Mega Center, Savska cesta 34, Kranj - Format'Age

AduLt entertAinment
Although Ljubljana’s a relatively small city, it does make space
for sexy and sinful late night adult entertainment. Several
strip clubs have recently sprung up around the city displaying
a diversity of foreign girls for stripping, private dances or just
to keep you company if you buy them an (expensive) drink,
and we mean €100 for the cheapest bottle of champagne.
Escorts in Ljubljana are limited, but your hotel may be able to
advise you where to find a companion for the night. Although
prostitution is not illegal in Slovenia, you’d have to look very
hard to find any girl working the streets. Of course, we don’t
advise that you try as these girls don’t necessarily undergo
regular medical tests. It is best to stick with the more ‘refined’
selection we have on offer in Ljubljana.
Escape E-1, Grablovičeva 1, tel. (+386) 1232 16 74.
On the lowest level of the ever popular Orto, this club’s surroundings
are consistent with the rock club atmosphere that
is housed above it. There is a small stage for striptease,
but lapdances and personal attention are the real focus
here with private dances available at your table or in one
of the back rooms. QOpen 21:00 - 04:00. Admission €16.
PJAG
Hard Core Cafe G-3, Dolgi Most 4, tel. (+386) 41 71 66
12, www.hardcorecafe.si. With a name like that you can’t
help but smile and get in a taxi and head here. The concept is
simple: outstanding erotic entertainment provided by prefessionals
in a safe environment for groups of lads of all ages and
backgrounds. Nobody pesters you to buy them extortionate
‘lady drinks’, there is always something worth watching on
stage, and entrance is free. Drinks are reasonably priced
- even the erotic ones - and the girls who perform here are
on the whole of a far higher phwoar category then elsewhere.
QOpen 21:00 - 05:00. Closed Sun. PJAG
Klub Slon B-2, Slovenska 34, tel. (+386) 1470 11
48, ecarte@siol.net. The most centrally-located adult
entertainment club in town in the basement of popular
Hotel Slon, this is also the tamest . The small group of
girls, who you’ll mostly find fully dressed, do a a few nightly
topless cabaret shows. While lapdances and the like are
not offered here, when the women are not dancing they
are available for some personal interaction. QOpen 22:00
- 04:00. PYJAEGBXSW
Latino Nightclub J-2, Šmartinska 152 (BTC Hala
18), tel. (+386) 59 95 21 21, info@latino-club.com,
www.latino-nightclub.com. Located underneath the
Arena Centre in BTC, Ljubljana’s newest nightclub is an
immaculately kept affair that could easily double as a
mainsteam club - if not for the topless girls on stage.
As implied by the name, the majority of dancers are
Dominican but there are also some Thai and Eastern
European girls for the sake of variety. Drinks are only at a
slight premium to what you’d pay in the city centre and a
two-song private dance will set you back €30. Every Friday
there’s a special show, usually featuring a couple large
snakes or girl-on-girl preformance, and package deals
are also available for groups. QOpen 21:00 - 05:00. Free
admission. PALG
Tanga J-1/2, Brnčičeva 13, info@tangaclub.com, www.
tangaclub.com. This club is quite a trek from the center of
town, along a lonely stretch of railroad track so definitely
bring a map. Once you get there, head upstairs from the
bar café and find a neon-lighted multi-leveled space with
a wide selection of international ladies and a menu full of
drinks and services. QOpen 21:00 - 04:00. Free admission.
PALG
Ljubljana In Your Pocket ljubljana.inyourpocket.com
Ljubljana was at the forefront of the gay and lesbian movement
in Eastern Europe during the mid-1980s, and since
then has maintained an active GLBT community with many
well-organised groups promoting gay rights and culture.
This year marks the official 25th anniversary of the movement
in Slovenia, and has already seen some important
events, including the opening of the Q Cultural Centre back
in April and an especially active Pride week earlier this
summer. However, it would be a stretch to call Ljubljana a
gay-friendly city - perhaps gay-ambivalent would be more
apropos - as incidents of discrimination and even outright
violence are not unheard of.
Cafés
Café Open B-4, Hrenova 19, tel. (+386) 41 391 371,
info@open.si, http://www.open.si. Some places try a
little too hard to attract specific groups of people, but this
coffee shop isn’t one of them. A gay and lesbian owned café
near the river in a quiet neighbourhood south of the old
town, it’s smallish multi-coloured interior is bright and airy,
and there’s usually good music drifting out of the speakers
above. From time to time it hosts cultural events including
music and literature evenings. Check their website (Slovene
only) for details of upcoming events. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00,
Sun 16:00 - 22:00.
Events
Ljubljana Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (Festival
Gejevskega in Lezbičnega Filma) B-2, Kolodvorska
13, www.ljudmila.org/siqrd/fglf/. Originally launched in
1984, it holds the distinction of being the oldest gay and
lesbian film festival in all of Europe. It’s held annually the first
week of December, and films are screened from all over the
world. This year’s 25th anniversary event promises to be
the largest ever.
Nightlife
K4 Roza B-2, Kersnikova 4, fax (+386) 1438 03 01.
Every Sunday, and some Saturdays, this popular gay-friendly
club (pronounced ‘Kah Shteer-ee’ in Slovene) hosts gay and
lesbian nights under its alternate personality, Roza Klub
- which is also an independent political organisation and one
of the driving forces behind the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
and Pride week. See our full review of K4 under clubs in the
Nightlife section. Q Open Tue & Sun from 22:00, Wed-Sat
from 23:00. Mon closed.
Resources
Slovenia for Gay Travelers , tel. (+386) 51 877 245,
sloveniaforgaytravelers@yahoo.com, www.sloveniaforgaytravelers.com.
As the name suggests, these guys
specialise in arranging gay-friendly tours and accommodation
for visitors in Slovenia. Their English language website is immensely
helpful and a good place to start if you’re interested
in planning a trip or just finding out a bit more about gay
culture in the country. A room in Ljubljana’s only gay owned
and operated guest house (SOMI Rooms) can be booked
directly from the website, and they have also put together a
comprehensive gay guide to all of Slovenia - although outside
of the capital the pickings are rather slim.
Saunas & Massage
Gymnasivm Sauna H-1, Pohorskega Bataljona 34,
tel. (+386) 1534 24 85, gymnasium@volja.net, www.
klub-libero.si. Located in north Ljubljana not far from the ring
ljubljana.inyourpocket.com
gAy & LesbiAn
road, Gymnasivm is a men’s only sauna and club occupying a
converted house in a mixed residential and industrial area. In
addition to sauna and steam bath facilities, there is also a TV
lounge, snack bar and fitness equipment available. Buses 6,
8, 11 and 14 will all drop you within a short walk of the place,
and photos and more detailed info regarding house rules
can be found in English on their website. Q Mon-Thu 15:00-
22:00, Fri & Sat 15:00-23:00, Sun closed. During summer
17:00-23:00 Mon-Sat.
Sauna Zlati Klub H-2, Celovška 25, tel. (+386) 1431
51 55, info@zavod-tivoli.si, www.zavod-tivoli.si. The
Gold Club is part of the sports and recreation complex at
the north end of Tivoli Park and the largest sauna in Ljubljana.
Their facilities include several different types of saunas, a
swimming pool, whirlpool and fitness centre, and a wide selection
of massages is also available. While it’s not explicitly
gay-friendly, it is popular with gay men to varying degrees
depending upon whom you ask. Admission is between €10-
15.50 for up to three hours, and €2 for each additional hour.
Q Mon-Thu, Sun & Holidays 10:00-22:00, Fri & Sat 10:00-
23:00. Tuesdays are women only. Closes at 20:00 during the
summer, except on Fridays.
Thai Sabai B-1, Dunajska 9a, tel. (+386) 31 31 00
75, info@thaisabai-si.com, www.thaisabai-si.com. Gayfriendly
Thai massage parlour just north of the city centre
- right next to the hideous Delo building. They provide a variety
of traditional massages at competitive prices, and all their
masseuses are certified by the Thai Ministry of Public Health.
They’re also currently offering a 15% discount, and all new
customers receive a coupon for a free massage for a friend.
Erotic massages are not available. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00,
Sat 10:00 - 20:00. Closed Sun. (€25-55).
Sports & Recreation
Out in Slovenia Kašeljska 121, tel. (+386) 41 562
375, info@outinslovenija.com, www.outinslovenija.
com. Formerly an independent group founded in 2000, it
is now serves as something of the sports wing of a larger
organisation (DIH or the Association for the Integration
of Homosexuality). They organise sports and recreation
activities several times per week, which regularly include
bowling, badminton, volleyball and swimming. Membership
is not necessary in order to participate, although
members do get discounts. Their website is in both
Slovene and English and includes a calendar of upcoming
events.
Q Cultural Centre
Q Cultural Centre D-2, Masarykova 24 (Metelkova),
tel. (+386) 14 30 35 35, kulturnicenterq@
gmail.com, www.kulturnicenterq.org. Officially
opened on 24 April 2009, which was the 25th anniversary
of the the gay rights movement in Slovenia, the
centre has roots going all the way back to 1993. It’s
a joint project of ŠKUC - one of Slovenia’s largest arts
and cultural organisations, and a leading proponent of
gay rights - and two long-running gay and lesbian clubs,
Tiffany and Monokel, which are located on the same
premises. The centre’s main focus is the promotion of
gay and lesbian culture, and it hosts regular events such
as literature readings, concerts, theatre performances,
exhibitions, lectures, debates and workshops. Both
clubs also host parties every Friday (and sometimes on
Saturday) night from around 20:00 till late.
December 2009 - January 2010