Things to see and do near Podčetrtek, Slovenia

Things to see and do near Podčetrtek, Slovenia

Coming to Olimje, one can hardly miss Olimje Monastery one of the biggest tourist attractions of Podčetrtek.  This former castle was built in 11th century and inhabited by the Pavlin monks in 17th century. Nearby there is a Church of the Assumption one of our country’s most beautiful baroque buildings, and pharmacy,  the third oldest monastic pharmacy in Europe. 

Where is located and how to get there?

Olimje is located in the Podčetrtek municipality (pronounced pod-che-ter-tek), lying at  the foot of the Kozjansko hribovje hills.  We arrived there by car, from  Vienna , through  Graz then Maribor. It was a pleasant ride till there and when we  arrived near we  stopped  for a  moment to admire the nature. The view is spectacular and you can hear birds, so quiet, no other sounds only pure nature. 

What to see?

Pharmacy - In the pharmacy you can buy many tea mixtures, tinctures, ointments and similar natural healing products. There is a large garden in front of the the monastery,  which you can also visit. They have planted about 200 kinds of plants. Next to each plant there is a small label detailing its name, its medicinal use and the conditions it is supposed to fight. 

When the Pauline monks came to Olimje in 1663, they began studying the plant life methodically. Some monks dedicated their life to medicine entirely - they cultivated and collected medicinal herbs and prepared remedies. They started what we call the Old Pharmacy on the ground floor of the South Tower. When in 1990 the Minorite monks settled in the monastery, the apothecary tradition was revived. 

The Church of Mary’s Assumption - is part of the Olimje Monastery.  It is a parish church with Baroque architecture and gilded black altars, and was initially intended for pilgrims. Besides having the biggest gilded altar in Slovenia, the church also keeps the bust of the blessed Anton Martin Slomšek. ( full text here )

Chocolaterie Olimje - Who does not like a bite of good chocolate, right? Popular tourist spot, located opposite of the Monastery of Friars Minor Conventual of Olimje. It only takes 2 mins to arrive there from the monastery. You can find parking places in front of the Chocolate Olimje. On winter store is open till 17h, on summer till 19h. We tried their chocolate and I must say it is very nice. The Olimje chocolate shop is family owned business, and they  offer a wide range of handmade chocolates. 

Tip: You can create chocolates according to your own wishes. 

Jelenov greben - On the ridge under Rudnica, only 350m from Olimje monastery you can run into fallow deer and mouflon. The animals move freely on a 8-acre fenced medium. The location of this guesthouse is so popular among domestic tourists. We just pass by car so kids could see the animals which clearly are not scared from us. I heard from people in Olimje that you can pet and feed the animals. That would be such an experience, maybe next time when we come back here. 

After we took a few photos and videos we decided to go back to the restaurant, it was near Podčetrtek and the food is excellent. Outside you have a playground  for kids, large parking and place to rest and admire the view. 

As you can see we visited this place with kids and they really enjoyed so much. We came from Podčetrtek, where we stayed in Ortenia apartments .  My husband took the older kid  to the pool, but he managed to get some kind of bacteria, I guess from water. Also, you can find a small private playground in the village, we bought coffee on petrol station. The locals say it`s the best here! Podčetrtek offers many well maintained cycling and walking paths. 

More things to see here:

Terme Olimia - Took its name from the medieval monastery in Olimje. It has a few parts where you can enjoy and relax as well have some fun with your family. 

Thermal park Aqualuna -  Is open only during the warm spring/summer months, with over 3,000 m² of water surfaces. The area is great for younger and older kids as they all have their own pools and attractions.

Wellness Orhidelia - The most prestigious section of the Terme Olimia complex, awarded 8 times in a row the title of ‘best wellness centre in Slovenia’. The dynamic layout of Wellness Orhidelia enables every guest to find his or her little corner of peace and relaxation.

Family wellness Termalija -  Unique water attraction park loved by both the kids and their parents. Has so many attractions for kids. 

The Withc`s Hut - Sadly we missed this place. It`s located 1k from Olimje monastery, hidden in the woods. Visitors would be able to see  the world of fairy tales and be reintroduced to Kekec, Bedanc, Krjavelj, Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood and other characters. 

We have a plan to get back here again and stay to Terme Olimia as well see Witch`s Hut.  Even if it`s not so popular it is really worth a visit as this place has so much to offer. Have you ever been to Slovenia? Do you like small places like Podčetrtek? Let me know in the comments. :)