until the first week of September is a show called Prrrrrr, featuring the work of seven female artists from Slovenia. More on that here.
Simona Semenič, Nada Žgank - Zapis celote, triptih fotografij, 67 x 100 cm, giclée print, 2009. On display at the City Art Gallery
City Museum – The Museum in French Revolution Square has an exhibition on the writer Ivan Cankar that’s on until the end of February 2019, with pictures, books and manuscripts, all presented in Slovene and English. It also has a very interesting permanent exhibition on the history of Ljubljana, from prehistoric times to the present day, with many artefacts, models and so on that bring the story alive.You can read about my recent visit here.
The Faces of Ljubljana in the City Museum. Photo: JL Flanner
Galerija Kapelica – Until August 17 you can visit an installation by Christiaan Zwanikken called Kinetic garden + Nose patrol, being promoted with the following image on Facebook.
Galerija Kresija – Among other shows, until August 2 this gallery has an exhibition of puppets, masks and posters by Eka Vogelnik.
International Centre of Graphic Arts – Running until August 18 is a show called Stop and Go - the art of animated gifs. Per the publicity "The group exhibition explores the artistic use of animated GIFs, presenting a broad and diversified panorama of the various approaches currently adopted by the international community. The show includes works by nine artists who are some of the most famous exponents of the genre.".
Ljubljana Castle – Giampaolo Sgura, the fashion photographer, has an exhibition here until August 25, with images like the one below.
Giampaolo Sgura
MAO – The Museum of Architecture and Design is showcasing Slovenian designers in a show called Made in Slovenia, lasting until the end of 2018: “The selling exhibition aims to present good practices of Slovenian designers and companies in the creative sector.” The same venue has an exhibition based on Slovenia’s Pavilion at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, called “Living with Water”, and on until November 25.
Something by Drago Tršar
Moderna galerija – The main branch of this gallery, to be found near the entrance to Tivoli Park, has a good collection of modern art, as well a nice café in the basement, and, until September 30th, a retrospective on the monumental sculptures of Drago Tršar, which you’ll recognise from around town (see more here). For even more contemporary work you can take a trip to the Metelkova branch, where there’s currently a show on the relationship between humans and animals.
Photo: JL Flanner
Museum of Contemporary History – The museum in Tivoli Park has two new shows. One is called Museum's (R)evolution 1948-2018, marking the place's 70th anniversary with an exhibition tracing its evolution through artefacts, photographs and personal stories and running until January 6 2019 (details here). There's also In Search of Freedom: 1968-2018, looking at the 1968 student protests.
National Gallery – The country’s main gallery has “the best” of what’s on offer from the Middle Ages to non-contemporary modern visual arts, and is in a great location for exploring other areas, just by Tivoli Park and opposite the main branch of the Moderna galerija. Running until February 10 2019 is a show called Ivana Kobilca (1861-1926): But Of Course, Painting Is Something Beautiful!, featuring works like the one below.
National Museum of Slovenia – There’s plenty to see in the permanent collection here, from Roman times, Egypt and more. Meanwhile, at the museum's Metelkova branch, located between one branch of the Moderna galerija and the Ethnographic Museum is the International Ceramic Triennial UNICUM 2018, which runs until September 30. It's being promoted with the following image.
Slovene Ethnographic Museum – The museum currently has a temporary show on Bees and Beekeeping, as well two permanent exhibitions. One of these is called Between Nature and Culture, and has a great collection of objects from Slovenia and around the world, well worth the trip up to the third floor to see it. This place is located near the newer branch of the Moderna galerija and Metelkova.
Photo: JL Flanner
Union Experience – The Ljubljana-based brewer has a museum showing the history of the company, with the ticket also including access to part of the factory and a few samples of the product. You can read about our visit here.
It's not a formal museum, but if you're interested in "Yugo-stalgia" then you'll enjoy a trip to Verba, a small, privately run space that's crammed with objects and pop culture items from the era, and is conventiently located at the start of one of the short walks to the castle. It's also a great place to take pictures, if you leave a donation, and you can read more about it here.
Verba. Photo: JL Flanner
FAMILIES & KIDS
You can find our Top 12 list of things to do with kids in Ljubljana here. If want to read more about the philosophy behind the wonderful House of Experiments look here, while our trip to the Museum of Illusions is documented here, and there’s always riverside walks, ice cream and pizza.
Lean more about this happy fellow here. Photo: JL Flanner
LGBTQI+
If you want to learn more about Ljubljana Pride, then take a look at our interview with its president here.
Klub Monokel – No events are being promoted this week, but that’s no reason not to head to this lesbian bar and see what’s happening
Klub Tiffany – And nothing’s planned at this friendly gay bar, either
LIVE MUSIC
The Ljubljana Festival continues, with the programme of classical music at various venues to be found here. This week I’ll highlight Wednesday’s show at the National Gallery, an evening wind concertos with the Slovene Philharmonic String Chamber Orchestra (details), including a rare performance of the following piece.
Gala Hala – Tuesday night there’s music in the garden with the Slovenian group Artel, playing “from swing to punk and back again through jazz rock and reggae”.
Klub Gromka – Wednesday night you can enjoy an evening of punk provided by Dayglo Abortions, Acidez, and The Golers. You have been warned.
Kino Šiška – Wednesday, August 1, the band Mr Big will be playing here, with support provided by Fozzy and Alen Brentini.
Pritličje – Thursday evening the summer concert series continues with Selection # 4, with Gašper Šantl & Zala Kralj, playing electro pop (and you can read more about this venue here).
MISC.
Every Friday through the warmer months there’s the Open Kitchen in Ljubljana Market, where you can try food and drink from some the biggest names in town, and you can read more about it here.
Breg Embankment, just opposite the Old Town and by the river, has a small flea market open every Sunday morning. Learn more about it here.
If you’re in town and want to go jogging or walking in nature, why not take another look at the Castle, with a brief guide to the trails here. If you want something bigger, head to Tivoli Park.
If you want to get wet and work on your tan then consider going to one of the outdoor pools in town, which you can read about here.
Kodeljevo pool
And if you're bored with the Old Town, why not take a walk, cycle or boat ride to nearby Špica and enjoy the riverside life. Learn more about that here.
visitljubjana.si
Flicker - Dave Rosenbaum CC by 2.0
Want to stretch and breath? Then check out our list of drop-in yoga classes for tourists, visitors and the uncommitted.
TRIPS
Most of Slovenia is only a few hours from Ljubljana, and you can easily visit Lake Bled, Lipica Stud Farm, Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle, the coast and other locations.
Left, the real one; Right, the copy. Photos: JL Flanner, visitljubljana.com
FINALLY…
The Robba Fountain you’ll see at one end of the Old Town isn’t the real one. Learn more and find out where you can see the genuine article here.
