Kozjansko Park

Eastern Slovenia


Established in 1999, the 206.5 sq km Kozjansko Park stretches along the Sotla River, from Bizeljsko in the south to Podčetrtek in the north. Named a Unesco biosphere reserve in 2010, the park's forests and meadows harbour a wealth of flora and fauna, notably butterflies, reptiles and birds, including corncrakes and storks. There are a number of trails, including the circular 32km-long Podsreda Trail (Pešpot Podsreda), which ends at the wonderfully preserved Podsreda Castle.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Eastern Slovenia attractions

1. Podsreda Castle

0.91 MILES

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…

2. Kumrovec Staro Selo Museum

4.93 MILES

Nestled in the Sutla River valley near the Slovenian border, the village of Kumrovec has been transformed into an open-air ethnographic museum. A re…

3. Antun Augustinčić Gallery

7.34 MILES

The Antun Augustinčić Gallery is devoted to his opus, plus there's lots of headless bronze torsos and a huge replica of his Monument to Peace (the statue…

4. Baroque Church & Franciscan Monastery

7.38 MILES

This 17th-century baroque church at the heart of town was built in 1630 by the noble Erdödy brothers. The adjacent Franciscan monastery has two restored…

5. Olimje Minorite Monastery

7.64 MILES

The Minorite Olimje Monastery, 3km southwest of Podčetrtek, was built as a Renaissance-style castle in about 1550. Its Church of the Assumption contains…

6. Church of St Lawrence

8.05 MILES

This small whitewashed church, with a frescoed ceiling, is on the road leading to the castle.

7. Podčetrtek Castle

8.16 MILES

The enormous Renaissance-style Podčetrtek Castle, atop a 355m-high hill to the northwest of town, went up some time in the mid-16th century but was badly…

8. Land of Fairytales & Fantasy

8.25 MILES

This little trail in the forest, 1.5km above the Olimje Minorite Monastery, was laid out by the former local school principal and leads you past dozens of…