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Velenje - Topolšica

A young town with a green heart and mining veins.

Velenje invites you to the town of the unique underground Coal Mining Museum, and Topolšica invites you to an attractive spa in the midst of green forests. Velenje has an attractive beach by the lake and hosts the largest children's festival in Slovenia. The water from the thermal springs in Topolšica comes to the surface in the middle of picturesque green hills, surrounded by the peaks of the Karavanke Alps.

Velenje is a socialist miracle.

Josip Broz Tito, former Yugoslav leader

TOP 5 sights

Every step you take, you will be surprised by Slovenia’s natural and cultural gems. Are you interested in what you need to see in Velenje and Topolšica?

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TOP 5 experiences

Follow the spirit of the past that leads you through Velenje and the surrounding villages. Enjoy your summer at Velenje Beach or treat yourselves to some time at the Terme Topolšica Spa. Explore the wealth of tastes and experiences in the countryside of the Šalek Valley too.

Underground adventure

Descend 160 m under the surface using the oldest lift in Slovenia, and there you will learn about the story of the work of miners in the past and today. In the historical scenes of this discontinued mine, you will also taste a typical miners’ snack in the deepest dining room in the world, take a ride on a mine train, and come back to the surface with an adrenaline-filled impression.

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Underground adventure

Underground adventure

Descend 160 m under the surface using the oldest lift in Slovenia, and there you will learn about the story of the work of miners in the past and today. In the historical scenes of this discontinued mine, you will also taste a typical miners’ snack in the deepest dining room in the world, take a ride on a mine train, and come back to the surface with an adrenaline-filled impression.

More on: Underground adventure

Experience Velenje's spirit of socialism

Experience Velenje's spirit of socialism

A nostalgic and fun lesson will tickle your funny bone and make for a colourful trip to Slovenia’s (Yugoslavia's) recent history. You can learn how children (cicibani), younger pioneers (pionirji), and older pioneers (mladinci) grew up and discovered street games and socially beneficial work campaigns. Continue this unusual and interesting experience by taking a retro walk through the town.

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Woschnagg’s trail through the history of Šoštanj

Woschnagg’s trail through the history of Šoštanj

Throughout history, the town of Šoštanj has been strongly marked by the leather-making industry and the Woschnagg family connected to this industry. In the past, the leather factory was the largest and most modern leather-making factory in the Balkans and in Austria-Hungary. Discover the traces of history left by the family, in architecture, art, and horticulture. A visit to the Museum of Leather-Making is also interesting.

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Pozoj’s Castle Trail

Pozoj’s Castle Trail

Take a walk on a circular trail, on which you will be able to see many interesting things. Visit the castles in the Velenje area, and Kunigunda, a cursed lady of the castle and walled-in nun, will keep you company. In addition to castles, visit Villa Herberstein, interesting churches, and a site where mastodon remains have been found. You can walk the entire length of the trail, and a part of it can also be covered by bicycle. The start and the finish of the trail is at Villa Bianca.

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Gonžarjeva Peč climbing route

Gonžarjeva Peč climbing route

Test the first learning field of the Alpine Association of Slovenia – a via ferrata route. The rock face named after the nearby Gonžar Homestead has a geomorphological natural value due to its exceptional dimensions and shape. Here mountaineers and mountain climbers test their skills and gain knowledge for safe walking and climbing in high mountains.  You can also acquire or upgrade this knowledge.

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Velenje Beach

Velenje Beach is the best! In addition to water activities – from swimming, sailing, stand-up paddle boarding, and surfing, you can also engage in activities on the shore, where there are football fields, beach volleyball courts, basketball courts, tennis courts, and miniature golf courses. Have a picnic on the gravel shore and enjoy some sun rays on wooden platforms and free lounge chairs. Take a boat ride on the lake or tour the surrounding area on horseback.

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Velenje Beach

Velenje Beach

Velenje Beach is the best! In addition to water activities – from swimming, sailing, stand-up paddle boarding, and surfing, you can also engage in activities on the shore, where there are football fields, beach volleyball courts, basketball courts, tennis courts, and miniature golf courses. Have a picnic on the gravel shore and enjoy some sun rays on wooden platforms and free lounge chairs. Take a boat ride on the lake or tour the surrounding area on horseback.

More on: Velenje Beach

The Pippi Festival – the largest children's festival in Slovenia

The Pippi Festival – the largest children's festival in Slovenia

Who doesn’t know the mischievous girl named Pippi Longstocking, who won the hearts of children and adults alike all around the world? Did you know that she has her own festival in Velenje? During the festival, which is held every September, there are more than 100 Pippi’s creative workshops, a large and small theatre stage, a fairy-tale and concert stage, and in town you can visit exhibitions or Pippi’s Cinema. The Pippi Festival ends with Pippi's Day.

More on: The Pippi Festival – the largest children's festival in Slovenia

The countryside of the Šalek Valley

The countryside of the Šalek Valley

Spend your holiday at a tourist farm, where your hosts always make sure that there are plenty of local and home-made specialities on the table. Go with the flow of nature, which might encourage you to take up some farming chores. Feed deer at the Lamperček tourist farm, help Apat’s mum Nada as she bakes bread or help the Karničnik family as they take care of their horses.

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Pampering at Terme Topolšica Spa

Terme Topolšica Spa is the perfect choice for those seeking peace amid nature and, at the same time, everything necessary for modern pampering and coping with everyday challenges. Pamper yourself in the indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, and enjoy relaxing massages from experienced masseurs.

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Pampering at Terme Topolšica Spa

Pampering at Terme Topolšica Spa

Terme Topolšica Spa is the perfect choice for those seeking peace amid nature and, at the same time, everything necessary for modern pampering and coping with everyday challenges. Pamper yourself in the indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, and enjoy relaxing massages from experienced masseurs.

More on: Pampering at Terme Topolšica Spa

A treat for your senses at Villa Herberstein

A treat for your senses at Villa Herberstein

At Villa Herberstein, you can quench your thirst and satisfy the hunger of all your senses. The plates served here are alluring images consisting of fresh, locally produced ingredients that do not shy away from the company of excellent culinary masterpieces from all over the world. While you make your toasts, the kitchen staff will be pouring their passion, knowledge, and love into preparing new gastronomic adventures.

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The Bahor pottery workshop

The Bahor pottery workshop

Feel the clay slide between your fingers as you make your own pottery product. Learn about the steps that are necessary for you to be able to drink your morning coffee from a unique cup. All this awaits you at the workshops of the Bahor Pottery Centre in Topolšica, where you can watch how Slovenian majolica pottery or the “Kofetar’ca” coffee cup is made. You can also buy beautiful pottery products at the shop and take a nice memory of the Šalek Valley home with you.

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Green Facts

Slovenia writes a green story. Feel it at every step.

Velenje is one of the sunniest towns in Slovenia. Its charm comes from large green areas, which is why this town is also known as a “town in a park.”

Visitors and locals can take rides around Velenje and its surrounding area on the free town bus known as Lokalc.

Velenje is the greenest active mining town in Europe.

Near Lom in Topolšica, visitors can see the most butterflies in Slovenia in one place at one time.

Chicken liver pâté with pears and truffles

If you visit Villa Herberstein, you will be able to smell excellent dishes being created under the leadership of chef Igor Stankovič. Its house speciality is the chicken liver pâté with pears and truffles. Is your mouth watering yet? Try to make this delicious dish yourselves.

Try our recipe

Experience Velenje

Velenje was mentioned as a market town for the first time as early as in the 13th century. The newly built town centre was opened in 1959. Today, the town is bursting with youthful energy, which can be felt at every step.

Register of Tourist Guides

Local guides will help you discover local attractions and hidden treasures. Find a tourist guide that will present Slovenian cultural and natural heritage to you in more detail in your chosen language.

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Experience a pleasant getaway and have some rest

Would you like to stay a little longer and see and experience as much as possible? Then select suitable accommodation that is ideal for you in the nearby area.

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TripAdvisor traveller rating Tripadvisor rating: 4.0

Restaurant Vila Herberstein

17 Reviews (open in a new window)
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TripAdvisor traveller rating Tripadvisor rating: 5.0

Prenočišča Mraz

4 Reviews (open in a new window)
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TripAdvisor traveller rating Tripadvisor rating: 4.0

Hotel Paka

38 Reviews (open in a new window)
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TripAdvisor traveller rating Tripadvisor rating: 3.5

Hotel Vesna

33 Reviews (open in a new window)
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TripAdvisor traveller rating Tripadvisor rating: 4.0

Turist Farm Pirnat

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TripAdvisor traveller rating Tripadvisor rating: 4.5

Youth Hostel Velenje

1 Reviews (open in a new window)
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TripAdvisor traveller rating Tripadvisor rating: 3.0

Hotel Razgoršek

20 Reviews (open in a new window)
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TripAdvisor traveller rating Tripadvisor rating: 4.0

Camp Velenje

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Turistična kmetija Tuševo

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Nearby destinations

From Velenje and Topolšica, you can also go on a visit to our neighbours. In the Upper Savinja Valley, 18 km from Velenje, visit Golte, the most beautiful plateau in the Savinja Valley, which transforms into a popular ski resort in winter. Take a detour to Celje and Žalec, a hop-growing centre 21 km away, where you can pour a glass of beer from a unique fountain. Just 49 km separate you from Muta, a town in Koroška, where you can experience unforgettable rafting on the River Drava. You can also head to the Rogla-Pohorje Hills, where you can enjoy skiing and thermal experiences, but also an interesting journey at the Herman Potočnik Noordung Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies in the town of Vitanje, 24 km away.

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More details about Velenje and Topolšica.

For more information visit the Velenje-Topolšica website.

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