Finalist#7: Green Adventures in Žalec and its Surroundings

The Lower Savinja Valley is a world of hop-growing and brewing secrets. The tastes and experiences are brought together by green gold, as the locals like to call hops. Fields with the best hop varieties lie in the heart of green hills and in the summertime they give the valley a bittersweet scent.

Do you know what green gold tastes like? Take a sip from the Green Gold beer fountain, the first beer fountain in the world. A mug with a microchip allows you to taste different kinds of beer with the aromatic Styrian hops. To make the experience truly unforgettable, you can take the mug designed by the famous designer Oskar Kogoj home with you.
The hop growing tradition has left a major impact on Žalec. The best way to learn about the story of hops is to visit the Eco Museum of Hop-Growing and Brewing Industry of Slovenia. The museum, situated in a former hop-drying facility, tells wonderful stories in which the past and the present are intertwined, giving the visitors a priceless experience.
Nature and history lovers will be far from bored in Žalec. Take a stroll around the Vrbje Pond or visit the Pekel Cave – one of the largest natural gems of the Lower Savinja Valley and not far away, in Šempeter, stop by the Roman Necropolis, a rich archaeological park of tombs of the Celeia elite.
Cycling enthusiast? Hop on your bike! Well-marked cycling routes of various difficulty levels are a perfect option for family outings as well as adventure seekers.
People from the Savinja Valley will show their hospitality by filling your beer mugs and plates. So don’t forget to visit the local restaurants that offer typical tastes of the valley under the Zeleno zlato (Green Gold) brand.

Day 1
10:00 – Roman Necropolis. Set off to the archaeological park and discover one of the most important monuments of the Roman Era in Slovenia and Central Europe.
11:00 – Pekel Cave. You will be amazed by the magnificent stalagmites, stalactites and by the highest accessible underground waterfall in Slovenia.
12:30 – Lunch at the Privošnik Inn.
14:00 – Eco Museum of Hop-Growing and Brewing Industry of Slovenia and 3D Virtual Reality Film. A walk through the history of hop growing leads you through old traditions and lifestyles during the hop picking season.
15:30 – Rent a bike. Rent the “Green Bikes” at TIC Žalec and Eco-museum or the bike from the bike system Kolesce and go cycling among hop fields.
17:30 – Green Gold Beer Fountain. Pour yourselves a mug of excellent beer from the Green Gold beer fountain, the heart of social activity of locals and visitors in the town park of Žalec.
19:00 – Dinner at one of the local restaurants with the Green Gold label.

Contact of the Provider:
TIC Žalec, Šlandrov trg 25, 3310 Žalec
T: 386 3 710 04 34
E: zkst.tic@siol.net
W: www.turizem-zalec.si

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