Tivoli is where the people of Ljubljana who don’t leave the city spend the weekend. Laid out in 1813 as a place for the general health and recreation of the city’s population, at some five square kilometres, Ljubljana’s gargantuan bucolic lung - literally two streets west of the city centre - is so packed with good things to see and do that it’s almost worth visiting the Slovenian capital just to come here.

Set amidst rolling hills, Tivoli Park is a pleasant mixture of lawns (picnics encouraged: something of a shock in this part of the world), pastures, wooded areas and fun adventure playgrounds for the kids (who will love the mini-golf best of all). The best way to enjoy the park is by bike, and  bicycles are available for rent from various points throughout the park during the summer. You will need to leave ID as a guarantee you will bring the bike back.

As well as its reputation as the top nature spot in the area, Tivoli Park also houses a number of cultural sights including the International Centre of Graphic Arts in the glorious 17th century Tivolski Grad (Tivoli Mansion), the Museum of Modern History and, in the park’s far southwestern reaches, in an area designated as a nature reserve, the city’s half-decent zoo. Also look out for the monument to Primoz Trubar at the entrance to the park. Truboz was an early force in Slovene literature and the creation of a Slovene national identity.