Tag Archives: Muzej jaslic

Radol’ca: Find Your Inspiration – I Found Mine!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, adeleinslovenia, Brezje, churches in Slovenia, Food Tours in Slovenia, hiking trails, ifeelsLOVEnia, Radovljica, Radovljica, Radovljica Chocolate Festival, Restaurants, Slovenia blog, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

This new promotional video for Radol’ca has just been released. Watching it makes me so proud to be able to call Radovljica my home. Oh, and by the way, just to make it clear, as I know it can be somewhat confusing, Radovljica is the name of the town; Radol’ca is the marketing name for the destination which includes Radovljica and the surrounding villages, such as Begunje na Gorenjskem, Kropa, Brezje, Kamna Gorica, and the smaller settlements in-between.

So, as another year of my life in Radovljica draws to a close, here’s a look back at just some of my personal highlights of 2017, which I hope will also provide inspiration for you to visit, or re-visit, the area next year!

In winter 2017 I celebrated an amazing 10 years in Slovenia – gosh how time flies! Here I am celebrating with the very talented duo WildArt. More here – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/02/12/celebrating-10-years-in-slovenia-in-a-wildart-style/

On the occasion, I was particularly proud to receive an award from the mayor of Radovljica for my contribution to tourism.

Spring is chocolate time in Radovljica – time for the Radovljica Chocolate Festival, the biggest of its kind in Slovenia. Note the date for the next festival in your diaries now: 20th – 22nd April 2018!

In spring I also, for the first time, tried parkour archery in the Draga valley with Robert (Robi) Levstek, and discovered what fun it is. More here – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/04/10/archery-adventures-and-delicious-draga-delights/

In summer I tried out the new Adventure Mini Golf Panorama in Gorica, near Radovljica. I was might impressed by its wonderful panoramic, shady location and well-arranged, modern course. More here – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/07/30/adventure-mini-golf-panorama-the-name-says-it-all/

The Grabnarca Waterside Trail is also a great place to seek some ‘cool’ during summer. Read more about this path’s many bridges here – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/08/28/the-grabnarca-waterside-nature-trail/

Late autumn was time for very tasty, very tempting, and very popular Taste Radol’ca!

And that brings us to winter, which started earlier this year (boohoo!) and, to me at least, already seems too long! But it does have its pluses, too, such as the joyous festive atmosphere on the occasion of the switching of of the Christmas lights in Linhart Square – the heart of Radovljica’s old town. Here you can check out the whole Festive December in Linhart Square programme.

And I even really enjoyed my somewhat snowy visit to Brezje’s Nativity Museum – despite my dislike of the white stuff! Find out more about Slovenia’s national sanctuary, the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, and my visit to the museum – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2017/12/10/feel-the-festive-spirit-at-the-nativity-museum-at-slovenias-national-shrine-in-brezje/

And that brings me to the end of another Radovljica year, though, of course, it’s not the end of the journey! I hope you will continue to be inspired by my Adele in Slovenia blog posts, will continue to read, and you, too, might ‘Find your Inspiration’ in Radovljica!

A very Merry Christmas to you all!

© Adele in Slovenia

 

 

Feel the Festive Spirit at the Nativity Museum at Slovenia’s National Shrine in Brezje

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, adeleinslovenia, Brezje, churches in Slovenia, ifeelsLOVEnia, museums in Slovenia, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

At this festive time of the year, what could be more apt than visiting the Nativity Museum – a museum crammed full of nativity scenes from all over the world – at Slovenia’s national shrine, the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Brezje.

The museum is located in a separate building at the rear of the church where, even before you set foot inside, the first nativity scene awaits!

The recently renovated and enlarged Nativity Museum has been open in its present form since December 2016. In that time over 20,000 people have already visited and over 100 new nativity scenes have been donated to the museum’s already-rich collection.

The museum now contains almost 400 nativity scenes of all shapes, sizes, ages, and made from numerous materials. Some of the most notable among them are:

Bavarian nativity figurines

An Egyptian nativity scene

A white nativity scene

A traditional Slovenian corner nativity

After viewing the exhibits, you can take time to sit, reflect, listen to music and sign the visitor book.

The museum is open daily, except Mondays, year round; from April – October from 9am-7pm and from November – March from 9am-6pm.

Visit the basilica’s official website for more information – available in (an impressive!) eight languages.

Whilst in Brezje, you should also take time for a walk around the village to see the basilica, and the giant cross and monument opposite the museum, as well as the village’s other points of interest. The museum is number 4!

In 1988 the then Church of St. Vitus was elevated to the status of minor basilica by Pope John Paul II, who also visited in 1996. The basilica has become a popular pilgrimage destination to where people flock from all over Slovenia and further afield, too.

I have to admit, despite my dislike of the white stuff, Brezje does look lovely in the snow, wouldn’t you agree?

You can also click here to find out more about the basilica, the museum and all of Radovljica’s other cultural and natural sights of interest.

© Adele in Slovenia

Hop-On Hop-Off This Summer: Radovljica, Bled, Brezje, Kropa, Kamna Gorica, Begunje, Žirovnica

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, adeleinslovenia, Beekeeping, Beekeeping in Slovenia, Begunje, Bled, Brezje, churches in Slovenia, cycling in Slovenia, Food Tours in Slovenia, Hop-on Hop-On Bus, ifeelsLOVEnia, kamna gorica, Karavanke, Kropa, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Restaurants, Slovenia, Sobec camp, Taste Radol'ca, Taste Radol'ca Tours, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca, Vrba, Zirovnica by

The Radol’ca Hop-On Hop-Off tourist bus will begin operating on Tuesday 4th July and will run every Tuesday and Thursday during July and August. This year there is an even wider range of places to visit and more things to see and do.

As in previous years a day ticket is great value at just 5 euros. You can get on and off the bus to visit sights of interest along the way, or just enjoy the ride!

On Tuesdays the route is Bled – Radovljica – Kropa, with additional stops at the Šobec Camp, Lesce, Lancovo and Kamna Gorica.

On Thursdays the route is Bled – Vrba – Žirovnica – Begunje – Brezje, with additional stops at Breznica, Spodnji Otok and Podvin.

To whet your appetite here’s a preview of just some of the things you can see and do along the way.

For the first time, this year the bus route includes Žirovnica, where you can visit the new Ajdna Museum Room to find out more about the Ajdna archeological site beneath Mt. Stol where remains were found from a Late Antiquity village dating back over 1400 years.

On especially hot days, a trip to the Završnica valley is an ideal way to seek some tranquillity and shade.

The valley is also a start point for great hikes and bike trips in the Karavanke range, including to the highest peak, Mt. Stol.

You can also visit Noč Beekeeping, where you can see some of the hives belonging to the president of Slovenia’s Beekeeping Association and his family, purchase honey and honey products, and try and buy the exclusive ‘Medena noč’ perfume made with Slovenian honey. You can read more about this in one of my previous blog posts here – https://adeleinslovenia.com/2016/06/06/perfume-made-with-slovene-honey-not-just-an-idea-a-reality/

In Brezje you can see the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, and the Nativity Museum, or take a walk on the Path of Peace to the Peračica waterfall.

In Kamna Gorica you can walk through the village to see its many waterways, and walk up to the Sextons’ House Museum, which contains an original black kitchen. Its position offers great views over the village and towards the Karavanke mountains.

In Kropa you can visit the Iron Forging Museum, take a stroll through the village to see the former ironworkers houses, or visit the Vigenc Vice Blacksmith to watch a demonstration of manual nail forging.

In Radovljica itself there are numerous things to see and do including a visit to the Lectar Gingerbread Museum and Workshop, the Museum of Apiculture, the Šivec House Gallery, or simply enjoy a stroll through the well-preserved medieval old town and sit at the viewpoint and enjoy the views of the Sava river, the Jelovica plateau and the Julian Alps.

Or why not take the chance to find out more about Slovenian food and wine by enjoying a meal at one of the Taste Radol’ca restaurants or take a Taste Radol’ca Food Tour. More information here – https://adeleinslovenia.com/taste-radolca-tours/

Further information about the Hop-on Hop-off route and timetable can be found here – http://www.radolca.si/en/hop-on-hop-off-radolca/

© Adele in Slovenia