“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 | +38651269906
Depends on the show

What used to be a tiny bookstore called Azil (Asylum,) is now a bookshop café that combines two bookstores and a café. Azil has a bookstore sister called Beletrina next door and a café inside and outside this place. Novi trg or New Square is surrounded with beautiful baroque palaces, so visiting this place will also give you a possibility to see one of the palaces from the inside.

Azil is run by the Scientific Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, so what you can mostly get there is academic literature on humanistic and sociological sciences in Slovene, English, French and Russian. The atmosphere here is truly cozy and you can almost smell all the knowledge that the shelves store.

There’s a really good English language selection on philosophy. You can also find books on cultural studies and anthropology, arts, history, gender studies and even comic books. Check out for books by Slavoj Žižek, the most prominent and notorious Slovenian philosopher of all times! Azil is also a bookcrossing zone, so you might even find some free books or leave your own behind.

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Azil bookshop café New Square | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Shopping
Novi trg 2 | +38614706475
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 20:00, Sat 10:00 – 14:00

At the moment I can still say that I had lived in Šiska district for more than half of my life but one of the best things for us when we were children – not that we wouldn’t do that as an adults, just the winters are rarely that cold as they used to be – was Koseski bajer which is a pond in Koseze neighbourhood.

This small artificial lake would freeze over and we’d ice-skate on it. What used to be a clay pit, in last years serves mainly fishermen, modellers who are playing here with their favourite toys and of course to Slovenian characteristic, which is exercising, like jogging or cycling around it. There is a footpath that goes around it with several benches along the way.

Koseski bajer lies on the foothills of Roznik and Šisenski hrib which are hills between here and the centre. These places are included in a natural protected area. The Path of Remembrance and Comradeship passes by the pond and that’s why this altogether is Mecca for nature lovers. New sitting areas were constructed last summer so you should definitely check it out.

In the other part there is lovely bar called after Dolenjska (Lower Carniolia – Slovene region) wine pride Cvicek that offers great view on the pond and pristine atmosphere of Ljubljana’s suburbs.

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Koseski bajer pond | Relaxing | Free
Koseska cesta
24 hours daily

Premier is, like Cafe Promenada (read the  Cafe Promenada article here), on a Petkovškovo nabrežje embankment very near Prešernov trg square. They have a 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.

Over all none of them really 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!). Sometimes they have even special brewed edition of Human Fish. Tasty beer and cozy atmosphere in this bar will make you wanna come again! 

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Premier Pub | Bars | Beer Human Fish € 3.20
Petkovškovo nabrežje 17 | +3864305231
Mon – Sat 08:00 – 01:00, Sun 09:00 – 01:00

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 0.5L € 2.70
Zaloka cesta 69 | +38659139552
Mon – Thu 07:00 – 01:00, Fri 07:00 – 02:00, Sat 17:00 – 02:00

By the Koseski bajer pond (see the Koseski bajer pond article), bar Pri Cvicku is situated. The lovely bar is named after Dolenjska’s (Lower Carniolia – Slovene region) great “Cvicek” wine. It offers great views of the pond and perfect shade in summer.

Gostilnica Pri Cvicku is a simple bar, quite well known among the locals and it attracts a crowd that wants to enjoy their coffee or a glass of Cvicek wine. This rosé wine is bought directly from wine producers so you shouldn’t be disappointed, but be prepared, this wine could be quite dry for some tastes.

They also offer dried sausage with minced lard, which is traditional Slovenian, but obviously it is not suitable for vegetarians since it’s made of bacon and spices.

Bar Pri Cvicku can be an excellent stop on your way around Ljubljana on The Path of Remembrance and Comradeship.

The picture is from March, but these days as the summer is close there is a lot more people catching the sun and fresh air there.

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Gostilnica Pri Cvicku | Bars, Coffee & tea | Coffee € 1.30
Marjekova Pot 23 | +38615174095
09:00 – 22:00 daily

The restaurant is decorated with a traditional Turkish decor; throw rugs, seats, various cultural artefacts and even the staff themselves wear traditional garb.

Besides offering meat and vegetarian dishes, they host belly dancing performances, sometimes a fortune-teller and even culinary delights with explanations. This typically takes place in the evening. As it should be, one also has an opportunity to smoke some Narghilé – the famous Turkish pipe.

During the day, until 15:00, a three course lunch is served for only € 7. It is not uncommon to smell Turkish-style coffee wafting out of the typical Slovenian home, however in the bars and cafes it is typically espresso that is served. Perhaps this is why Yildiz Han is so liked by locals here in Ljubljana. Here can you get what we call Turkish coffee.

The best is to sit outside in the summer garden, which is already operating.

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Yildiz Han | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Turkish) | Lunch € 7.00
Karlovska c. 19 | +38614265717
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 00:00

From time to time, when I want to feel like a child again I go to see a theater performance in Ljubljana Puppet Theatre, which is located on Krekov trg in the city center of Ljubljana. They have a small stage where families with children come every weekend and watch puppet shows. On the right side of the theater, beneath the Ljubljana Castle’s funicular lie a few coffee bars.

Kljukec is the neighbour of a recently opened bar Daktari. Every time after the performance in Puppet theater we sit there, get ourselves coffee, hot wine, cacao, smoke, talk and listen to other guests. We don’t know them, but listen to the stories of puppeteers, costume designers, playwriters, directors and other employees of the theater, many of them foreigners with a guest performances.

Kljukec is also a convenient place when Daktari is overcrowded (which is quite often at the end of the week.) Recently the bar started to offer Suspended coffees. This great idea originates from Italy as caffé sospeso (in Slovenian Kava na zalogo) and means you pay for two caffees and drink only one. The second one you buy goes to those who can’t afford it.

Kljukec is indeed a favorite place of all the previously mentioned creative minds. If you want to know why they like this place so much, you’ll have to ask them. I am sure, they will answer you like a real “Kljukec“, a cunning, twisted boy from the roofs. I wasn’t satisfied with the answer. Will you be?

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Kljukec | Coffee & tea | Coffee € 1.20
Krekov trg 8
06:00 – 01:00 daily

Did you know that there used to be a tram in Ljubljana? The last tram was used by passengers almost sixty years ago. If you thought you’d find Ljubljana’s tram in a museum, you were wrong. One has been preserved, renewed and transformed into a restaurant.

If you walk down one of the oldest roads in Ljubljana, you will find two well preserved tram carts with a nice interior. To be completely honest with you – the food may not be the best in town. They mainly serve sandwiches and other fast food, like pizzas or burgers. But when visiting Tramvaj – meaning ‘tram’ in Slovene – one shouldn’t be too picky about the food. Lively surroundings of the restaurant, packed with students and lovely staff is what makes Tramvaj worth visiting.

When you walk on a rainy day around Ljubljana and you feel the need to have a snack, sit inside Tramvaj and image how it used to be for generations of Ljubljana’s citizens, who used a tram on a daily basis.

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Tramvaj | Snacks | Meal from € 1.90
Trg mladinskih delovnih brigad 10
Mon – Sat 09:00 – 23:00

Ljubljana is well known for its vibrant night life. There are numerous clubs, ranging from dark joints, with banging alternative music and cheap drinks, to upscale clubs, packed with posh youngsters, who are pouring sparkling wine down the line. But when lights hit the floor and the music stops, everybody seeks their night snack.

Surf’n'fries is an all night place where they serve French fries and chicken wings, topped with various salsas. Snacks are greasy and calorie bombs, but this is what fast food is all about. They also serve all kinds of cold beverages, which will go down nicely with your snack. When visiting Surf’n'fries be prepared to wait for a while – especially during the night, the place is packed with youths, trying to get their hands on their portion of chicken wings.

Since this is the only fast food place of its kind in Ljubljana, be sure to go there and try the mustard dip. It is awesome!

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Surf’n'fries | Snacks | Snack from € 1
Plečnikov trg 1 | +38612513243
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 04:00, Sat 15:00 – 04:00