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Slovenia : Ljubljana - February 2008

Country Code: Dial 6 for Slovenia

Getting around

Brnik Airport

Bus: The bus journey from the city centre to Brnik Airport usually takes 35 minutes, but can last up to an hour when the roads are busy. A one-way ticket costs €10.
Taxi: A single journey from the airport to the city centre for up to four passengers costs €30 and takes about 20 minutes.
Tourist information: The main tourist office is the STIC at Krekov Square (tel. , ljubljana.si).

THE CENTRE

The centre of Ljubljana is best described as a perfectly pleasing combination of past and present.

Sleep soundly – The 13-floor, five-star Hotel Lev (1 Vosnjakova ulica, tel. , www.hotel-lev.si, rooms from €130) has a business centre, a casino and serves great food. The nearby Hotel Slon (34 Slovenska cesta, tel. , www.hotelslon.com, rooms from €83) dates from the Socialist era and was among the most popular hotels in the former Yugoslavia.

Culture vultures – The programme at the Opera and Ballet Hall (11 Cankarjeva cesta) this February includes Bizet’s Carmen and Romeo and Juliet. The Narodna Galerija (20 Cankarjeva cesta) is home to the largest visual arts collection in the country.

Must eat – Figovec (1 Gosposvetska cesta, tel. ) serves up hearty rustic food like vegetable soup and suckling pig. More adventurous palates should try the horse meat. Sestica (40 Slovenska cesta, tel. ) does an excellent veal stew with buckwheat. If you’re still peckish, follow it with a slice of cake made with poppy seeds, curd cheese, walnuts and apples.

Must drink – For a wide range of Slovenian and international wines, head to the wine cellar at Enoteca (12 Nazorjeva).

Shop til you drop – Escada (6 Gosposvetska cesta) is good for high-end women’s collections. If your budget’s slightly smaller, try Zara (2 Cankarjeva cesta).

OLD TOWN

Taking a stroll around the old town’s narrow cobblestone streets is a great way to get a feel for the city.

Sleep soundly – It doesn’t get much more convenient than the Grand Hotel Union (3 Miklosiceva cesta, tel. , www.gh-union.si, rooms from €149), a four-star hotel that’s within easy walking distance of all major tourist sites.

Culture vultures – Even if you’re not religious, the Fransiscan Church of the Annuciation, situated at Presern’s Square, is well worth a visit.

Must eat – Sokol Restaurant (18 CirilMetodov trg, tel. ) serves traditional Slovenian cuisine at its very best. If you’re dining here, make sure you try the mushroom soup or the fabulous boar goulash, served in a hunter’s pot.

Shop til you drop – Pick up antiques at the old town’s traditional flea market, held every Sunday on the Cankarjevo nabrezje embankment.

TROMOSTOVJE

The area around the Ljubljanica River is one of the most vibrant, dynamic districts in town. Locals descend on the long rows of coffee shops here to relax, chat and simply soak up the convivial atmosphere.

Must eat – Chez Eric’s (3 Mestni trg, tel. ) polished interior attracts almost as many punters as its fine French cuisine and broad selection of national specialties.

Must drink – For dedicated beer drinkers, the Cutty Sark (Knafljev Prehod) is a must – it serves Irish ales and Slovenian beers. If you’re more into people watching, check out the achingly fashionable Macek (Krojaska ulica).

Dance the night away – If you ever needed proof that Slovenians know how to have a good time, you’ll find it at the Bachus Centre (Kongresni trg).

Culture vultures – The Bežigrad Gallery (31 Dunajska cesta) shows both historical and contemporary Slovenian art. Look out for Vesna Blagotinšek’s latest exhibition Between Sky and Earth, which is on until 20 February.

BEZIGRAD

Slightly off the beaten track, Bezigrad is best known for its football stadium, but there’s also lots of interesting modern architecture here.

Must eat – If you like spaghetti, you’ll love Pizzeria Favola (129 Dunajska cesta, tel. ).

Must drink – Gostilna Stern (270 Dunajska cesta, tel. ) stages live Slovenian folk music at the weekends.

Compiled by Ivo Scepanovic