SOCIAL & TOURIST PROGRAMME
Ljubljana Sightseeing (2 hours)
Date: Sunday, July 1
This general walking tour of Ljubljana includes all the most significant sights of the old city centre. It starts off in front of the Baroque Town Hall building, the seat of the municipal government, with the famous Robba Fountain next to it, and continues across the lively fruit, vegetable and flower market designed by architect Jože Plečnik, past the Cathedral of St. Nicholas and the Slovenian Tourist Information Centre, across Dragon Bridge, an Art Nouveau masterpiece, which is on each end adorned with a dragon, the symbol of Ljubljana, and alongside the Ljubljanica River to the centrally located Prešernov trg square.
From there you are guided across the Triple Bridge, one of the most recognizable creations by architect Jože Plečnik, to the Ribji trg square, where the oldest building in Ljubljana is located. On your way to the centre of Ljubljana Old Town you cross the Mestni trg, Stari trg and Gornji trg squares, whose buildings boast beautiful Baroque facades, and continue towards the Cobblers' Bridge. After crossing the bridge, the tour takes you to the Novi trg square, from where you continue across a gentle slope towards architect Jože Plečnik's Križanke Summer Theatre and the famous Baroque Church of the Knights of the Cross. The final part of the tour takes you along the Vegova ulica street past a line of houses whose walls incorporate the remains of the Roman town walls. The tour ends in the Kongresni trg square.
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Welcome reception
Date: Sunday, July 1
Welcome Reception will be held in the premises of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Ljubljana (FELU). It was founded in 1946, and is today the largest faculty among its members. The FELU has a long tradition in research and education, stressing that the development and modernization of teaching and research work have been its priorities from the very beginning. The Faculty is constantly endeavoring to become renowned for its quality and achievements in education and research. It follows the most modern trends in education in Europe and across the world. As one of the first faculties in Slovenia it established new internationally comparable programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels accredited under the 3+2 system and just recently, in October 2006, received a global EQUIS quality accreditation status as an award for excellence in all its activities: creation of a learning environment, teaching, and attention to student development, advising, research, process organization, high level of international involvement and connections with the business world. The FELU is known as the most contemporary faculty in Slovenia due to its excellent, purpose-built and technologically equipped lecture, meeting facilities, free wireless internet access and also for the largest Slovenian academic library for economics and business. Today it is part of the best European schools and the University’s largest faculty which occupies part of a spacious suburban campus.
More about the FELU (www.ef.uni-lj.si)
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Trip to Lake Bled and traditional Slovenian meal
Date: Monday, July 2
Bled was discovered by tourists in the middle of the 19th century, after a Swiss doctor, Mr.Arnold Rikli, had built a climactic health centre there. Bled is often mentioned as the pearl of the Alpine region. It is unique with its emerald-green lake, a church on the island in the middle of the lake and a medieval castle from the 11th century, perched on a cliff above the lake.
After a bus ride around the lake a guided tour of Bled castle will start. Then you will be taken by Bled's typical "pletna" boat to the island and afterwards to a popular Slovenian Inn in Radovljica.
More about Bled (http://www.bled.si/en/) and Lectar Inn (http://www.lectar.com/presentation.html)
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Gala dinner at Ljubljana Castle
Date: Tuesday, July 3
Ljubljana Castle has a rich past. Since its beginnings it has performed a number of roles – from being a residence, a military outpost, fort, countryseat and prison, to being a tourist and cultural centre. Besides the impression of the past, which surrounds all visitors at the Ljubljana Castle, it is also becoming an important cultural centre of Ljubljana. It is an important venue for exhibitions, theatre plays, concerts etc.
More about the Castle (http://www.ljubljanafestival.si/en/ljubljana_castle/)
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Visit of Postojna Caves and Predjama Castle, half day tour (For accompanying persons (or delegates that want away from it all))
Date: Tuesday, July 3
On this day we will take you to the biggest and worldwide known Slovenian cave system - the Postojna caves. A two million years old and 27 km long system of subterranean caves is one of the most easily accessible network of underground caves in the world. A ride by electrical train will be followed by a guided walk through a series of cave halls with drop stones, pillars and translucent curtains that create unforgettable impressions. The underworld system is a home of the mysterious, unique and rare amphibian Proteus Anguinus, or human fish as it is popularly called here.
Only 9 km away stands one of the most interesting baroque castles of Slovenia, the Predjama castle. It hangs dramatically in the middle of 123 m high rocky cliff.
More about Postojna Caves and Predjama Castle (http://www.postojnska-jama.si/?cat=6&lang=en )