The hayrack
The hayrack
A kozolec — the freestanding Slovene hayrack, most of them still standing in this one country — dries a harvest one rung at a time. The evening fills the same way: one part of the night hung on each rung before the next begins.
- 1st rung
The welcome
A folk group in costume greets you at the door with a homemade schnapps and dried fruit, before you've found your seat.
- 2nd rung
The table is laid
A three-course Slovenian dinner begins, with a glass of local red or white wine or a non-alcoholic drink alongside it.
- 3rd rung
Songs from more than one region
Live music and dances drawn from different parts of Slovenia are performed between courses, with a little of the background explained as the group goes.
- 4th rung
The games start
The pillow dance and the hat dance bring guests out of their seats, and the room turns from watching to joining in.
- 5th rung
Polka and waltz
Guests are taught the basic steps of the polka and the waltz — a short lesson rather than a full class, built to get everyone moving at once.
- 6th rung
A gift, then the old town is yours
Each guest takes home a small gift as the evening closes, with the Triple Bridge and the river a short walk from either restaurant if you're not ready to turn in.
Ljubljana's Traditional Slovenian Evening runs in one of two restaurants in the city centre, roughly ten metres apart from each other; which one you're in is settled by your group's size and confirmed once you've booked, not before.
Slovene food and drink
Slovene food and drink
Dinner runs to a set menu with a vegetarian and a vegan version built alongside it, plus room for most other dietary needs if you flag them when you book.
The traditional menu
A Slovenian starter with homemade bread opens the meal, followed by a main of pork roast in a peasant-style sauce or chicken with potatoes, a mixed salad with buckwheat kasha on the side, and a traditional dessert to finish.
Vegetarian and vegan versions
The vegetarian menu swaps the meat course for homemade Slovenian pasta with a vegetable filling; the vegan version is a Slovenian-style risotto with seasonal vegetables. Both keep the same starter, salad and dessert course structure.
Other dietary needs
Gluten-free, lactose-free and similar diets are accommodated at no extra charge when you give advance notice; halal, kosher and other special menus can be arranged for a surcharge.
What's poured
The evening opens with a homemade schnapps and dried fruit, and dinner comes with a glass of local red or white wine — or a non-alcoholic drink, if you'd rather skip the alcohol entirely.
The folk group and the games
The folk group and the games
A welcome in costume
A folk dance group in traditional costume greets arriving guests, and the welcome drink — a homemade schnapps with dried fruit — is poured before anyone has taken a seat. It's the same house style used across the evening's two venues: guests are met at the door, not shown quietly to a table.
Songs and dances from more than one region
The musicians and dancers perform live music and dance styles drawn from different parts of Slovenia rather than a single regional set, with the group explaining a little of the background as they go. It reads less like a fixed stage show than a programme built to move between courses.
Games guests are pulled into
Partway through the evening the format turns participatory: guests are invited into traditional games, including a pillow dance and a hat dance, and are taught the basic steps of the polka and the waltz. Nobody is required to join in, but the room is built for it — the tables sit close enough for the dancers to reach in and pull a guest up.
A small gift at the end
Every guest is given a small gift as the evening winds down, a closing gesture rather than the centrepiece of the night.
Choosing your evening
Choosing your evening
| Option | What's included | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| The traditional menu | Starter and bread, a pork or chicken main with buckwheat kasha salad, dessert, welcome schnapps and wine | First-time visitors who want the full spread |
| Vegetarian or vegan menu | Homemade vegetable pasta or a Slovenian-style risotto, in place of the meat main, noted at checkout | Guests who've noted a vegetarian or vegan diet in advance |
| Gluten-free or another special diet | Prepared at no extra charge with advance notice; halal, kosher and other menus for a surcharge | Anyone with a specific dietary requirement |
| A group of ten or more | One fixed per-person rate for the whole party, seated together for the evening | Birthdays, work groups, coach parties and family reunions |
Booking for a bigger party? Check the group rate ↗
Getting there in Ljubljana's old town
Getting there in Ljubljana's old town
Two restaurants, ten metres apart
The evening runs in one of two restaurants in Ljubljana's city centre, close enough to each other that the difference is really about which one fits your group's size on the night. You're told which one applies to you once your booking and payment are confirmed, not before.
By the Triple Bridge and the river
Both venues sit in the old town within easy walking distance of the Triple Bridge (Tromostovje) and the Ljubljanica river — the same stretch of the city centre most visitors are already staying near or passing through on an evening walk.
Arriving for the welcome drink
The welcome schnapps is poured as guests arrive, so it's worth being at the door on time rather than mid-way through the first course. Counting dinner, the performance and the games, the night stretches to about two and a half hours before it lets out.
Read more
Read more
A Traditional Slovenian Evening, step by step
From the welcome schnapps to the last dance — what happens, roughly in order, once you take your seat.
Read the guide →the tradition, explainedSlovene folk dance, costume and song
A short guide to what shapes the music and dancing you'll see — regional variety, the instruments, and where the costumes come from.
Read the guide →what's served, and whenThe dinner, the schnapps and the wine
What the three-course menu actually includes, the drinks that come with it, and how the dietary options work.
Read the guide →what to expect on the floorJoining in: the games and dances for guests
What the pillow dance, the hat dance and the polka-and-waltz lesson actually ask of you — and what happens if you'd rather just watch.
Read the guide →finding the right tableWhich venue you'll be at, and getting there
Two restaurants share the booking in Ljubljana's old town — how venue assignment works, and how to find your way there on the night.
Read the guide →booking for more than twoPlanning a group or celebration evening in Ljubljana
How the evening scales for bigger parties, birthdays and family groups — and what's worth sorting out before you book.
Read the guide →FAQ
Before you book
Which restaurant will I actually be in?
The evening runs in one of two restaurants in central Ljubljana, about ten metres apart from each other. Which one you're assigned depends on your group's size and is confirmed once your booking and payment go through, not in advance.
Is dinner suitable for vegetarians or vegans?
Yes. A vegetarian menu built around homemade vegetable pasta and a vegan menu built around a Slovenian-style risotto both run alongside the traditional meat menu — flag which one you need when you book.
What if I have another dietary requirement?
Gluten-free, lactose-free and similar diets are prepared at no extra charge with advance notice. Halal, kosher and other special menus can also be arranged, for a surcharge.
Do I have to join in the games and dancing?
No. The pillow dance, the hat dance and the polka and waltz steps are all invitations, not requirements — you can watch from your seat and still get the full evening.
How long does the evening run?
Around two and a half hours from the welcome drink to the last dance, which still leaves time for a walk along the Ljubljanica afterwards if you'd like one.
Can children come?
The listing sets separate pricing for children as well as adults, so younger guests are expected and catered for as part of a family group.
Is alcohol compulsory?
No. Dinner comes with a glass of local red or white wine, but a non-alcoholic drink is offered in its place if you'd rather skip it, and the welcome schnapps can be substituted too.
Is there a minimum group size?
The evening runs for parties of two or more, and groups of ten or more are offered one fixed per-person rate rather than individual pricing.
More of Ljubljana at night
Check dates and book
Other Ljubljana evenings GetYourGuide lists nearby, if you want to compare.