Casa Slovenija is a new souvenir shop on renovated Kongresni trg square. You will notice it with Slovenian flag hanging above the entrance door and “ciza” – traditional carriage decorated with flowers or pumpkins or whatever is growing in that season.

What makes it different from the rest of the shops is that is made as an old Slovenian house. When you enter the shop you enter past century. In the middle there is a ceramic stove which was common around Slovenia and even I have a warm memory on my grandmothers’. Next is an imitation of a “black kitchen” where many sausages used to be smoked and the place is fully decorated with old furniture.

You should drop buy this shop for three reasons. To see it, to buy hand made Slovenian arts & crafts which are hard to find elsewhere and to get a shot of  a blueberry liqueur – our traditional welcome drink.

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Casa Slovenija | Art & culture, Shopping | Free
Kongresni trg 13 | Center | +38640455365
10:00 – 20:00 daily

Lectarija from afar appears as a museum shop, but a closer look reveals it’s a true curiosity. Every Ljubljana visitor meets the great architect Jože Plečnik and I proudly present all the Spotted by locals readers what I call his least known project.

Jože Plečnik had a remarkably positive attitude towards tradition, so it is not surprising that he responded to the request in 1939-1939 to draw the plans for the interior of the shop that was going to sell traditional arts. During next sixty years Lectarija had its tops and its regression but was later restored and has a new life in the Ethnographic Museum (check the Slovene Ethnographic Museum article).

The shop now has handmade traditional products like Idrija lace, wooden and clay products, hand woven goods and hand painted beehive panels among others. There is also some unique jewelry from traditional materials from Slovene designers.

Even if you don’t want to buy anything, this shop is worth seeing. When you enter the main museum doors turn left to find the shop.

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Lectarija | Art & culture, Shopping
Metelkova 2 | Center | +38613008700
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 18:00

This used to be a bicycle factory ROG, founded after the Second World War. It is today in temporary use by whomever is in need of a working and creation place. Big halls are offering a lot of space even for dance practices. But for me and for most of you this is another really cool place to hang out.

There are mainly three options, first and the most permanent is a gallery Kljub vsemu (Nevertheless), which is on the left hand side after you enter the Rog walls. In the building behind it a new thing is forming. You should check it out. On the other, right hand side there is small building that has smaller events, like debates, film projections, alternative Erasmus hanging spot (the first one is usually in main stream bars and organized), smaller concerts and whatever you can think of.

But if you go towards the tallest building, that looks like a factory hall and you follow the noise you will enter the concert hall. In this biggest hall they sell also drinks when there is an event, but you are always allowed to bring some with you. Next to the entrance to the concert hall there is a bar/club that changes names quite regularly…It could be Trocky, Ultima or … Be surprised!

Lately a new place is emerging, you will find it if you follow you left hand, pass gallery and pass the entrance to the “always changing name” place, right in the corner.

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ROG | Art & culture, Music, Theaters | Beer € 2.00
Trubarjeva cesta 72 | Center
24 hours daily

“Stara elektrarna” literally means and is an old power station. It is a technical monument and as such protected. It was built approximately hundred years ago and has worked till after second world war. In eighties and nineties the building was discovered by artists and since then it attracts all sorts of performers.

I usually go here a few times a year when they are hosting some – usually quite crazy – shows. It can vary from modern dance to theatre and other kinds of scene performing. Sometimes they organize artistic or technical (that concern scene performing: scenery, lights…) workshops, lectures, round-table discussions and similar. Rarely you can get into a nice party but if you happen to be invited on one, don’t say no. Their biggest happening there is Festival “Mladi levi” at the end of August.

The main hall has a spacious stage to which you get after beautiful entrance hall which is preserved as a museum. Here you can see part of a big chimney, turbine and some measuring tools that were used in the power plant.

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Stara elektrarna | Art & culture, Music, Theaters
Slomškova ulica 18 | Center | +38651269906
Depends on the show

I love everything about vinyl records. I love the sound, the fact that you have just the most special songs on vinyl contrary to thousands of MP3 on your computer, I also like it when my friends are surprised that my old gramophone is still working:).

One of the things I love is also to browse in small packed 2nd hand record shops. You go in with maybe just a thought what you want, but you always get something special. And the most exciting part is when you’re on your way home and you just can’t wait to listen to it.

VOM 2nd hand record shop is one of the spots where I can fulfill my vinyl love and also the place where I bought my first one. Listening to jazz on gramophone…what else can you want in your life! It’s also a good place for special Ljubljana souvenirs. Why would you buy some lame tourist souvenirs, when you can buy old Yugoslavian evergreens on a vinyl which is probably older than you:).

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VOM | Art & culture, Shopping
Gledališka pasaža | Center
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00

Being in love is a wonderful feeling. But how about being on a trip or vacation and your loved one is at home, not knowing how much you miss her. Sending an ordinary postcard in the era of internet is so lame, so you have to figure out something that is more sophisticated and classic. If I were you, I would find this spot, take a picture, upload it on some social network and wait for a response.

I did this to few girls I really, really liked. Most of them were surprised, but didn’t react how I expected they would. One did. I think I (still) love her.

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I think I love her | Art & culture | Free
Igriška ulica | Center
24 hours daily

In the very core of the city on Trubarjeva cesta Hiša eksperimentov (House of experiments) is situated. It is one of the first European science centers based on the rule: Do it yourself. It promotes science and learning it through doing it. Experiments are made on the basis, that everyone can touch them, smell them, use them, practically experiment with them.

They cover different subjects: from physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, geography, anthropology, nuclear, computer sciences and others. During the week only school groups can visit them. On weekends the House of experiments becomes crowded with people, especially on rainy days many families visit it. Best time to visit it is at five o’clock, when science shows on different topics are presented.

Every year in the last week of May they organize festival of science called Sciencetival which is present on the street all across the center of Ljubljana.

I work here and it is really a magic experience. Being surrounded with young people gives me strength, confidence and shows that science is fun.

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Hiša eksperimentov | Art & culture, Theaters, Festivals & events | Entrance € 5
Trubarjeva ulica 39 | Center | +38613006888
Sat – Sun 11:00 – 19:00

I think, there isn’t a city without a street with shoes on a wire (or on a tree). We also have one of these in Ljubljana. On Trubarjeva cesta, exactly the same street where the Dežnik shop is as well (check the article), there are two wires spanned across the street with shoes hanging on them.

Nobody knows who started this ritual, but the number of shoes is growing from day to day. The Township removed them once, but afterwards there were even more of them hanging there.

A pair of my shoes is also hanging there! I once hung my worn out converse shoes there and left barefoot. Every time I walk or cycle through the street I look up and greet them.

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Čevlji na žici | Art & culture | Free
Trubarjeva cesta | Center
24 hours daily

Šiška is becoming a better and better place to live and CUK (center urbane kulture / center for urban culture) Kino Šiška earns much of the credits for this. It opened in fall 2009, but already has a huge impact on the Ljubljana scene.

In the last few months it hosted a lot of important musicians from Slovenia and abroad (Josipa Lisac, Lollobrigida, Isis, Pan Sonic, Juno Reactor, Florence and The Machine, New Young Pony Club…). They have mostly music events, but also photo exhibitions, theater and dance events, some workshops…

In the past Kino Šiška was a cinema (kino in Slovene) and was built as a part of the Šiška municipality center. When Ljubljana got a new cinema complex in 2001, the majority of smaller cinemas closed their doors. They wanted to renovate Kino Šiška into a multipurpose hall for different kinds of contemporary events and almost a decade later we finally got it!

My favorite events in Kino Šiška are YU GO! Nights. Each of them presents 3 or 4 bands from ex-Yugoslavia area and can also be tagged as nu yu scene.

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Kino Šiška | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Music, Theaters, Festivals & events
Trg prekomorskih brigad 3 | Siska | +38630310110
Depends

I think this is the best museum in Ljubljana, maybe Slovenia, because it’s something different. It shows you the way of life of our ancestors and they don’t do it in a boring way but with a fresh and interactive approach. You will see this immediately when you stand in front of the museum with it’s nice architecture; a mixture of modern and old.

At the moment there are 2 exhibitions. The first one is We and Others: Images of my World and Between Nature and Culture. The second one has been the permanent exhibition since 2006 and I really like it. It’s divided into two parts. The first one shows you everything about Slovene way of life in the past. The second part is dedicated to other parts of the world.

There are also some other activities in the museum. You can test your weaving skills or do a pottery workshop. Who knows, maybe you will discover a new thing you’re good at! There is also a workshop about the proper way of preparing and drinking tea like they do in Japan.

On the ground floor you will find a nice café, where you can sit down and enjoy the view of the castle and adorable neo-Gothic church. Here you can also buy Filter 57, the first cigarettes in Yugoslavia with filter (they started with production in 1957…go figure).

If you have the chance, visit SEM on the last Sunday of the month: you can get in for free.

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Slovene Etnographic Museum (SEM) | Art & culture, Coffee & tea | Admission (adults) € 4.50
Metelkova 2 | Moste | +38613008700
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 18:00