Ljubljana’s Funky Hostel Celica
Slovenian Budget Accommodation in a Prison Turned Art Hotel
Need accommodation in Slovenia's capital? Try sleeping in a cell in Ljubljana's Hostel Celica, where every room's been designed and furnished by a different artist.
Staying in a hotel is sometimes just a bed for a night: but if you try the Hostel Celica in Slovenian capital Ljubljana then the night is all part of the travel experience. And it gives you a chance to imagine what a night in a prison cell can feel like – albeit a very artistically decorated cell!
The History of Ljubljana’s Hostel Celica
The Hostel Celica in Metelkova Street, central Ljubljana, actually started life as a prison. After outliving the Austro-Hungarian empire and with the entire area being used as a Yugoslav army base during more recent conflicts, it became something of a hippie colony for a while, where some people lived as squatters. Just a few years ago, it was decided that the building should be turned into hostel accommodation, something that was severely lacking in Ljubljana but, with increasing numbers of travelers, was really needed.
Hostel Celica as an Art Gallery
Each of the prison cells was turned into a hostel room, and twenty of them were individually designed by different Slovenian artists. They had a small budget – and very small rooms – but the results were so impressive that you can even take a tour of the hostel without staying there, simply to see the result of this amazing artistic endeavor.
The cells are all decorated so differently, with varying colors, styles and facilities. Some of them use the top of the room – and by top we mean near the ceiling – to provide a bed, making more space available during the day. Others use bunk beds and ladders to provide additional accommodation. Some are stark and cold – a reminder that the Celica used to be a prison – while others use warmer colors and seem more welcoming.
Staying at the Hostel Celica
The different rooms at Hostel Celica sleep between two and five people. It is, remember, a hostel, so there are shared facilities for doing laundry, cooking and watching TV, and with most rooms you’ll have shared bathroom facilities too.
It’s pretty easy to find the Hostel Celica – for a start, it’s quite well known, so it’s easy to ask directions if you get lost. People may not know the name Hostel Celica, but if you ask about Metelkova Street, everybody will point the way. It has a great central location, and is really only a few minutes walk from both the train and the bus stations. It’s also close to the city center, so you won’t need to use much public transport while you stay there.
