News
Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also ollow 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
Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on Slovenia, from newest to oldest, are here
This summary is provided by the STA:
Slovenia and Italy to launch mixed border patrols on 1 July
ROME, Italy - Slovenia and Italy will launch mixed border patrols on 1 July, Foreign Ministry confirmed a day after Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini made the announcement. The implementation agreement is to be signed in the coming week. The ministry did not say who would sign the agreement, however, Prime Minister Marjan Šarec is due in the Vatican on Thursday.
Ulissi wins Tour of Slovenia
NOVO MESTO - Italian Diego Ulissi (UAE Emirates) won the 26th Tour of Slovenia. Second place overall went to Italian Giovanni Visconti (Neri Sottoli-Selle Italia-KTM), third to Russian Aleksandr Vlasov (Gazprom-RusVelo), while Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates) in place four was the best Slovenian at the five-day race. The final stage was won by Italian Giacomo Nizzolo (Dimension Data), Slovenian Luka Mezgec (Mitchelton-Scott) was second and Shane Archbold (Bora-Hansgrohe) of New Zealand was third.
Industrial output up by nearly 10% last year
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia-based industrial companies generated EUR 26 billion in revenue last year, 9.4% more than in 2017, data from the Statistics Office show. The office noted however that about 2-3 percentage points should be attributed to the inclusion of additional industries in the index, among them wood processing, metallurgy and machine repairs. Companies making cars and trailers have been at the forefront in the recent years as well as in 2018, when they accounted for nearly 15% of total industrial revenue, followed by production of electric devices (11%) and metallurgy (10%).
Slovenia registers negative birth-to-death rate for second consecutive year in 2018
LJUBLJANA - After years of natural increase in population, Slovenia has seen a natural decrease in population for the second consecutive year in 2018, as the number of births dropped to below 20,000 a year for the first time in a decade. Data from the Statistics Office show that 19,585 people were born in Slovenia last year and 20,485 died. The number of deaths was 0.1% lower than in 2017, while the number of births dropped by 3.2%. Life expectancy for girls born in 2018 is at 84 years and for boys at 78.3 years.
If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here
STA, 23 June 2019 - Italian Diego Ulissi of UAE Emirates team won the 26th Tour of Slovenia on Sunday. He defended the green jersey despite not having won the final, 170-kilometre stage of the tour, which went to his compatriot Giacomo Nizzolo (Dimension Data).
Slovenian Luka Mezgec (Mitchelton-Scott) was second to cross the finish line in Novo Mesto and Shane Archbold (Bora-Hansgrohe) of New Zealand was third.
Ulissi claimed the green jersey on Friday and had no problems defending it yesterday, when he finished second, nor today. This is his second victory of Tour of Slovenia, having bagged the first title in 2011.
Ulissi said he was very happy to win Tour of Slovenia because he only came here to train after having won the Gran Premio di Lugano a week earlier. "But then, suddenly, there was an opportunity to win the race and I took it."
"The final stage was very hard. rain at the beginning and then the attack by Gazprom, it was really hard for me. I think we risked too much on the final descend, but luckily, it all worked out," said Ulissi.
Second place overall went to Italian Giovanni Visconti (Neri Sottoli-Selle Italia-KTM), third to Russian Aleksandr Vlasov (Gazprom-RusVelo) and fourth to Slovenian Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates), who won the white jersey conferred to the best young rider of the race.
Stage 5 results 1 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita/Dimension Data) 4:01:55 2 Luka Mezgec (Slo/Michelton-Scott) 3 Shane Archbold (Nzl/Bora-Hansgrohe) 4 Andrea Vendrame (Ita/Androni) 5 Davide Cimolai (Ita/Israel Cycling Academy) 6 Vincenzo Albanese (Ita/Bardiani) 7 Umberto Marengo (Ita/Neri Sottoli) 8 Tadej Pogačar (Slo/Team Emirates) 9 Simone Velasco (Ita/ Neri Sottoli) 10 Giovanni Visconti (Ita/Neri Sottoli) all same time ... 22 Domen Novak (Slo/Bahrain-Merida) + 0:12 23 Jan Polanc (Slo/Team Emirates) 0:19 29 Matej Drinovec (Slo/Slovenia) 2:23 32 Grega Bole (Slo/Bahrain-Merida) same time ... Overall 1 Diego Ulissi (Ita/UAE Emirates) 15:39:28 2 Giovanni Visconti (Ita/Neri Sottoli) + 0:22 3 Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus/Gazprom) 0:25 4 Tadej Pogačar (Ita/UAE Emirates) 0:30 5 Andrea Vendrame (Ita/Androni) 1:04 6 Esteban Chaves (Col/Mitchelton-Scott) 1:08 7 Fausto Masnada (Ita/Androni) 1:21 8 Ben Hermans (Bel/Israel Cycling Academy) 2:21 9 Jan Polanc (Slo/UAE Emirates) 3:17 10 Lorenzo Rota (Ita/Bardiani) 4:49 ... 13 Grega Bole (Slo/Bahrain-Merida) 8:03 24 Domen Novak (Slo/Bahrain-Merida) 16:36 28 Kristjan Hočevar (Slo/Team Slovenia) 19:31 29 Luka Mezgec (Slo/Mitchelton-Scott) 20:44
It has been declared that the mother bear with two cubs who on Saturday morning attacked an 80-year-old woman outside her home in Vrh nad Želimljami, a village about 15 kilometres south of Ljubljana, will be shot. The culling decree stays valid till next Sunday, while people from the Škofljica area have been asked to stay inside, especially in the early morning and evening hours.
This wasn't the bear's first attack on a human in the area. Last Sunday the bear charged at a jogger who managed to run away after startling her by firing a blank from a gun.
Video of the bear running across the neighbour's playground on the morning before the attack. The video was filmed by the woman’s neighbour, the former environmental minister, Jure Leben
The attack occurred amid the farmers’ protests due to large predator attacks on their sheep, prompting the National Assembly’s confirmation of an intervention law aimed at the growing populations of brown bear and wolf in the country. According to the law, 200 bears and 11 wolves are to be culled this year. Such interventions have been so far declared by a decree but have not been carried out due to a judicial delay.
STA, 22 June 2019 - An 80-year-old woman suffered moderate injuries when a female bear with cubs attacked her near her home in Vrh nad Želimljami, a village about 15 kilometres south of Ljubljana, early on Saturday morning, police said.
The woman was taken to the University Medical Centre in Ljubljana. She suffered only light injuries from the attack and was not bitten, but she fractured her hip when she fell to the ground, according to news portal 24ur.
Mitja Spindler, the head of the Škofljica Hunting Club, told 24ur that two elderly locals had heard what they thought were cries for help in the early morning hours and went outside.
When the woman entered the back yard, the bear came running towards her, knocked her over and started pouncing. The animal was scared away by the woman's husband when he started to scream for help.
According to Spindler, the animal had recently tried to attack a jogger in a nearby forest but he had a blank pistol on him and scared the animal away.
The authorities have activated a special Slovenia Forest Service task force trained to take out dangerous bears. The animal will be culled.
If her cubs are under a year old, they will be culled as well because they cannot survive alone. If they are older, they will be spared, according to Spindler.
The attack comes in the midst of heated debates about Slovenia's growing bear population, which is located mostly in the south-west of the country, although individual bears have been sighted on the outskirts of Ljubljana as well.
Just this week the National Assembly passed an emergency law to cull 200 bears and 11 wolves, its original culling decree having been successfully challenged by environmentalists in court.
The passage of the law was prompted by the increasingly frequent attack on livestock, which has triggered several protests by farmers.
Animal researchers support the cull as well, arguing that the population, now estimated to number 1000 animals, is too big for its own good, as frequent attacks risked undermining public acceptance of the species.
Attacks remain rare, however. One to two are recorded each year, and even then people mostly sustain moderate injuries. The last fatal case was recorded several decades ago.
Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also ollow 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
Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on Slovenia, from newest to oldest, are here
This summary is provided by the STA:
Spouse apprehended in Maribor judge attack
MARIBOR - Police investigating an attack on a Maribor District Court judge apprehended the judge's spouse following a late-night search of the couple's house, Večer reported. A police spokesman confirmed that a suspect had been apprehended after a house search but refused to disclose his identity or whether he is the only suspect.
Woman suffers moderate injuries in bear attack
LJUBLJANA - An 80-year-old woman suffered moderate injuries when a female bear with cubs attacked her near her home in Vrh nad Želimljami, a village about 15 kilometres south of Ljubljana, in the early morning hours. The woman was taken to the University Medical Centre in Ljubljana. She suffered only light injuries from the attack and was not bitten, but she fractured her hip when she fell to the ground. The bear will be shot.
Ljubljana dons rainbow colours for pride parade
LJUBLJANA - The annual pride parade took to the streets of Ljubljana, the culmination of a two-week festival campaigning against the culture of hate that has become pervasive in society. This year's slogan was Unavoidably Intertwined, with the organisers trying to raise awareness about the pervasiveness of hatred, and about negative and stereotypical portrayal of marginalised groups.
Slovenian tech companies exploring opportunities in Israel
TEL AVIV, Israel - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Dobran Božič wrapped up a three-day visit to Israel on Friday accompanied by a business delegation featuring the representatives of 13 Slovenian start-ups. The focus was on forging ties with the Israeli start-up ecosystem. The main event of the visit was an Israeli-Slovenian business forum at the Peres Centre for Peace and Innovation.
Weiler Abrasives posts lower sales, profit
MARIBOR - Weiler Abrasives, the maker of abrasives until recently known as SwatyComet, saw sales decline by 2% last year to EUR 81 million. Net profit, at EUR 2.9 million, dropped by nearly half. The company expects sales and profit to decline further this year. Former director Matjaž Merkan, who left the company in March, said in autumn that increasing the sale of products with high value added was more important than headline sales.
Tour of Slovenia: Ulissi defends green jersey
AJDOVŠČINA - Race leader Diego Ulissi of Italy (UAE Emirates) defended the green jersey at the Tour of Slovenia nd is on track to being declared the overall winner as the race wraps up on Sunday. Another Italian, Giovanni Visconti (Neri Sottoli) won Saturday's hilly 154-kilometre stage from Nova Gorica to Ajdovščina in the final sprint.
If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here
STA, 22 June 2019 - Police investigating an attack on a Maribor District Court judge have apprehended the judge's spouse following a late-night search of the couple's house, Večer reported on Saturday.
The Maribor-based paper says it has unofficial information the man was apprehended in connection with the brutal attack that almost killed his spouse Daniela Ružić judge and is treated by police as attempted murder.
A police spokesman confirmed Sunday that a suspect had been apprehended but refused to disclose his identity or whether he is the only suspect.
"We searched the suspect's house and two vehicles yesterday looking for evidence or traces associated with the crime. We apprehended a suspect and police procedures continue today," Maribor Police District director Bojan Kitl told the press.
Ružić, a judge at the corporate crime department of the Maribor District Court, was badly beaten in front of her home last Sunday, in the small hours of the morning.
She was admitted to hospital in critical conditions but is apparently stable now.
The attack drew strong condemnation from her peers and from politicians, since it was believed it may have been connected with her work.
Kitl said that several possible avenues were being investigated "in relation with the judge's personal life and in connection with her work."
STA, 22 June 2019 - Race leader Diego Ulissi of Italy (UAE Emirates) defended the green jersey at the Tour of Slovenia on Saturday and is on track to being declared the overall winner as the race wraps up on Sunday.
Another Italian, Giovanni Visconti (Neri Sottoli) won Saturday's hilly 154-kilometre stage from Nova Gorica to Ajdovščina in the final spring.
But Ulissi finished in the leading group together with his Slovenian teammate Tadej Pogačar and Russian rider Alexandr Vlasov (Gazprom-Rusvelo).
The race concludes on Sunday with a mostly flat 167-kilometre stage from Trebnje to Novo Mesto that is unlikely to provide much opportunity for changes at the top.
* Results of the 4th stage:
1. G. VISCONTI ITA 4:00:53 2. D. ULISSI ITA same 3. T. POGAČAR SLO time 4. A. VLASOV RUS 5. A. VENDRAME ITA +0:32 6. E. CHAVES COL same time 7. F. MASNADA ITA 0:33 8. B. HERMANS BEL 1:38 9. C. MEYER AUT 2:22 10. L. ROTA ITA 2:22
* Overall results after the 4th stage:
1. D. ULISSI ITA 15:39:28 2. G. VISCONTI ITA +0:22 3. A. VLASOV RUS 0:25 4. T. POGAČAR SLO 0:30 5. A. VENDRAME ITA 1:04 6. E. CHAVES COL 1:08 7. F. MASNADA ITA 1:15 8. B. HERMANS BEL 2:13 9. J. POLANC SLO 2:58 10. R. ROGINA CRO 4:49
Keep up with the daily news in Slovenia by checking the morning headlines here
MONDAY, 24 June
LJUBLJANA - A national ceremony will be held on the eve of Statehood Day, while Prime Minister Marjan Šarec will address Slovenian troops serving in missions abroad via video call.
LJUBLJANA - European Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc will formally hand over a EUR 109 grant awarded to the Divača-Koper rail upgrade.
TUESDAY, 25 June
LJUBLJANA - Statehood Day, a public holiday. President Borut Pahor will host an open day at the Presidential Palace.
LJUBLJANA - The start of an international symposium in the framework of Dragon 4, an initiative bringing together the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and National Remote Sensing Center of China; until 28 June.
WEDNESDAY, 26 June
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Defence Minister Karl Erjavec will attend a session of NATO defence ministers; until 27 June.
LJUBLJANA - Swedish Parliamentary Speaker Andreas Norlen will pay an official visit.
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Constitutional Commission will debate a motion to simplify the appointment of ministers by changing the Constitution.
LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Environment Minister Simon Zajc will attend a session of the EU's Environment Council.
THURSDAY, 27 June
VATICAN CITY, Vatican - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec will visit the Holy See for a meeting with Pope Francis.
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor will host a debate on Slovenia's long-term climate change strategy.
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Home Policy Committee will debate amendments to the police act.
LJUBLJANA - Weekly government session.
FRIDAY, 28 June
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Finance Committee will debate the bill on recourse for holders of subordinated bank debt who were wiped out in the 2013 bailout.
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Commission for the Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services will talk to former foreign ministers Samuel Žbogar and Karl Erjavec over an eavesdropping scandal that tainted the Slovenia-Croatia border arbitration procedure.
LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office will release general government debt and deficit figures for the first quarter of the year and the inflation rate for June.
SATURDAY, 29 June
ČRNA NA KOROŠKEM - The traditional political gathering at the Najevnik Linden Tree, the largest tree in Slovenia, will feature an address by Prime Minister Marjan Šarec.
MARIBOR - Maribor will host its first ever Pride Parade.
SUNDAY, 30 June
No major events scheduled.
If you're not in town for the week of this guide (24 to 30 June, 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.
Tuesday, June 25 is Statehood Day, and this a national holiday - this means supermarkets and many stores will be closed, so stock up on on Monday
As ever, links to the basic listings are after the following selection, while a comprehensive PDF of events for the next seven days, as prepared by Ljubljana Tourism, is here.
In town and want to follow the news? Check out our regular morning headlines for Slovenia here.
The Summer in Ljubljana Old Town and goes on until 28 August. This presents classical concerts, many of which are free, in the churches, inner courtyards and squares in the old city centre. The programme is here.
Monday, June 24, the market that host Open Kitchen every Friday has the Idea Italia food market, with a rich choice of fresh delicacies straight from Italy.
Starting Wednesday and running until 1 September is the Mini Theatre’s season for children and young people, with details here.
Friday to Sunday you can travel to the suburbs to enjoy the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup at Tacen Kayak Canoe Centre, with details here.
Saturday Mark Knopfler will be playing at Stožice Sports Park Arena at 20:00. Tickets can be bought here.
Volčji Potok Arboretum (Volčji Potok 3) has a rose garden in bloom until 31 August, nature permitting.
If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here
While the Old Town is quaint, and full of music, where does Ljubljana really shop? One popular answer is BTC City, a vast complex of malls, entertainment facilities and more, including more than 70 different food vendors, offering everything from Slovenian to Thai, Indian to Italian, Mexican to Chinese. Check out my recent visit here.
- Cinemas and films
- Clubbing
- Live music
- Theatre and dance
- Harm reduction and drug testing
- Things to do with children
- LGBT+ Ljubljana
- Ljubljana Castle
- Museums and galleries
- Other things to do in Ljubljana
- Daytrips
- Getting around & miscellaneous
Cinemas and films
You can read about all the cinemas in town here, while a selection of what’s playing this week is below, and note that kids' movies tend to be shown in dubbed versions, while non-English language movies for older viewers will have Slovenian subtitles.Parents should also pay attention to Kinobalon, which is Kinodvor's regular weekend series of film screenings and events for children, from babies on up, with special parent/child events, "first time in a cinema" screenings, and babysitting. Learn more about it here, and see the current schedule here.
Kinodvor –This is an arts cinema, not far from the train station, that shows new features as well as hosting the occassional festival, and this week, starting the 13th, it's the Let it Roll festival of music documentaries.
Kinoteka – And not far from Kinodvor you can find this revival cinema, which shows art house classics along with some deep dives in the archives.
Kino Bežigrad - A relatively small theatre, but one which usually has the biggest of the new releases.
Kolosej -The multiplex out at BTC City Mall shows all the big movies, with well over a dozen titles on the schedule, although note that there are far more movies than screens, so some of the older ones mayonly be playing once or twice a week.
Komuna – The cinema in a basement behind Nama department store shows two or three different features a week, usually including the biggest titles.
Clubbing
Compared to some European capitals it can seem that nightlife in Ljubljana ends rather early, especially along the river, but there are still bars that stay open late and clubs were you can dance until dawn, and perhaps the best place to stumble across something interesting is the legendary Metelkova. Be aware it's a grungy kind of place and not for all tastes, but also that there's considerable variety to found within the various clubs there, from death metal to electropop, gay cabaret to art noise. You can read "the rules" of the place here. And if you're curious about how the place started then read our story, and look at some pictures, about last year's 25th anniversary.
Božidar - DJ events aren't too common here, but when they happen they often have a big name.
Channel Zero – DJs shows here include regular dub nights as well as electronic music.
Gala Hala – Another Metelkova venue, you can sometimes hear bhangra and Bollywood here, but more often funk, hip hop, breakbeat and so on.
Klub Cirkus – The more commercial end of clubland, and a venue that aims to serve the student party scene. Expect house, anthems, and bangers.
Klub K4 – The home of techno, old and new, along with various other electronic genres,
Koncertna Dvorana Rog– There are irregular DJ sets at this underground (not literally) venue at the far end of Trubarjeva cesta, and they range from techno to goa to drum'n'bass.
Orto Bar– 80s and 90s throwback nights can often be found here, along with rock-based DJ sets.
Live music
Balassi Institute – Free Hungarian music, when available, from the Hungarian cultural institute just a short walk downriver from Dragon Bridge.
Cankerjev dom – The main arts venue in the country hosts classical, opera jazz, folk and occassinally pop.
Cvetličarna – Regional pop and rock concerts can be found here.
Channel Zero – This Metelkova venue sees live shows from punk and rock bands, as well as others.
Gala Hala – Another Metelkova venue with indie bands of various styles.
Kino Šiška – One of the top live venues in the city, with a varied programme that include indie, rock, pop, experimental, hip hop, and so on.
Klub Gromka – Live music is often metal, from sludge to stoner, death to thrash, while punk bands also appear, as do others.
Križanke – The venue that hosts the Ljubljana Festival often has classical music, and some rock, in the open air.
Ljubljana Castle – Jazz, funk and pop every Friday night.
Orto Bar– The home of live rock, metal, punk and other guitar-based genres.
Pinelina dnevna soba – LIve music is rare here, but it does happen.
Slovenska filharmonija– Classical music in the centre of town.
SNG Opera and Ballet - As the name suggests, here you'll find the best of opera and ballet in the country.
Španski borci - While dance is more common here, they also have some contemporary and experimental music shows.
Theatre and dance
Cankerjev dom- The main arts venue in the country always has something of interest going on.
Gledališče IGLU - IGLU Theatre – Saturday night this group is usually putting on an English improv show somewhere in town, but it’s generally promoted after this is written, so check the Facebook before putting on your shoes.
Kino Šiška – One of the top live venues in the city also hosts some dance performance, often of the more experimental variety.
Mini Teater Ljubljana –The English schedule of varied performances, for adults and children, for the month is here.
Ljubljana Puppet Theatre - Puppetry has a long and noble tradition in Slovenia, and you can see performances for children and adults (including non-puppet shows) drawing from the Theatre's rich repetoire as well as new productons.
SNG Opera and Ballet - As the name suggests, here you'll find the best of opera and ballet in the country.
Španski borci - The home ofcontemporary dance(and the EnKnapGroup) in Slovenia.
Pocket Teater Studio– There are regular flamenco evenings at perhaps the smallest venue town, but note that the number of seats is very limited, and thus you should make a reservation via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 070 325 522.
Harm reduction and drug testing
Drogart is an organization that aims to minimise harm on the party scene, and offers drug-testing services and reports on their webpage. It’s in Slovene, but you can Google translate it or work things out yourself, and our story on the group is here.You can find the latest warnings on fake drugs and high strength pills and powders (in Slovene) here. However, be aware that all the usual drugs are illegal in Slovenia.CBD is legal, though, and our retailer of choice can be found on Trubarjeva cesta - read more about Sena Flora here.
Things to do with children
You can find our Top 12 list of things to do with kids in Ljubljana here. If want to read more about the philosophy behind the wonderful House of Experiments look here, while our trip to the Museum of Illusions is documented here, and there’s always riverside walks, pizza and ice cream. With regard to the latter, take a look at our guide to six places that serve good ice cream in winter, and thus are serious about the dessert.
Mini Teater Ljubljana – The season sees a lot of puppet performances for children, in Slovene, at this theatre not far from Križanke. The English schedule for the month is here.
Ljubljana Puppet Theatre - The puppet theatre near the Central Market and next to the Castle funicular has a full programme or shows, for children and adults, with the schedule here.
LGBT+ Ljubljana
If you're looking for more general links on "gay Slovenia", including a history of the scene and various projects, then you can find that here, while our stories about the community can be found here.
Klub Monokel – This lesbian bar in Metelkova is open every Friday, although sometimes there are other events
Klub Tiffany –And the gay bar next door is also open on Fridays, while every Monday until June 2019 there'stangoat 18:00. Other things coulds also be planned, so click on the name to find out.
Pritličje – This seems to be the only "always open" LGBT-friendly cafe / bar / events space in town, and perhaps the country, so it's a good thing it's such a good one, open from morning to night, and with fliers and posters letting you know what's happening outside the narrow confines of, say, a general interest online what's on... guide.
Screenshot from Google Maps, showing the location of the Castle vineyard
Ljubljana Castle
The city’s main attraction is said to be the top tourist draw in the country overall, and to my mind it earns a spot near the top just for the history and views. But beyond that the current owners, the City of Ljubljana, have laid out a varied, interesting and enjoyable programme of events, one that rewards regular revisits. On until 17 November Mighty Guardians of the Past: Castles in the Slovenian Lands, a presentation that delivers on the promise of its title.
I try and get up there every Saturday morning to clear my head and move my feet on the trails, and never tire of that end of the hill. At the other end, where the Castle sits, there’s a lot more than fresh air on offer. There are guided tours, restaurants, a café, Castle museum, puppet museum, a Watchtower you can climb to the highest point in the city, art shows, dances, live music, movies under the stars, festival days and more – enough to reward multiple trips up the hill through the year. All of these activities and events can be found on the Castle website, while on TSN you can see “25 things to know about Ljubljana Castle” here, and “Ten Ways to Enjoy Ljubljana Castle” here.
Museums and galleries
Most public galleries and museums are closed on Mondays, although not the National Museum, and - as noted at the start
Cankerjev dom – On until 3 March 2020 there's an exhibition on Ancient Greek Science and Technology. Details here.
Plečnik's desk. Photo: JL Flanner
Plečnik’s House is worth a visit if you want to learn more about the architect who gave Ljubljana much of its character, and it's also in a really nice part of town, Trnovo, just a short walk or cycle upriver. Read about our guided tour here.
Balassi Institute – The Hungarian culture centre is next to a Spar and Hofer, and not far from Dragon Bridge, and always has something interesting going on. Learn more here.
City Museum – The Museum in French Revolution Square an interesting permanent exhibition on the history of Ljubljana, from prehistoric times to the present day, with many artefacts, models and so on that bring the story alive.You can read about my visit here. On until 25 September is Treasures from Russian Museums, an exhibition showcasing more than 80 Russian icons from leading Russian museums.
The Faces of Ljubljana in the City Museum. Photo: JL Flanner
International Centre of Graphic Art – The 33rd Biennial of Graphic Arts runs until 29 September. It's called Crack Up – Crack Down, and is curated by the collective Slavs and Tartars, with a focus satire and the graphic arts. Learn more here.
Ljubljana Castle on until 17 November Mighty Guardians of the Past: Castles in the Slovenian Lands, a presentation that delivers on the promise of its title.
MAO – The Museum of Architecture and Design has much of what you'd expect, along with some temporary shows and a good cafe. On until 19 September is a show called Creators, on contemporary Slovenian fashion and textile design, which is being promoted with the following image.
Photo: Urša Premik
A new show by one of the best photographers of the city, Igor Andjelič, on the theme of Bauhaus, is on at Galerija ŠKUC until 17 July (here).
Photo: Igor Andjelič. See more of his work here
Moderna galerija – The main branch of this gallery, to be found near the entrance to Tivoli Park, has a good collection of modern art, as well a nice café in the basement. Opening Thursday, April 25th, 20:00, The Visual Arts in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, 1929–1941, which then runs until September 15th 2019. This offers “an overview of painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, photography, and film from the time the king's dictatorship was set up (6 January 1929) to the beginning of World War II on Yugoslav soil (April 1941)” - you can read more about it here. The museum's Metelkova branch also has a big new show, runing until at least September 2019, an the art of the Non-Aligned Movement, with an example shown below.
Rafikun Nabi: Poet, 1980, print, 96.5 x 110 cm. Courtesy of the Contemporary Art Center of Montenegro. On display at the Metelova branch of the Moderna galerija
Alan Ford at the National Gallery
National Gallery – The country’s main gallery has “the best” of what’s on offer from the Middle Ages to non-contemporary modern visual arts, and is in a great location for exploring other areas, just by Tivoli Park and opposite the main branch of the Moderna galerija. You can read about our visit to the room containing sacred art from the Middle Ages here. The Space Within the Space: Scenography in Slovenia before 1991 will provide a comprehensive historic, stylistic, visual and theatrical overview of Slovenian scenography until 8 September. There’s also a big show on Alan Ford, one of the great comic books of the Yugoslav era, on until 13 October.
JL Flanner
The real Robba Fountain can be found in the entrance to the National Gallery - the one you see in the Old Town is a genuine fake, as seen below and reported here.
Photo: JL Flanner
National Museum of Slovenia – There’s plenty to see in the permanent collection here, from Roman times, Egypt and more. Meanwhile, the museum's Metelkova branch, located between one branch of the Moderna galerija and the Ethnographic Museum has some rooms on Church art, furniture and weapons, with the latter including more guns than you'll see anywhere else in town, and quite a thrill if coming from a nation where such objects are not household items.
Natural History Museum – On until the end of June 2019 is Our Little Big Sea, which takes a look at the oceans.
Roma Aeterna: Masterpieces of Classical Sculpture - see below
National Museum of Contemporary History - Tucked away in park Tivoli, in addition to his permanent collection will be showingIn Search Of Freedom: 1968-2018 until 16 August. Until 29 September there also a retrospective on the photographer Edi Šelhaus, which is being promoted with the following image. Opening 4 June and closing 3 November is Roma Aeterna: Masterpieces of Classical Sculpture. With sculptures from the collection of the Santarelli family in Rome, ranging from the age of the Roman Empire to that of neoclassicism.
Photo: Edi Šelhaus
Slovene Ethnographic Museum – The museum currently has a temporary show on Bees and Beekeeping, on until June 16 2019, 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 (as recounted here). From April 18 until October 19 (2019) you can also see a show calledShamanism of the Peoples of Siberia, from the Russian Museum of Ethnography, Saint Petersburg. The place is located near the newer branch of the Moderna galerija and Metelkova. You can read about this fascinating show here. On until September 15 is Petra Šink: The circle between design and nature, in which the award-winning designer takes visitors through the life cycle of useful products for the home which are made from natural biodegradable fungal materials.
Union is "the Ljubljana beer", but now both it and Laško are owned by Heineken. There are many local brews on offer around town, though, if you want to explore IPAs, stouts, wheatbeers, sours and so on Photo: JL Flanner
Union Experience – The Ljubljana-based brewer has a museum showing the history of the company, with the ticket also including access to part of the factory and a few samples of the product. You can read about our visit here.
Volčji Potok Arboretum - Running until 3 November you can see a large collection of cacti here.
It's not a formal museum, but if you're interested in "Yugo-stalgia" then you'll enjoy a trip to Verba, a small, privately run space that's crammed with objects and pop culture items from the era, and is conveniently located at the start of one of the short walks to the castle. It's also a great place to take pictures, if you leave a donation, and you can read more about it here.
Verba. Photo: JL Flanner
Alternative Ljubljana isn't a museum or gallery, as such, but instead turns the city streets into a museum and gallery. Learn more about their tours of street art, history and LGBT Ljubljana here.
Photo: JL Flanner
Other things to do in Ljubljana
Learn more about Ljubljana with "25 things to know about Slovenia's green city of dragons", or take a look at our guide to spending from four to 48 hours here.
If you like the city's architecture then check out this great book, Let’s See the City - Ljubljana: Architectural Walks & Tours, with our review here and a page from the book shown above. We took a walk with one of the authors who showed us how much there is to learn and enjoy if you slow down and pay attention - read about that here.
Open Kitchen brings market stalls selling food and drink from some of the best restaurants in town every Friday, from 11am to 11pm, in the square between the cathedral and the river - just follow your nose and the crowds. Read more about it here.
Photo: Open Kitchen
Ljubljana has some beautiful buildings from the early 20th century, in the Secessionist style, like the one below. Learn where to find them here.
Photo: Neža Loštrek
Photo: JL Flanner
Some view of the city you can only get from the river. If you'd like to take a boat ride then read about my experience here. If you prefer to get in the water rather than on it, then here's a guide to the various open air pools in Ljubljana. Note that it was written last year and so the prices and times may have changed, so do click the links and check.
If you'd like to spend an evening painting with others, then take a look at Design with Wine, which organises painting parties on Trubarjeva cesta,
If you want to see some antiques, then check out the wonderful Antika Carniola, as discussed here. The man behind it, Jaka Prijatelj, has a fine eye for life on this street, as you can see on his Facebook account.
Photo: JL Flanner
If you’re in town and want to go jogging or walking in nature, why not take another look at the Castle, with a brief guide to the trails here. If you want something bigger, head to Tivoli Park.
And if you're bored with the Old Town, why not take a walk, cycle or boat ride to nearby Špica and enjoy the riverside life. Learn more about that here.
visitljubjana.si
Want to stretch and breath? Then check out our list of drop-in yoga classes for tourists, visitors and the uncommitted. We go to Nataraja Studio, by Dragon Bridge, and here's a story about it.
Prefer to have someone else stretch you? The check out the totally legit massages you can get from Sense Wellness - either in one of their spas or in you home, office or hotel. (And - to repeat - these are legit and non-sexual in nature)
There are some golf courses near Ljubljana, but even ones further away are not far, as seen in our list of all the golf courses in Slovenia.
Photo: maxpixel.net, public domain
Daytrips
Most of Slovenia is only a few hours from Ljubljana, and you can easily visit Lake Bled, Lipica Stud Farm, Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle, the coast and other locations, while if you'd like to take a photo of from that bench in Bled, then you can learn how to get there here. If you’re looking for something more ambitious, then check out our recent guide to the 17 members of the Association of Historical Towns of Slovenia. We've also written guides on spending from four to 48 hours in Bled and Piran.
Photo: Google Image Search
Getting around & miscellaneous
If you want to get a Ljubljana Tourist Card, which gives you travel on the city buses and entry to a lot of attractions, then you can read more about that here, and if you want to use the bike share system, as useful for visitors as it is for residents, then you can learn more by clicking this. Visitors with reduced mobility will be pleased to find that downtown Ljubljana is generally rated as good with regard to accessibility, and that there’s a free, city-sponsored app called Ljubljana by Wheelchair highlighting cafés, attractions and so on with ramps, disabled bathrooms and Eurokey facilities, which you can read about and download here. Manual wheelchair users can also borrow, for free, an attachment that will motorise their equipment, as reported here.
Screenshot from a Twitter video
If you’re driving into town and don’t know where to part, our guide to how to park in Ljubljana is here.
There aren't many places to eat after midnight, and most of them are by the train station, as reported here.
Want / need cigarettes but the stores have closed? Here's an incomplete list of bars downtown that will satisfy your craving for the demon weed. While if you’re having trouble with the ATMs then here’s a guide to the Slovene you’ll see on screen. If you get a hangover then find out where to get paracetamol (and prescription drugs) in Ljubljana here, while details on emergency birth control can be found here.
Ljubljana is a small and relatively safe city, but if need to contact the police then there’s a special number for foreigners, and that’s 113.
Photo: JL Flanner
The covers and editorials from leading weeklies of the Left and Right for the work-week ending Friday, 21 June 2019
Mladina: Concerns Over Abanka Privatisation
STA, 21 June 2019 - Commenting on the recent sale of the country's third largest bank Abanka to the NKBM bank, the left-wing weekly Mladina believes that this step will probably lead to adverse consequences, with the government having wasted the last opportunity to secure any kind of financial backbone for the country during the next financial crash.
"Due to this decision, Slovenia will break (again) more easily and quickly upon the arrival of the next (and the next) financial crisis. Not the country, but its economy, because there will be no vascular system any more through which the state could help the economy."
Pointing out that during any financial meltdown, when the capital of foreign banks is retreating at a rapid pace, countries need to provide stability for their economies, the editorial says that the easiest way to do so is through state banks.
"In 2009, EUR 3.5 billion left Slovenia very quickly, more than EUR 2.5 billion in the first few months. Estonia, not having any domestic banks, broke immediately. Croatia as well. But not Slovenia," highlights editor-in-chief Grega Repovž, adding that was the main reason the country's economy started showing signs of improvement already in 2011.
But then things went awry when Borut Pahor, preoccupied with his public image, got scared and stopped the recapitalisation of banks, concludes the commentary under the headline The Traces of Some Ignorance.
Demokracija: Warnings on Climate Change a Scam
STA, 20 June 2019 - The right-wing weekly Demokracija denies in its commentary on Thursday the existence of climate change, saying that its only purpose is to provide state funds for those making money off warnings of imminent catastrophe.
Demokracija editor-in-chief Jože Biščak says under the headline Fairytale about World's End that the Fridays For Future campaign is nothing but a way for students to avoid school on Fridays.
Warnings about the end of the world have been growing increasingly severe, but the end of the world does not come, Biščak says.
Natural disasters are a mainstay of human history, only reports about them travelled much slower than they do today, therefore it seems that their frequency has increased. "And climate change was not blamed for every fire, like it is now."
"If I exaggerate a bit: a person gets a fever (of course, a consequence of global warming), their coordination deteriorates and they drop a match. And there you go, a fire caused by climate change."
People are easily manipulated. "It's logical. It is much easier to believe dramatic forecasts about the end of the world and humanity than (fairytales) that people will continue to live on Earth for a long time."
All our posts in this series can be found here, while you can keep up-to-date on Slovenia politics here, and find the daily headlines here
STA, 22 June 2019 - The annual pride parade will take to the streets of Ljubljana on Saturday, a culmination of a two-week festival campaigning against the culture of hate that has become pervasive in society. For the first time ever, a pride parade will also be hosted by Maribor in a week's time.
Maribor is not the only city in the region to host its first pride parade. The Croatian port city of Rijeka, Serbia's second largest city Novi Sad and Bosnian capital Sarajevo will also host their first parades this year, according to Pride Parade Association head and festival director Simona Muršec.
Talking to the press at the beginning of the festival, she said that the first pride parades in these cities will be a litmus test showing whether the society is ready to accept LGBTQ+ people as their neighbours.
This year's parade slogan is Unavoidably Intertwined, with the organisers trying to raise awareness about the pervasiveness of hatred, and about negative and stereotypical portrayal of marginalised groups.
"Our lives are strongly influenced by the society and its dynamics; what is going on in the media and in politics. We've come a long way in 19 years but homophobic and xenophobic abuse, hate speech and bullying at schools remain an everyday occurrence, and this is a part of our reality as well," Muršec illustrated.
Author Nina Perger meanwhile said that hate speech, threats and insults were becoming more frequent and more intense, and were also becoming a part of everyday life.
"We are trying to encourage action and fight, reaction and connection instead of passiveness and silence," said Perger, adding that key players and institutions moved too slow to protect the marginalised groups and human dignity.
Leading up to the parade, the Pride Parade Festival featured some 30 events, including performances, debates and exhibitions.
In the week before the festival the NGO Legebitra issued a handbook, entitled Mavrica (Rainbow), for teachers and others working in education in addressing issues related to gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and sexual expression.
Legebitra head Lana Gobec said at the handbook presentation on Wednesday that LGBT persons remain targets of ridicule, remarks and verbal, psychological and physical violence in society, adding that places for the young must be safe spaces for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals.
A survey by Legebitra showed some 30% of LGBT respondents said that they had been discriminated and harassed due to their sexual orientation while in school.
All our stories on the LGBT community and Slovenia are here
