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From Wikitravel

Ljubljana [1], also known as Laibach, its German name, is the capital of Slovenia. As the legend goes, it was created by the Greek hero Jason who stole the golden fleece from king Aites and escaped with his friends the Argonauts through the Black sea and the Danube river to the Sava river and all the way to the Ljubljanica river where they dismantled their ship and carried it to the Adriatic sea. On their way to the sea they stopped by a big lake and a swamp. That swamp was the home of a big monster that Jason fought bravely and killed. That monster was Ljubljana's Dragon that symbolizes Ljubljana nowadays. It is said that Jason was also Ljubljana's first inhabitant.

[edit] Understand

Slovenia is, arguably, the most scenic of the formerly socialist countries, and Ljubljana ("lyoob-lyAH-nah") is a great little city full of charm. It's pretty easy to have a good time here. It's full of galleries and museums and young artists. The population of the city is around 260,000.

[edit] Orientation

The Ljubljanica river flows through the center of town, past Baroque buildings and under the ramparts of the ancient castle on the hill. The new city and modern-day commercial core lies to the west of the river, while the east side has Ljubljana's old city and the castle. Connecting the two are a number of bridges, the most famous of which is the Tromostovje (triple) bridge (architect Jože Plečnik).

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Ljubljana's pint-sized Jože Pučnik Airport (also known as Brnik Airport or Aerodrom Ljubljana) [2], located 27 km north of the city, is the country's main international gateway and the hub of Slovenian national carrier Adria Airways [3]. If you are mentioning the airport, be sure to say "Brnik" or "airport", instead of "Jože Pučnik airport", since Ljubljana's locals aren't too fond of the newly-changed name. The airport is serviced by flights from many European countries. It is a destination of the low-cost carrier easyJet. The airport's facilities include parking, a bank, a post office, ATMs, an information desk, free WiFi Internet access in the terminal, a general store, duty-free stores, a money exchange office, a self-serve restaurant, and two or three bars and cafes. A two-stage renovation of the airport is under way. A rebuilt Terminal 1 was opened in 2007, and an entirely new Terminal 2 planned for 2010.

There are regular public buses (€4.10, 50 min) and minibuses (€5.00, 30 min) from the airport to the main Ljubljana bus and train station. The Ljubljana bus and train stations are located next to each other at Trg OF ("Trg" means square in Slovenian, and O.F. was a Slovenian WW2 anti-fascist organization). The two stations are in the city centre, and within walking distance to main city attractions. Alternatively, a metered taxi from the airport to the centre will cost about €30-40. Ordering a taxi in advance can be cheaper - for example, Tima Ekspres [4] does it for €20. A shared hotel transfer is less than €10, if you book it through Ljubljana Transfer [5] This minibus company has frequent low cost shuttles to all holiday, ski and spa destinations in Slovenia.

Direct international connections: Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Belgrade, Brussels, Budapest, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Istanbul, Kiev, London, Madrid, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Podgorica, Prague, Pristina, Sarajevo, Skopje, Stockholm, Tirana, Vienna, Warsaw, Zürich.

[edit] By train

Ljubljana is the hub of Slovenia's rail system. Local trains run throughout the country — no point in Slovenia is more than 3 hours away. The train station is at Trg Osvobodilne Fronte (OF) at the northern edge of downtown, at walking distance to most hotels. For Trieste, take a train to Villa Opicina and then the tram (Line 2) to Trieste.

Direct international connections: Zagreb (2 hours), Rijeka (3 hours), Graz (3 hours), Salzburg (4 hours), Pula (4 hours), Venice (5 hours), Vienna (6 hours), Munich (6 hours), Budapest (9 hours), Belgrade (9 hours), Frankfurt (10 hours), Zürich (11 hours).

[edit] By bus

Ljubljana bus station (avtobusna postaja [6]) is right next to the train station and has services throughout Slovenia, as well as to foreign countries. The station has several useful schedule search engines (also in English) for working out connections. Generally speaking, a bus can take you almost anywhere in Slovenia within at most a few hours.

Direct international connections: Trieste (2 hours), Venice (4 hours), Banja Luka (5 hours), Bihać (6 hours), Bologna (6 hours), Munich (7 hours), Florence (8 hours), Tuzla (8 hours), Zenica (8 hours), Belgrade (8 hours), Ulm (9 hours), Stuttgart (10 hours), Sarajevo (10 hours), Niš (12 hours), Karlsruhe (12 hours), Mannheim (13 hours), Frankfurt (14 hours), Skopje (15 hours), Tetovo (16 hours), Sofia (16 hours), Pristina (18 hours), Copenhagen (19 hours), Malmö (20 hours), Gothenburg (24 hours), Linköping (28 hours), Örebro (34 hours), Stockholm (36 hours).

[edit] By car

Renting a car is also an option, especially if you are visiting remote destinations outside of Ljubljana.

[edit] By thumb

Hitchhiking in and/or out of Ljubljana is possible, but take the usual precautions as always with hitchhiking, especially if you are a girl, because hitchiking rapes and abductions have been reported.

• North towards Maribor, Austria - from the main street, West of the Train station (Dunajska Cesta) take buses 6, 8 or 11 in direction of North. Get off in the station "Smelt", 15 minutes later, when you see the "World Trade Center" building. Ahead of you, you will see the highway. On the first turn to the right, go into the highway entry and stand on the side with your sign.

• South towards Koper, Rijeka, Italy - from the city center (Dunajska cesta, Kongresni trg) take bus number 6 in direction south, till the last station (Dolgi most). Get out, and on your left side you will side the entry lane into the highway. There will also be an entry to a parking of a small house, stand on the side there with your sign (you will see where everybody else stands...).

• East towards Novo mesto, Zagreb, Croatia - from the city center (Dunajska cesta) take bus number 3 in direction south, till the last station (Rudnik). Get out, and walk 200 meters more along Dolenjska cesta until you get to the crossroad and the entry point to the highway (left turn, opposite to the railroad crossing). Stand on the side there with your sign (the are some hitchhikers but not all the time ...).

[edit] Get around

[edit] By foot

Ljubljana is small enough that you will be able to walk everywhere in the centre. You can pick up a free city map in one of the Tourist Information Offices either in the train station or in the city centre (Adamič-Lundrovo nabrežje 2). Navigating or finding a street can be a lot easier than expected because in Ljubjana city centre all big white street signs with clear letters are on poles. The train and bus station are within easy walking distance of the centre of town - which is roughly speaking the "Three bridges" area. From the station take any of the roads heading into town (in the general direction of the south) and this will lead you to this area.

[edit] By city bus

Ljubljana has a good bus network [7]. Lines operate from 5.00am, 6.00am on Sundays and public holidays to 10.30pm (some lines stop operating between 8.00 and 9.00pm). Night lines operate from 3.15am to 4.45am, 4.15am to 5.45am on Sundays and public holidays and from 10.30pm (some lines start at 9.00pm) to 0.00am.

The cost is €0.80 with an Urbana card (similar to Oyster in London) which can be bought at Urbanomat, LPP sales sites, Tourist Information centers and newspapers agents for €2 and need to be loaded with an amount ranging from €1 to €50. The €0,80 ticket is valid for 90 minutes from the first entry to the bus and for unlimited number of transfers.

Most lines operate at least once every 15 minutes (or more frequently). Timetables [8] (in Slovene) only have departure times from first bus stop so you can use the webpage [9] to obtain predicted departure times for next three buses from every bus stop.

[edit] By taxi

Taxis are very cheap, and between two or three people they can be a convenient way to get back to the hotel if you're not staying in the centre. Taxi Laguna (tel. 080 11 17) and Taxi Metro (tel. 080 11 90) are considered the cheapest. These are free numbers (all numbers starting with 080 are free in Slovenia), so you can use a phone booth to make a free call. Note that not all taxis charge the same fare.

In recent years, some taxi companies began hiking their rates, and while taxis ordered by phone are still cheap, those waiting on the street will usually charge through the roof, and you can end up paying dozens of euros for a short ride! Unless you're in a hurry, always order a taxi by phone!

[edit][add listing] See

• Old Ljubljana is Ljubljana's historic part. It has the city hall, monuments, and well-preserved old buildings and churches. It also has local designer shops, and several popular cafes and restaurants. It is located immediately below the city castle and on the eastern side of Ljubljanica river, across the Triple Bridge. Cross the Triple Bridge and go straight ahead for 50 metres until you reach the Roba Fountain in front of the city hall. Old Ljubljana begins there. Turn right into the narrow street surrounded by medieval houses. You will discover interesting squares, lanes and buildings. The street is called Mestni trg, and later it changes to Gornji trg.

• Triple Bridge ("Tromostovje" in Slovenian), Ljubljana's trademark central bridges designed by Jože Plečnik. Tromostovje consists of three separate picturesque bridges located next to one another. This is the central location of downtown Ljubljana. Here, you can see the statue of France Prešeren, Slovenia's greatest poet. You can also catch a tourist train taking you to the castle. Or cross Ljubjanica and turn left for Open Market and the Dragon Bridge, or go straight and then right for Old Ljubljana.

• Zmajski Most (Dragon Bridge) - This is one of the main bridges in Ljubljana. It is guarded by four detailed dragon statues, which have become a symbol of the city. Look out for the dragon motif throughout the city. Be careful around the Dragon Bridge area, as it is on a major busy road and near misses (and worse) between inattentive tourists and traffic are common. The dragon bridge is located at the end of the Ljubljana Open Market, just a block or two down the river (north-east direction) from the Triple bridge.

• Ljubljana Castle - You can catch the "tourist train" from the Triple Bridge to the castle, or walk up the (steep!) hill to the castle, or take the Funicular Railway (€3/2 (adult/concession), the lower station is at the top of the main Open market). Entrance to the Castle Courtyard, Chapel and Gift shop is free, but there is a charge for access to the tower. The tower has magnificent views all over the city. You can also see the Sava River and Kamnik Alps in the distance. Included is a 3D Movie of the history of Ljubljana from a pre-historic settlement to Roman Empire to modern times.

• Square of the Republic - Where crowds gathered as Slovenia announced its independence from the Yugoslav Federation in 1991. The square has significant importance for Slovene history, as it was a place of important public gatherings (and demonstrations) in the past. Across the road is the Slovene Parliament. Its facade is decorated with artistic nude statues of Slovenes at work and leisure. The square also houses the International Business Centre.

• Roman Ruins - a short walk west of the centre of town are the remains of the Roman City Walls, including a number of pillars from an entrance gate.

• Krakovo - a village-like part of the city connecting the centre to the Trnovo suburb.

• Metelkova City - is a self-declared autonomous culture place to gather for alternative artists, many subcultures and youth. What used to be a military barracks is now full of underground artists, bars and nightclubs. Metelkova can get crowded on Fridays and Saturdays. It is within 5 minute of walk from main Train Station, and it is home to a renowed hostel Celica.

[edit] Museums

• The National Gallery , Prešernova 24, [10] is definitely worth visiting if you care about art. It exhibits two important permanent collections that include works of some of the best and most renowned slovenian (impressionist) painters (Jama, Grohar, Jakopic, Azbe). Since September 2008 you can also see there a restored original of the Robba Fountain, a monument of national cultural heritage.

• Museum of Modern Art, Ljubljana , Tomšiceva 14, [11] , for those who prefer contemporary art, houses the national collection of 20th century Slovene art (paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings as well as photography, video and electronic media collections), a collection of works from the former Yugoslavia, and the international collection Arteast 2000+. It is being currently restored.

• Architecture Museum of Ljubljana: Plečnik Collection, Karunova 4, [12]. An annex of the Architecture Museum devoted to great Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik, who lived in this building from 1921 to 1957. The house contains rooms with the artist’s valuable original furniture and personal objects, an archive of his sketches and plans and a collection of clay, plaster and wooden models, a library, Plečnik’s correspondence, a photo archive, thesis projects of Plečnik’s students and an archive of the Academy of Architecture Collection. Access only by guided tour of not more than 7 people, booked at least five days in advance at tel. +386-1-2801600 or pz@aml.si.

• Architecture Museum of Ljubljana, Pot na Fužine 2 (Fužine Castle), tel. +386-1-5409798, [13]. Hosts a permanent exhibition of Jože Plečnik's works. Open M-F 9 AM-3 PM, Sa 10 AM-6 PM, Su 10 AM-3 PM. Entry €1/2 student/adult, guided tour €2.50/4 student/adult.

• National Museum, Prešernova 20, tel. +386-1-2414400, [14]. The permanent archeological collection displays objects from paleolithic to the early Middle Ages. It contains what is possibly the world's oldest music instrument, a 45,000 year old Neandertal flute from Divje Babe, although the question whether the bone fragment really formed a flute is still disputed among scholars. However, it needs a whole refurbishment. Open daily 10-18, Thursday 10-20, closed on public holidays. Entry €3/2.5 adult/concessions.

• National Museum of Contemporary History. Celovška 23, tel. 01 300 96 10, fax 01 433 82 44, [15]. Slovenia's 20th-century history museum gives you a real sense of the country's roller-coaster ride through regime after regime. Its immersive exhibits include a walk-through WWI trench. The last exhibit shows the events around the Declaration of Independence from Yugoslavia and the Ten Day War with the Yugoslav Federal Army. All exhibits are translated to English and some to German too. You walk through the pleasant Tivoli park to get here.

• Tivoli Gallery - International centre of Graphic Art. Pod turnom 3, tel. 01 241 38 00, [16]. Specialised in art shows, often in collaboration with international institutions. Open Tu-Sa 10.00 - 18.00, Su 12.00 - 18.00, Mo closed.

• Slovenian Museum of Natural History. [17]

[edit][add listing] Do

• Cafes and restaurants Downtown Ljubljana is full of trendy cafes (outdoor seating in the summer!) and high-quality restaurants. You can find local Slovenian food, and restaurants with ethnic food from many places around the world. Pizza in Ljubljana is of very good quality. Try a burger Slovene style with a horse burger at the Hot Horse! Cheap and good for returning from a night out.

• Ljubljana Zoo (take bus 23 - only May to October) is one of the most beautiful Zoos of Europe - Tickets from €5 to €6.

• Nightclubs Ljubljana has several good nightclubs (discotheques). The clubs hold special events, they will play a certain syle of music on certain nights, etc. Some will also impose a strict dress code and age limits.

• Opera and theatre Shows are performed regularly throughout the year. The opera house is located just behind the Slovene Parliament. There are several theatres scattered all over the city centre.

• Tivoli Park is the main city park. It is located at the western end of the city centre. You can sit down on a park bench and enjoy the sun. Mt. Rožnik (the hill overlooking Ljubljana from the west) is a short hike away through the woods. This is a popular weekend destination for the locals.

• Water City of Atlantis, (take bus 27 (27K on Sundays)) [18]. A water park offering 14 pools, thermal baths, slides and saunas. Special section is dedicated for children. It is located within the BTC City Shopping District. Prices: from €6 to €14.

• Laguna Fun & Spa, (take bus 27 (27K on Sundays)) [19]. Offers open-air pools during the day and themed parties at night. It is located within the Ljubljana Resort. Prices from €6 to €12. Laguna is only open from June to September.

• Vodafone Live! Arena, (take bus 27 (27K on Sundays)) BTC City Shopping District. A great place to spend an evening. Main features include bowling, pool, laser games and a state-of-the-art 3D XpanD cinema theatre (the latter from €4.59 to €7.93).

• Kolosej, The Colosseum BTC City Shopping District, (take bus 27 (27K on Sundays)) [20] is Ljubljana's main cinema multiplex. Unlike in many other countries, all movies are presented in the original audio language (typically English), and equipped with Slovenian subtitles. This does sometimes not apply to computer-rendered and animated movies, which are dubbed for the children. Prices: from €3.94 to €4.95. Special discounts on Tuesdays.
• Club SubSub - is Ljubljana's underground urban culture club located in the Tivoli park, only 7minutes away from the strict center. Club SubSub was the first night club that was opened to the public in ex-Yugoslavia and specializes in underground urban music industry, everything from funk, soul, jazz to drum and bass, dubstep and nu-rave. The club is also a graphic and music urban center, in which the DJs and other artists hang out during the day, whether practicing or planning their events. Opened all summer long, it is a great place to hang out whether during the day or during the night. www.subsub.si Special discounts on drinks.

[edit] Learn

University of Ljubljana [21] is the largest university in Slovenia, with 64,000 students enrolled in 2008. The different departments (faculties) are scattered all over the city. Sessions are held from October to May. During this time, you will notice an influx of young people on the streets of Ljubljana. Student life in Ljubljana is very active; there are many activities organized and they make for a pleasant atmosphere in the city.

[edit][add listing] Buy

The large majority of shops have moved from the centre to the BTC City Shopping District (take bus 27) , located at the north-eastern edge, and to the Rudnik Shopping District (take bus 27) in the south-eastern edge of the city. However, several department stores such as Maximarket, H&M, Müller, Nama, still persist in the city centre. Additionally, the Čopova street and the Old town probably have the densest collection of small shops in the centre.

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Budget

• Hot-Horse, Trubarjeva 31 (other outlets in Tivoli Park and BTC). A fast food joint with a difference: all the meat used is horse meat! The star of the menu is the horse burger, which is gigantic and costs €4.00.

• Falafel, Trubarjeva 40, 041/752 977. This middle eastern dish, together with other meat and vegetables dishs is served in the small fast-food restaurant next to the Dragon bridge. The cost for a menu is around €3, including 2 dishes, tea and a sweet.

• Nobel Burek, Miklošičeva 30 (You can't miss it - green and yellow sign, a lot of people standing in line). The place where young people go to get food late in the evening or at night. Different kinds of burek (a leafy dough pie, traditionally with mince meat or cheese filling) available. Considered to be the best burek in town.

[edit] Mid-range

• Cafe Romeo. Stari trg 6, tel. 01 426 90 11. Along the river, to the south of the 3 bridges. Fusion between cocktail bar and mexican restaurant. Meal salads around €7,50. Burrito's / Quasadas around €5,- / €8,- (medium / big). Besides tourists, this place is also popular among the locals.

• Gostilna Sokol. Ciril Metodov trg 18, tel. 01 439 68 55 [22]. This restaurant deals up authentic Slovenian cuisine, complete with all waiters and waitresses dressed up in traditional costume. The food is hearty and served in generous gut-busting portions and very good value for money. The fish cooked in a paper bag with vegetables is highly recommended. There is plenty of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes to choose from. The only downside was the house red, which is very sharp and quite cold, but this is a minor quibble.

• Cantina Mexicana. Wolfova 4, tel. 01 426 93 25 [23]. Mexican restaurant set in a small yard together with another restaurant and a pub, just off the central square by the 3 bridges. Prices: Tex Mex ~ €13,- / Fajitas ~ €10,- / Salads ~ €8,-.

• Pri Škofu. Rečna 8. In the Trnovo/Krakovo district, this restaurant is heavily promoted by tourist guides, but delivers an inconsistent experience (i.e. can be very good or simple adequate). Their biggest shortcoming is the lack of wine choice.

• Stara Mačka[24]. Next to the Maček bar/lounge, this is one of the best deals in town if you are looking for an intimate steakhouse in the middile of the old town.

• Julija. Stari trg 9. Right next to Luka’s, serving similar fare of Italian pasta and risotto dishes. Not quite a nice as Luka’s but still a good filling meal, and at a reasonable price. Pasta or risotto dishes are under €6.3

• Jurman, Zaloška 151, tel. 051 358 358. Open daily from 11.00 to 23.00. Affordable prices and very diverse choices. They have themed rooms, such as castle room and fishing room. Children can play in a designated indoor and outdoor playgrounds. The staff is friendly and the service is fast; it usually never takes longer than 10 minutes for 2 or 3 people. You are advised to make a reservation in advance.

• Luka Gourmet Lunch Cafe. Stari trg 11. One of a line of cafes on Stari Trg with outside seating. Serves up tasty, mainly pasta dishes with reasonable prices and friendly service. Most lunch dishes are about €6.

• Gostilna Pod Rožnikom (formerly known as Gostilna Čad) specialises in grilled dishes from southeastern Europe. They are located near Ljubljana Zoo.

• Zhong Hua, Trubarjeva 50, ☎ +386 1 230 1665. Decent Chinese restaurant near the Dragon bridge. The family-run place even has Beijing duck on their menu. Mains €6-10.  edit

[edit] Splurge

• Špajza. Gornji trg 28, tel. 01 425 30 94. Closed Sun. This restaurant is much larger than you first expect when you initially enter. You walk through several candlelit rooms before you reach the outside terrace. The waiters are initially quite attentive, serving you a nice little aperitif to get you started. The food is a mixture of Slovenian and European, and the menu is kept to a handful of choices for each course. Because of the service, surroundings and food this felt like an expensive restaurant, although by Western standards, it was quite reasonable. An average main dish is €10-15.

• Manna, Eipprova 1A, tel 01 283 52 94 [25]. South from the main tourist area, this restaurant serves excellent traditional dishes for about €20-40 for a full dinner. It advertises "Slow food", but in effect the service is both helpful and fast. The restaurant has friendly and artistic atmosphere.

• Krpan specializing mainly in seafood with an amazing grill experience. Located a bit out of center, close to the main hospital (Klinični center).

• As, considered by many as Ljubljana's fanciest and most expensive, focusing on seafood and an extensive wine choice, located near the Triple Bridge.

• Chez Eric, specializing in French cuisine, located next to the townhouse.

• Cubo [26], modern International fare.

• JB, modern International fare, closed on weekends, located close to the bus/train stations, can get unhygienically expensive by Slovenian standards.

• Hana, off the beaten path near the Interspar hypermarket in the Vic district, fancy, but an excellent bargain considering the quality.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Most of Ljubljana’s bars tend to cluster on the streets running parallel to the river, radiating from Prešernov trg, which is the main square in Ljubljana. The more interesting bars tend to be on the backstreets, rather than directly facing the river. Part of the joy of this city is stumbling across these places, but these are few to start you off.

• Juice Bar Babo. Krojaška 4. A juice and smoothie bar in the old city center with over 50 combinations of freshly prepared beverages to choose from. Layed-back atmosphere, interesting combination of urban and health freak culture. Good place to meet tourists and interesting locals of all ages.

• Čajna Hisa. (The Tea House) Stari trg 3. This is a quirky little coffee and tea room, offering many variations on those warm beverages as well as basic breakfasts and lunches. The background music is impeccably cool, and the atmosphere is ideal for some elegant loafing. Linked to the café is a teashop selling drinking paraphernalia and loads of different fruity flavoured teas by the 100g.

• Patrick's Irish Bar. Prečna 6. The ubiqutous Irish Pub with Guinness and Local Beers on tap, with a typical menu of Hearty Meals available. Also typical is the welcoming atmosphere that seems common to all Irish Pubs. Big Screen TVs show sporting events, (mainly football) but bar staff are happy to change a television to show other sports (Rugby Union, Rugby League, Cricket, AFL, NFL etc.) on request. Watch out for ex-pat and tour groups at popular sporting events from their 'home' country.

• Vinoteka Movia. Mestni trg 2. Anyone with any interest in wine should visit here. The cosy, candlelit wine bar comes with knowledgeable barmen who can recommend a wine based on your tastes. The wine glasses are huge, so it’s hard to tell if they were being stingy or if it has simply spread out. Be careful about asking for ‘samples’, as they will charge you full price for the privilege. The prices can vary from modest to a remortgage.

• Okrepčevalnica Makalonca. Hribarjevo nabrežje. The unenticing entrance leads down some steps into a small underground bar that sits level with the river. You can sit inside on stone steps (cushions provided) looking out at the water, or sit outside right by the river. It feels like your own little discovery.

• BI-KO-FE. Židovska steza 2. A lively little bar that plays excellent jazz music (CD, not live). There is outside seating, but inside is where it seems to be happening. It looks like the place the youngish locals hangout to drink the night away.

• Od Žmavca sosed pa ud brata prjatu (Žmavc's neighbor and my brother's pal aka Žmavc). The place to be for the creative urban type.

• K4 [27] is a nice clubbing spot at 4, Kersnikova 4. National and international DJs play electronic music. Opens Tu-Sun, 10PM - 2.30/4AM.

• 'Vinoteka Wine cellars of Slovenia'. Dunajska 18. The oldest and biggest wine shop and restaurant in Slovenia is available to anybody that want's to taste a larger variety of Slovenian wines. Located on the Fair ground of Gospodarsko razstavisce in Ljubljana, it houses over 300 slovenian wines from around 150 wine producers. The restaurant serves modern and traditional Slovenian cuisine. There are possibilities of wine tastings, by glass or a guided culinary tour of Slovenian food and wines. They also have great foreign wines, but only a smaller number of them. They also have on some nights live piano music in the background. The prices of wines vary due to the large selection of wines.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

Ljubljana offers a couple of all-year hostels and several student's homes, that function as hostels in the summer.

• Alibi Hostel, Cankarjevo nabrežje 27, [28]. A great location near the Triple Bridge. The rooms are clean and the internet is free. Dorm €17.  edit

• Celica (The Cell), Metelkova 8 (400m from bus/railway station), [29]. A redecorated military prison within the former Austro-Hungarian and Yugoslav army base of Metelkova, which turned first into a squatter settlement and is now Ljubljana's burgeoning alternative cultural center. Some years ago, the cells of the former prison were assigned to several Slovenian artists, who designed every one of them individually. In 2006, Celica was declared to be the best hostel in the world by Lonely Planet, which means they've jacked up prices and it's often full. A bed in a cell (2-3 beds) or normal room (3-5) costs 20€, give or take a few euros depending on how many you're sharing with, including breakfast. Coin laundry, internet PCs, pleasant cafe-restaurant. Credit cards accepted.  edit

• Dijaški dom Tabor (Youth hostel Tabor), Vidovdanska 7 (500m from bus/railway station), ☎ +386 (0)1 234 8840 (ddtabor-lj@guest.arnes.si, fax: +386 (0)1 234 8855), [30]. Open during the summer, clean and modern student dorm. €10 per night for a bed in a 10-person dorm, breakfast is included. Free internet for 15min and a kitchen with dishes is available for cooking.  edit

[edit] Mid-range

• Ljubljana Resort (formerly known as Avtokamp Ježica), Dunajska 270 (5 km north of the centre, take bus 6, 8 or 11), ☎ +386 (0)1 568 3913 (ac.jezica@gp-ljubljana.si, fax: +386 (0)1 568 3912), [31]. Pleasant location near river Sava. You can pitch a tent or hire a bungalow. Swimming pool, sauna, fitness centre, badminton, volleyball, bowling, children's playground, restaurant, snack bar.  edit

• Most Hostel, Petkovškovo nabrežje 41 (By the river, close to the Dragon Bridge), ☎ +386 31 282816. Cute, small, friendly and recently renovated hostel with a perfect location. There's also one PC with Internet connection for free. Bed in a dorm €21, double with shared bath €60.  edit

• Park Hotel (Tabor 9), ☎ +386 (0)1 300 2500 (info@hotelpark.si, fax: +386 (0)1 433 0546), [32]. This 3-star hotel in fact also a HI hostel and its accommodation is split between hotel and "hostel" rooms. The latter are cheaper but have only an outside bath and no TV. Staff may request to keep your passport at check in, so it might be useful to have a copy to hand in. Single €75.  edit

[edit] Splurge

There are several medium to high-range hotels located in the city centre, and in the suburbs.

• Hotel Slon, Slovenska 34, 1000 LJUBLJANA (located in center), ☎ +386 (0)1 470 11 00 (sales@hotelslon.com, fax: +386 (0)1 251 71 64), [33]. from €100.  edit

• Hotel Lev, Vošnjakova 1, 1000 Ljubljana (located in wide center), ☎ +386 (0)1 433 21 55, [34]. from €100.  edit

[edit] Stay safe

Ljubljana is a remarkably safe city during day and night, provided you are not desperately looking for trouble.

Some locals might tell you to avoid some rougher parts of Ljubljana farther from the city center (such as Fužine, Rakova Jelša, and parts of Moste and Šiška) but they are all reasonably safe day and night and are fairly calm compared to bad neighborhoods in most other European capital cities. As a tourist you likely won't have any reason to go there to begin with, but if you do, you should be fine, provided you don't flash around a good watch or big wads of cash.

[edit] Contact

[edit] Internet

Internet cafes:

• CyberCafe Xplore, Petkovškovo nabrežje 23, [35].  edit

Free internet access is available at:

• Kiberpipa, Kersnikova 6, [36]. Closed in summer  edit

• Faculty of Computer Sciences and Informatics and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Tržaska 25, [37].  edit

• Simobil, Čopova (up towards the McDonalds from the Triple Bridge) - a Slovenian cell phone providers store, but the laptops upstairs have free internet access..  edit

[edit] Cope

[edit] Get out

• Bled - the town from postcards from Slovenia. It has a scenic lake overlooked by a castle. Located about 1 hour north along the highway towards Jesenice and Austria. On the lake, there is the only island in Slovenia, with a famous church. There are 99 stairs leading to the church from the island shore. At the entrance to the church there is a bell. Ringing this bell supposedly brings good luck. The island is a popular place for weddings. You can get to the island by one of the many small boats that are launched from the north-eastern shore of the lake (near the town of Bled; you will have to pay the fare).

• Postojna - home to the remarkably huge Postojna Caves and the Predjama Castle

• Škocjan Caves - another set of remarkable caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

• Skiing - is Slovenia's national sport. There are several ski resorts all across the country. One very good one is the Krvavec ski resort [38] in the Kamnik Alps. It is located about 35 minutes north of Ljubljana.

• Julian Alps - a hiker's paradise. Julian alps have an extensive network of mostly well-marked and maintained mountain trails. However, please be physically fit and well-equipped (proper mountain shoes, food, maps, spare clothes in case you get caught by bad weather). Know where you are going and how difficult your chosen trail is. The difficulties vary from an easy walk through the forests to "via-ferrata"s high in the mountains. These are real Alps with occasional steep paths and breathtaking views. In the winter, they get a lot of snow and are off-limits for most people. Book guides in English are available from many bookstores in Slovenia.

• The Slovenian seaside - Visit one of the four coastal cities - Izola, Koper, Piran or Portorož and enjoy the scenery the coast has to offer. Do a little sailing or water sports or for those culturaly inspired visit the old city of Piran by foot. It is a delight.

• The River Soča - One of the water jewels of Europe - it has a distinctive light blue colour and it is sorrounded by magnificent Alps, where you can hike around and enjoz the nature in it pristine form06:06, 22 July 2009 (EDT)

• Kamnik - button-cute little town 45 min north of Ljubljana, just below the Kamnik Alps. It has a perfectly preserved medieval town center.

• Crossing the border - Ljubljana has very good links with all neighboring countries except for Italy. For example, there are regular trains running to Zagreb and Rijeka. Journey time is about 2.5 hours.

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