Osrednja Slovenija

The "White Ljubljana" is the heart of Slovenia. In its name there is plenty of love and it truly has been loved ever since the Roman times, who called the then settlement Emona. The medieval Ljubljana was squeezed between the Ljubljanica River and the hill, on top of which is the mighty Ljubljana Castle. At the banks of the Ljubljanica River a town developed, where the history and modern times go side by side. Ljubljana, embellished by the architect Jože Plečnik, possesses a rich historical and cultural heritage. There are numerous interesting buildings, palaces, museums, galleries, parks, picturesque streets and squares, bridges, and then there is the opera, the theatre, the Botanical Gardens and the ZOO. The hill Golovec with an astronomical observatory is a popular place for walks apart from Rožnik, Mostec and Tivoli. Trnovski pristan, however, surely offers one of the most poetic views of Ljubljana. The Kamnik-Savinja Alps provide wonderful scenery of the city. Throughout the year, the city offers an extensive programme of cultural, entertaining and sports events.

In the Sava Valley, at the start of the Zasavje Mountain Range, there lies Litija. North of it, high in the hills of Zasavje there is Vače, the geographical centre of Slovenia (GEOSS), known also for its valuable prehistoric find from the Iron Age, the Vaška situla. Ranging from the south edge of Ljubljana up to Vrhnika, there extend the Ljubljana Marshes, today one of the biggest grasslands in Slovenia and a refu ge of numerous plants and animals. Between Rakit and Kurešček the steep gorge of Iški Vintgar invites you into the seclusion of rustling waters. If we continue to the south, first the Grosuplje Basin opens up in front of us with the town Grosuplje. Above Županovo jama there is a Gothic church with a preserved camp from the times of Turkish invasions. The Renaissance castle Turjak, one of the mightiest in Slovenia, is often the scene of medieval games, and in the nearby Rašica, you can visit a museum in the idyllic environment of a mill – a monument to the life and work of Primož Trubar. Both places are connected via a learning path, one of the numerous pathways in the area of Velike Lašče.

Dobrepoljska pokrajina, situated to the east of Velike Lašče, is mostly covered by fertile land. In the shade of the lime tree near the church, the biggest fairs in Dolenjska took place for more than 400 years. In a side valley there hides Sodražica, and in its vicinity there is a well-known pilgrim church in Nova Štifta where motorcycles and motorcyclists are blessed every year.

The cradle of the Dolenjska wooden ware is Ribnica. The Ribnica fair is a good opportunity for socialising, parties and, not to forget, shopping at stands.The hilly area of Kočevska is overgrown with mighty forests, making Kočevje an excellent starting point to visit the primeval forest reservation. There are hiking, cycle and horse tracks there suitable for active holidays. The wildest and least intact is the Goteniška Valley, where the surrounding forests are full of game. In the steel valley of the Kolpa River, the fairy-tale land of Peter Klepec, you will find the oldest Slovenian parish with as many as seven churches. This is Osilnica, a quickly developing village above the confluence of the Kolpa and Čabranka rivers. If you follow the stream of the Kolpa River, you will see Castle Kostel on a cliff above the river. The Poljanska Valley with Stari trg ob Kolpi, however, already flirts with Bela krajina across.

Central Slovenia tourism