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Eastern

Includes  Why Go? Upper Eastern Slovenia, embracing three provinces, rises from flat Valley...... 185 agricultural lands to snow-capped peaks. Its mountains, riv- ...... 188 ers and thermal waters provide a natural playground, while Šempeter...... 194 many of its historic towns date back to Roman times. Rogaška Slatina. . . 197 Sizable Štajerska () has swathes of farmland, much of it rich with vineyards, obligingly linked by cyclable wine Ptuj...... 200 routes. It also claims the Savinja Alps and the Pohorje Mas- Maribor ...... 206 sif, an adventure-land of outdoor activities, and historical Maribor Pohorje. . . 212 centres with castles, medieval alleys and ancient churches. Moravske Toplice. . 222 Tiny Koroška (Carinthia) is a region of forests, mountains Radenci ...... 223 and highland meadows and is tailor-made for outdoor activ- ities, including skiing, mountain biking and hiking. In the far northeast, Prekmurje is Slovenia’s ‘forgotten’ cor- ner, mostly a broad, farmed plain ‘beyond the Mura ’, which has preserved its culture of traditional music, folklore, Best Places to Eat architecture and food. It’s a great place to relax and enjoy tak- ¨¨Restavracija Mak (p210) ing the waters at its many thermal spas. ¨¨Gostilna Rajh (p221) ¨¨Gostilna Ribič (p204) ¨¨Gostilna Amadeus (p204) When to Go Maribor ¨¨Pri Florjanu (p211) °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm ¨¨Gostilna Lovenjak (p222) 30/86 10/250

8/200 20/68 6/150 10/50 Best Places to 4/100 0/32 Stay 2/50 ¨¨DomKulture MuziKafe -10/14 0 (p204) J FDNOSAJJMAM ¨¨Hotel Mitra (p204) Skiers Crowds Aug–Oct Ideal ¨ Dec–Mar Feb/Mar ¨Grand Hotel Rogaška head to Maribor flock to Ptuj for the for walking and (p199) Pohorje, Slo- masked Kuren- climbing in Logar- ¨¨MCC Hostel (p191) venia’s biggest tovanje carnival ska Dolina; grape downhill skiing parade; storks ar- harvest begins. ¨¨Herbal Glamping Resort centre. rive in Prekmurje. Ljubno (p188) 185 Eastern Slovenia ŠSUitppghajeetsrrsk Sa & viActivitia nja Vaellsey ------€

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Logarska Dolina 15a; Dolina Logarska 03-584 70 06, 070 847 639; 847 070 06, 70 03-584 Opposite Dom Planincev leading is a trail The bottom of the Rinka Waterfall is a of the Rinka Waterfall The bottom day pass adult/child €10/7) adult/child pass day

% 4 Planincev Dom ( si; €18/23; breakfast 2250m: Kranjska Rinka, Koroška Rinka and Rinka Rinka, Koroška 2250m: Kranjska 1918 they formed the Štajerska Rinka. Until Carin (Kranjska), Carniola of border triple Ask (Štajerska). and Styria thia (Koroška) for the the tourist office the valley through in about five you will take hours. both Cave, Klemenča and Waterfall Sušica to about 1200m. at Matkov less explored Log than neighbouring Much val 6km-long magnificent this Dolina, arska leyLogarskato parallel runs theand Dolina border with Austria. here by road by Reach Logarska Dolina. leave as you turning west (Krajinski Park Logarska Dolina; Logarska Park (Krajinski €7/5, per car/motorcycle admission ends in Oct free; & cyclists pedestrians of the most is one ska Dolina Country Park beautiful ‘hidden’ a and spots of Slovenia and for those seeking adventure paradise outdoor activities. past a chap A road goes to the 90m-highel and through the woods Waterfall Rinka to explore of trails up to and there are plenty 20 other waterfalls in the area. 10-minutevalley walk from the end of the road. The about 20 climb to the top takes not very but it can difficult, minutes; it’s you the top to the west From get slippery. than higher peaks reaching can see three ley has the very basic grounds si; and 13km of cross-country served ski trails tows. by two Country Park Dolina Logarska eagles, peregrine falcons), is a wonderful is a falcons), peregrine eagles, exploreplace to for a few days. 1 (p The tourist office activitiesnumber of – from guided moun €25) rock climbing (per hour taineering and (€110). (€75) and canyoning to paragliding (per hour/day bikes also rents mountain It (p Plesnik Hotel €3/12), as does

------is Hiking in in Hiking Kamniško Kamniško Savinjske Upper Savinja Valley Valley Savinja Upper ( Zgornja Zgornja Savinjska Do (€1) from the TIC or buy Kolesarska Karta ZgornKartaKolesarska Solčava Solčava Panoramic Road The Savinjska and Šaleška Šaleška and The Savinjska Upper Savinja Valley (Zgornja Valley Savinja Upper €3). and the one (both 1:50,000, €8.10) by PZS. Cy PZS. by €8.10) 1:50,000, (both one GZS map or the The best place to get active is around Log The valley has been exploited for its tim 03 / POP110 / ELEV UP TO1250M Upper SavinjaUpper Valley caves, springs, peaks, rock towers and wa and springs, peaks, rock towers caves, (golden terfallsflora endemic as well as – fauna (mountainslipper orchid) and rare Most of the glacial ‘Forester Valley’, which Valley’, of the glacial ‘Forester Most long and no more than 500m wide, 7.5km has been a country sq park of just under 24 This ‘pearl of the Alpine re km since 1987. – attractions with more than 40 natural gion’, Logarska Dolina Logarska % lina Alpe cliststhe want will Dolina Savinjska ja Cycling Map; are helpful for exploring the area. Hikers should pick up a copy of the map the Lap ofthe Alps the more detailed arska Dolina. The bro free English-language chures entitled Valleys ed the timber from Ljubno to Mozirje anded the timber from Ljubno to Mozirje as far as Celje and some of the logs travelled the to TheRomania. wealth brought trade buildings evident fine from the many valley, still standing here. to fishing, kayaking and swimming in theto fishing, and kayaking Savinja. Rafters Ages. transport ber since the Middle cient churches, traditional farmhouses andcient churches, traditional high Alpine peaks. There are activities here to suit every from – taste and inclination hiking, mountain biking and rock climbing The beautiful Dolina) is bound by forests, an Savinjska rest of Slovenia during WWII, when many of WWII, when many during rest of Slovenia murdered, deportedits inhabitants were or labour camps. sent to Nazi man-speaking Counts of Celje were among Counts of Celje were man-speaking the richest most and powerful feudal dynas Europe, and theyties in Central challenged rule for a century. the Austrian monarchy’s more than mostof the Štajerska suffered Štajerska has long been the crossroads of Slo been the crossroads has long Štajerska – virtually and venia everyone here’ has ‘slept and Habsburgs Slavs, early Romans, Celts, the Ger the 14th occupiers.Nazi In century, ŠTAJERSKA