Latest posts:

Road trip po Črni gori s kombijem - vsi člani BlueMarble Vagabonds v narodnem parku Prokletije
Montenegro
Sandra

Montenegro With a Van: 2-Week Travelogue Style Itinerary

Vividly green forests, breathtaking views of majestic mountains, the captivating Bay of Kotor, curvy roads, and pristine nature. Traveling through Montenegro with a van feels like finding a wild paradise! This is our 2-week Montenegro van trip itinerary written in a travelogue style.

Read More »

Stuff You Love:

Chichen Itza - cover photo for One Month Mexico Itinerary
Intineraries
Sandra

ONE MONTH MEXICO ITINERARY

Mexico is a vast country that covers a land area of almost 2,000,000 square kilometers. So let’s be real –  unless you are planning to

Read More »
Hiking in Ushuiai cover photo - the river, muddy meadow and snowy mountains in the distance
Argentina
Sandra

HIKING IN USHUAIA – DOs & definite DON’Ts

Hiking at the end of the world? C’mon, admit it, there’s a super cool edge to it.

And besides, we Slovenians are known to be a “hiking nation”, so when our new friends from the USA invited us to go hiking in Ushuaia together, saying “nope” was not an option. No matter the circumstances.

And that’s perhaps where things started to go wrong.

This is a story about our hilarious hiking in Ushuaia and all the DOs and DON’Ts you should(not) repeat.

Read More »
Traditional houses in Prekmurje region, Slovenia
Slovenia
Sandra

YOUR GUIDE TO PREKMURJE REGION, SLOVENIA

A river that winds lazily across wide plains. White storks nesting on chimneys. Picturesque churches and unique architecture. Lush green hills, lined with vineyards and mighty castles sitting among them. Thermal waters for relaxation and the juiciest Slovenian dessert. Welcome to Prekmurje region in Slovenia!

Read More »

A WEEKEND GETAWAY: PODČETRTEK

Olimje village

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we will receive a tiny commission if you choose to click through and make a purchase. But don’t worry, clicking on them won’t cost you a penny more – it just means we can keep creating free content for you – and that our furry companions can keep living their best life with all their fancy toys.  

Since we come from beautiful country called SLOVEnia we have decided not to explore only foreign lands but to become “tourists” in our own as well. And we’ll be glad if we inspire you to ever visit this little chicken-shaped country (Yep. If you don’t believe, google it 🙂 ).

So, since my feet are usually cold (oh, who am I kidding, feet and everything else) and Bojan is recuperating from an injury and therefore not on bike yet I have managed to convince him to spend a weekend in saunas (usually he complains it is impossible to breath in there 🙂 ) In Slovenia there are numerous Spas & Wellness Centers and we headed to one of the best, Terme Olimia in Podčetrtek, which is located in the east of Slovenia.

 

HERE ARE 5 THINGS YOU SHOULDN’T MISS WHILE IN PODČETRTEK

 

JELENOV GREBEN

This is deer& mouflon farm with accommodation, restaurantprivate wellness and a place to held weddings. Actually I didn’t know the later so when we were checking-in I casually mentioned that is so charming that is perfect for a wedding and Bojan gulped. Twice. 😀 The place is really beautiful, local cuisine is delicious and everybody super friendly. It is a family-oriented business which I really liked and we were chatting happily with grandma who worked in their shop with local specialties. I couldn’t resist a hand made cookie bigger than my palm 🙂 There is also a planetarium, wine shop and of course, best of all, groups of animals who wander freely around and if you call them they willingly come to take a bite of a corn and you can easily pet them.

In addition to their main ranch they have also smaller gesthouse in the middle of the village, called Pod Grebenom where there are nice, cozy rooms and super cute teahouse/coffee house.

Booking.com

Simple, local, kind and professional and what is for us really important – pet friendly. Nano had fun. And of course, his nose was all the time in the air due to nearby deer 😀

TERME OLIMIA

This superb Spa& Wellness Center offers everything from indoor & outdoor pools, two sauna complexes (largest in Slovenia) with whirlpools, massages and spa programs. It’s easy to spend a day there…or a week 🙂 We bought whole day ticket for Wellness Orhidelia (40€) and despite that it was a busy weekend and we couldn’t get “our own” deckchairs (mainly due to those who leave towels on them whole day 😀 ) it didn’t feel crowded and it was really relaxing atmosphere. We have decided that next time we will treat ourselves with a night in their Hotel Sotelia (where one night costs approximately ten times more than our usual hostels 😛 ) to fully spoil ourselves.

 

MONASTERY AND A CHOCOLATE SHOP

In the village of Olimje there is a Baroque church with the adjacent monastery which can definitely look at least as great as Eiffel tower at Instagram photos 🙂 The friary is inhabited and run by the friars of the Order of the Friars Minor Conventual (Minorites). Part of monastery that I was most interested in was an old pharmacy from 17th century which is one of the oldest in Europe and its herbal garden in front of monastery. If there is a group visit, friar guides you around but since we were alone, I became tourist guide and improvised 🙂 In the “new part” of the pharmacy there is also a shop with herbal teas and tinctures made by friars. Recommended.

Nearby the monastery there is a chocolate shop with mouthwatering sweets. Pralines that we had bought vanished before we managed to drink coffee at Pod Grebenom.

AMON OLIMJE

Another great property worth visiting, where beside accommodation there is a restaurant with delicious food and they offer different activities, including golf and wine tasting. We planned to stay here but since Nano wouldn’t be able to go with us in this case we chose Jelenov greben instead. Anyhow, there are roumors that a room or two will be soon pet-friendly. Lets keep our paws crossed! 😉 Anyway we stayed here for dinner and it was…yummy, yummy, yummy. And wallet friendly 🙂

WHAT ELSE?

The region offers many options to explore so take your time and enjoy experience. Few of them are:

Castles Podčetrtek and Podsreda (literally their names mean “under-Thursday” and “under-Wednesday 🙂 )

Museum of old farm equipment

The Kozjansko Regional Park – biosphere reserve under the protection of UNESCO

And…not far away is also a town Rogaška Slatina (again with their own Spa and Medical Center), famous also by their high quality crystal which can be found also in White House.

You can find more about these sights also here.

Sharing is caring:

Related Posts

Top outdoor adventures in Slovenia cover photo

TOP OUTDOOR ADVENTURES IN SLOVENIA

Sure, Slovenia is pretty famous for white-water rafting – obviously.
But, here’s the thing about Slovenians: we are kinda obsessed with all kinds of sports. And there’s much more going on than just white-water rafting. That’s why I decided to put together a list of top outdoor adventures in Slovenia you should surely add to your itinerary when visiting our country. Happy adventuring!

Read More »
Tolmin Gorgein Slovenia - emerald river in the narrow gorge

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO TOLMIN GORGE AND TOLMIN, SLOVENIA

Soča valley is undoubtedly our favorite part of Slovenia and while we’ve been to Tolmin many times it wasn’t until this year that we finally visited insanely beautiful Tolmin Gorge. *Getting emotional.* But the town offers much more – check out our complete guide for Tolmin Gorge and Tolmin in Slovenia!

Read More »
Krka waterfalls at Skradiniski buk

30 STUNNING PLACES TO VISIT ON A BALKAN TRIP

Breathtaking landscape with lush green valleys, emerald green rivers, mighty mountain ranges, spectacular lakes, and remarkable coastline with dreamy beaches. Charming historic towns with cobbled streets, Roman ruins, fairytale-like castles, and medieval architecture that transports you right back into the past. Endless opportunities for all kinds of sports and adrenaline-pumping activities. Oh-so-tasty food, that ranges from hearty mountain meals to the delicate seafood dishes. Affordable prices (yasss!). Does this sound exciting? Then let me tell you –  you can experience it all on your Balkan trip.

Read More »
Riverbank at Kostanjevica na Krki, Slovenia

STUNNING PLACES ALONG KRKA RIVER SLOVENIA

Imagine this: Lush green landscape ideal for picnics. Impressive medieval castles. Picturesque towns. Colorful fields in the spring. Astonishing views.  …Interested already? Then keep reading, because you’re about to learn about the most scenic places along Krka river in Slovenia!

Read More »