Traveling safely and having great fun sometimes feels incompatible for most LGBTI people. However, Ljubljana is a particularly safe capital where everyone is welcome, as specified on the Slovenian Tourism Board website. In Slovenia, you will find different kinds of hospitable places that respond to your diverse needs and, above all, will make you feel secure and included. And more than that, it does not only revolve around gay men!
For a small capital of only 300,000 inhabitants, Ljubljana proposes a surprisingly diversified range of LGBT friendly places. In this vibrant city, you will find welcoming bars, cafés, and night clubs to meet and party, but also cultural centers and places to share moments in a safe and inclusive environment.
Let’s dive into Gay Ljubljana to discover your best options to enjoy a fun trip to the Slovene capital!
Klub Tiffany
The first-ever gay club opened in Ljubljana is Klub Tiffany, and it is also the best. It was created in 1993 and has that name since 1997. The club is located in Metelkova, the most LGBT friendly area in town, but also one of the best places to party.
There are usually few heterosexual partygoers in Klub Tiffany, but they do everything in their power to create a safe environment where you can truly express and be yourself. The club has been created by and for LGBTI people and prevents any form of violence, whether it is physical or verbal.
Thus, any inappropriate behavior is punished, and homophobia, transphobia, but also racism, sexism, and any other type of oppression are banned.
Klub Tiffany is more than just a night club, but if you are looking for one, you came to the right spot. Every Friday and on occasional Saturdays, the place is packed with young people, up to 40 at most. We can note that the club is empty before one o’clock in the morning, even if it opens at 11. However, there is a big rush between one and one-thirty, so you should be on time. You will be able to enjoy the place up to 5 in the morning.
One of the highlights of the place is also its cost. The entrance is only five euros and even less if you come before midnight (three euros). Furthermore, this is a fantastic spot if you are looking forward to drinking cheap: a long drink there might only cost about three euros.
The music in there is mostly pop, with some international success that you will also be able to enjoy as tourists, which is excellent. Club nights in Klub Tiffany are very entertaining and are animated by cool DJs coming either from Slovenia or everywhere else in the world. Moreover, you can also enjoy two different kinds of themed nights in the club, besides the usual Pop Nation parties that take place every Friday.
Every last Sunday of the month, gay men will be thrilled with the Menquake club nights that are exclusively aimed at men. Furthermore, for times a year, they ad a unique twist and promote the bear sub-culture in Bearquake nights.
The other kind of dedicated nights is the Supersonic Electric, which features electronic dance music that often abounds in European LGBT scenes.
However, if you are eager to socialize but are not particularly fond of dance, loud music, and nights out, there are plenty of other activities you can do in Klub Tiffany. The purpose of the place is firstly to include everyone, through the organization of many LGBTI events.
There are then many kinds of cultural and artistic activities you can do there, from literary and movie nights to debates, discussions, and conferences. The place also hosts many exhibitions and performances linked to LGBTI questions.
You can go to several reading circles, creative workshops, coffee evenings, and the place even has its own cabaret. Furthermore, if you are in luck, you may come across the club during one of the attractive yearly events.
For instance, you can assist in an award ceremony, the Golden Tiffany, that prizes the most influential LGBTI people in Slovenia.
Contact: kulturnicenterq@gmail.com
Website: https://www.facebook.com/klubtiffany / http://www.kulturnicenterq.org/
Opening hours: Fridays and Saturdays from 18 to 5.
Klub Monokel
Klub Monokel is actually the lesbian branch of Klub Tiffany, in a separate scene dedicated to women loving women. It is then located in the same building (the “Hunters” one). Having a lesbian bar or night club is pretty rare even in big European capitals, so enjoy your luck!
The existence and work of this club are so important that it even won the title of “a mediator of anti-stress for sexual minorities”. It is able to do so thanks to the housing of many cultural events such as exhibitions or literary evenings.
Every year, it also hosts events organized by art festivals, like the International Feminist and Queer Festival Red Dawns that takes place in March. If you cross by Klub Monokel then, you may have the chance to see some burlesque performances or Lesbian Vampires event.
This club is organized by LL, the lesbian section of ŠKUC, the most famous cultural association that mainly organizes events for students. Thanks to it, it sometimes receives the visit of well-known lesbian activists like Suzana Tratnik or Mojca Pišek that you should not miss!
Contact: monokelklub@gmail.com
Website: http://www.klubmonokel.com/
Opening hours: Fridays from 23.00 to 5.00
Pritličje
Since 2014, we can say that Ljubljana counts every type of LGBT friendly places. With the opening of Pritličje, the young and less young Slovenians now have the perfect “during the day” spot to chill, eat and enjoy a coffee, or listen to contemporary music, but also assist in many cultural events.
It is the only place of this type in Ljubljana, as it succeeds in the first openly gay and lesbian bar, Café Open, that had to close in 2013.
Pritličje is indeed a curious mixture of different places, such as an art gallery, a literary center with a comic book shop, a cafeteria, and a concert venue. It is also a very accessible place if you are not used to LGBTI sites: you will not feel lost, and there are plenty of things to do there, even if you are not a specialist.
Located right next to the city hall, in one of Ljubljana’s most beautiful streets, you will be able to discuss arts and global politics in a friendly and safe environment, as announced by the many LGBT stickers and discrete reminders.
Do not hesitate to go to one of their many events, especially their great lectures and round tables featuring engaging local LGBTI activists. The private establishment organizes them, but it also cooperates with feminist and LGBTI festivals, for example.
Contact: pritlicje@gmail.com
Website: http://www.pritlicje.si/
Opening hours:
Monday: 09:00 – 01:00
Tuesday: 09:00 – 01:00
Wednesday: 09:00 – 01:00
Thursday: 09:00 – 03:00
Friday: 09:00 – 03:00
Saturday: 09:00 – 03:00
Sunday: 09:00 – 01:00
K4 Roza
Roza Klub is the LGBTI dedicated section of the popular K4 Klub, one of the most renowned in town. This sub-branch of the contemporary and non-commercial famous club hosts many unusual and exciting events that will seduce you.
The LGBTI venue events are organized on a monthly basis in K4 Roza (also called K4 Pink). The place hosts diversified parties such as Eurovision nights and competitions electing the “Next Best Drag Queen”.
The other parts of the K4 Klub are also particularly welcoming and friendly to the LGBT community, so do not hesitate to take a look at their amazingly substantial program if you are not in town for their dedicated events.
I especially recommend their mid-week student events if you are there during the scholar year, but also their innovative special evenings like the one stating “We want dinosaurs back!”.
Contact: info@klub-k4.si
Website: http://www.klub-k4.si/
Opening hours Klub K4: Saturdays and Fridays from 23:00 to 6:00
District 35
This place has nothing to do with the others in this top, but let’s include some diversity here. District 35 is the biggest gay sauna in Ljubljana (for a total area of 320 square meters) and is definitely worth the try if that is your jam. It is exclusively dedicated to men.
This sauna is a modern complex that includes Finnish and infrared baths, lounge bars where you can meet and enjoy some drinks, a sunbathing area, and private booths, among many other features. It also has the advantage of being open almost all week long, which is great if you do not stop by the city on weekends. Here are the opening hours:
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: 10:00 – 24:00
Wednesday: 17:00 – 24:00
Thursday: 17:00 – 24:00
Friday: 17:00 – 2:00
Saturday: 17:00 – 2:00
Sunday and Holidays: 17:00 – 24:00
This place is quite expensive since the entrance fee is around 18 euros, but it is worth it considering all of the wonders it has to offer.
Contact: info@klub-k4.si
Website: info@district35.si
In the End
To conclude, Ljubljana has a small but exciting offer of LGBTI places that will make your trip more enjoyable. The city itself is particularly friendly, as you will find some gay flags and stickers in many places, as well as pictures of lesbian couples. You will see that Ljubljana is way more vibrant and animated than what you can dream of!
If you want to discover more about the town’s LGBTI venues, I advise you to take a guided trip to all of the alternative and LGBTI places in Ljubljana, allowing you to learn more about the history of the community there.
