The lazy Ljubljanica River strolls through the city, but before it enters it, the river’s path is divided. The artificial channel dug more than 200 years ago makes a shortcut, avoiding the city centre where the natural stream flows. Where the river is divided there are some simple barges serving as bars. We call this place ‘Spica’, which means spike and if seen from above it actually looks like a land spike that points into the water.

It is a green oasis that makes a perfect getaway from the urban hustle and bustle. The short ten minute walk from the centre is worth the effort, no matter which side of the river you take.

The bars offer simple drinks you can drink either on the wooden benches on the shore or on the boat. I would recommend this place to everyone who likes nature and doesn’t mind simplicity. Here you can get a good portion of sun and a pristine smile. At Spica you won’t meet any big shot name, just regular people enjoying the atmosphere and some ducks passing by even in winter.

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Spica | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Snacks | Coffee € 1.30
Privoz | Rudnik
11:00 – 19:00 daily

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.

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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

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

On the eastern side of Presernov trg square along Petkovskovo nabrezje bank of Ljubljanica River less crowded bars are situated. One of the first here was Caffe Promenada.

This bar shows that it has been here for some time already with quite an old wooden sign. It isn’t the sign that makes you notice the place but the tables and chairs in front of it with promenade passing in between. The café’s front view offers you a beautiful view over the river of Ljubljana’s main market, designed by very important architect for our city, Plecnik.

This place, though situated in exact center of the city, still gives you a reasonably calm option to have coffee and watch the river flow by. If you are more into finding yourself some company, just turn around, people are passing by. The garden is open also during winter and gets quite a lot of sun, even between buildings, during (of course) sunny days.

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Cafe Promenada | Bars, Coffee & tea | Coffee with milk € 1.40
Petkovskovo nabrezje 9 | Center
07:00 – 01:00 daily

One of those, a bit forgotten, places is hippodrome, a few kilometers from the centre. It can be easily reached by all means of transportation, among others it is also really easy to get there with public transport.

There is also a bar, but what I prefer is to sit on the stands of the hippodrome watching people training with horses. The view over the track is just the beginning, behind it there is a beautiful panoramic view over Kamnik – Savinja Alps .

This is also the place where really big events are being held, like the mass by Pope John Paul II in 1996. In August 2009 we were expecting Madonna to perform here, but unfortunately the show was canceled.

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Hippodrome Stožice | Relaxing | Free
Hippodrome Stožice | Bezigrad
During the day

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

Premier is, like Cafe Promenada, on a less crowded Petkovškovo nabrežje embankment very near Prešernov trg square. It has been here for a while and I am sure it will be here for long since it has really wide selection of beer. Beside local beers there is also tap of Guinness and numerous bottled beers. Like tasteful Czech beers, London Pride, London Porter and others.

Mainly none of them need any extra presentation but there is one that most definitely needs it. That is a local beer called Human Fish Beer after a Slovenian special amphibious, animal that is known as Human Fish (But is not actually a fish!). Tasty beer and cozy atmosphere in this bar will make you wanna come again! 

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Premier Pub | Bars | London Pride € 3.60
Petkovškovo nabrežje 17 | Center | +3864305231
Mon – Sat 08:00 – 01:00, Sun 09:00 – 01:00

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.

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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