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The charms of miniature metropolis Ljubljana are anything but Lilliputian: it offers culture, cuisine and clubbing, all in a neatly compact space and with minimal impact on your wallet. Slovenia was for centuries part of the Habsburg empire, before going on to form one of the provinces of Yugoslavia, from which it extracted itself relatively painlessly in 1991. During those long years of Yugoslav domination, Slovenes retained a reputation for being more cultured, freer and more educated than their Balkan neighbours, and the city’s bohemian atmosphere is still reminiscent of Paris in the 1920s. Locals would rather meet for a coffee to pick over philosophy and politics than see and be seen in designer bars.
The main three museums in town are located to the north of Trg Republike (Republic Square), in the city centre. The National Museum (Narodni Muzej, Presernova 20, 241 4400) shows Slovenian art, as does the National Gallery (Narodna Galerija, Presernova 20, 241 5434, www.ng-slo.si), which has the biggest collection in the country, with pieces dating from the medieval era right up to the 20th century. The Museum of Modern Art (Moderna galerija, Tomsiceva 14, 241 6800, www.mg-lj.si, closed Mon) houses a permanent display of works from 1950 onwards, plus exhibitions of contemporary art and international retrospectives. It’s affiliated to Metelkova (www.metelkova.org), the alternative arts community situated in an ex-Yugoslav army barracks.
If high-brow isn’t your particular brew, Ljubljana also has all the ingredients necessary for a romantic weekend escape – medieval, baroque and art nouveau architecture, intimate restaurants and café-lined cobbled avenues. The most remarkable feature of the skyline is the 12th-century Ljubljana castle (Ljubljanski grad, 5133 5654). First a fortress, then a prison and later home to medieval knights, it is now an arts and culture hub. The castle courtyard, often used for events in the summer months, is worth a visit alone for its sweeping views over the city.
• Tourist information: Trg Osvobodilne fronte 6, main railway station (433 9475, www.ljubljana-tourism.si).
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