Image by Jost Derlink

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.

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

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Ljubljana

Image by Tjasa Janovljak

Probably you’ve noticed that this is not the only article about Balkan food on Ljubljana Spotted by Locals (Check also Harambasa). The reason for this fact is easy understandable if you have been travelling through the Balkans and in case you still haven’t been around let me tell you, besides other things, food is amazingly good there. True, a lot of it is based on meat.

Deset v pol means “ten in the half” where 10 refers to cevapcici and half refers to a very good sort of bread called lepinja. No doubt that this is their speciality and don’t forget to order Sarajevsko which is beer from Sarajevo and one of the best beers on the Balkans. On Friday their speciality is lamb’s meat.

For all of us that we have already experience Sarajevo, Deset v pol is just another place that helps us to get by until we go to Sarajevo again…and we will definitely go soon.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Deset v pol | Restaurants (Balkan) | Cevapcici (10 pieces & bread) € 5.60
Litijska cesta 47 | Moste | +38615421299
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 22:00, Sat 12:00 – 22:00, Sun 12:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Ljubljana

Image by Tjasa Janovljak

This ethno club has brought freshness into Ljubljana when it opened a couple of years ago. One could easily say it is the first ethno club around here. Its name Zlati Zob or Golden Tooth always made me think that this refers to the often seen golden teeth in Gypsy grins. Well, I recently found out it is meant as golden smile, good people, feeling cosy, snacks… A nice environment in short!

The carefully selected decorations are from all over the world and also world ethno music is played here. There is always something going on: dancing performances, concerts, DJ programs, traveler lectures… Dancing lectures of Balkan ‘kolo’ (round dance) are also organized every Tuesday. You should definitely try that, it is unforgettable, believe me.

Another positive thing about that place is that they serve very good Czech draft beer called Bernard and a proper Rakija drink, very well known hard liqueur to any traveler on the Balkans. Quite interesting is also the building itself, which is part of Selo, an 18th century mansion used for different purposes during the history.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Zlati Zob | Bars, Music, Snacks | Beer € 2.70
Zaloka cesta 69 | Moste | +38659139552
Mon – Thu 19:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 19:00 – 03:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Ljubljana

Image by Eva Taucar

Metelkova is home of Ljubljana’s alternative scene, home of artists, musicians and similar crowd. Created with transforming and rebuilding ex army barracks whose walls now serve as canvas for street artists and its outdoor space as contemporary forma viva, surprise every time with new installations and creations. Here architecture has its own rules.

People gather here mostly because of numerous music events, but also just to drink a beer and hang out with friends. There is always something going on, especially before and after summer break, when the weather is nice and people crave for an outdoor happening.

The place itself is a conglomerate of different clubs (Gala Hala, Channel Zero, Klub Gromka…), galleries (Alkatraz, Mizzart), hostel (Celica) and bars (Jalla Jalla…).

In Jalla Jalla you can get the cheapest beer in the city (hurray!) and if it is your first time in Slovenia you just have to try delicious honey schnapps called Medica, or a red liquor shot called Medvedova kri (bears blood).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Metelkova | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Relaxing, Festivals & events | Beer in Jalla Jalla € 1.50
Metelkova street | Moste
See website for program

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Ljubljana

Image by Eva Taucar

One of Metelkova (see the Metelkova article) clubs is, as all the other places there, active in developing and representing independent and alternative culture, but it is, in my opinion, very successful in variety and quality of music it provides.

This is a place to go for ska, punk, rock, metal, reggae and all mixes in between, but also thematic evenings – such as funk evening every first Friday in the month – are great to visit…especially because costumes are expected and it is so cool to move your hips in 80′s tennis player/gymnastic girl outfit.

The interior is quite small but cosy. It’s one of those places where you meet everybody you know in the first half an hour. The summer stage behind the club on the contrary hosts up to 800 people and is used for bigger concerts and events.

The only minus are toilets which become quite interesting after 02:00, so better close your eyes when you visit them

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Gala Hala | Bars, Music | Events € 8.00
Metelkova city | Moste | +38614317063
See program on the website

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Ljubljana

Image by Eva Taucar

This bar, just half a beer bottle away from Metelkova (see the Metelkova article), is usually second and most of the time also the last stop in the evening.

It has two levels with different functions. The lower one is an ordinary bar with extra-ordinary bartenders – long-haired and long bearded old rockers. The upper part is a mini concert hall a.k.a. dance floor. They host everything from A to Z, literally (from alternative rock, to punk, ska, metal, reggae, to jazz).

I like concerts at Orto bar because of very relaxed atmosphere and personal contact with group that is performing. I am not an expert in counting crowds, but I believe if more than 150 people would enter concert “room”, the floor would collapse. That means a nice little bunch of spectators, without big gorillas protecting the stage and kicking off stage divers. And yes, this is the place, where you can easily get a signature from ‘this cute base guitarist’ directly on your boobs.

Orto bar is also the only place providing some quality party on Thursday, when the rest of Ljubljana usually looks pretty dead. 70′ and 80′ hits can suck you in until 5 in the morning, so Friday school duties are often pushed aside.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Orto bar | Bars, Music | Beer € 2.50
Grabloviceva 1 | Moste | +38612321674
Mon – Wed 21:00 – 04:00, Thu – Sat 21:00 – 05:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Ljubljana