What to see in Ljubljana over the Christmas holidays

The cultural sector in the Slovene capital is slowly regaining the place it deserves

Culture is slowly returning to the streets of Slovenia and its capital Ljubljana is more than eager to welcome visitors thirsty for a spiritual experience. After a relaxation on the access to cultural institutions, announced by the Slovene government, Ljubljana was quick to remind its residents and guests of the interesting places one might enjoy during the festive season, while respecting the safety measures and keeping COVID-19 at bay.

Ljubljana Castle

Ljubljana Castle will open daily between 10 am and 6 pm. During these hours, the funicular railway will also be operational. You can climb the Lookout Tower and discover the capital dressed in festive garment from the highest point in the city or enter the castle chapel dedicated to St Yuri.

Other castle features that will also be accessible include the Penitentiary, the Pentagonal Tower, "S" Gallery, Castle Armoury. The catering facilities and the wine shop, however, will remain closed.

City Museum and Galleries

The City Museum has been offering several exhibitions since Tuesday, 22 December. Among them is a new exhibition of paintings by the Baroque painter Andrej Herrlein and the permanent exhibition 'LJUBLJANA. HISTORY. CITY' with guided tours every hour.

You can also visit Plečnik's house and see an exhibition about the friendship between the architect Jože Plečnik, who created a great number of works around the world, and the priest and writer Fran Saleški Finžgar. The best part is that the visits to the City Museum are free on Saturdays and Sundays.

International Centre of Graphic Arts

The International Centre of Graphic Arts (MGLC) is awaiting you with three exhibitions accessible between 22 and 29 December at least. These are:

• Invader, Prints on Paper – for the first time ever the visitors could experience the fragmentary nature, the diffuseness, and the precise formulation of the artist Invader’s creative expression on paper;
• Leon Zuodar, The Noodle - consisting of a series of short animations created with a Samsung mobile phone between 2014 and 2015, right before the triumph of smartphones and social networks;
• Menažerija: 37 Days of Christmas, with the biggest Art Advent Calendar in Slovenia, which surprises us with a new piece of art every day.

Culture from the sofa

Finally, for those who prefer to experience culture from the safety of their homes, the Slovene capital offers a plethora of virtual events. These range from online puppet theatre to a special programme for the youth offered by the Slovenian Youth Theatre to a New Year’s Eve performance by City Theater of Ljubljana, to name but a few.