Ljubljana - The November Gourmet Ljubljana culinary festival starts this week, bringing a series of events until the end of the month and presenting the very best that the Slovenian capital has to offer to foodies. The highlight of the first week will be the European Food Summit.

Organised by Turizem Ljubljana, the local tourism agency, November Gourmet Ljubljana is a joint campaign of hospitality services providers, hotels, food producers, wine makers as well as public institutions that will this year bring various presentations, guided tours, gourmet-themed events, wine and beer tastings and workshops.

This year, the festival will celebrate "new tastes, innovative dishes, fresh culinary approaches, unusual experiments, new contacts and fertile cooperation", Turizem Ljubljana said.

During the festival, the first issue of Gourmet Ljubljana, a magazine presenting top gastronomic experiences in the city, will be released.

The first week of November will be dedicated to the European Food Summit, which was originally planned for last year but had to be postponed due to Covid-19. It will run from Monday until Friday under the motto Food for Future's Good.

The main event will be held on Monday at Ljubljana Castle, where chefs, journalists, authors, critics, entrepreneurs, local food producers and Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek will share their experiences in promoting sustainable practices for a better tomorrow.

On Friday, foodies will be invited to Gourmet Ljubljana Crawl, a tour of Ljubljana's cultural and other attractions accompanied by culinary experiences.

On Sunday, day trips I Feel Slovenia and a culinary adventure Ljubljana Soul Chefs featuring the city's top chefs will be held as part of the summit.

In the first week of the festival, visitors will also be invited to a guided tour of the Broken Bones gin and whiskey distillery, a workshop on the use of Japanese knives, children's workshops and an event at the Lajbah pub.

Other highlights of the fifth November Gourmet Ljubljana festival will be the traditional St Martin's celebrations, the Ljubljana Wine Route and a cocktail evening.