Holiday apartment in Nova Gorica – Discover border culture and nature

Nova Gorica combines cross-border culture with remarkable historical sites and diverse natural destinations. Trg Evrope is a cross-border square, one half of which lies in Slovenia and the other in Italy. The famous mosaic is still located in the centre. At the same time, the square is versatile: its facilities include lighting, a fountain and connections for events.

Culture

At EPICenter, Kolodvorska pot 10, the ground floor of the northern part of the building houses the permanent museum exhibition “Mesto na meji”. It explores the cross-border region and focuses on the personal stories of the people who live there. EPIC also includes a modern conference hall with almost 200 seats. Café EPIC offers visitors a place to relax and socialise.

The Kolodvor Museum Collection at Nova Gorica railway station, the oldest public building in the city, offers further cultural insights. Its exhibition documents the human impact of border changes in the Goriška region. The stage also preserves its history: the Slovenian National Theatre Nova Gorica maintains a performance archive dating back to 1955.

Mestna galerija Nova Gorica is a recognised centre for contemporary visual art in Slovenia. Its programme includes lectures on contemporary visual art practices, art workshops for children of different age groups and public guided tours of the exhibitions.

History

The entire Kostanjevica complex, including the church, monastery, library and crypt, has been protected as a cultural and artistic monument since 1985 and is part of the protected cultural heritage of the Slovenian people. The Kostanjevica Franciscan Monastery in Nova Gorica was declared a cultural monument of national importance in 2024. The crypt contains the remains of Charles X and five other members of the Bourbon family. The Škrabec Library preserves more than 16,500 books, including 32 incunabula. Kostanjevica is also home to a Bourbon rose collection, one of the most complete and largest collections of old Bourbon roses in the world. The monastery regularly offers expert presentations for visitors and the general public.

In Pristava, the museum exhibition “Na šverc!” explores the history of smuggling in the Goriška region after the Second World War. It is housed in the rooms of a former small border crossing. The exhibition includes an escape room that presents the subject of smuggling in a playful way.

Nature

Rafut Park can be reached from Nova Gorica via a path for cyclists and pedestrians along the railway line. It is considered a unique natural and cultural heritage site in Slovenia and Europe and contains a large collection of exotic plants that thrive particularly well in Nova Gorica.

In Panovec Forest, the forest educational trail offers a shorter route that is also suitable for people with reduced mobility. In total, the trail has 35 educational stations, 20 of them on the shorter route. Panovec Forest is also home to the legally protected Italian agile frog, known there as “laška žaba”.

Further destinations: Branik, Kostanjevica na Krasu, Kambreško, Miren, Vitovlje, Renče, Pristava, Lokve.

For the overview of the wider destination: Nova Gorica.