LJUBLJANA curls under its castle-topped hill, an old centre marooned in the shapeless modernity that stretches out across the plain, a vital and self-consciously growing capital. At first glance it seems Austrian, a few strands of Vienna pulled out of place, typically exuberant and refined; but really Ljubljana is Slovenian through and through, with outside influences absorbed and tinkered with over the years. The city's sights are only part of the picture; first and foremost Ljubljana is a place to meet people and to get involved in the nightlife - the buildings just provide the backdrop.