Main Attractions	Getting Here
Hipsters Guide	More Info
Events & More	Read This
Hotels & Beds	Watch This
Food & Restaurants	Listen To This
Bars & Clubs	City Map

Every now and then it is important to state the blindingly obvious lest it not be appreciated, so we’ll get this out of the way as quickly as possible: Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, is tiny. With around 275,000 inhabitants, this surprising little city is a similar size to Strasbourg, Sunderland or Münster, and would rank as the 15th largest city in the United Kingdom if it lay there. Even so, one of the oldest clichés the world has ever known is that good things come in small packages, and calling Ljubljana a ‘good thing’ is doing it a disservice. This place is vibrant, it is lively, and it is both bubbling with activities and delightfully slow-paced at the same time. Best of all it is objectively (yes, objectively) one of the most beautiful capital cities on the European continent.

Ljubljana also comes with two thousand years of history (belying Slovenia’s relative youth as an independent country – it finally gained independence in 1991). During the past two millennia Ljubljana has been under the control of – in no particular order – the Romans, the Hapsburgs, the Huns and the communist Yugoslavs. Indeed, Ljubljana (and Slovenia as a whole) often gets lumped into itineraries focusing on the former-Yugoslavia, but Slovenia’s 70 years of Yugoslav history is dwarfed by the 640 spent under Hapsburg rule. Make no mistake; Ljubljana is more Vienna than Varaždin, more Salzburg than Sarajevo, the Germanic world with a Slavic twist.

Best of the Beaten Track

Despite its relative ‘undiscovered’ status, Ljubljana has a host of sights and attractions which combined make up an enviable tourist trail of ‘must-see’ spots. Ljubljana Castle is impossible to avoid, sitting dramatically over the town and visible from any and all spots in the city centre. An earthquake damaged the castle in the 16th century and as such its current look dates from that period, but the panoramic views one finds more than make up for any loss of historic interest.

Further out and Ljubljana’s lungs can be found in the vast, sprawling Tivoli Park, home to the eponymous mansion, photo exhibitions and numerous groups of young yoga teams. At both the castle and the park you’ll find branches of the city’s charming Libraries Under The Treetops (as reported on by Urban Travel Blog).

One of Ljubljana’s most striking elements is the gracefulness of its architecture, a fact all the more impressive when one learns that it is mostly the work of one man. That chap was Jože Plečnik, and a whole host of Ljubljana’s most photogenic spots were conjured up from the imagination of this moustachioed genius. Plečnik didn’t design the city’s most iconic bridge however. Zmajski Most (Dragon Bridge) is adorned with four fairly intimidating dragons, and regardless of the time of the day you’re sure to see a number of folk posing for photos next to the beasts (or even on top of them, although we don’t really recommend that).

As with many central European towns, Ljubljana’s old town is a myriad of narrow streets and elegant squares that demand strolling through and around. It is here that Ljubljana’s lack of size comes to the fore as before too long the need to explore dwindles and one inevitably finds oneself at a riverside bar slipping into the city’s idle rhythms.

Hipster’s Guide

Ljubljana is probably unique when it comes to its alternative spots, as the undoubted alternative mecca in the city also happens to be its most popular hang out, all the while maintaining its low-key, under-the-radar status. Unsure how this is possible? Get to Metelkova and find out. A city within a city. Metelkova is located on the site of former Yugoslav army barracks, and was in danger of being demolished when independence arrived in 1991. A community of artists/squatters made sure this didn’t happen, and now it is a sprawling complex of bars, clubs, galleries, museums, climbing frames and graffiti, replete with some ‘alternative’ toilets that are little more than a wall to piss against. Ironically for one of the most successful spots in the city it is named after 19th century Catholic chap Franc Metelko, who attempted to reform the Slovene alphabet but ultimately failed. To get a real taste of what happens during a night at Metelkovo check out our first hand report!

Those looking for an alternative to the alternative will not be disappointed either, as the former bicycle factory Rog has taken up the Metelkova mantle with aplomb. Opened in 2006 Tovarna Rog is another cultural and social centre within the city, perfect for those who claim (incorrectly) that Metelkova is now ‘too mainstream’. If you want to go full hipster and visit the Rog factory on a Rog bike then ask Tevs from Watermelon Tours nicely and he might dig you out a vintage set of wheels…

Experience & Events

You won’t find a more pedestrian-friendly capital city centre than this one, but for those who aren’t too fond of strolling a host of other ways to see Ljubljana are available. The Ljubljanica River (one of seven names for this languid waterway) lazes through the centre of town, and a variety of boat tours are available. We’re a little more intrepid than that of course, so we decided to experience the river via stand-up paddling, which is exactly what the name suggests it would be. Bananaway are the company behind this innovative sightseeing initiative.

Ljubljana also has a fine selection of food tours on offer, none better than the delightful Ljubljananjam. You won’t find many more proud and passionate people than the delightful Iva (who runs the tours and company on her lonesome), and the only negative I can muster is that it might ruin future food tours for you.

The food theme continues with Odprta Kuhna (Open Kitchen), a weekly event that takes place every Friday between March and October and sees the finest restaurants in the country descend upon Pogačarjev square in a social-gastronomic extravaganza. As Slovenia’s cultural centre, not a month goes by without a citywide event taking over Ljubljana, with everything from jazz to street theatre to design being covered. The Ana Desetnica street theatre festival is arguably Ljubljana’s finest, although the two major wine routes (June and November) that sneak through town might have something to say about that.

Pillow Talk

Befitting a modern European capital city, Ljubljana has accommodation options to suit everyone, whether you are looking for a five-star business suite or a cheap-as-chips bunk in a hostel dorm. For those looking to splash out one building stands out, particularly in the evening. Some 60m high, the Plaza Hotel building in BTC City (Ljubljana’s shopping world) is the architectural equivalent of Marmite, with most either completely enamoured or disgusted by it. Ljubljana is a down-to-earth city at heart though, and as such a number of fine hostels and apartments are also available. Hostel Celica is situated in Metelkova and gets many of the plaudits, but H2ostel is more central and comes with some of the friendliest staff in the city. On the apartment side of things, Kollmann or Old Town are the stand outs.

Fork Out

We’ve briefly touched on Ljubljana’s gastronomy scene, and over the last couple of years real initiative has been shown in marketing and advertising Slovenia’s varied cuisine. Ljubljana is also home to a vast number of socially responsible businesses, and two of my favourite restaurants in the city fall into this bracket. Gostilna Dela combines excellent and varied food with a completely recycled interior and a socially-aware employment criteria, whereas Druga violina offers traditional Slovenian dishes served by staff with various disabilities. Finally, whilst not local or traditional in any way, Skuhna is one of the most unique food stops in the city, focusing on migrant cuisine cooked by people from all over the world who have found themselves in Slovenia.

Drop In

Whilst Metelkova and Tovarna Rog might party late into the night, the simple fact is that Ljubljana on the whole isn’t a raucous nightlife capital. The city centre has a huge amount of excellent bars and cafes along the river, but you won’t see much more in the evening here than people enjoying some drinks and a nice chat. Pritličje is something of an anomaly here, next door to the town hall and with live music and DJs seemingly every night of the week. On the drinking side of things Slovenia (much like the rest of Europe) is experiencing a craft beer revolution, and some cool local spots to sip a pint are Tozd, Prulcek and Daktari. Look out for Human Fish, Pelicon and Mali Grad brews in particular.

Getting There & Around

Ljubljana is as central Europe as it gets, and as such it is remarkably easy to get to regardless of your mode of transport. Numerous low cost airlines fly to the city’s Jože Pučnik airport (including WizzAir and Easy Jet) with Adria Airways acting as the national carrier. Ljubljana’s train and bus stations are centrally located and opposite each other, with daily links to neighbouring capitals such as Belgrade, Zagreb and Vienna, as well as quick links to Venice, Munich and more. One private company that offers cheap shared transfers from all of the above airports is Go Opti. Once you’re in Lublana (as the locals refer to it) your feet will be all you need to get around.

More Juice

The city’s official tourist site is Visit Ljubljana and has a lot to offer, with everything from events to stories to quick trips around the capital. The In Your Pocket brand is particularly strong in the city, and you’ll struggle to find a more complete resource. The city of Ljubljana website is useful for those looking for more formal information. For an attractive and fun guide with tips by six professional travel bloggers head to The Travel Mob.

Hard Copy

Due to its small size, there isn’t a huge amount of print focused on the city, with the Ljubljana In Your Pocket guide still the best bet in town. The same team recently produced books for Ljubljana and Slovenia as a whole too. Lonely Planet and Rough Guides have produced decent guides for Slovenia in the past.

Silver Screen

During the Yugoslav years Slovenian cinema took a back seat to more internationally admired work from Serbia and Bosnia, but in the years since independence it has seen something of a rebirth. The art of film-making in Slovenia is over a century old however, with Kekec! (1951), Kajmak in Marmelada (2003) and Kruh in Mleko (2001) among the nation’s finest work.

Soundtrack to the City

Majda Sepe – Šuštarski Most
Jan Plestenjak – Ona Sanji o Ljubljani
Majda Sepe – Ljubljanske ulice
Slavko Avsenik – Na Golici
Laibach – Life is Life

Video Inspiration

We selected Ljubljana as one of our recommended budget breaks abroad, and as one of Europe’s most romantic cities. For even more stories and tips on the Slovenian capital head here.

About John Bills

John's three great passions are making lists, eating crisps and travelling in the Balkans. Currently in Belgrade, via Ljubljana and Mostar, it's in the latter capacity that he contributes to UTB. More on John here.

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The post Long Weekend: Ljubljana appeared first on Urban Travel Blog.

Summer luvin’… it happened so fast. It seems like only last week that I was sunning myself by the Ljubljanica river, eating strawberry and mascapone tart washed down with an artesan ale at Tozd bar, and my only dilemma was choosing between the castle or Tivoli park for an afternoon stroll. Whereas now here I am back home, buried under piles of unanswered emails as numerous as the sodden brown leaves outside my door that are testament to the gloomy onset of autumn. Yep, those hazy summer days sure drifted away pretty quick.

It was not a week ago, but in June in fact that I was invited to take part in a blogtrip to Ljubljana, the Slovenian capital, along with some prestigious fellow travel bloggers in the form of The Travel Mob. And whilst I had done the equivalent of stalking the city’s Facebook profile to check if she was cute or not (she was!), I did not realise that I was going to fall so head over heels in love. Thanks to our blogtrip I got to spend eight days up-close and personal with this ravishing Central European beauty, all the time independently exploring all the cool stuff I thought you, the UTB readership, would be interested in. This included the city’s innovative Libraries Under The Treetops initiative, the legacy of the Rog bicycle and factory (I’m a sucker for anything to do with Communist nostaglia, and hopefully you are too!) and the chance to try stand up paddle boarding on the Ljubljanica river. Amongst many other things!

Maybe some of those stories, published right here over the last few weeks, have already piqued your interest in this diminutive, oft-neglected capital? However, if none of them have quite convinced you to start searching for flights just yet, then do yourself a favour and check out my eight reasons why you should visit Ljubljana and begin your own romance with this wonderful destination.

1. Lonely Planet Loves Ljubljana

Just before we set off on our own Slovenian Odyssey we were buoyed by the news that none other than LP had voted Ljubljana as their second hottest European destination for 2014, saying that it is “already one of Europe’s greenest and most liveable cities, boasting a friendly cafe culture by day, and vibrant nightlife after the sun sets… Plus it makes the perfect base with plentiful, inexpensive buses radiating out of the city to the rest of Slovenia, which is as picture-perfect as Switzerland but much easier on the wallet.” The travel press are a-twittering…

2. For A Small City, It Packs A Big Punch!

A city of only 270,000 or so people, Ljubljana is one of Europe’s smallest capitals and as such you might be worried about running out of things to do during a long weekend. Don’t be. The castle, Roman ruins, art museums, Tivoli park and riverside walks should keep you occupied for a day or two at the very least (especially as you will naturally slow down into the infectiously lazy pace of this languorous town), whilst there are literally a dozen or more great day trips to choose from. The most popular is to Lake Bled, a fairytale aquascape that adorns many a Slovenian postcard, but the coastal resorts of Piran and Portoroz are also as pretty as a picture, whilst the Skocjan caves are one of several UNESCO listed treasures within striking distance (Monica of The Travel Mob, managed to fit in several of these in one epic day trip). For all options worth considering The Visit Ljubljana website is the best resource.

3. The Food, Glorious Food (…and Wine …and Craft Beer!)

Foodies will have a field day in Ljubljana, a place where quality seems to be matched only by affordability: I’ll go out on a limb and suggest you’ll be hard pressed to eat as well for as little anywhere else in Europe. The local cuisine draws heavily on neighbouring influences from Austria, Hungary, Italy and the Mediterranean, and in every restaurant we visited we found that the emphasis was on using seasonal, locally-sourced cuisine, with many chefs owning their own vegetable gardens. Slovenian wines are little known outside the country, because they don’t produce enough to export them – the domestic demand sees them all gobbled up! – but they are simply fantastic, and you’ll find most waiters are as knowledgeable as their Italian cousins across the border, and will help pair them perfectly with your meal. Want to try traditional Slovenian cuisine? The Taste Ljubljana initiative (we attended the launch day!) enables travellers to try nearly thirty authentic recipes at fifty places around town, and you can pick up a book with the recipes and participating restaurants at any of the tourist offices around town. Argh, ran out of space to mention the great craft beers!

4. It’s “The New Berlin”…

…well the new mini-Berlin maybe, given that the Slovenian capital is less than 10% the size of the German one. This was the hypothesis of the hipster-in-chief at Travels of Adam, who found that the creative energy and redevelopment of the city mirrored that of his own home town in Germany; its troubled recent history forceing it to forge a new post-Yugoslavia identity. Check out his guide on cool things to do, for a flavour of what makes Ljubljana a hip place to visit right now.

5. Other Bloggers Can’t Stop Talking About It!

It’s not just me and the other members of The Travel Mob that were scribbling up loving odes to the Slovenian capital this summer. It seems that every blogger who has ever dallied by the Ljubljanica river has also felt the warm stirrings of what might just be a lifelong affection. Check out what these top travel writers had to say:

“Ljubljana, a quiet, beautiful capital city that has much to offer visitors… There’s literally everything you could possibly want from a city – a range of things to do, GREAT food, and a river. Who doesn’t love a city river?” by Wanderful World.

“The heart of Ljubljana is pedestrian friendly and compact. After a day of walking around the city, I returned to my hostel with a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart. That feeling… just like when you know you’ve made the acquaintance of someone special,” by Budget Traveller.

“What appears, upon first inspection, to be a soulless relic of the former Soviet Bloc is perhaps the most arrestingly charming city in all of Europe.” by Leave Your Daily Hell.

“Never before in all my travels have I been welcomed so enthusiastically into strange streets, protected from the cold with such warmth and hospitality and treated as such a good friend despite having never met before,” by Wandering Earl.

6. The People Are Great!

From our first ever meal, a home-cooked vegetarian repast courtesy of Slocally travel, to the guys at Luxury Slovenia who took us on an impromptu champagne-fuelled boat ride, we met tremendous Slovenian people who went out of their way to share their love of the city and country with us and ensure we had a great time. The service we enjoyed in hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars always felt genuine, and the great people who acted as our tour guides, also hung out with us as friends later. Needless to say, I also met some cool folk during my nightlife adventures, who were keen to share a drink and offer me their local tips. Overall I’d say that Slovenes are a little more shy than most Europeans, but once you get talking you should make friends easily! For more on Ljubljana by the Ljubljanistas themselves, check out this video.

7. You Can Get There Surprisingly Easily

When I first Googled for flights to Slovenia I started to worry… it seemed that there were no direct flights from Barcelona at all, and indirect flights were all very costly with long layovers! A panic-stricken email to my Slovenian friends pointed me in the direction of GoOpti, a transfer company that can connect you quickly and cheaply with a dozen nearby airports including Venice, Zagreb, Bergamo, Milan, Bologna, Munich or Vienna, considerably increasing your options and chances of getting a nicely affordable flight. Their shared transfer system is really cheap, easy and effective, the only negative being that you may have to kill a couple of hours in the airport, depending on timing. Otherwise Easyjet and Wizzair both fly from London, whilst local carrier Adria airlines flies to Manchester, and twenty other European cities, including Paris, Munich, Brussels and Warsaw.

8. We wrote a FREE LJUBLJANA E-BOOK just for you!

A great destination is always made greater with the aid of an insightful travel guide, one which will point you in the direction of that hip cafe selling cold brew coffee, that funky jazz bar with a mean selection of craft beers or that little spirits shop selling Slovenian schnapps, ie. those special places that will make you love the city all the more. The Travel Mob’s Guide to Ljubljana features all the favourite hang outs of each of the Mobsters, along with photos and location map, and is available both online, and in interactive E-book form, completely free.

So there you go, time to check your passport expiry date, brush up on your Slovenian (you’ll get by just fine in English, but hey, a hvala here and there never hurt anyone right?) and reserve your place on a jet plane heading just south of the Alps. Kudos to anyone who raises a glass of Lasko beer to my health at the top of the Neboticnik art deco skyscraper whilst there…

Other News on Urban Travel Blog

What else have the Urban Travel Bloggers been up to this summer? Well Ben Rhodes spent a jolly time raving it up at the Essentials Festival in Budapest, where he also found time to write up his top five favourite rooftop bars in the city. Statesider and young urban philosopher, Duval Culpepper, has filed his personal district guide to Beacon, New York; and last, and probably least, I recounted another tale from my adventures “On The Road” in Brazil earlier in the year… this one was about how I spent four days discovering the idyllic island of Ilha Grande near Rio de Janeiro. (Ok three days discovering, one day being violently ill!).

That’s it from me for now. If you haven’t become a millionaire, found the love of your life or simply been told how great you look by a random stranger on the street recently, it’s probably the bad karma you have from not subscribing to this very blog, or at least following on Facebook and/or Twitter. Easily remedied, no?

About Duncan Rhodes

Duncan is the Editor-in-Chief of Urban Travel Blog, a born and bred city slicker who loves urban adventure, street art, killer bars and late night hotspots. More about Duncan here.

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The post Summer Luvin’ in Ljubljana appeared first on Urban Travel Blog.

They may form the backdrop of action-packed scenes in movies like Harry Potter, Ghostbusters and Breakfast Club, but in reality a trip to the library is rarely the highlight of anyone’s day. Dusty, dimly-lit and sanctimoniously dull, they perhaps exude a certain central-heated appeal on a bone-chilling winter’s afternoon, but they are pretty much the last place any sane person wants to be on a warm summer’s one. At least outside of Slovenia, because, as the name suggests, Ljubljana’s Library Under The Treetops is distinctly different.

No! Ljubljana’s Libraries Under The Treetops are, contrary to societal norms, spacious, green, airy, oxygen-infused affairs of relaxed bookish camaraderie.

Forget the imprisoning civil architecture of the average bibliotheque, hemming one in with its cheaply plastered walls, jaundiced strip lighting and oppressively low ceilings, fear not the steely, horn-rimmed gazes of robotic librarians as they administer you an exorbitant late return fine (what’s three months between friends?), and dismiss the sad shuffling gates of etiolated students, crushed by the weight of their overly ambitious theses on the fiscal policies of The People’s Republic of China from the 1950s to 70s.

No! Ljubljana’s Libraries Under The Treetops are, contrary to societal norms, spacious, green, airy, oxygen-infused affairs of relaxed bookish camaraderie. These ad hoc athenaeums spring up every summer in the Slovenia capital in an ever increasing number of leafy locations, offering the weary traveller the chance to plonk their posterior onto a cushion or folding chair and bury their head in a book for as long, or as short, as they please. I came across my first one when marching across Congress Square right in the heart of Ljubljana’s old town.

Appropriately enough I pick up a copy of The Hedonism Handbook, angle my chair to the sun and lazily skim through some sage advice on the merits of idleness and pleasure.

I had been in full-on tourist mode and determined to take in as much as the city as possible, but once I spied the funky deckchairs and the attractive cartons of books, set in the grassy midrift of the plaza, and glazed by the late June sunlight, I felt, if not a compulsion, then an urge at least to stop for a while and slow things down. Appropriately enough I pick up a copy of The Hedonism Handbook, angle my chair to the sun and lazily skim through some sage advice on the merits of idleness and pleasure. One quote by Abraham Lincoln amuses me: It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues, says the dead pres. It’s certainly a saying that could hide a multitude of sins.

After closing my eyes for a minute or so, I wake up from a pleasant dose to find two young ladies sitting just a few yards from me. I overhear them speaking English so that’s my cue to get their opinion on these arboreal archives. Zara is a 19-year-old Slovenian girl from Nova Gorica who is reading (in English) a book called Surely You Are Joking Mr. Feynman? She is showing her Polish friend, Irena, around the city and explains how she came to be here:

After closing my eyes for a minute or so, I wake up from a pleasant dose to find two young ladies sitting just a few yards from me…

“I didn’t know there was a library. We were just at the Preseren square and I wanted to show my friend this square as well, because – even when there is not a library – people usually are just sitting here, playing guitar. There are also concerts sometimes. When we saw this, we just stopped to relax for a while. I think this is very nice because it’s educational and you get to know books. It’s also a great way to spend your free time, instead of being on a computer.”

I ask Irena what’s the appeal from her tourist’s point of view and she’s equally positive. “I think it’s a great idea, I haven’t seen it before. I can have a rest, not just read a book – these chairs are quite comfortable! I can talk to my friend. And it’s really nice that the books are also in English, because I don’t understand Slovenian, so that’s great!”

“I think it’s a great idea, I haven’t seen it before. I can have a rest, not just read a book – these chairs are quite comfortable!”

I ask if it makes sense to start reading a book that you’re going to have to leave behind shortly, but Irena doesn’t see that as a problem. “Sometimes we can just start reading a book, and then if we like it we can borrow it from the library…. I mean the real library! Or just read it on the internet for example. It’s a good opportunity to start reading.”

The girls disappear to explore the rest of the city, and it’s time for me to do likewise as well. I encounter some other libraries…

Back home from my Ljubljana visit, and stuck at my dreary and dismal desk, and I’m still intrigued enough by L.U.T.T. experience to drop the organisers an email and find out a little bit more. Here is the questions and answers session I had with the project founder, Tina Popovič.

Q1: What was your inspiration behind starting Library Under The Treetops? Had you seen something similar elsewhere?
At that time, 10 years ago, I was a part of organization of music festival in park Tivoli (Ljubljana’s main park). And I thought it would be great to offer good books and chairs to all those people, gathering there in park. No, I haven’t seen anything similar before.

Q2: What was your motivation behind starting LUTT? Why did you want to do it?
At the Turizem Ljubljana office they have recognized the idea interesting very soon and they have asked me, If we would set it up at the Ljubljanica river for a longer period. This is how we have started. It was a lot of improvisation at the beginning, but I enjoyed a lot first years under the willows along the Ljubljanica. I had a good feeling, a response was good, people soon began to read and no longer just wondered if I we are selling books. “Oh, what a good idea” is the sentence, we have heard so many times in those years (from 2 yrs old to 90 yrs) and that gave us and is still giving us a lot of motivation. And with the encouragement and support of Tourism Ljubljana, in years followed, we have developed one of the most successful projects in the field of promoting reading culture in Slovenia. At the some time an interesting offer for tourists that also manage to revitalize neglected public spaces.

Q3: How does LUTT benefit the local community in Ljubljana (and other cities?)?
At the beginning people were asking a lot if we are selling books. It was quite unusual, that we were just offering them for free, under trees. At that time in LJ we were not even used to sit on the grass in parks. Then people got used to a new offer and today, if we change some location, people are asking us to bring it back, they just get used to it quickly. I think LUTT became a part of Ljubljana summer public park equipment. And children just love it. For them it is like a playground. They ask their parents to stop and read. And for me this is really a great success. We are spreading the reading culture on a simple, playful way. On the other hand the LUTT with a long-term presence on specific public spaces helps to revive the less known and less popular areas. Or refurbished public spaces with a lack of content. The project is also continuously attractive for volunteers and students that are joining the project and contributing on the regular basis and thus widening projects positive social impact.

Q4: Are you trying to engage tourists as well? If so, how?
When we have opened the library on LJ castle for the first time (in was in 2010- LJ was the World Capital of Book under Unesco- and at that time and occasion we have opened 5 new reading locations in LJ), we paid more attention on books and magazines for turist, in many foreign languages, from many fields. Now we offer at least some books for tourist on every LUTT location. On some (like Lj castle even in majority). Tourists love the simple idea of outdoor reading and some are telling us they will do the same in their countries.

Q5: What are your future plans for LUTT?
Oh, people and local communities are asking us all the time to bring LUTT in their cities, parks, villages. We have to find the way to answer all those wishes, needs. We have to find the way to spread the idea on the national level and abroad.

Q6: I noticed that sometimes you have concerts as well?
Not just concerts, also talks, readings, workshops, through the whole summer. Sometimes we organize 10 events per week. What you have noticed we call Live Reading music. It takes part every Sunday at the castle. We became a real summer reading festival!

So there you have it… this charming project has gone from unassuming beginnings to become an essential part of the cultural fabric of the city, and I do suggest – even if you’ve held a lifelong aversion to libraries – to pick up a book under the treetops, and (if you’ll excuse the pun) leaf through it.

For more on LUTT check out their official website (in Slovenian, mostly) and Facebook page.

Duncan visited Ljubljana as part of the #TasteLjubljana blogtrip, and you can read all of his stories and recommendations in The Travel Mob’s Ljubljana city guide. The trip was organised under the auspices of Visit Ljubljana – their website is a fantastic resource to the city. He was grateful to stay at the Hotel Meksiko, a modest and extremely comfortable three-star hotel around 10 minutes walk from the city centre.

About Duncan Rhodes

Duncan is the Editor-in-Chief of Urban Travel Blog, a born and bred city slicker who loves urban adventure, street art, killer bars and late night hotspots. More about Duncan here.

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The post Ljubljana’s Libraries Under The Treetops appeared first on Urban Travel Blog.

What tastes of fire and cherry, is poured ready-mixed from a recycled plastic bottle and – according to Slovenian bar staff at least – is good for you? The answer is “Bear’s Blood”, and you can buy it in Yalla Yalla bar in the autonomous social centre of Metelkova in Ljubljana.

My fellow initiate in this alcoholic rite of passage is actually a local girl, whose real name shall remain unknown, but for the purpose of this article I will call Eva. Despite being as Slovenian as a Preseren fig praline, Eva is unimpressed.

“It’s disgusting, I can’t drink it,” she complains.

Maybe it’s a good thing. I’ve already succeeded in getting Eva quite drunk – not for any nefarious purpose you understand, but because each drink she has leads to a more and more telling confession of her youthful indiscretions, many of which took place right here in Metelkova. So far she has divulged the unfortunate time she stepped ankle-deep into a puddle of piss and then had to take a taxi home, recounted a separate occasion when she herself peed all over her favourite scarf, reminisced on the romantic night when she was fondled in the Metelkova tree house (which she later denies!), and happily recalled how she regularly used to skip school to smoke weed, back in the day.

I’ve already succeeded in getting Eva quite drunk…. because each drink she has leads to a more and more telling confession of her youthful indiscretions

As you can no doubt tell, Eva is fantastic company… but maybe it’s time I stopped force feeding her the booze. After all, someone might end up publishing all these stories! I take the half-filled shot glass from her hand, down the remains and feel my throat burning once more. Should get rid of that cold at least.

The truth is that, not only Eva, but almost anyone in Ljubljana between the ages of 20 and 40 has some similarly themed stories about Metelkova, a former military barracks that was squatted by artists in the mid 90s and then went on to become the city’s most important cultural centre, and a champion of contemporary arts, intellectual freedom and gay rights. This complex of buildings and open space is now considered an autonomous zone, in the manner of Copehagen’s Christiania or Vilnius’ Uzupis, and has been the centre of the city’s nightlife for nearly 20 years. So naturally the tales of mischief and mayhem that orbit it are nearly as numerous as the stars in the night sky over Slovenia.

This complex of buildings and open space is now considered an autonomous zone… and has been the centre of the city’s nightlife for nearly 20 years.

Whilst my memory of the zone’s exact layout is a bit hazy, Metelkova is a maybe the size of a football field, and consists of a number of barrack buildings and the open spaces in between them. Each former barrack is covered floor to gable with graffiti, which ranges from grotesque sculptures of mutant babies screeching at the sky, to rather beautiful trencadis-style wall decorations made of motifed tiles and a surprising amount of crockery. There’s also plenty of more standard “street” style graffiti, various random sculptures and – during my visit – a huge canvas banner supporting the Brazilian people against the footballing dictatorship of FIFA. On the ground floor of virtually every one of these buildings is a bar or club, whilst in the open spaces are Eva’s favourite tree house, some benches, and a sizeable amount of parked cars – including a number of camper vans, from which crusty-haired travellers and their dogs appear and disappear.

It’s a warm summer’s night tonight, so the majority of people are standing outside, either drinking beers bought from the bars, or in most cases, simply sipping from their own supply of cheap supermarket booze. I decide it’s time for another Slovenian lager and pop back into Yalla Yalla where three cans of Lasko (yes, I said “cans”!) are served to me by dreadlocked bar staff for the mammoth total of €5.40. We crack them open and join the rest of The Travel Mob, who are doing likewise, on some well-worn benches round the corner. There’s a waft of marijuana coming from a group of kids in the corner, a gangly black guy with a Coolio haircut is dancing wide-eyed all by himself, and a half-hearted local hen party are trying to have fun with a male blow up doll, but are too drunk and tired and soon give up and decide to go home instead.

Concerned that we’re behaving too much like the sensible ones at this jamboree, I grab Brian and persuade him it’s time to check out some of the clubs.

Concerned that we’re behaving too much like the sensible ones at this jamboree, I grab Brian (aka The Travel Vlogger) and persuade him it’s time to check out some of the clubs. We make our way to the nearest open door that turns out to be rock club, where a DJ is playing classic head bangers. We’re at least ten years older than the average punter in here, and, in our vaguely smart clothing (well mine at least, Brian is displaying a middle-aged American’s fashion sense), we stick out like a sore thumb. But that doesn’t stop us moshing out for a bit and chatting to a few random metallers, before moving on.

Next up is Gala Hala (not to be confused with Yalla Yalla) and from the pounding bass outside I think we’re onto something… we get our tickets from what looks like an car park attendant’s kiosk opposite and then make our way inside. Two DJs are spinning some fantastically eclectic beats and the crowd of good looking hipsters is, if not going wild, at least appreciating the music with a merited amount of vim and vigour. One of the turntablist duo can actually scratch and the room is filled with an action-packed ensemble of mashed up sounds… just how I like them. Just when I think things can’t get any better one of the tag team goes and drops a full-on drum and bass track. Naturally this is my cue to teach Ljubljana how to dance like you’re at Fabric on a Friday night, years 2001-2004. No one goes as far as saying so, but I’m pretty sure they appreciate the lesson.

…it’s not a fertile flirting market for heterosexual guys, but somehow I manoeuvre myself into conversation with a striking, tall blonde girl in a red dress, who turns out to be a Russian yoga instructor.

I could have stayed longer but it’s time to meet up with the other members of The Travel Mob and the guys from Luxury Slovenia at the legendary gay club, Tiffany’s, which is just next door. We pass through a corridor, featuring a painting of a cartoon sailor crying rainbows, and into a sweatbox of a room, where a legion of guys, some stripped off at the waist, are jumping up and down to kitsch pop tracks. We find the rest of The Mob in the covered garden out the back and promptly order a gin and tonic. As you might imagine, it’s not a fertile flirting market for heterosexual guys, but somehow I manoeuvre myself into conversation with a striking, tall blonde girl in a red dress, who turns out to be a Russian yoga instructor. I tell her that my lack of flexibility in my legs is due to my very tense hamstrings which in turn enable me to run faster and jump higher than normal humans. I think she’s impressed.

Someone suggests dancing (possibly to Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie) and suddenly we’re monopolising half the dancefloor and podiums to ourselves… although that’s partly because by now the club is emptying out. The Russian yoga instructor leaves, forgetting somehow to ask for my number.

Finally, at around 5:15am we are politely asked to leave. The rest of The Travel Mob are ready for bed, but I kinda fancy staying up a little bit longer and head back to Gala Hala. I reveal my stamp to the bouncer but he insists the club is now closed, despite the fact that a) earlier he told me it wouldn’t close until 6am and b) the party is clearly still going on. Either I’m too drunk to be allowed back in, or he’s an asshole… or quite possibly both.

I figure somewhere else has to be open… and I’m right. Bizarnica pri Marici turns out to be quite a find. Grey-haired hippies are swinging like its 1969 to Susie Q on the makeshift dancefloor, old soaks in battered blazers are drinking whiskey and playing chess on a scattering of small tables, whilst a handful of younger folk are also joining in the fun, overindulging on something or other. One, a skinny lad of around 20, is laid out fast asleep across an entire sofa, still sporting his 80s wayfarer-style sunglasses. I nip to the toilets, where I get to admire some two-tone graphic art pornography (pictured above), then buy a Cockta soft drink and settle in a doorway by the dancefloor where I can rest up for five minutes and soak in the atmosphere. I am innocently tapping my feet to the beat, when from out of the crowd a dishevelled guy with saucer eyes and a rictus smile stumbles towards me. Taking hold of my wrist, he traces a finger down my exposed forearm from my elbow to the palm of my hand, then looks up at me. “Nice veins,” he cooes.

Taking hold of my wrist, he traces a finger down my exposed forearm from my elbow to the palm of my hand, then looks up at me. “Nice veins,” he cooes.

I am not still sure if this was some kind of proposition (to shoot up?), or a heartfelt ecstasy-induced compliment… or maybe he was simply a patriotic Slovene who could somehow sense the Bear’s Blood running through my arteries? But whatever the case, I sure as hell wasn’t hanging around to find out. I dashed out of there, grateful at least that he didn’t try to touch my Cockta.

Duncan travelled to Ljubljana as part of The Travel Mob blogtrip #TasteLjubljana, made possible by the awesome folk at Visit Ljubljana. Whilst he was there he also tried stand up paddling on the Ljubljanica river and enjoyed discovering the city from the saddle of the iconic Rog bike. If you’re coming to the Slovenian capital for a wild weekend, he recommends you stay at the Hotel Meksiko as it’s just five minutes walk from Metelkova… no taxi required!

About Duncan Rhodes

Duncan is the Editor-in-Chief of Urban Travel Blog, a born and bred city slicker who loves urban adventure, street art, killer bars and late night hotspots. More about Duncan here.

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The post One Blurry Night in… Ljubljana appeared first on Urban Travel Blog.

I’m trying to gauge the width of the Ljubljanica river. I think it could be 20 to 25 metres across. Worryingly then, the five metre swimming badge I earned in primary school (still one of my proudest achievements) will not be enough to save me in the likely event that – during my first ever SUP attempt – I take a plunge right in the middle of the waters.

“Don’t worry, we have good survival statistics,” Spela from Bananaway had assured me over Twitter, when I mentioned I’m no Michael Phelps. However I would have found a life jacket, or even a pair of comical kids’ waterwings, a lot more assuring. Neither were provided.

It’s a beautiful day to be drowning at least. A few scattered clouds mosey around a bright blue June sky, and – this being Saturday – Ljubljana’s residents are out in force, enjoying a beer or three at the innumerable bars and cafes that flank both sides of the river. We are at a scenic spot a little upstream from the Old Town, where you can sit and sunbathe on a series of wide concrete steps by the waters, or shelter under the shade of the weeping willow trees on the grass just behind.

Putting aside my aquaphobia for a minute, I’m actually looking forward to trying stand up paddling for the first time… although I’d never imagined I would be doing it right here in the bustling centre of a capital city. Sure I’d seen it in Rio and in Barcelona, but out on the ocean (which a. I definitely wouldn’t try without a life jacket and b. looked a bit boring), whilst a more obvious place for some SUP action would surely be a beautiful lake or untouched stretch of river in the countryside somewhere. But it seems that the innovative LJU-based young company, Bananaway, are keen to kick off a new trend of urban paddle boarding that combines exercise, adventure and sightseeing.

“It’s getting more and more popular,” says Matija, the 28-year-old company founder. “Many younger tourists are interested, especially from UK, Germany and Hungary. They like it because you get to see Ljubljana from a different angle. At the same time you get a work out, and it’s more fun – you get to do something new.”

…the innovative young company, Bananaway, are keen to kick off a new trend of urban paddle boarding that combines exercise, adventure and sightseeing.

It’s time for Matija to take charge of my SUP tutoring and, on the aforementioned concrete steps, we go through a dry run of how to board the board (so to speak) and grip the paddle. So far so good, but it’s the wet run I’m more worried about. I test the temperature of the waters with my hand. Still chilly even in June, but not pneumonia inducing at least. Plus the river flow is lazy, and watching my fellow SUP sightseers paddle off with consummate ease gives me some encouragement that I might yet survive the day. Matija lifts my own board into the water. It’s a sturdy beast, much wider and longer than your average surfboard for example. Once it’s floating on the river’s edge, it’s up to me to tether it to the bank with my foot, whilst sliding my knees, one after the other, off solid land and onto the board. Then, still kneeling, it’s simply a case of picking up my oar and paddling out into the river… I fancy I may even look a bit duck-like as I take to the water like a born natural.

The sport is not called “kneel-up paddling” however, and the iron test of course is whether or not I can stand up without taking a bath: but the Ljubljanica is as smooth as a shelf today and it’s another needless worry as I plant my feet on the board with minimum fuss. Despite feeling secure though, for some reason my legs are wobbling like jelly. Could it be the after effects of that night out in Metelkova?

“Don’t worry if your legs are unsteady. They soon get used to it,” Matija cries out from across the water, recognising my symptoms as he confidently paddles ahead of me. Having set off last, I’m already behind the group, so it’s time to limber up the shoulders and catch up. There’s a mildly nervous moment when I overextend myself fractionally, and do a little corrective jig, but overall it’s plane sailing.

The sport is not called “kneel-up paddling” however, and the iron test of course is whether or not I can stand up without taking a bath…

Together we glide up the river, in cruise control, and I’m comfortable enough to only keep one eye on the water and use the other to take in the sights of Ljubljana from my unique (albeit rather low down) perspective. First we pass one of the city’s funky little al fresco libraries (aka Libraries Under The Treetops… full report on these learned treasures here!), which is set up under some willows not far from where we set off; soon after we pass under the Cobbler’s Bridge, whose famous pillars I’d recently learned (thanks to a private walking tour with Get Your Guide!) were originally intended by starchitect Joze Plecnik to support a roof, but instead, due to a lack of funding, got topped off with lanterns and concrete balls.

Next we approach the central Triple Bridge (another of Plecnik’s master designs) which links the old medieval district under the castle with Preseren Square, and here I also get a good view of the pink facade of the Franciscan Church, now blazing orange in the afternoon sunlight. After that, we continue along the river’s trajectory, passing underneath the Vodnik Square on our right, below the span of Butcher’s Bridge, and then under the one-time Jubilee Bridge, where a copper statue of the city’s famous dragon stands guard on each of the arch’s four corners (…and yes, there’s a legend behind this serpentine sentinel).

In just around 30 mins we’ve paddled through the heart of the diminutive Slovenian capital, and even if we wanted to we couldn’t go much further as Plecnik’s sluice gate would block our path. In other words it’s time to turn back, and this is where things got a little trickier. We were now paddling upstream whilst a strong wind flew in our faces, and for the first time I began to feel I was having to work out to get anywhere. It seemed like boat traffic increased too, and the wake of each tourist barge threatened to knock me off my board. One did in fact force me to drop back into kneeling position, which at least gave me the chance to splash some cold water from the Ljubljanica onto my face, as the sun and exertion began to take their toll.

I was relieved to have pulled back up to dry land without having to test my dubious swimming skills – or the Bananaway crew’s mouth-to-mouth resuscitation techniques.

We pushed on, back under the bridges, from which tourists looked down at us, their faces expressing a mix of curiosity, amusement and admiration, and into the final straight home. I wasn’t exactly exhausted but, bearing in mind the 6am finish the night before, I’d definitely had enough for one day. Moreover, I was relieved to have pulled back up to dry land without having to test my dubious swimming skills – or the Bananaway crew’s mouth-to-mouth resuscitation techniques.

Further Info

If you fancy trying stand up paddle boarding as a novel way to see Ljubljana then you can contact Bananaway directly, or book their experience via the Slocally website. As well as paddling into the city centre you can choose to paddle away from it too, for a more nature orientated activity, or – if you have the energy – combine the two. Bananaway also offer SUP in the gorgeous environs of Lake Bled, which is just an hour or so away from the city, plus a range of other outdoor activities in Slovenia and beyond. UPDATE: you can now book SUP at three different locations in the country (LJU, Soca river and Bled) on this page of the Bananaway site!

Thanks to…

Duncan travelled to Slovenia as part of the #TasteLjubljana blogtrip organised by The Travel Mob blogging team and the Ljubljana Tourist Board – check their websites for more on the city. He stayed at Hotel Meksiko, an affordable budget hotel, with helpful staff, just fifteen minutes walk from Preseren square. He is also grateful to the people of Get Your Guide for setting up a two hour private walking tour, which provided him with plenty of interesting background history, facts and anecdotes, which you will find scattered amongst his Ljubljana coverage.

About Duncan Rhodes

Duncan is the Editor-in-Chief of Urban Travel Blog, a born and bred city slicker who loves urban adventure, street art, killer bars and late night hotspots. More about Duncan here.

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The post Stand Up Paddling Goes Urban in Slovenia appeared first on Urban Travel Blog.

Rog is undoubtedly the most famous brand of bike in Slovenia. And there’s a simple reason for that, says Tevs, founder of Watermelon Bike Tours and my guide for the day. From 1951 to 1991 it was the only brand of bike in Slovenia.

“When we were part of Yugoslavia, which was a socialist country, pretty much everything we had was produced or built in Yugoslavia. There weren’t really any imported models of anything. That’s why the bike you had was a Rog, or you didn’t have a bike. There wasn’t much of an option.”

The brand and the factory were set up in Ljubljana, and even though a second factory later opened in Sarajevo, the bike’s spiritual home has always been on the banks of the Ljubljanica river, where the machines were constructed start-to-finish and then distributed across Yugoslavia. Whilst those days under Tito’s rule were kind to Rog, after Communism collapsed and Slovenia declared independence in 1991, the death knell also sounded for a company that could not compete in the new capitalist reality. Attempts to move the factory to a cheaper industrial zone on the outskirts of town only delayed the inevitable and soon after bike production stopped. During the nineties and naughties, international brands flooded the market and naturally being seen pottering around town on a Socialist relic was the contrary of cool, as this freshly-formed country looked firmly to the future.

‘Renaissance’ might be too fine a word… but… Ljubljana’s residents, rather than ushering these cranky dinosaurs into an early grave, have instead decided to wheel them out of their retirement homes and ride them for every last mile they are worth.

What goes around comes around, quite literally in the case of the wheels of the Rog brand bikes, which are proving popular again, after a period of being distinctly unfashionable. The reason for this resurgence? The economic crisis. In these penny pinching times, there’s a generation of hard-up Slovenian students, artists and even businessmen who prefer to buy a bike for 30 euros and fix it up, than splash out on a shiny new mountain bike… especially as, after twenty years have passed, the Rog is now retro enough to be considered cool again. ‘Renaissance’ might be too fine a word, as the Rogs never really went away, but perhaps it’s fair to say that Ljubljana’s residents, rather than ushering these cranky dinosaurs into an early grave, have instead decided to wheel them out of their retirement homes and ride them for every last mile they are worth. (I like to think of them as the bicycling equivalent of a crotchety grandparent who, after years of being ignored, is brought back into the household, bad manners and all, so that they can be put to work in the garden, or left in charge of feeding the cat).

Indeed, such is the ubiquity of these ageing hulks of steel on the streets that we’ve barely made it over the Cobbler’s bridge, the starting point of our tour, and we’ve already spotted two other Rogs, besides our own.

“Normally you can hear from quite a distance when someone is approaching you one, because of all the rattling,” jokes Tevs. “People change things on them, fix the brakes, add new seats, change the colours – one way or another they improve them and make them work. Once in a while someone even finds one in perfect condition in an attic somewhere.”

“People change things on them, fix the brakes, add new seats, change the colours…. Once in a while someone even finds one in perfect condition in an attic somewhere.”

Naturally in a city that is being touted as the new Berlin, Ljubljana’s Rog bikes aren’t immune from the all-conquering hand of hipsterdom. “Now it’s also quite fashionable to transform them into fixed gear bikes.”

A Rog and Pony Show

As we cruise comfortably down the cycling path by the Ljubljanica river, under the flimsy foliage of the weeping willows on the bank, I’m pretty pleased with the performance of my metallic-red Rog Holland “Dutch-style” bike, with simple three gear mechanism and sit up, comfy saddle…. even if I think Tevs’ own off-white number with retro front headlight is considerably cooler (his also lacks a rather effeminate basket out front).

The Holland model which we are riding was not the most famous frame to make it out of the Rog factory though. “The really famous one was the Pony, which started production in 1965. It was the first bike without the ‘top tube’ bar. It’s got a u-shaped frame, and some of them were even foldable. You could fold it around itself and store it, or put it in a car. These bikes were actually a copy of Italian “graziella” bikes, so they got the rights to make those bikes for Rog Brand.”

“The really famous one was the Pony, which started production in 1965… These bikes were actually a copy of Italian ‘graziella’ bikes, so they got the rights to make those bikes for Rog Brand.”

Any others?

“Then you had the Tourist model, the Marathon which was more of a road racing bike, BMX bikes, which most of us learnt how to cycle on, Senior, which also had a low bar and quite a few gears… so there were quite a few models that came from that factory.”

We cross back over the river on one of many more pontoons that span the Ljubljanica, and come to a stop where the river splits in two (half of the river’s flow is siphoned off into a canal, to prevent the city from flooding). Youngsters are milling about – it’s the last day of school – and Tevs sits down to tell me the story behind Ljubljana’s dragon, whilst a river rat pops his head up above the murky green waters, perhaps to listen to this account of man vs. monster (unlike Ratty though, you’ll have to wait until I write up this legend for The Fairytale Traveler! Update you can read it here). Tevs also tells me, in keeping with our cycling theme, that the world’s oldest wooden wheel was found right here in the marshes outside Ljubljana, a five-and-a-bit-millenia-old device, fashioned from ash, that was perfectly preserved in mud and is now exhibited around the globe.

Tevs also tells me, in keeping with our cycling theme, that the world’s oldest wooden wheel was found right here in the marshes outside Ljubljana, a five-and-a-bit-millenia-old device…

I’m disappointed to hear however that it had an axle and was obviously part of some type of cart, rather than a funky unicycle used by Slovenian villagers to race around the town.

The Factory

We carry on our merry way, circling around the back of the castle, until we rejoin the river further downstream, passing Josef Plecnik’s impressive Sluice Gate as we go. Now heading back towards town we encounter a vast, monolithic grey building overlooking the river on our right, four stories high, and maybe close to 100m long: it’s clearly designed in the Soviet style, and once upon time must have been an impressive edifice. Now every second window pane is broken and crude graffiti tags run riot along the lower part. In case you hadn’t guessed it yet, I’m describing of course the former Rog Factory.

We circle around the back and into an untidy courtyard. Despite being told that the former factory is now the vanguard of the city’s artistic scene (by Tevs and many more locals), it seems there’s precious little going on. The main building is sealed shut, whilst some broken bikes sit outside an out house where it appears some counter-culture kids are squatting. An empty wine bottle lies in the bowl of discarded sink, and weeds grow from tyres filled with soil. The most noticeable activity is a small black dog chasing a much larger one around the yard. Compounding the disappointing lack of action, Tevs tell me about some of the facilities locked in the confines of the distinctly closed main building, such as a 500m2 skate park. When does it open, I ask.

An empty wine bottle lies in the bowl of discarded sink, and weeds grow from tyres filled with soil. The most noticeable activity is a small black dog chasing a much larger one around the yard.

“It’s open when the guys come to open it,” he says, fully aware of the absurdity of what he is saying.

I pose for a photo with the Rog logo, painted on the wall of the main building, but I’m about to give up on the Rog Factory as a cultural centre when one of the squatters limps from the out house on crutches, one leg in plaster, to tend to the small vegetable garden in the centre of the yard. He turns out to be friendly enough, and says I should come back at the weekend, when the factory’s artists are opening the doors to the public.

When I come back three days later however, early on Saturday evening, the scene that greets me is almost identical: there’s certainly no hive of activity to suggest an open weekend is in full swing. But at least the doors are open. The same dreadlocked guy on crutches greets me and says it’s no problem to enter. Passing through the first door and I’m greeted by a large room, filled with what might be rubbish, or possibly art, on all sides. Papier mache style sculptures dangle from the ceiling, abstractly painted canvasses have been hung, or simply stacked up, on the walls, there’s some scaffolding underneath a basketball hoop, and a cement mixer. I pause to take a photo in the low light and continue my journey, finding a flight of stairs. They look like what I’d imagine the stairs of a school to look like, if the pupils locked up all the teachers in the staff room, and declared their own Maths-free utopia on the premises, with low level graffiti art covering ever square inch of wall space and empty cans of spray paint and beer strung up on the railings.

I sneeze and alert a serious looking man with a mop to my presence. I ask this janitor/artist if I can look around and he points me towards a football salon, which it turns out he constructed himself. It’s simple enough, two hockey size goals with nets tied with empty cans of spray paint on either side of a large room with plenty of natural light, and pipes with tennis balls used to protect their rough edges. I like it, art with a purpose.

After I’ve taken some photos I seek out the artist again, an earnest fellow, who despite balding, still sports some fine dreadlocks. We talk at length about the building and about art in his very messy studio as he cooks himself a pretty average looking spaghetti dish; and although I can’t quite understand his broken English, he is such an empathetic and passionate fellow that I end up agreeing with everything he says. Despite our communication problems, I understand just about that the city own the building and let the artists use it as they will, on the proviso they don’t sleep/squat there. And moreover his seriousness, dedication and the works he show me persuade me for the first time that there is at least something worthwhile going on in this strange place, even if it’s hard to see how the general public might access it or appreciate it (I’m still the only one at the open day so far, which seems to have been advertised solely by one weather-battered poster on the front gates!).

I am about to leave when I meet another artist, a guy called Andre, who is styled a bit more like a hipster, and a bit less like an eco-warrior. His English is near-perfect and he leads me into yet through a room chock full of bric-a-brac, where a heavily bearded guy is lounging on a sofa beneath a rack of clothes, as he wants to show me a dark room where a low budget vampire film set has been built by another resident artist… shooting has yet to begin though. Andre himself is a stone-worker and he also shows me his own small studio, where amongst other things he fashions bowls, pestles and mortars… and penises. Outside his studio is also a rather cool Hindu elephant-god gun clasping a toy gun, which he says he made for a party. Andre is also kind enough to show me the skate park, which I was beginning to suspect didn’t really exist. In fact it’s pretty impressive, and a shame that no one is using it (although seems like there is some activity on their Facebook page).

That about summed up my adventure in the Rog Factory. I did also run into a girl on my way out who told me she was doing a dance class exhibition the following day, so that’s one more activity that takes place here. But overall, from my admittedly brief visit and outsider’s perspective, this is a vast and beautiful building that I feel needs a bit of vision and energy to realise its potential. Whilst the city (according to Tevs) have plans to turn it into a hotel/apartments/restaurant/garage/art centre, which may well destroy its soul, a little bit of commercialisation could actually be a good thing… call me predictable if you like, but I would propose the immediate addition of an epic bar, with lots of sofas, artwork and cheap Slovenian craft beer. Just a suggestion…

Back On The Bikes

Going back in time to where I left us three days earlier, Tevs and I got back on our bikes and drive off to visit another of Ljubljana’s alternative culture centres, Metelkova. This former barracks for the Yugoslav army, turned art gallery turned nightlife complex, has its own fascinating history, and deserves to become the subject of a separate article. Ask any backpacker who has been to Ljubljana and they will have swung by this autonomous zone, that has similarities to Christiania in Copenhagen, or Uzupis in Vilnius. Essentially a series of out houses, each building boasts its own bar or club at night, and each is covered head-to-toe with at times beautiful and at other times grotesque art… I particularly loved the walls that were covered in a trencadis effect of tiles, plates and bits and bobs, that would make Gaudi proud. Metelkova also famously has it’s own youth hostel, that used to be a military prison.

After all this exploring, it’s time to head back to town and grab a drink. We stop off, appropriately enough at Tozd, “one of those hipster places” (says Tevs), which has fixie bikes glued to the walls, not to mention an impressive menu of local artesan ales. As we sit facing the river, I take the chance to ask Tevs a bit more about the ins and out of biking around town.

“People have always been cycling around town because its the fastest and most convenient away around. In 20 mins you can get from centre to edge of town. However in the last few years things improved a lot, because they’ve closed a lot of roads to traffic, making them into pedestrian zones, where you can also cycle, and they also opened a lot of new cycling lanes.”

“…in the last few years things improved a lot, because they’ve closed a lot of roads to traffic, making them into pedestrian zones, where you can also cycle, and they also opened a lot of new cycling lanes.”

The city is also really flat and I didn’t see much of what I would consider heavy traffic (although coming from London, I may have a skewed view of what this constitutes). I can definitely see why locals would choose a bike as their main means of transport. But what about for tourists? For those on a casual weekend break, is it really worth hiring a set of wheels?

“The tourists, they rent the bikes but then they don’t really take advantage of the fact that you can actually get further and see things that are not reachable by walking distance. Personally in the centre of town, I don’t think it’s that cool to visit by bike; the sites are very concentrated and if you are cycling you are going too fast to take it all in. Using the bike is better if you want to go a bit further, for example to Metelkova and to Spica, where we’ve been today, but also to Zale cemetery, the trail of occupied Ljubljana, which is the place where Italians placed barbed wire when they occupied town in World War II, and also the Roman walls, especially since this year we celebrate 2000 years of Emona.”

“The tourists, they rent the bikes but then they don’t really take advantage of the fact that you can actually get further and see things that are not reachable by walking distance.”

Naturally all of those sites feature on Tevs regular Watermelon Bike Tour, so check out their website for more info. If my bespoke tour was anything to go by, you’ll have a lot of fun and get a great insight into the city at the same time. If you’re lucky Tevs may even let you roll out on one of his three functioning Rog Holland bikes! Finally, you can also read more about Watermelon and several other great tours on TheTravelHack.com.

More Info

Duncan travelled to Slovenia as part of the #TasteLjubljana project organised by The Travel Mob and Visit Ljubljana, and you can read more about the project here.

He flew from Barcelona El Prat to Venice Treviso with Ryanair, where he was picked up by the excellent (and very affordable) shared transfer service offered by GoOpti to Ljubljana (in fact they can also pick you up from Zagreb, Bergamo, Milan, Bologna, Munich and Vienna airports, giving travellers lots of options on getting to LJU, even if you can’t find a direct flight). For more help with flights it could be worth trying a comparison site, like Momondo, to throw up more options and check different airlines’ prices.

Duncan stayed at Hotel Meksiko, a comfortable and well-located budget hotel, with great staff, just ten minutes walk from the old town.

About Duncan Rhodes

Duncan is the Editor-in-Chief of Urban Travel Blog, a born and bred city slicker who loves urban adventure, street art, killer bars and late night hotspots. More about Duncan here.

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