The heartland of the country, Eastern Slovenia is often ignored by visitors heading west to the country's big highlights. If you want to explore further than the main tourist routes, this region offers outdoor activities aplenty and three grand historical centres where you can wander freely without squeezing between tour-group crowds.
For stupendous mountain views with a spot of hiking and mountain biking, make a beeline to the highland pastures of Velika Planina, the glacial valley of Logarska Dolina or the forest-clad peaks of the Pohorje Massif. Afterwards, add in a slice of culture amid the cobblestone quaintness of Ptuj, Maribor's buzzing cafes or the Roman heritage of Celje. Ramble through the undulating hills of the Jeruzalem-Ljutomer Wine Road, or take time out for a soak at a thermal spa. This chunk of the country is tailor-made for those who prefer a scenic dawdle rather than zipping between sights.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Eastern Slovenia.
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The journey to the top of Velika Planina unfolds in two stages: first a dramatic cable-car ride, and then a choice of either a 15-minute chairlift or hiking the rest of the way. Once on the pastures, there’s little to do except walk the pristine fields and drink in the views, surrounded by snowcapped mountains.
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This glacial valley, hidden between the grandiose peaks of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, is a paradise for nature fans and those seeking out hiking and biking. It's one of the most beautiful spots in Slovenia. A road goes past a chapel and through the woods to the 90m-high Rinka Waterfall (Slap Rinka) at 1100m, the park's most popular highlight, but there are plenty of trails to explore and up to 20 other waterfalls in the area.
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Ptuj Castle is an agglomeration of styles from the 14th to the 18th centuries, but it is nonetheless a majestic sight, sitting high on the hill overlooking the red-roofed burger houses of Ptuj and the Drava River. It houses the Ptuj-Ormož Regional Museum, but is equally worth the trip for the views of Ptuj and the river. The shortest way to the castle is to follow narrow Grajska ulica, east of the Hotel Mitra, which leads to a covered wooden stairway and the castle’s Renaissance Peruzzi Portal (1570).
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This branch of the Celje Regional Museum's collection is housed in a grand Renaissance building called the Old Count's Mansion. The 1st floor is home to a dozen rooms featuring interiors from the baroque to Secessionist periods with the museum's show-stopper Celje Ceiling (Celjski Strop) looming down on the central main hall. This enormous trompe l'oeil painting of columns, towers, frolicking angels, noblemen and ladies was completed in about 1600 by an unknown Italian artist.
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Set amidst the hills of the Kozjansko region, Podsreda Castle is one of the best-preserved Romanesque fortresses in Slovenia. It looks pretty much the way it did when it was built in the mid-12th century, thanks to renovations completed in 2015. A rough, winding 5km-long road leads to the castle, but you can also reach it via a relatively steep 2km footpath from the village of Podsreda.
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The pilgrimage Basilica of the Patroness Mary, in Ptujska Gora village 14km southwest of Ptuj, contains one of the most treasured objects in Slovenia: a 15th-century carved caped Misericordia of the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus. The church itself, built at the start of the 15th century, is the finest example of a three-nave Gothic church in Slovenia. It was named a basilica for its 600th anniversary in 2010.
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This 4th-century structure houses an important branch of the Celje Regional Museum. In the cellar is the City under the City exhibition: partial remains of Roman Celeia's 3rd-century decumanus maximus (main west–east road) brilliantly displayed with excavated statuary, Roman villa ruins, parts of the old city walls and traces of the medieval buildings built on top, all aided by thorough explanation panels. On the 1st floor you'll find beautifully curated displays of neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age finds.
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Funnel-shaped Slovenski trg is the centre of old Ptuj. The 16th-century City Tower dominates the square's eastern side. Roman tombstones and sacrificial altars from Poetovio were incorporated into the walls in the 1830s – check the reliefs of Medusa’s head, dolphins, a lion and a man on horseback. In front of the tower stands the 5m-tall Orpheus Monument, a 2nd-century Roman tombstone with scenes from the Orpheus myth. It was used as a pillory in the Middle Ages.
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The largest fortress in Slovenia, this castle is perched on a 407m-high escarpment about 2km southeast of the Old Town; the walk up via a footpath from Cesta na Grad takes about half an hour. The castle was originally built in the early 13th century and went through several transformations, especially under the Counts of Celje in the 14th and 15th centuries. A large portion of the walls remain intact and have been restored, including 23m-high Frederick's Tower (Friderikov Stolp).