STA, 21 November 2019 - Gregor Božič, whose feature debut Stories from the Chestnut Woods (Zgodbe iz kostanjevih gozdov) swept eleven awards at the Festival of Slovenian Film, has spoken to the STA about what is considered a ground-breaking achievement of Slovenia cinema. Božič dedicated the emigration-themed historical picture, shot on film, to neglected places and people.

The Slovenian-Italian co-production, going into general release in Slovenia after the end of the Ljubljana International Film Festival, was written by Božič and co-writer Marino Gumzi, who drew on Anton Chekhov's short stories and the post-WWII period in Benečija in the border area between Slovenia and Italy.

The up-and-coming director spoke passionately about the architecture and haunting remains of the region's abandoned villages.

"The most interesting thing about these villages was why they had been abandoned. It was all very mysterious," said Božič, whose family partly originates from the region's Brda area.

"I remember that local photographers used to go to these villages frequently and document all that had been left behind, by people who were literally leaving over night after 1954, trying to reach the US, Australia or other places through secret routes."

Božič had made trips to the region, also known as Terra delle Castagne or chestnut land, while researching old fruit varieties, but what stayed with him the most were the stories that locals shared with him in the company of a glass of wine.

Another thing was the specific atmosphere of the landscape, its "steep slopes, a river diving it, all of it in a fairly condensed location, it practically looked like a studio in nature to me".

Speaking about some of the incredible stories heard, he noted not all of the moments could be included in the film, "for instance one about how the brothers arrive home and the polenta is cooking on the stove, while the sister is simply gone over the border, for ever".

"And departing is also the main theme of the film, both of people to other places and in the sense of a final farewell, death. At the same time the film is an homage to neglected places and people living there."

While moreover speaking of references to the uncertain fate of these people looking for a better life, Božič said the makers of the film had also explored the parallels to today's reality and "the decomposition of the social fabric".

"For us, this was a story about a community that is pushed by economic circumstances to a point where culture is no longer important; what is important is counting money, which is something the carpenter Mario is doing in the film.

"Nothing good can come of a situation when people no longer talk to or hear each other. It is the circumstances that lead people to cynicism, bitterness. In the film it seems that such relations in the province are a personal affair, but the truth is that these are wider systemic issues."

Meanwhile, commenting on the film's chiaroscuro-inspired cinematography, Božič said it had all occurred very spontaneously, the cooperation with cinematographer Ferran Paredes Rubio also being the result of the director looking for somebody to separately look after the light while he would worry about composition.

"We made a very good team when it comes to achieving this light/dark effects. The scenographers and custom designers also deserve immense credit," he said.

Božič moreover defended the choice of 16-millimetre and 35-millimetre film as a method that in fact saves costs.

"I always say this to anyone telling me that shooting on film is expensive today. A lot of post-production work would have been needed had we attempted to achieve these effects with a digital camera, which of course means extra costs. This was definitely one of the best decisions we made."

Božič, who is likely to dedicate his next film "to much more modern topics", is presently working on a documentary about the perception of fruit today, about "the loss of an incredible wealth of tastes and forms that used to inspire farmers, artists and kings".

STA, 23 November 2019 - Slovenian President Borut Pahor attended in Novi Sad on Saturday a youth forum of the Western Balkans with his Serbian and North Macedonian counterparts, Aleksandar Vučić and Stevo Pendarovski. He expressed support in his address to enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans and the initiative for the so-called "mini Schengen" zone.

Addressing young leaders from the Western Balkans, Pahor said he was a friend of the region, a "big advocate of a strong and integrated EU, its enlargement, first and foremost to the Western Balkan countries."

He told them that they had the right for "such relationships between people and nations in the region to continue to ensure peace and security. You are the most important factor of the future of this region," Pahor was quoted by his office.

The Slovenian president endorsed the efforts to create the so-called "mini Schengen" zone in the region as an idea based on cooperation and mutual trust. He believes that it may succeed only if trust and respect between the countries in the region is strengthened.

It was on the initiative of Serbia's Vučić that Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania signed an agreement to establish a joint market with free flow of goods, services, capital and people.

"The so-called mini Schengen is something fresh, it inspires hope that the time of the entry in the European community, despite the enlargement slowing down, will not be missed in these countries," Pahor said.

He sees the initiative as precious, as it puts an emphasis on cooperation and strengthens trust, which he believes countries in the region need to implement reforms faster and resolve open bilateral issues more successfully.

Pahor stressed that the initiative was not an alternative to joining the EU, but that it should be understood as complementary to the European vision of the region.

"Values which are also the values of the EU need to be developed in the region: reconciliation, coexistence, cooperation and respecting differences between us and emphasising what is common to us."

Predsednik republike Borut Pahor podprl zamisel o t.i. mini Schengnu, ker poudarja sodelovanje in krepi zaupanje med državami v regiji. https://t.co/nXRvIpuCgx pic.twitter.com/cxkBv8ii7j

— Borut Pahor (@BorutPahor) November 23, 2019

Pahor also took advantage of the visit to Novi Sad to hold bilateral meetings with Pendarovski and Vučić.

The office of the North Macedonian president said that Pahor and Pendarovski had agreed that bilateral relations, which were based on friendship and understanding, were excellent.

They talked about how to further improve cooperation, the North Macedonian press agency Mia reported, adding that Pendarovski had thanked Slovenia for its open support for North Macedonia on its way to the EU and NATO, and that there was no alternative to the EU membership.

The three-day event, which will conclude on Saturday, is being attended by more than 200 young people from the region, who are discussing topical issues and challenges as part of panels with presidents, prime ministers and mayors.

According to the Serbian press agency Tanjug, the mayors' panel was attended by Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković and Novi Sad Mayor Miloš Vučević, who announced that the Serbian city would officially endorse Ljubljana's bid for the European Capital of Culture title.

Keep up with the daily news in Slovenia by checking the morning headlines here. What to find out what happened last week in Slovenia? Look no further.

The following schedule was prepared by the STA:

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here

This summary is provided by the STA:

Vajgl leaves DeSUS as tensions in party rise ahead of congress

LJUBLJANA - Tensions in the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) continue to increase ahead of the party's election congress in January as Ivo Vajgl, the former MEP and foreign minister, announced that he is leaving the party, the newspaper Dnevnik reported on Saturday. "Considering the positions I personally advocate, I have assessed that there is no room in DeSUS for me any longer, which is why I am leaving the party," Vajgl has told Dnevnik. His announcement comes after the DeSUS staffing commission said there were some reservations regarding the candidacies of Aleksandra Pivec and Borut Stražišar for the post of the DeSUS president. The two intend to challenge DeSUS president and Defence Minister Karl Erjavec at the January congress.

Pahor endorses W Balkans in EU and creation of mini Schengen

NOVI SAD, Serbia - Slovenian President Borut Pahor attended a youth forum of the Western Balkans with his Serbian and North Macedonian counterparts, Aleksandar Vučić and Stevo Pendarovski, expressing support in his address to enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans. Pahor said he was a friend of the region, a "big advocate of a strong and integrated EU, its enlargement, first and foremost to the Western Balkan countries." He also The Slovenian president endorsed the efforts to establish a joint market with free flow of goods, services, capital and people between Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania, the so-called "mini Schengen" zone. Pahor also took advantage of the visit to Novi Sad to hold bilateral meetings with Pendarovski and Vučić.

Slovenia remembers defender of its northern border

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia observes Rudolf Maister Day today, remembering the general who established the first Slovenian army in modern history and secured what later became Slovenia's northern border. The holiday commemorates the day in 1918 when Maister (1874-1934) took control of Maribor. The main ceremony, held on the eve of the holiday in Murska Sobota, was addressed by parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan, who praised Maister's courage, patriotism and determination also in his address to MPs yesterday. He said that Rudolf Maister Day was a great opportunity "for us to ask ourselves how do we contribute to a better society on a daily basis and whether we are worthy of the great deeds of our ancestors".

Beanpole wins main award at Ljubljana Film Festival

LJUBLJANA - Beanpole, a Russian historical drama directed by Kantemir Balagov, was declared the best film of the 30th Ljubljana International Film Festival (LIFFe) as the awards were handed out. It was an unanimous decision by the international jury to confer the Kingfisher Prize on the story about a young woman returning with a child to Saint Petersburg after the Second World War. Last Year When the Train Passed By, a short by Taiwanese director Pang-Chuan Huang, was declared the best film in the respective category. The FIPRESCI award by a jury of the International Federation of Film Critics has been earned by Monos, a drama/thriller by Brazilian director Alejandro Landes. The Dragon audience's choice award went to Every Day a Good Day by Japan's Tatsushi Ohmori, about a Japanese student who learns about the tea ceremony.

Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on Slovenia, from newest to oldest, are here

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

If you're not in town for the week of this guide (25 November to 1 December, 2019) then you can see all the editions here, and if there's event or activity you want to promote in a future edition of What's on in Ljubljana please get in touch with me at flanner(at)total-slovenia-news.com or try and find me on Facebook, although bear in mind I'm moving house over the coming week and will be stressed, busy and possibly slow to respond. If you want something a little different and easy to print, then a comprehensive PDF of events for the next seven days, as prepared by Ljubljana Tourism, is here. If you're in town and want to follow the news then check out our regular morning headlines for Slovenia here.

Jump to listings

Perhaps the biggest event this week is the turning on of the lights on Friday, with the switch being flipped at 17:15 on Friday in Prešeren Square, where you’ll find the city’s Christmas Tree. A festive market is set to open 3 December, but some stalls are already popping up selling mulled wine, hot food, gifts and the like.

But for me the real start of the season is SILA’s annual bazaar, when the international community in Ljubljana comes together in the ballroom of the Grand Hotel Union with stalls selling food and other items from around the world, along with cultural performances, prize draws and more, this year in aid of diabetes charities. It’s free to enter on Sunday, 1 December, 10:00 to 16:00, and you can learn more about it here.

Continuing events are November Gourmet Ljubljana, CoFestival, the international festival of contemporary dance, and the LGBT Film Festival – click on the names to learn more.

Thursday Vida Vatovec (saxophone) and Annemarie Glavič (flute) will be playing at 19:30 in Križanke at a free to enter concert. The same evening, same time, but with tickets you need to buy there’s Hommage Á Mozart at Cankarjev dom, with Dmitri Smirnov, Mozart Variations; Dmitri Shostakovich, Violin Concerto No 1 in A minor, Op. 77; Valentin Silvestrov, The Messenger, for strings and piano; and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Symphony No 40 in G minor, K. 550. Tickets here.

Friday you can head to Kino Šiška and enjoy the sights and sounds of Lebanon Hanover, while at the same time the Castle will have a show by Rick Leon James. Also on the night is Noches de Tablao: Flamenco meets Persia at Ljubljana’s cosiest performance space, Pocket Theatre – details here.

Saturday 70s pop pianist and housewives’ favourite Richard Clayderman will be playing at Cankarjev dom. The blond bombshell Nancy Reagan once called the Romantic prince is on tour celebrating 40 years in the business. The same night Orto Bar has a show from Latex My Ass and Detroit Groove Gang.

New and recent movies include the following.

How much do tourists spend in Slovenia? Find out here

You may have heard about Free Tour Ljubljana, the tour company that’s #1 on TripAdvisor for the city and gives away its main product. What’s the deal with that? Find out here.

While the Old Town is quaint, and full of music, where does Ljubljana really shop? One popular answer is BTC City, a vast complex of malls, entertainment facilities and more, including more than 70 different food vendors, offering everything from Slovenian to Thai, Indian to Italian, Mexican to Chinese. Check out my recent visit here.

Looking for something different to eat? Trubajeva cesta, running right by Dragon Bridge, has the greatest concentration of "ethnic food" places in Ljubljana, and thus perhaps the country. Check out our walk through guide as of June 2019.

In warmer days than you'll see this week. Photo: JL Flanner

Ljubljana is forecast to be the fastest-warming city in the world over the next few decades.

You're in the town of Slavoj Žižek, but do you find yourself lost when conversation turns to the philosopher? If so, check out our collection of quotes and clips to learn more.

Screenshot from YouTube

Contents

• Cinemas and films
• Clubbing
• Live music
• Theatre and dance
• Harm reduction and drug testing
• Things to do with children
• LGBT+ Ljubljana
• Ljubljana Castle
• Museums and galleries
• Other things to do in Ljubljana
• Daytrips
• Getting around
• Emergencies

Cinemas and films

You can read about all the cinemas in town here, while a selection of what’s playing this week is below, and note that kids' movies tend to be shown in dubbed versions, while non-English language movies for older viewers will have Slovenian subtitles.Parents should also pay attention to Kinobalon, which is Kinodvor's regular weekend series of film screenings and events for children, from babies on up, with special parent/child events, "first time in a cinema" screenings, and babysitting. Learn more about it here, and see the current schedule here.

Note - most children's films will be dubbed (sinhronizirano) - for subtitles look for 'podnapisi'.

Kinodvor –This is an arts cinema, not far from the train station, that shows new features as well as hosting the occassional festival.

Kinoteka – And not far from Kinodvor you can find this revival cinema, which shows art house classics along with some deep dives in the archives.

Kino Bežigrad - A relatively small theatre, but one which usually has the biggest of the new releases.

Kolosej -The multiplex out at BTC City Mall shows all the big movies, with well over a dozen titles on the schedule, although note that there are far more movies than screens, so some of the older ones mayonly be playing once or twice a week.

Komuna – The cinema in a basement behind Nama department store shows two or three different features a week, usually including the biggest titles.

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Looking for a souvenir you'll really enjoy? Take a look at Broken Bones Gin, the first gin made in Ljubljana (learn more here, and try it at the Central Market or selected downtown bars).

Photo: Genius loci d.o.o.

Know that big triangular building behind the train station? Learn what's inside here.

Clubbing

Compared to some European capitals it can seem that nightlife in Ljubljana ends rather early, especially along the river, but there are still bars that stay open late and clubs were you can dance until dawn, and perhaps the best place to stumble across something interesting is the legendary Metelkova. Be aware it's a grungy kind of place and not for all tastes, but also that there's considerable variety to found within the various clubs there, from death metal to electropop, gay cabaret to art noise. You can read "the rules" of the place here. And if you're curious about how the place started then read our story, and look at some pictures, about last year's 25th anniversary.

Božidar - DJ events aren't too common here, but when they happen they often have a big name.

Channel Zero – DJs shows here include regular dub nights as well as electronic music.

Gala Hala – Another Metelkova venue, you can sometimes hear bhangra and Bollywood here, but more often funk, hip hop, breakbeat and so on.

Klub Cirkus – The more commercial end of clubland, and a venue that aims to serve the student party scene. Expect house, anthems, and bangers.

Klub K4 – The home of techno, old and new, along with various other electronic genres,

Koncertna Dvorana Rog– There are irregular DJ sets at this underground (not literally) venue at the far end of Trubarjeva cesta, and they range from techno to goa to drum'n'bass.

Orto Bar– 80s and 90s throwback nights can often be found here, along with rock-based DJ sets.

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Live music

Balassi Institute – Free Hungarian music, when available, from the Hungarian cultural institute just a short walk downriver from Dragon Bridge.

Cankerjev dom – The main arts venue in the country hosts classical, opera jazz, folk and occassinally pop.

Cvetličarna – Regional pop and rock concerts can be found here.

Channel Zero – This Metelkova venue sees live shows from punk and rock bands, as well as others.

Gala Hala – Another Metelkova venue with indie bands of various styles.

Kino Šiška – One of the top live venues in the city, with a varied programme that include indie, rock, pop, experimental, hip hop, and so on.

Klub Gromka – Live music is often metal, from sludge to stoner, death to thrash, while punk bands also appear, as do others.

Križanke – The venue that hosts the Ljubljana Festival often has classical music, and some rock, in the open air.

Orto Bar– The home of live rock, metal, punk and other guitar-based genres.

Pinelina dnevna soba – LIve music is rare here, but it does happen.

Slovenska filharmonija– Classical music in the centre of town.

SNG Opera and Ballet - As the name suggests, here you'll find the best of opera and ballet in the country.

Španski borci - While dance is more common here, they also have some contemporary and experimental music shows.

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Slovenska cesta, 1959. Wikimedia. See more pictures of Old Ljubljana here

Theatre and dance

Cankerjev dom- The main arts venue in the country always has something of interest going on.

Gledališče IGLU - IGLU Theatre – Saturday night this group is usually putting on an English improv show somewhere in town, but it’s generally promoted after this is written, so check the Facebook before putting on your shoes.

Kino Šiška – One of the top live venues in the city also hosts some dance performance, often of the more experimental variety.

Mini Teater Ljubljana –The English schedule of varied performances, for adults and children, for the month is here.

Ljubljana Puppet Theatre - Puppetry has a long and noble tradition in Slovenia, and you can see performances for children and adults (including non-puppet shows) drawing from the Theatre's rich repetoire as well as new productons.

SNG Opera and Ballet - As the name suggests, here you'll find the best of opera and ballet in the country.

Španski borci - The home ofcontemporary dance(and the EnKnapGroup) in Slovenia.

Pocket Teater Studio– There are regular flamenco evenings at perhaps the smallest venue town, but note that the number of seats is very limited, and thus you should make a reservation via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 070 325 522.

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Harm reduction and drug testing

Drogart is an organization that aims to minimise harm on the party scene, and offers drug-testing services and reports on their webpage. It’s in Slovene, but you can Google translate it or work things out yourself, and our story on the group is here.You can find the latest warnings on fake drugs and high strength pills and powders (in Slovene) here. However, be aware that all the usual drugs are illegal in Slovenia.CBD is legal, though, and our retailer of choice can be found on Trubarjeva cesta - read more about Sena Flora here.

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Photo: Igor Andjelič. See more of his work here

Things to do with children

You can find our Top 12 list of things to do with kids in Ljubljana here. If want to read more about the philosophy behind the wonderful House of Experiments look here, while our trip to the Museum of Illusions is documented here, and there’s always riverside walks, pizza and ice cream. With regard to the latter, take a look at our guide to six places that serve good ice cream in winter, and thus are serious about the dessert.

Mini Teater Ljubljana – The season sees a lot of puppet performances for children, in Slovene, at this theatre not far from Križanke. The English schedule for the month is here.

Ljubljana Puppet Theatre - The puppet theatre near the Central Market and next to the Castle funicular has a full programme or shows, for children and adults, with the schedule here.

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LGBT+ Ljubljana

If you're looking for more general links on "gay Slovenia", including a history of the scene and various projects, then you can find that here, while our stories about the community can be found here.

Klub Monokel – This lesbian bar in Metelkova is open every Friday, although sometimes there are other events

Klub Tiffany –And the gay bar next door is also open on Fridays. Other things coulds also be planned, so click on the name to find out.

Pritličje – This seems to be the only "always open" LGBT-friendly cafe / bar / events space in town, and perhaps the country, so it's a good thing it's such a good one, open from morning to night, and with fliers and posters letting you know what's happening outside the narrow confines of, say, a general interest online what's on... guide.

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Screenshot from Google Maps, showing the location of the Castle vineyard

Ljubljana Castle

The city’s main attraction is said to be the top tourist draw in the country overall, and to my mind it earns a spot near the top just for the history and views. But beyond that the current owners, the City of Ljubljana, have laid out a varied, interesting and enjoyable programme of events, one that rewards regular revisits. On until 17 November Mighty Guardians of the Past: Castles in the Slovenian Lands, a presentation that delivers on the promise of its title.

I try and get up there every Saturday morning to clear my head and move my feet on the trails, and never tire of that end of the hill. At the other end, where the Castle sits, there’s a lot more than fresh air on offer. There are guided tours, restaurants, a café, Castle museum, puppet museum, a Watchtower you can climb to the highest point in the city, art shows, dances, live music, movies under the stars, festival days and more – enough to reward multiple trips up the hill through the year. All of these activities and events can be found on the Castle website, while on TSN you can see “25 things to know about Ljubljana Castle” here, and “Ten Ways to Enjoy Ljubljana Castle” here.

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Museums and galleries

Most public galleries and museums are closed on Mondays, although not the National Museum.

Bežigrajska galerija 2 – Take a trip to Vodovodna cesta 3 and until 8 February 2020 you can see Lojze Spacal (1907–2000): From the Littoral and the Karst Region.

 Cankerjev dom – On until 3 March 2020 there's an exhibition on Ancient Greek Science and Technology. Details here.

Plečnik's desk. Photo: JL Flanner

Plečnik’s House is worth a visit if you want to learn more about the architect who gave Ljubljana much of its character, and it's also in a really nice part of town, Trnovo, just a short walk or cycle upriver. Read about our guided tour here. On until January 2020 you can see plans and models for some of the things Plečnik planned but never built in Ljubljana. Take a look at some pictures here.

Image: Nejc Bernik. ZRC-SAZU

Balassi Institute – The Hungarian culture centre is next to a Spar and Hofer, and not far from Dragon Bridge, and always has something interesting going on. Learn more here. This month there's also an exhibition with more works like the one shown below for a show described as follows: “The concept of the exhibition “Awkwardly Close” in Balassi Institute is exactly the self-conscious unease coming from artistic and content similarities between the works of Kata Bereczki, and the Slovenian artistic collective Son:DA."

City Gallery - From 28 November until 19 January 2020 there's a sculpture by Jiři Bezlaj.

Jiři Bezlaj, Hrošč, 2010 - 2016. Source: Mestna galerija

City Museum – The Museum in French Revolution Square an interesting permanent exhibition on the history of Ljubljana, from prehistoric times to the present day, with many artefacts, models and so on that bring the story alive.You can read about my visit here

The Faces of Ljubljana in the City Museum. Photo: JL Flanner

Drink like a pro - find gallery openings. Photo: JL Flanner

Ljubljana - (Un)known Ljubljana is on at the top of the hill, a free to enter National Geographic exhibition with photographs of some of the lesser seen parts of the city, with one example below and more here.

MAO – The Museum of Architecture and Design has much of what you'd expect, along with some temporary shows and a good cafe.

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. The 9th Triennial of Contemporary Art U3 is also on here until 12 January 2020. Titled Dead and Alive: “The exhibition unfolds around three contradictory states of now – the dead and alive state of conceptualism, analogue and liquid materiality, and the subconscious as the battlefield of cognitive capitalism. Because – how do art and avant-garde progress? By making sensible what is beyond. At the end of the day, Dead and Alive is a quantum time search for an engaged form.” More details here, on one of the works on show below.

© Aleksandra Vajd, Collage by K. E. Graebner Nature the Unknown Acquaintance (1971) and a unit of five hand-dyed photograms titled: ‘rivalry of superior vs. inferior’, 2017

Alan Ford was recently at the National Gallery - read more about this comic book here.

National Gallery – The country’s main gallery has “the best” of what’s on offer from the Middle Ages to non-contemporary modern visual arts, and is in a great location for exploring other areas, just by Tivoli Park and opposite the main branch of the Moderna galerija. You can read about our visit to the room containing sacred art from the Middle Ages here. Art for the Brave New World runs until 5 January 2020: “The exhibition will present the beginnings and development of an early government art collection in Slovenia, which, despite the economic and political crisis, was created in the 1930s by artistic and professional personalities gathered around Dr Marko Natlačen, the last ban of the Drava Banovina.”

JL Flanner

The real Robba Fountain can be found in the entrance to the National Gallery - the one you see in the Old Town is a genuine fake, as seen below and reported here.

Photo: JL Flanner

National Museum of Slovenia – There’s plenty to see in the permanent collection here, from Roman times, Egypt and more. Meanwhile, the museum's Metelkova branch, located between one branch of the Moderna galerija and the Ethnographic Museum has some rooms on Church art, furniture and weapons, with the latter including more guns than you'll see anywhere else in town, and quite a thrill if coming from a nation where such objects are not household items.  

A fragment of a Coptic textile; 5th–6th cent.:  Upper Egypt; linen, wool; National Museum of Slovenia. Photo: Tomaž Lauko

Until 24 May 2019 you can see Coptic Textiles from the Collection of the National Museum of Slovenia at the branch in the Metelkova museum quarter, by the Ethnographic Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Details.

Natural History Museum – On until the end of December 2019 is Our Little Big Sea, which takes a look at the oceans.

National Museum of Contemporary History - Tucked away in park Tivoli, you can see a permanent exhibition on Slovenians in the 20th century.

Slovene Ethnographic Museum – The museum has two permanent exhibitions. One of these is called Between Nature and Culture, and has a great collection of objects from Slovenia and around the world, well worth the trip up to the third floor to see it (as recounted here). 

Vžigalica Gallery – From 12 November to 1 December there's going to be a show from called SAEBORG: SLAUGHTER HOUSE 17 from the Japanese artist Saeborg which is being promoted with the following image. Details here.

SAEBORG: SLAUGHTER HOUSE 17. Photo: © DARKMOFO

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 conveniently located at the start of one of the short walks to the castle. It's also a great place to take pictures, if you leave a donation, and you can read more about it here.

Verba. Photo: JL Flanner

Alternative Ljubljana isn't a museum or gallery, as such, but instead turns the city streets into a museum and gallery. Learn more about their tours of street art, history and LGBT Ljubljana here.

Photo: JL Flanner

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Other things to do in Ljubljana

Learn more about Ljubljana with "25 things to know about Slovenia's green city of dragons", or take a look at our guide to spending from four to 48 hours here.

If you like the city's architecture then check out this great book, Let’s See the City - Ljubljana: Architectural Walks & Tours, with our review here and a page from the book shown above. We took a walk with one of the authors who showed us how much there is to learn and enjoy if you slow down and pay attention - read about that here.

Ljubljana has some beautiful buildings from the early 20^th century, in the Secessionist style, like the one below. Learn where to find them here.

Photo: Neža Loštrek

For something a little more brual, check out Republika trg / Republic Square, in the heart of the political quarter.

Photo: JL Flanner

Photo: JL Flanner

Some view of the city you can only get from the river. If you'd like to take a boat ride then read about my experience here. If you'd like to spend an evening painting with others, then take a look at Design with Wine, which organises painting parties on Trubarjeva cesta,

If you want to see some antiques, then check out the wonderful Antika Carniola, as discussed here. The man behind it, Jaka Prijatelj, has a fine eye for life on this street, as you can see on his Facebook account.

Photo: JL Flanner

If you’re in town and want to go jogging or walking in nature, why not take another look at the Castle, with a brief guide to the trails here. If you want something bigger, head to Tivoli Park.

And if you're bored with the Old Town, why not take a walk, cycle or boat ride to nearby Špica and enjoy the riverside life. Learn more about that here.

visitljubjana.si

Nataraja Studio

Want to stretch and breath? Then check out our list of drop-in yoga classes for tourists, visitors and the uncommitted. We go to Nataraja Studio, by Dragon Bridge, and here's a story about it.

Prefer to have someone else stretch you? The check out the totally legit massages you can get from Sense Wellness - either in one of their spas or in you home, office or hotel. (And - to repeat - these are legit and non-sexual in nature)

There are some golf courses near Ljubljana, but even ones further away are not far, as seen in our list of all the golf courses in Slovenia, which usually run until the first snow.

Photo: maxpixel.net, public domain

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Daytrips

Most of Slovenia is only a few hours from Ljubljana, and you can easily visit Lake Bled, Lipica Stud Farm, Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle, the coast and other locations, while if you'd like to take a photo of from that bench in Bled, then you can learn how to get there here. If you’re looking for something more ambitious, then check out our recent guide to the 17 members of the Association of Historical Towns of Slovenia. We've also written guides on spending from four to 48 hours in Bled and Piran.

Photo: Google Image Search

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Getting around

If you want to get a Ljubljana Tourist Card, which gives you travel on the city buses and entry to a lot of attractions, then you can read more about that here, and if you want to use the bike share system, as useful for visitors as it is for residents, then you can learn more by clicking this. Visitors with reduced mobility will be pleased to find that downtown Ljubljana is generally rated as good with regard to accessibility, and that there’s a free, city-sponsored app called Ljubljana by Wheelchair highlighting cafés, attractions and so on with ramps, disabled bathrooms and Eurokey facilities, which you can read about and download here. Manual wheelchair users can also borrow, for free, an attachment that will motorise their equipment, as reported here.

Screenshot from a Twitter video

If you’re driving into town and don’t know where to park, our guide to how to park in Ljubljana is here.

Emergencies

Ljubljana is a small and relatively safe city, but if need to contact the police then there’s a special number for foreigners, and that’s 113.

Photo: JL Flanner

There aren't many places to eat after midnight, and most of them are by the train station, as reported here.

Want / need cigarettes but the stores have closed? Here's an incomplete list of bars downtown that will satisfy your craving for the demon weed. While if you’re having trouble with the ATMs then here’s a guide to the Slovene you’ll see on screen. If you get a hangover then find out where to get paracetamol (and prescription drugs) in Ljubljana here, while details on emergency birth control can be found here.

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Asher & Lyric, a travel site that focuses on how to stay safe and healthy will abroad, has just released its LGBTQ+ Danger Index, which places Slovenia at #22 on a list of the 150 most-visited countries with regard to how welcome gay travellers may feel in the country.

The results, which see Sweden, Canada, Norway, Portugal and Belgium as the most gay-friendly nations in the world, were derived using eight factors: legalised same-sex marriage, worker protection, protections against discrimination, criminalization of hate crimes, adoption recognition, polling data, the legality of same-sex relationships and morality laws. While some of these issues do not affect travellers directly, they are used as they indicate the overall attitude of a country to equal rights and protections for all.

Turning the rankings upside down, and looking at the nations from the least to most gay-friendly, the five worst places in the world for LGBT+ travellers – those that would perhaps meet the approval of Janez Janša – are Nigeria, Qatar, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Tanzania, all of which threaten imprisonment or even death for homosexual acts.

The full report is full of interesting facts, such as 47 of the 70 countries where same-sex relationships are illegal were once part of the British Empire, and in almost all cases such laws were put into place under British rule. You can find more details, along with travel tips for LGBT+ travellers, here, while all our stories on related issues are here.

SILA, the international women’s club in Slovenia, is once again hosting its annual charity bazaar, this year taking place on Sunday, 1 December (2019). It’s an event that’s something to look forward to, one in which the international community in Slovenia takes centre stage to celebrate its diversity and start the festive season with a focus on charity, culture and cuisine.

Presdent Pahor at last year's bazaar. Photo: SILA

Photo: Neža Loštrek

Photo: SILA

Photo: SILA

As reported in a previous story, SILA (the Slovenian International Ladies Association), was originally established as a social group for the wives of diplomats and foreign businessmen stationed in the country. However, as times have changed so has the group, which is now open not only to any foreign woman living in Slovenia, but also Slovenes, a meeting point to share experiences, adventures and pleasures. As such the group organises a full and varied programme of social, educational, cultural and sporting events for its members, but the focus of the year is its free to enter annual bazaar, which takes place this Sunday, December 1, from 10:00 to 16:00 in the ballroom of the Grand Hotel Union.

Related: Why you should consider joining SILA if you’re a woman in Ljubljana or nearby

Photo: SILA

Photo: SILA

The bazaar is a lively, colourful and welcoming event, with around 40 countries from all the continents except Antartica, and for the first time stretching over two floors, with the food to be found on the second. Here you'll find stalls selling various items from each contry along food that’s often prepared by the related embassy chef, and thus of top quality and authenticity, all at very reasonable prices. The Celiac Association and Sladkorcki will also prepare food for visitors with celiac disease and diabetes, with the latter being one of the charitable foci of the day.

New this year is a Latin Corner, featuring Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Mexico, and Guatemala, an attraction offered under the initiative of the Brazilian Ambassador Renato Mosca. A room will be set aside for children’s activities, as organised by Minicity, while the cultural programme will include tango, Irish dance, Brazilian drummers, Thai dancers and more. There will also be an appearance by Zala Istenic, a Slovenian athlete who has Type 1 diabetes. She’s just 17 years old, was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 14 and holds a number of national records. She will talk about her condition and give advice and inspiration for a healthy, active life.

India... Photo: Neža Loštrek

Indonesia... Photo: Neža Loštrek

...and Iran, and that's just the I's. Photo: Neža Loštrek

While it's the celebration of the foreign community in Slovenia and the varied sights, sounds and flavours that will draw the crowds, the real focus of the bazaar is charity, with money raised by the prize draw and other means. This year the focus is on projects for children, while at the same time raising awareness of Type 1 diabetes. The aim is to support the purchase of one medical device for newborns that helps to diagnose neonatal osteopenia, scientific research on diabetes, one-year payment for five students from disadvantaged families to go to boarding school, a yearly meeting for families with diabetes, and a theoretical and practical workshop for children diagnosed with celiac disease. The events partners in this regard are the Department of Neonatology, Division of Paediatrics, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Department of Endocrinology, diabetes and metabolic disorders, Division of Paediatrics, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Botrstvo, Sladkorčki, Slovensko društvo za Celiakijo.

Photo: SILA

Photo: SILA

Photo: SILA

In short, as I hope these pictures illustrate, SILA’s annual bazaar is a fantastic way to start the festive month, with food, music, colour, an international spirit and the opportunity to give back to, and be part of, the wider community in Slovenia, while celebrating differences and enjoying each other’s cultures. A highly recommended event, from 10:00 to 16:00 Sunday December 1, in the ballroom of the Grand Hotel Union (the entrance on Nazorjeva Ulica, next to the Atelje restaurant and Hood Burger).

STA, 23 November 2019 - Slovenia observes Rudolf Maister Day on Saturday, remembering the general who established the first Slovenian army in modern history and secured what later became Slovenia's northern border. The holiday commemorates the day in 1918 when Maister (1874-1934) took control of Maribor.

Several events commemorating Maister were held this week. The main ceremony, on the eve of the holiday in Murska Sobota, was addressed by parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan.

Židan praised Maister's courage, patriotism and determination also in his address to MPs yesterday. He said that Rudolf Maister Day was a great opportunity "for us to ask ourselves how do we contribute to a better society on a daily basis and whether we are worthy of the great deeds of our ancestors".

He added that Maister and his fighters could serve as an inspiration particularly to "us, current decision-makers" to be "bold enough to join forces in our efforts for a better future".

Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar noted in his message marking the holiday that Maister had not hesitated for a minute before taking his army into battle for "our northern border".

After laying a wreath at the monument to Maister in front of the Defence Ministry building on Friday, Defence Minister Karl Erjavec said Maister, a superb army commander, had felt at the end of the First World War that a historic moment is coming.

"It was a time, when we were able to take advantage of the first opportunity to get to independent Slovenia. It was a dream of many generations, many have given their lives for this goal. This is why is consider General Maister's actions as the first step towards our country," he stressed.

Today, President Borut Pahor will welcome visitors at the Presidential Palace, and the honorary guard of the Slovenian Armed Forces will be lined up in front of the building.

In Maribor and Kamnik, where Maister was born, memorial plaques will be unveiled, honouring the ardent Slovenian patriot.

Following the break-up of the Austro-Hungarian empire, Major Maister prevented Maribor and the Podravje area from being made part of German Austria, the country created after WWI comprising areas of the former empire with a predominantly German-speaking population.

On 30 October 1918, the German city council declared Maribor and its surroundings part of German Austria, which Maister found unacceptable.

He set up a Slovenian army of 4,000 soldiers, disarmed the German Schutzwehr security service, and disbanded the militia of the German city council.

The general then occupied Slovenian ethnic territory, establishing the northern border between Austria and Yugoslavia that was later ratified by the Saint Germain Peace Treaty. The same border still runs between Slovenia and Austria today.

Maister is buried at Maribor's Pobrežje Cemetery, where he has a modest grave.

23 November has been observed as a public holiday since 2005, although not as a bank holiday.

All our stories on Slovenian history are here

The covers and editorials from leading weeklies of the Left and Right for the work-week ending Friday, 23 November

Mladina: Slovenia’s weakness at applying for EU funds

STA, 22 November 2019 - The left-wing weekly Mladina criticises Slovenian ministries for doing a poor job of preparing projects eligible for EU funds. The only exception seems to be the Justice Ministry, which has led to a situation in which Slovenia will be building a massive EUR 68 million prison, but not much-needed retirement homes and not-for-profit flats.

The prison project has been in the works since the term of former Justice Minister Lovro Šturm (2004-2008), Mladina editor-in-chief Gregor Repovž notes, adding that experts have said it resembled a prison serving medieval inquisition.

But surprisingly, the project was continued by Šturm's successor Aleš Zalar, who had said that the situation in Slovenian prisons was so poor that the country was paying compensation to prisoners. And then Justice Minister Goran Klemenčič stated the most important reason: Slovenia could get EU funds for the project.

When the next EU financial perspective is being negotiated countries pitch their plans and Brussels approved for Slovenia EUR 50 million for prisons in Slovenia in this perspective.

So the Justice Ministry made a simple calculation: the EU funds can cover up to 75% of the investment, thus Slovenia will be building a EUR 68 million prison. The project and its price are not based on actual needs but on the amount of EU funds available.

"And the most absurd thing? If this project goes through, Slovenia will once again be good at drawing of EU funds and the Justice Ministry (and the Prison Administration) will be the golden birdie."

Slovenia could also be drawing EU funds for much-needed retirement homes, but not a single retirement home has been built in the country for 15 years. "Simply because the Social Affairs Ministry has not stepped up in the recent years."

"The same could be said for the Infrastructure Ministry, which has failed for the past 20 years to become more active in building public flats, creating a crisis for 20 people who are unable to buy their own flat."

This shows it is very important what sort of a person heads a ministry. "Because the Justice Ministry has had two strong ministers in recent years, we will be building a disproportionately big prison, but not retirement homes and flats."

Demokracija: Deep state should be voted out of office

STA, 21 November 2019 - The right-wing weekly Demokracija calls on "the good people" in Thursday's editorial to go to the polls in the next election to vote out of office "the bad guys" who are in power in Slovenia, which it says is ruled by the deep state.

The magazine gives several examples, including Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković's being untouchable for courts because he has "a membership card of the mafia deep state".

To join "this elite of first-class citizens", it takes publicly displaying hatred to opposition Democrat (SDS) leader Janez Janša, editor-in-chief Jože Biščak says.

But it is not enough to hate Janša, he and his SDS must also be excluded from public life, which Prime Minister Marjan Šarec did by not inviting him to a recent session of the National Security Council, says Biščak.

The leader of the largest opposition party was not invited to the session nor was he informed about it, which Biščak says amounts to a coupe d'etat with which the largest opposition party was excluded from parliamentary democracy.

Biščak sees similar "stiffness" at the Constitutional Court, which has recently prevented a hearing in parliament in which prosecutor Niko Pušnik could reveal "the mafia workings of the deep state" by explaining how State Prosecutor General Drago Šketa exerted pressure on him in a case related to former Maribor Mayor Franc Kangler.

"If the Government Palace has turned into a swamp under Šarec, then the Constitutional Court under its president Rajko Knez and the State Prosecution under Šketa and Zvonko Fišer are turning into a sewage system populated by rats. And these will never allow their comrades to be found guilty, giving each other immunity."

Biščak thus urges people to "clean Augeas' stables, to topple the bad boys ... so that a bad and corrupt government voted into office by the good people who do not go to the polls happens never again".

He says in the editorial Mafia Sends Cheques by Mail this is the only way "to give justice a chance and for mafia cheques to be no longer delivered by couriers."

All our posts in this series are here

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here

This summary is provided by the STA:

Budgets for 2020, 2021 confirmed as govt passes major test

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly voted 49:41 last night to pass the budget acts for 2020 and 2021, in what was the first major vote for the minority government and an important test of the coalition's strength. The populist National Party (SNS) and both minority MPs provided the missing votes. The vote was on the agenda just weeks after the opposition Left walked away from an agreement that provided the government with a parliamentary majority, raising the possibility the budget bills would not be passed in time. The group representing local communities in the upper chamber of parliament said it would decide on Monday whether to propose to the National Council to veto the budgets over what it considers too low funds for municipalities. PM Marjan Šarec said he did expect a veto.

Welfare bonus for low-income earners and volunteers stays

LJUBLJANA - A special social benefit for those on welfare who are low-income earners or do voluntary work will continue to be paid out, as the National Assembly failed to override the upper chamber veto of a government proposal scraping the bonus early on Friday. The motion, which had divided the public and had been rejected by the National Council at the initiative of employer representatives with the argument it hurt vulnerable workers, got 39 votes against 20, well short of the 46 needed. The coalition itself was divided on the scrapping of the EUR 50-200 monthly bonus that the Labour Ministry claims has a destimulating effect.

Veto on rise in minimum student wage overturned

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly unanimously confirmed the minimum hourly rate for student work from EUR 4.13 to EUR 4.56 net, thus overturning a veto imposed by the National Council last month. The upper chamber opposed the rise, initiated by the opposition Left, because it had not been agreed with social partners on the Economic and Social Council, the country's main industrial relations forum. The councillors argued the rise would make student work too costly and would not only reduce the scope of such work but end it altogether. They said the impact of the rise should have been assessed first before making any such move.

VAT rate for books reduced to 5%

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed changes to the VAT act lowering the VAT rate for books and other publications from 9.5% to 5% as of 2020. The goal is to make quality texts more accessible to readers. Finance Ministry State Secretary Natalija Kovač Jereb said during the debate on Thursday it would be better to take such decisions after the EU reform of the VAT, but the government nevertheless did not oppose them. She noted the measure would reduce budget revenue by EUR 8 million annually. The planned lower VAT rate for e-publications will cut the annual revenue by another EUR 400,000.

Slovenia and Turkey hope for trade to top EUR 1bn

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The Slovenian-Turkish intergovernmental commission urged closer economic cooperation to further increase bilateral trade as it met for a session in Slovenia. The two countries expect their merchandise trade to top one billion euro if the current positive trends continue. Foreign Minister Miro Cerar and Turkish Minister for Youth and Sport Mehmet Muharrem Kasapoglu, who chaired the session, agreed it was a good opportunity to enhance the existing cooperation and plan cooperation in new fields, the Foreign Ministry said in a release. On the sidelines of the commission's session, Kasapoglu and Slovenian Minister of Education, Science and Sport Jernej Pikalo signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in sport. An action plan on cooperation in agriculture, rural development and forestry for 2019-2021 was also signed.

Insurer Sava ups profit by a third in Jan-Sep

LJUBLJANA - Insurance group Sava reported a net profit of EUR 37.7 million for the first nine months of the year, a 29.3% year-on-year increase driven by high premium growth and improved cost-efficiency. Operating revenue was up 8.7% to EUR 427.5 million. The group wrote EUR 471.1 million in non-life premiums, up 9.5% year on year, mostly on account of 10.9% growth in gross premiums written in the non-life insurance business in Slovenia and 20.3% growth in the non-life insurance business outside Slovenia. More moderate growth figures were recorded for the reinsurance business (3.6%), life insurance outside Slovenia (7.4%) and life insurance in Slovenia (0.4%).

Boris Šuligoj of Delo wins lifetime award for journalists

LJUBLJANA - The Association of Slovenian Journalists (DNS) honoured top journalistic achievements, with Delo's veteran commentator Boris Šuligoj receiving the award for a lifetime contribution to the development of Slovenian journalism. "For him, journalism is not a profession. He has lived for journalism for more than 40 years," the award jury said as the awards ceremony in Ljubljana wrapped up Naprej/Forward!, the 8th annual media festival organised by the DNS. In a statement for the STA, Šuligoj called for reflection about the difficulties and future of journalism in Slovenia, noting journalists in the print media were particularly in great trouble.

Tax-Fin-Lex panel hears fraud in business a systemic problem

LJUBLJANA - Fraud in business was emphasises as a systemic problem in Slovenia as the legal and tax information provider Tax-Fin-Lex hosted a round-table debate. The participants agreed that awareness-raising and a mindset change were a must in order to prevent this problem, which has a wide range of causes. The panellists also pointed to problems with public procurement, too complicated regulations, auditors and courts being overburdened with dealing with white-collar crime. Yuri Sidorovich, the managing partner and forensic leader for Deloitte's Adriatic region, said Slovenia had a huge problem with fraud and white-collar crime.

Parliament amends public procurement legislation

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed amendments to provide effective legal remedy against infringements in public contracting procedures, speed up procedures and improve the independence of the National Review Commission. The amendments make it possible to challenge decisions taken by the National Review Commission at the Administrative Court, and introduce priority handling of projects valued at more than EUR 10 million. It will be possible to submit a lawsuit against the National Review Commission's decision to the Administrative Court within 30 days after the decision is served.

Lower house overrides veto on bail-in recourse bill

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly overrode the upper chamber's veto against a bill that will allow the holders of subordinated bank liabilities wiped out in the 2013 bank bailout to sue for damages. However, the law will not be implemented just yet as the central bank is planning to challenge it at the Constitutional Court. The government-sponsored bill, passed in a 47:41 vote on Friday, provides legal recourse for up to 100,000 individuals, both shareholders and holders of junior bonds erased in 2013. Potential damages could run from zero to EUR 963 million, which was the amount of qualified liabilities erased at nationalised banks in 2013 and 2014, plus related amounts.

Slovenian Voyager engineer dies

LJUBLJANA - Anton Mavretič, a Slovenian-born scientist who worked on a key instrument that continues to travel through space aboard the Voyager space probes, has died aged 84, the Slovenian World Congress said. As a NASA contractor, Mavretič developed the electronics for the plasma spectrometer. Considered one of the most important instruments humans have ever sent into space, the plasma spectrometer has provided crucial insights into deep space and continues to operate on the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 space probes, which were launched in 1977 and are now in interstellar space.

Constitutional Court judge again the most respected jurist

LJUBLJANA - Klemen Jaklič, a Constitutional Court judge best known for scathing dissenting opinions, was named the most respected jurist in Slovenia by the users of Tax-Fin-Lex, Slovenia's biggest portal for legal and financial information. The 44-year-old judge, whose nine-year term started in March 2017, won the recognition for the third year running by securing almost 90% of the online vote. Constitutional law expert Andraž Teršek and Supreme Court judge Erik Kerševan were also shortlisted for the accolade.

Slovenian trains to get wireless internet by year's end

LJUBLJANA - National railway operator Slovenske Železnice announced that wireless internet access would be enabled in a total of 29 of its Siemens Desiro and Pendolino trains by the end of November, and in another three by the end of the year. Signals from the telcos Telekom Slovenije and A1 Slovenija will be used to ensure the best possible coverage and connection speed. The process of upgrading the company's services with wireless internet will continue next year, when Slovenske Železnice is expected to introduce new passenger trains manufactured by Swiss company Stadler Rail.

Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on Slovenia, from newest to oldest, are here

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here