Holiday apartment in Otočec: Island castle, the Krka and Dolenjska culture

Otočec Castle stands on an island in the middle of the Krka and, together with its park, is considered an outstanding cultural and natural monument. Its first historical mention dates back to 1252; today, it has been restored to its original Gothic and Renaissance splendour.

Culture and history

The cultural traces reach back to archaeology. The exhibition Arheološka podoba Dolenjske displays numerous significant archaeological objects, including figuratively decorated bronze situlae found in Kandija and at Kapiteljska njiva in Novo Mesto. Because of its numerous bronze situlae, Novo Mesto is known as the City of Situlae.

The Dolenjska Museum was founded in 1950 and presents the history of Novo Mesto and a large part of Dolenjska through permanent and temporary exhibitions. Since the end of the 16th century, the main altar of the Cathedral of St Nicholas has featured a painting of St Nicholas. It was painted in the 16th century by the Italian Renaissance artist Jacopo Rubusti Tintoretto.

The old town centre of Novo Mesto also includes a Franciscan library with precious incunabula. Glavni trg is characterised by distinctive arcades that reflect the city's commercial past. One of the memorial landmarks in Novo Mesto is Kettejev drevored, which is associated with the poet Dragotin Kette. Since 2022, the bell tower of the Kapiteljska Church has been converted into the Razgledna ploščad Kapitelj, a viewing platform with panoramic views of Novo Mesto.

The Krka and nature

At Novo Mesto's town beach on the right bank of the Krka below Portoval Sports Park, SUP boards, canoes and wooden rowing boats can be rented; swimming in the Krka is also possible there. The paddling route described from the town beach landing stage is approximately 1.2 kilometres long in each direction. If you travel upstream, the Irča Vas boathouse is 1.7 kilometres from the starting point at the town beach.

A raft trip on the Krka below the old town centre of Novo Mesto offers views of the Breg district, the cathedral and the Franciscan monastery high above the river. The river area can also be explored on foot: the walking route From the City to Ragov Log leads across the main square and through the old town, past the Novo Mesto courthouse, over a wooden footbridge across the Krka and into Ragov Log forest.

Ragov Log is a small wooded area on the right bank of the Krka in Novo Mesto, with a nature trail and information boards. The 10-kilometre Green Circle walking route also runs through the central part of Novo Mesto, featuring promenades along the Krka and sections through the wooded areas of Ragov Log and Portoval.

Wine and routes

Trška Gora is a 428-metre-high wine-growing hill with the world's highest concentration of vineyard cottages. At family-run wine cellars, the Open Vineyard Cottages invite visitors to wine tastings and homemade specialities. The experience Trška Gora Between Castles combines a hiking route with tastings of local specialities and wines. It explores Trška Gora through castle stories, winemaking traditions and unspoilt nature.

E-bikes can be rented at the foot of Trška Gora or at the tourist information centre on Glavni trg, the main square of Novo Mesto. Numerous signposted cycling routes around Novo Mesto pass through vineyards with picturesque vineyard cottages.

Getting around locally

Novo Mesto's market takes place every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the main square, bringing together local producers, creatives and visitors. Guided tours led by professionally trained local tourist guides are offered in Novo Mesto throughout the year. They cater to various groups and take place both in the city and in the wider tourist area of Dolenjska.

Novo Mesto's town beach can be reached on foot from Glavni trg in about ten minutes. This creates a range of ways to travel between the main square, the Krka, the old town and the described landscapes: as a walk, paddling route, raft trip or longer circular route.

Discover more destinations

For further reading at the same destination level, Straža, Mali Ban, Mirna Peč, Dolenje Kronovo, Hrib pri Hinjah, Vinica Pri Šmarjeti, Dvor and Šmarješke Toplice are also available.

For the higher-level travel overview: Novo Mesto.