Delightful Ljubljana

Stroll the quaint streets of Ljubljana and take a walk up to the castle with its virtual history of Ljubljana and great views.  Walk along to the lovely houses of Tarnovo and Krakova - two pretty little communities on the banks of the ljubljanica.

Do leave plenty of time to sample as many of Ljubljana's varied cafés/bars as you can; each one is different to the last and some are truly memorable - one is dedicated to the Argentinian revolutionary Che Guevara, another is dedicated to author and keen hunter Ernest Hemingway.

Be sure to check out the wonderful food market and the fish section in the basement of the market hall - not bad for a country with only a few kilometres of coastline

On Sunday afternoon many people head to the countryside but those staying in town tend to head for Tivoli Park where they climb Roznik hil and enjoy the "green lung" of Ljubljana.

Take a boat out to the beautiful island on Lake Bled. Be sure to have a go at ringing the bell in the church - everyone has a try and it's not as easy as it looks.

Quick Tips:

If you are on a budget and your visit includes a Sunday, try to visit some museums or galleries then as entrance is free on a Sunday morning.

Best Way To Get Around:

The capital is small enough to navigate on foot, while public transport is cheap and frequent, making it easy to see the whole country.

The main bus route is along Slovenska Cesta or you can start and most local buses depart from here. For further afield, the bus and train stations are adjacent, next to the main Post Office.

One day travelcards for the buses can be bought from the kiosks on Slovenska Cesta as can tokens for single journeys.

AS Tours rents out a range of apartments around the city, both central and on the outskirts, though none are too far away to be useful. We have now used this agency twice, finding both apartments to be very clean, comfortable, and well furnished, with all the conveniences you might need during your stay - this includes a washing machine, tumble dryer, iron and ironing board, well-equipped kitchen, and satellite television. Generally this last one doesn't matter to me, but when the heavens open for 3 days, it’s quite nice to pop out to a nearby supermarket, get your supplies, and chill in a really comfy apartment.

The staff at the agency speaks all the major European languages and can also arrange transfers to/from the airport if you need them. If you are staying longer, they will negotiate a rate for cleaning services if you want it and can advise on all sorts of things you might want to know about Ljubljana and Slovenia.

Starting at around 14,000SIT (59€) a night for a three-bed apartment, this is, at first glance, not budget accommodation, but the standard is so high that you are actually getting a really good deal, given the central location of some properties. Prices alter according to the number of beds and become slightly cheaper the farther you are from the centre.

See www.apartmaji.si, or contact the agency at info@apartmaji.si.

During my first visit to Ljubljana some Slovenian acquaintances told us that Slovenians don’t much care for spicy food. When, a few nights later, they took us to a Mexican restaurant where the food was filling but rather bland, I thought our friends must be right. Later that trip we went to Lake Bled where we visited "The Ocarina" which bills itself as having Slovenia’s first tandoor oven; however this is only fired on two nights a week so if you want Indian food you should check ahead. In 2007 we visited Maribor where we ate at Srecni Slon, Slovenia’s first Indian restaurant. Finally, later that year, the capital finally got its own Indian restaurant, "Namaste".

Namaste is on the northern bank of the Ljubljanica River in the heart of tourist Ljubljana so it’s close to the Old Town and many of the city centre hotels. So Ljubljana is small and you’ll never be really far away from Namaste, but they did manage to bag themselves a pretty cool spot in what must be a sought after area. They also managed to get themselves a fairly decent bit of outdoor space and this is a great place to eat on a summer’s lunchtime or warm evening.

It’s housed in a solid old building and looks very smart and quite formal from the outside but once inside you can see that the decor is very contemporary and inviting. The colour scheme is peach and sage green with lovely contemporary lighting with wrought iron effect fittings. As you enter the bar is on your right and to the left there are a few high tables with bar stools, somewhere you might wait until a table is ready but it doesn’t look to me comfortable enough to dine. One failing I find with the layout is that it’s quite open so there are no quieter nooks and crannies and they do often get large parties dining. We ate outside as it was a very hot evening.

Although the menu does offer a good, broad selection of dishes, they specialise in food from Northern India, namely Punjabi and Rajastani dishes. Vegetarians are well catered for and there are seafood dishes too. Soups start at just 2€ 50 which is a bargain and there is a range of other starters such as popadoms and different kinds of pakora. Although we had been looking forward to this experience for some time we were hot and bothered and decided to go without starters on this occasion.

Although the menu offers a range of dishes of different degrees of spiciness we couldn’t forget the words of our Slovene friends and decided that we should go for hotter dishes as they were unlikely to be that hot. I opted for lamb and my companion opted for fish, both served in what was ambiguously described as a "hot sauce". We also ordered a portion of tarka dal (yellow lentils cooked with onions and garlic) and a potato side dish.

When the meals came I tucked in eagerly and got a terrible shock – the food was hot after all, very hot! A mango lassi was requested at once; this was quickly downed and another ordered. Thankfully the waiter offered to bring some yoghurt to temper my dish. I’ll never be so cocky again. Once tamed my dish was excellent. There was plenty of meat and it was beautifully tender. The sauce was spicy but you could make out the individual flavours quite well. The fish dish was also successful and much less hot but still had a nice fiery kick and some good use of spices. The fish was a good size and this dish was good value. As for the side dishes they were OK, nothing startling but perfectly acceptable.

The service was friendly enough but I couldn’t say that it stood out more than anywhere in the city where service tends to be speedy and efficient but rarely spontaneously friendly. Everything was cleared away in good time and it was easy enough to get the attention of staff. They also did a god job of keeping us in drinks on that hot evening.

The bill came to 33€ 67 and was presented in a quirky little wooden box which was a nice touch (and clearly memorable as I’m recounting it now!). This included three 33cl beers and two mango lassi so it’s not bad value although you are paying a bit for the location. This was over a year ago however and mains have increased in price and average between 10 and 14€. I have checked with locals and the standard of food is as good as ever.
Other people I know who live in LJ love this place and tend to reserve for special occasions. It won’t be the best curry you’ve ever had but if you are yearning for some hot spicy food then head this way.

Breg 8, 1000 Ljubljana (between Shoemakers (Čevljarski) and Saint Jacob (Šentjakobski) bridges).

Tel.: +386 1 425 01 59


OPENING HOURS:
MONDAY - FRIDAY : 11.00 - 24.00, SATURDAY : 11.00 - 24.00, SUNDAY : 11.00 - 22.00

The lunchtime set menu is 7€ 50 for vegetarians, and 8€ 50 for meat dishes. There are several options and you get soup, a main, a side dish and a dessert.

Namaste also operates a takeaway service, good if you have rented an apartment!

The first time I visited Ljubljana it was a freezing February and it was icy under foot. I wanted to see the castle and as the "road train" only runs in summer, there was no choice but to walk. Walking back down was more treacherous than the ascent but we managed somehow to make it in one piece. The next time we walked but it was in fine weather. But last summer we visited again with my parents and as my father has health problems we decided to use the funicular. We had been wanting to for sometime anyway but had not visited the castle on the couple of occasions we'd been in town.

The funicular was a long time coming. In 1897 the mayor of the city wrote to the Austro-Hungrian authorities suggesting that a funicular to the castle would be a good idea because visitors would be attracted to visit the castle and enjoy summer evenings in its courtyard.

The funicular lower station is situated just off Ciril Metodov trg, at Krek Square. To get there from the centre, cross the Triple Bridge, turn left when the Lush Store is in front of you and keep walking. You'll see the station on your right just along here. In the height of summer there is often a queue but since the carriage holds thirty-three people and as there are two levels inside it you can still get a good view.

You pay at a kiosk and at my last visit it was 1 Euro 80 one way to go UP, 1 Euro 50 one way to come DOWN and 3 Euro return (prices correct April 2009). There are also family tickets available which presents good savings while children under seven go completely free - not something you hear often.

If you have ever been in a funicular, let me tell you that this is the same as any other. The views are pretty good but the main reason for using it is as a short cut to the castle. It doesn't have the charm of the old ones; this is a sleek glass cube carrying you up the hill and is completely silent. That said, it may be charmless but it's fun and kids will probably love this experience.

What makes it a little different is that the upper station is built into the walls of the castle so you exit the carraige and walk straight into the cool stone chamber that leads to the courtyard which is a nice contrast between the ancient castle and the ultra-modern funicular.

Operating hours:

Summer season (1 May - 30 September): 9:00-23:00
-Winter season (1 October - 30 April): 10:00-21:00

The funicular is suitable for wheelchair users.

I became acquainted with the Che Bar on my first visit to Ljubljana way back in 2004 and have been stopping by whenever I've been in town since then. It was here i met someone who was to become one of my best friends not just in Slovenia but in general so I have many fond memories of this friendly pub.

It's situated out in Bezigrad which is why it has been relatively undiscovered by tourists but it is easy to find and well worth the short walk from town. To get there, walk all the way through the central concourse of the train station and climb the steps at the end. Turn right and cross the road; keep walking and look out for Stihova. Here turn left and keep walking till you see the Che Bar on your left. If the doors are closed you'll see they are decorated with the Cuban flag. However, in summer the doors are usually open.

You've probably guessed by now that this bar is themed and the subject is the celebrated revolutionary Che Guevara. There are Cuban flags, posters of Che, photographs of the man and all kinds of Soviet memorabilia around the place. It's a palace of communist kitsch and what's great is that it is cosy and authentic, not like these glitzy places who just think it's "Cool" to use the Che motif as a style thing.

My favourite part of the bar is the corner dedicated to Josef Tito, the late leader of the former Yugoslavia. There's even a bust of the great man that holds two tealights which get lit in the evenings.

Some might regard Che Bar as a little shabby and I don't think that's wrong or unfair. But it isn't scruffy, just a little worn and thay makes it all the more cosy and friendly. It's small but it's easy to find an intimate spot and in the evenings when the lights go down it's really quite charming.

Through the bar there is another room which is decorated with pictures of the band Zaklonisce Prepeva, a Slovenia band. The mother of their main man, Vanya, owns the bar and Vanya manages it on a day to day basis. He may even play their albums which are really pretty good and you can buy them from the bar along with Che Bar t-shirts and other souvenirs.

There is food available but its really limited, only a few sorry looking sandwiches if I remember rightly. During the day there is a steady stream of mixed clientele, in the evenings it's a younger crowd. They often have theme evenings for things like Halloween and on those nights do special offers on appropriately named cocktails.

There is an outside seating area which has an awning in winter but is a lovely place to catch the sun in summer and as this is a relatively traffic free area it's quite quiet too.

While I love this place and am always recommending it, there is one issue that really riles me. The lock on the ladies toilet does not work properly and as a result I always worry that I'll either be locked in or someone will walk in. My other half says I should mention that the toilets smell of wild garlic too. I have no idea why they do.

Che Bar is cool, stylish and fun. The staff are friendly and it's a good place to chill. If you are interested in Tito, Che, Communist stuff, etc then you should really walk along and take a look.

This hostel enjoys an enviable position on the southern side of the Ljubljanica River, on the edge of the Old Town and close to the bars and eateries. We stayed two nights in June 2007.

It COULD be one of the best places to stay but our experience was disappointing. Be warned - this is a party hostel and is likely to be booked up with groups of stag do-ers and the like. Unusually for a hostel there was not one notice asking guests to be respectful of other guests.

Each floor has a couple of six bed dorms and a double bedroom. Alas our double was next to the showers and people would stand chatting outside our door. Our room was spartan to say the least and the decor - supposed, I think, to be modern and funky was plain nasty. Hideous bright colours. One light overhead that was too harsh and one switch miles away. No curtains other than a flimsy sheet that didn't cover the glass.

Drunken blokes kept everyone awake and the staff never told them to shut up. This was disappointing. Of the two showers on our floor, only one ever worked and the toilets smelt strongly of urine. It would have been nice to use a bit of the space in the double room to have a wash-basin.

There is free Internet but none of the three computers was ever free to use; there was always a queue.

If you stay midweek - and not when the drunken British guys come for stag weekends - you may well have a better experience.

Breakfast can be bought at one of the myriad cafes in the area. There is no air-conditioning and the hostel was very hot and stuffy in June. We arrived early and were able to store our bags but when we went back two hours later they were buried under a massive pile of luggage and it took several minutes to find ours.

My advice to Alibi is - ditch the dorms and split the space into double and triple rooms. Then upgrade the decor. People will pay more for this lovely location - you won't lose out. That way you can make more and not have the awful stag parties upsetting your guests.

Sokol is well-known to most people who have visited Ljubljana ,since it is perhaps the most traditional of the city's restaurants at a time when the "in" cuisines there appear to be Italian and Mexican.

A gostilna is a traditional Slovene inn, and the cavernous restaurant has been designed in that style (think Bavarian and you're getting there). The place is full of nooks and crannies, so while it can be quite noisy when its busy, you can get some privacy.

The fare is traditional Slovene, with a heavy emphasis on meat, especially game - the game platter, which includes venison and wild boar, is great and comes with buckwheat pancakes and a delicious fruity relish. The squid, too, is very good, and my partner rated it very highly. Vegetarians, nevertheless, will be able to find something, although the choice is more limited. A must is the warming onion soup served in a hollowed crusty bread bun.

Service is good, and most of the (mainly young) staff speaks English; the menu is available in several languages.

Sokol is open from around 9am, so it is a good place for breakfast if you don't want pastries (as most places offer). They do a mean scrambled egg with wild mushrooms.

While Sokol is not cheap, the portions are generous, the choice broad, and the food excellent. It is by no means the most expensive place in the city, and it is worth a visit, because there are not many traditional joints in the city centre.

Situated in a small yard opposite the popular Cutty Sark pub near Presernov trg, this popular restaurant can get very busy at weekends, and you should maybe consider a reservation on Fridays or Saturdays. It serves fairly standard Mexican fare, which to Slovenians is rather exciting and consequently all the rage in Ljubljana right now.

Worth a mention is the platter to share as a starter, with all kinds of fried tidbits and plenty of salsa. The mains are the usual burritos, enchiladas, chili, etc. The refried beans were something of a disappointment (always one of my criterion for a good a Mexican meal), but the margaritas weren't bad (the other criterion).

We went there as part of a big group, and the service was slow to the point of painful. You may fare better as part of a smaller group.

The restaurant has separate smoking and non-smoking areas and an outside area which is a nice place to sit after your meal on warm nights or just to drop by for a drink (you need not order food).

Reasonably good value for money, but drinks bump up the cost.

Situated near Presernov trg, you can always get a table here. That's not to say that no-one wants to eat thereit's just that sushi seems to have a way to go before it is as popular as Mexican food with Slovenians who are somewhat "safe" in their culinary tastes.

The restaurant is sleek and modern, and you can sit at one of the stools by the window or a table. Toward the rear, a couple of the tables are on comfy booths. The staff all speak English and are very helpful. There is whole list of sushi items to pick from, but my advice is to go for one of the two set meals, which includes either sweetcorn and prawn soup or miso, then a slection of sushi and sashimi, followed by a pudding - either the wonderful green tea tiramsu or a green tea frozen yoghurt. One of the set meals also includes a mug of green tea. Sake is available, along with a wide range of other soft and alcoholic drinks. Sushimama is not a vague attempt at a sushi bar in a Slovene style (as can be the case when new cuisines arrive sometimes--look out for my forthcoming review of a curry house in Poland)- it is the real thing and very good too!

"Aska in Volk" takes its name from a fairy story (so says my Slovene chum) and it is probably the most charming restaurant interior in the city which is why I described this as "romantic dining" although there were single diners and family groups when we ate here. As soon as you walk in you know you are in for a treat. You walk through a hallway swathed in rich velvet drapes and walk through the bar area with its cozy nooks and private areas before you get to the restaurant reception area. You may have a drink here and look at the menu before taking your table. Beautiful tapestries hang from the walls and sumptuous cushions line the seating. Inside the restaurant, in the far corner away from the door, is an enormous fire place in which a roaring fire burns in winter. It is the heart of the dining room but not, you may be surprised to learn, its most striking feature. That is the selection of trays bearing all manner of items which are attached, upside down to the ceiling. One tray contains tea cups and a plate of "cakes" another has desk items - pens, paper and so on. It is very quirky and a real conversation piece as you keep seeing new things and point them out to your fellow diners. There are also some interesting prints on the wall making this quite a visually striking place to dine.

Food is very much centered on traditional Slovene and Slav dishes - there are dishes from Macedonia, Serbia and Bulgaria on the menu. Meat features heavily but there are vegetarian dishes. My partner went for fish and had a terrific and filling trout which came with just done vegetables. My favourite dish was a Macedonian dish of slowly cooked beans with little pieces of tasty bacon as a starter; however, I also made sure I got to taste my partner's choice of locally smoked salmon. For my main course I went for an interesting pasta dish with a sauce of tender venison in red wine. For Ljubljana this is expensive though I would have expected to pay a little more - even in Slovenia. In England I would have certainly and willingly paid more. With wine, coffee and desserts (as well as two starters and two mains) we paid just under £40 and felt it deserved every penny and more.

One of Ljubljana's most popular eating places, Ljubljanski Dvor has an enviable position over looking the river in the heart of town - but only if you've managed to get an outside table. What is great about it is that it doesn't appear to charge you extra for the location which many places in the area do. You can order some traditional Sovene dishes but most people come here to be baffled by the seemingly endless list of pizzas. Allow at least twenty minutes to decide! In fact the pizzas are quite similar but are listed with each little change. For example you'll see a seafood pizza and pages later seafood pizza with basil. There are some interesting toppings which you wouldn't normally get such as locally made Kranj sausage which is good but not necessarily what you'd want on a pizza (it's a very fatty and greasy sausage). The pizzas are enormous and a large one makes a good snack for four people while it is a challenging option for one person.

You can also order side salads which are always good and well dressed. Pizzas start around the 1300 Tolar mark and cost about 1900 Tolar for a more expensive seafood one. Desserts are just ice cream but are reasonably priced. There is a selection of wines (including local ones) and local and international beers. A beer will cost between 400-500 Tolar. The decor is very simple and could really do with a little attention. The front of the restaurant is much nicer than the rear where it becomes more like a cheap cafe and you feel quite out of the way. The wooden floors and tables along with the rustic decor are a bit dated. Service is quick but not very friendly. Ljubljanski Dvor is certainly worth a visit though and most people visiting Ljubljana end up here at some point. It does seem, in fact, more popular with tourists than with the locals. Best visited in summer when you should try for an outside table on the decking. The perfect place for a drink and a snack.

Via Bona is situated on a small business/shopping mall just outside the centre of Ljubljana so I would never have known about it if I had not been invited as part of an end of project celebration by the company my partner was working with. Furthermore, it means I cannot comment directly on the cost and on a full meal since a banquet had been arranged for our party. However, I am able to comment on the food, the service, and the surroundings. Via Bona is large and has seating over several levels although one could not call them "floors". Our party was seated in the lower area which was set aside only for our group on this occasion although it is large and could have taken other guests. This section was quite rustic with terracotta floor tiles and exposed stone walls, in keeping with the wine cellar theme, wine making related antiques filled the niches in the stone walls. On the next level was a bar where one could orders one's own drinks but it was mostly used by the staff taking orders to tables. There are a few tables at this level where people just coming for a drink can sit but it is also the area the pianist and singer use for their mid-evening slots so it might be a bit noisy.

Overlooking this is the "galerija" pine tables and chairs, a quite informal area. Then you have the "salon" which is the most formal area with elegant furnishings and smartly presented tables. On the walls are painted panels of mid-nineteenth century ladies in their finery. The "kavarna" (coffee area) is very pleasant and we drooped in the next day while shopping. This is all wood, quite Scandinavian in feel. Finally the "restavracija" - this is not so formal as the salon but rather more relaxed with lovely tall plants and the feeling that you could be outside - except you're not. It even has indoor street lamps to complete the scene. I cannot comment on the full menu but we had some fantastic seafood platters and others with local cooked and cured meats and cheeses. Then big dishes of meats in delicious sauces were brought to the table along with perfectly cooked vegetables. Everyone agreed that the food was exceptional. The service was faultless. Given that the party was quite large and included people from four European countries I was impressed that they got all the drinks orders correct and that they kept up cheery banter all evening. They were smartly turned out and very professional without being stuffy.

Via Bona is the sort of place to head for a special occasion although they have something for everyone with all the different sections. However, I don't think you would head out here unless you wanted to experience the best of it. www.via-bona.com. Restaurant open from 10am to 11pm Monday through Friday, from 12pm to 11pm on Saturdays, and from 12pm to 10pm on Sundays; "Kavarna" open from 10am to 11pm Monday through Friday, 12pm to 11pm on Saturdays and from 12pm to 10pm on  Sundays.

Salon is one of the many funky bars now to be found all over Ljubljana. Situated in an area close to the centre of town but quiet enough to be regarded as "tucked away," it nestles amongst a collection of interesting, little boutiques and would make a stylish stop-off for a break while shopping, as well as being one of THE places to drink in the evening.

Huge picture windows allow passers-by to see that the interior is very striking - glitzy gold walls, leopard-print sofas, and huge hot pink armchairs. You can choose to sit in the window area, where the staff will take your drink orders and fetch them for you, or on stools up at the bar (this area has a groovy sparkly floor).

In the evenings there is a nightclub that is accessed through a door beside the bar, seemingly a popular joint judging by the number of people we saw going through. Alas, after a huge meal and a days' sightseeing, we didn't go clubbing that night.

The standard Slovene beers, Union and Lasko, are available, as well as couple of lesser-known local beers, one which is low alcohol. A full range of spirits is available, along with a fairly extensive list of cocktails.

While the decor is very striking, especially for Ljubljana, there is no sense of extreme exclusivity, and anyone could be comfortable in here. The service is friendly, and the clientele is pretty mixed, though the emphasis is probably on people in their 20s or 30s.

Drinks are surprisingly reasonably priced for somewhere so stylish, and I would definitely recommend a visit.

This is a typical "British" pub situated in a small yard/garden off Wolfova ulica, near Presernov trg. Very popular on weekends in particular, when the place is so busy that the young drinkers spill out into the courtyard. However, this is always very good-natured and not at all threatening, as it can be in English pubs when there are lots of young people outside.

The interior is mostly wood and could be described either as cosy or dark and gloomy depending on the time of year you visit. Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, the music can be loud, and sports are often shown. It's a popular place for travellers to meet, although the city's young people also like the place.

The Cutty Sark has a good jukebox with lots of Slovenian rock as well as well known European and American acts. Be sure to play something by Siddhartha, Slovenia's most popular rock band. Clientele can be quite gothy but not exclusively so, however dress in black and you won't be out of place. It's about 1.8 euros for a small beer, and all drinks reasonably priced for the city centre.

The drinks are fairly standard - Union and Lasko are sold here as everywhere else in the city (except Kratochwill) and there is the usual choice of wines and spirits

Casa del Papa is largely dedicated to Ernest Hemingway, who was hospitalised near Ljubljana when fighting on the Italian front during the First World War. Therefore, the Key West bar is decorated with many photographs of Hemingway (usually indulging in his twin hobbies of fishing and hunting). The Key West bar is like a mockup of an African hunting lodge, with lots of cane furniture and animal-print fabrics.

Casa Del Papa also has a restaurant serving vaguely Spanish food and a Cuban bar that often puts on bands or has discos. Both are open until the early hours. The Key West bar offers tapas, but this is much removed form Spanish tapas, although it does tasty cheese plates, salads, and meat plates. These are not such good value as eating in the restaurant.

Casa del Papa attracts a mixed crowd, generally young and stylish, but this is not an expensively exclusive joint. A little way out of town, it seems to attract locals from the nearby flats. My favourite time to go there is on a Sunday afternoon after a good walk in Tivoli Park just across the road.

Ljubljana Zoo is in a lovely location on the southern slopes of Roznik, which is the hill that dominates Tivoli Park. The zoo itself is some 20 to 30 minutes' walk from town, but there is a bus service (inquire at the station). PLEASE NOTE: There is no bus service in winter, and we had to get the staff to call us a taxi to get back into town!

The zoo is housed in a semi-forested area, which means it all looks quite natural and therefore has the feel more of a nature park than a zoo. As well as domestic animals, there is an elephant (he looked pretty unhappy), impalas, a leopard, bears (now sleeping for the winter), baboons, and chimpanzees amongst other animals. This is not a large zoo and doesn't have a great number of exotic species. It is, however, compact and interesting enough and accordingly priced. There are plenty of toilets dotted around and two cafes. The only award it'll win will be "Ljubljana Zoo of the Year," but it's fair for an odd afternoon.

Cafe Macek is one of those great European cafes where you can just as easily order a coffee as a beer. And Macek is where many of the city's folk do just that. My favourite time to go is Sunday morning, while the flea market is taking place outside, preferably in the winter, when a mug of their famous milky coffee is just the thing. This is one of the only laces in town you can get a milky coffee (order a bela cava; other places have it on the menu, only Macek gets it right). It is warm and cosy but a very dark place that attracts a mixed crowd and has a large terrace for summer and winter (thanks to its patio heaters) drinking. Sunday mornings can be VERY busy; otherwise, you can generally find a seat. The place is famous for its black cat decor.

Macek sells a selection of sandwiches that are made elsewhere and heated on the premises--they are quite poor and should be avoided unless in an emergency! The only other food is cookies. Macek is understandably popular and one of the best places in town to sit and watch the world pass by.

A pivnica is the Slovene equivalent of a pub, and this place gives the thirsty drinkers of Ljubljana a rest from Union or Lasko, which you get everywhere else. You see, Kratchwill is not just bar - it has its own microbrewery where they make their own beer.

This tipple is not bad, but I can only drink one or two. However, I'm a girl, so that's no surprise. Actually, male friends agree that Kratochwill is pretty strong. You can ONLY buy their own brew, but you can get soft drinks and spirits.

Their pizzas are pretty good, although it's best to ask for one without garlic. Although I love garlic, they have tendency to spoon on a raw garlic/parsley mixture that remains uncooked. The salads are also good and the food generally is a good value. There are only a few tables, so the place can get busy, and booking isn't an option unfortunately. Luckily, for those able to get there, there is another branch at the BTC just out of town. A large beer will set you back around 450 Tolars.

After a few of the house beer take care if going to the toilet - they are downstairs in the basement and you will have to negotiate a very narrow spiral staircase - you have been warned!

Unless you're out looking, you might never find the Skeleton Bar, but make no bones about it (geddit?) this is one of the best places in town. So it's small and not very hip but it's great fun and the drinks are quite reasonably priced for this part of the city (next to the river) and the cocktails are on two for the price of one all day! It's no wonder then that this bar is popular with students, although the music played is pretty good and does help the atmosphere - mainly indie - stuff that Slovenes like - Siddhartha, Depeche Mode, Placebo

This is a basement bar and is situated in a small lane just past Macek (on the left as you come from the Triple Bridge); a ghoulish sign hangs from the wall above the doorway, this will help you spot the place. Your eyes will take a moment or two to adjust to the semi-darkness so take care on the stairs. There are a handful of tables which are high with high benches around the outside of the room and at the tables. Service is at table, but can be a little slow at times. Still, you'll be busy looking at the macabre decor which comes in the form of glass cases containing skeletons - periodically these light up - but the best one is the male/female dancing skeleton couple - look out for that one! Even the toilets keep up the ghostly theme, hidden behind a door which looks like a big bookcase full of leather-bound volumes - just turn the bone like handle to get in.

The bar sells the main beers - Union and Lasko - and have a comprehensive lists of cocktails - all are pretty good and a cocktail will set you back about £2.50 (remember you get another free!) It's fun, it's a good place to meet people and it's a cheap way to drink cocktails!