September 2020
A trip along the apple trail
Our trip along the apple trail began at the medieval square in Podsreda, where the Kozjansko Apple Festival is held every year. We were warmly welcomed with fresh apple juice made from the apples of Kozjansko’s apple orchards.
We were then introduced to Kozjansko Park, the largest regional park in Slovenia, and got an understanding of the important role conservation plays in the preservation of the ecosystem in the region. We were shown around Podsreda and got to know its feathery inhabitants better through a little exhibition.
The trail with Barbara then continued with a tour through Kozjansko’s apple orchards where we were able to pick our own apples and taste a variety of them. One tradition that we found particularly interesting, was the fact that every child in the town of Podsreda have their own little apple trees planted when they are born. It was also interesting learning about how the wild bees made use of the “Bee Hotels” to reproduce. We had fun spotting the nesting boxes made by the park administration for the various birds that live in the park.
The tour was followed by lunch at Kozjanski Dvor, where we were served a special apple menu. The dishes were made from ingredients sourced from local farms, and enjoyed on the outdoor patio right by a small pond. We finished off the meal on a sweet note with a delicious apple tiramisu dessert.
We then proceeded to the nearby Kukovičič Mill Organic Farm, which we learnt is the last remaining water-powered mill for grain milling on the Bistrica river, and one of the few left in the whole of Slovenia. Maja from the mill taught us the mechanics of the mill, and told us more about the history of the old building the mill was housed in. We had a lovely afternoon chatting with Maja over some homemade breads, spreads as well as a yummy apple pie.
The next part of the apple trail took us to Podsreda Castle. “Slovenia’s most castle-like castle” definitely lived up to its name, as a lot of its original Romanesque architecture has been preserved over the centuries. We were warmly received by Mojca from the castle, and checked into the very newly renovated castle apartments. The castle apartment we were kindly invited to was clean, tastefully-designed and had large windows that looked out onto the peaceful green surroundings of the castle.
After a short rest, we headed to Terme Olimia, a short 30-minute drive away from the castle for an evening of relaxation at its Wellness Orhidelia pools. The three hours of pampering was much needed after not having taken a proper break this summer. It was nice disconnecting from the outside world and just enjoying the company of each other and the carefully thought through amenities at Terme Olimia.
Upon returning to the Podsreda castle apartments, we were greeted with a generous cold cuts platter accompanied by a bottle of Slovenian wine. All our hosts at Podsreda certainly made sure that we were well-fed! With our bellies filled and satisfied, we took the opportunity as guests of the apartments to roam the Podsreda castle by night – truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience! It felt like the castle was all ours. After a little walk around the castle grounds, we retired to our beds, and had a good night’s rest.
The next morning, we collected our breakfast basket filled with homemade delicacies from the Kozjanski region – apple strudel, apple juice, pate, cheeses, bučni namaz, overnight oats and freshly made bread. We were told that we could take the basket to enjoy anywhere in the castle, so we chose the castle dining room. Breakfast was followed by a tour around the castle grounds with an audio guide, as well as the warm hospitality of Mojca, who joined us midway and gave us a personalized tour of the castle.
It was a good day and a half of exploration of one of Slovenia’s hidden gems. We are thankful to have been able to meet the passionate locals of the region, and be taken such good care of. We would recommend a visit to the Kozjansko region to anyone. There is something for everyone.
Yumei Foong and Gregor Strnad
Photos: Yumei & Gregor
