July 2024
Kostanjevica na Krki
If you want to enjoy art and history, adventure, peace, nature, friendly people, nice accommodation, and of course, good food and drink, you definitely should visit “Kostanjevica na Krki”, a small town located in southern Slovenia, in the Dolenjska region. In order to reach our destination, we chose to use public transportation and took a bus from the Ljubljana bus station, the travel time was 1 hour and 49 minutes. As soon as we arrived there, we were warmly welcomed at the “B&B Vila Castanea” in the heart of the old town. We started our activities with a guided tour of the “Galerija Božidar Jakac Art Museum” and “Forma Viva sculpture park”, where we admired paintings and sculptures by Slovenian as well as foreigners’ artists, and also learned a lot about the history of the place throughout the centuries. Then, our guide took us to the wine cellar where we tried one of the most unique Slovenian wines, “Cviček”, along with a delicious salty cake called “cop na lop” in Slovenian. After that, we had a short walk to the beautiful river “Krka” where we met our guide, who took us on a boat ride around the island. During the ride, in sunny weather, the guide explained everything about the history of the town, which was amazing. Everything was going very well, but we were lucky to spot three beavers jumping into the river, which made the boat ride even better. Following this, we walked less than five minutes to have dinner at a local traditional restaurant “Žolnir”. The staff members were very kind and helpful, and the fish we had was absolutely tasty. We strongly recommend this restaurant, especially if you want to enjoy good local food; do not miss the opportunity to go there. Next, we ended our first day trip at the “B&B Vila Castanea”, where our host provided everything we needed to have an excellent rest night. Our second day trip began with a delicious local breakfast featuring a wide variety of local products, including fruits, bread, honey, jam, seeds, juice, yogurt, and milk. After having a strong breakfast, we were ready to walk for 20 minutes to reach Kostanjevica cave, our final activity. Before exploring the cave, we met our guide, who explained many things about the cave, including how it was discovered, endemic species present, and many other interesting curiosities. Inside the cave, we looked in awe at every detail, noticing the stalactites and stalagmites, and observing how the action of water has played a crucial role in the formation and development of the cave paths. It was stunning. It is good to remember that the temperature in the cave is constant at 12°C and being prepared for it is important. In summary, we had such a great time in “Kostanjevica na Krki”, a small town with lots of things to explore.
Caio and Leticia, a Brazilian couple who loves Slovenia
Photos by: Caio & Leticia