Tag Archives: Visit Radol’ca

Festive Radol’ca – Fairytale lights, Christmas market, food, drink, music and more

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Christmas, Christmas in Slovenia, ifeelsLOVEnia, New Year in Slovenia, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Taste Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

The festive season began in style today in Linhart Square – the heart of Radovljica’s old town centre.

As has become tradition in recent years, the start of the festive season also marks the end of the Taste Radol’ca Month of Local Cuisine, and this year the St. Nicholas Fair, to mark St. Nicholas Day, was also held on the same day – 1st December 2024.

Every year people flock to see the switching on of the Christmas lights in Linhart Square, and this year was no exception. In fact, in all the years I’ve been here, I’ve never seen so many people. I couldn’t even get anywhere near the stage, hence my photos aren’t great, I’m afraid. So, you’ll just have to come and see the lights for yourselves!

Once again the old town centre is adorned with wonderful handmade decorations, and the windows of shops and homes in Linhart Square feature hand-painted festive illustrations, the work of the local academic painter Mojca Solar.

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Foto: Hisa Linhart

Through the month of December numerous festive-themed events will take place in Radovljica and the surroundings. Below I’ve highlighted just a few of them:

Saturday 7th December, Radovljica Market and Christmas Market, a guided tour of the window illustrations, creative workshop, opening of a new nativity scene and a performance by the children’s choir from Radovljica primary school.

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Sunday 15th December, CHRISTMAS ARTish art and craft fair, and fairytale horses with the Sitar Ranch.

Friday 20th December, Christmas Market, concert by Batista Cadilla, and TASTE RADOL’CA street food.

Sunday 22nd December, Christmas Market, carol singing with the Korona mixed choir next to the nativity scene.

Wednesday 25th December, street performance by ANA SNEŽNA.

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Friday 27th December, Christmas Market, concert by Masaya, and TASTE RADOL’CA street food.

Saturday 28th December, Christmas Market, and visit by GRANDPA FROST. 

To see the full programme of festive events in Radovljica and the surrounding areas, click here.

Radovljica’s ice rink also opened this weekend. Skating is free for children up to the age of 18.

The ice rink is open for public skating from Monday to Friday between 3pm and 6pm and at weekends, public holidays and during school holidays from 10am to 6pm. You can bring your own skates or hire them on site.

Finally, as this will be the last blog from me this year, I hope you’ve enjoyed reading another year of blogs about what to do and see in Radovljica, and my life here as an expat, albeit I consider myself a Slovene these days after 17 years here – how time flies!

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year.

© Adele in Slovenia

Create and Meet in Radol’ca

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Beekeeping in Slovenia, gluten-free food in Slovenia, ifeelsLOVEnia, Museum of Apiculture Radovljica, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia blog, Slovenian chocolate, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

It’s been 17 years now since I moved from the UK to Slovenia, and soon after moving here I quickly realised that the key to life and work in Radol’ca (the brand name for the main town of Radovljica and all the surrounding towns and villages) is collaboration among locals.

It is such collaboration that has resulted in a new range of experiences in and around the municipality, which offer visitors (both domestic and foreign) the chance to enjoy unique insights into the area’s traditions, cuisine and life – past and present.

Earlier today I was fortunate to attend an event in the magnificent Radovljica Manor, at which we had a chance to find out more about the new experiences that can be arranged for groups (ranging from a minimum of 4 up to groups of 20+) and meet those involved in offering various workshops and other activities, such as:

Herbal workshops organised by the Radovljica Pharmacy and Alchemy Museum.

Painting workshops with the academic painter and Radovljica resident Meta Šolar.

Chocolate tastings and workshops at the Radolška čokolada chocolatier.

Cookery workshops at Hiša Linhart in Linhart Square…

…with food cooked by the Michelin-starred chef Uroš Štefelin and his team of chefs.

Thanks, Uroš, for making something gluten-free, so I could try it too!

Tasting of Slovenian Wines at the Sodček wine bar, located at the entrance to the old town centre.

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A Town of Chocolate, run by the Radovljica Tourist Board, in cooperation with the Radolška cokolada chocolatier.

Painting beehive frontal panels or making nesting boxes for bees at the Museum of Apiculture.

Decorate a Lectar honeybread heart at Gostilna Lectar.

These are just some of the ways you can experience the ‘real’ Radol’ca. More information about the above and more can be found here.

© Adele in Slovenia

 

 

 

 

 

Brezje Among the Best; Gluten-Free Expo Slovenia Reportage

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Avsenik, Begunje na Gorenjskem, Brezje, Gluten-Free Expo Slovenia, gluten-free food in Slovenia, ifeelsLOVEnia, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Slovenian Coeliac Association, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

I’m delighted to be able to say that Gluten-Free Expo Slovenia, which I organised last month in Radovljica, was a great success, but more on that later! First other news…

The village of Brezje, home to the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, is Slovenia’s national pilgrimage sanctuary. In addition to the basilica, the village has numerous other attractions, all of which helped it recently win an award from the Tourist Union of Slovenia (TZS) for being among the most well-kept visitor attractions in the country.

Aside from the main attraction – the aforementioned basilica – the village is also home to the Brezje Nativity Museum…

…the Canticle of the Sun Gallery …

…the Brezje Path of Peace (Pot miru), which leads to the Peričnik waterfall …

and the Otoče-Brezje Pilgrimage Trail (Bozja pot od Otoč do Brezij).

In addition, Brezje is now host to an exhibition devoted to the 70th anniversary of the time when the Avsenik Brothers first started creating a completely new form of writing and playing Slovenian national folk music. Of course, the ‘real’ home of Avsenik’s music is Begunje na Gorenjskem, where you can visit the Avsenik Museum and/or attend one of the many music events.

Now, back to Gluten-Free Expo Slovenia! As I mentioned above, the 2-day event was a great success, so I’d love to share a few photos with you.

We began on Saturday with an international gluten-free cookery workshop, during which the participants, led by Danica Rozman, assisted by volunteers from the Slovenian Coeliac Assocation, Gorenjska branch, prepared a whole array of traditional Slovenian foods, gluten-free of course, for the evening reception to follow.

We then moved from the neighbouring village of Naklo to Radovljica, where we held an international reception and concert in the Baroque Hall of the magnificent Radovljica Manor.

The reception was attended by visitors from Malta, Hungary, Algeria, Bosnia and Poland, all of whom bought some gluten-free food with them from their country, so that we could all try some of their goodies!

After the reception, some of us crossed over to the other side of Linhart Square for gluten-free dinner at Hiša Linhart, cooked by the Michelin-starred chef Uroš Štefelin and his team.

On Sunday – the main day – there were 27 stalls in Radovljica’s park and a packed programme of entertainment, workshops and talks for all generations. In short, gluten-free heaven for all! Don’t let anyone ever tell you gluten-free food can’t be delicious and varied!

Photo: Roman Baloh

Photo: Roman Baloh

Below you can watch a short video of Sunday’s Expo.

The Expo was the first event of this year’s Culinary Autumn in Radovljica. You can find more about other events here.

That’s all from me for now. Until next time…

© Adele in Slovenia

 

 

 

 

Gluten-Free Expo Slovenia; Culinary Autumn in Radol’ca

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, celiakija, coeliac disease, EXPO, gluten free food in Slovenia, Gluten-Free Expo Slovenia, gluten-free food in Slovenia, ifeelsLOVEnia, Okusi Radol'ce, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia blog, Slovenian Coeliac Association, Slovensko društvo za celiakijo, Taste Radol'ca, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

Summer has been and gone and the leaves on the trees are already showing signs of autumn, which means it’s time for Culinary Autumn in Radol’ca!

I’m more than excited to announce that the opening event of this year’s Culinary Autumn is Gluten-Free Expo Slovenia, which is the successor to last year’s Gluten-Free Festival that I organised in Radovljica. Planning for this year’s event began shortly after new year, and having worked almost flat-out on for the past few months I think I’m justified in wanting to shout about it – loudly!

The opening event of Gluten-Free Expo Slovenia will take place on Saturday 28th September, with an international cookery workshop followed by a reception and concert in Radovljica Manor and then gluten-free dinner at Hiša Linhart, cooked by Michelin-starred chef Uroš Štefelin. Dinner is also available on Friday 27th September, Saturday 28th September and Sunday lunch on 29th September, reservations are mandatory in all cases.

The main day of the Expo is Sunday 29th September 2024, when, in addition to an education programme, children’s programme and entertainment and sports programme, around 30 providers of gluten-free food will be selling their products and some of them offering free tastings.

People have various reasons for not eating gluten; those of us with coeliac disease have no choice, then there are those who are intolerant and others who choose not to eat gluten. Whatever the reason, or even if you are just curious, you will find something at the Expo to suit all tastes and for all generations.

For more information click here.

Last weekend an article was published about Gluten-Free Expo in the Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung.

And I even appeared on the breakfast TV programme Jutro na Planetu last week, together with Anna Nica Simoncic, the owner of the gluten-free burger bar. Anna showed viewers how to make gluten-free tortellini and I talked about life with coeliac disease, how to read food labels and, of course, Gluten-Free Expo Slovenia.

After the Expo, Culinary Autumn in Radol’ca continues with Farmer’s Table, which made its debut last year and proved to be a huge success.

Imagine the scenario… some of Radovljica’s best chefs, a menu featuring dishes prepared with traceable ingredients – some sourced directly from the farm where lunch will take place – a ride on a hay wagon, a farm tour with tastings, lunch at the farm and music.

But that’s just the start! Other events throughout October and November include, among others:

No photo description available.

No photo description available.

So, it’s certainly going to be a busy and tasty autumn!

Please keep your fingers crossed for nice weather on Sunday 29th September, and, of course, if you are in Slovenia, come along to Gluten-Free Expo Slovenia. Everyone welcome!

© Adele in Slovenia

 

 

 

A Radol’ca Ridge Hike

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Begunje, ifeelsLOVEnia, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia, Slovenia blog, Slovenian mountain huts, Visit Radol'ca by

When the heat is on, as it is now in much of Europe, morning hikes in the forest are a perfect way to start the day before it gets too hot.

The hike I’ve described below is partly in the forest and partly along a ridge, and in places requires a bit of scrambling, but the views are so wonderful it makes the effort worthwhile.

I started by cycling from Radovljica, then started my hike in Begunje na Gorenjskem, where I left my bike outside the Tourist Information Centre.

TIC Begunje

Photo: http://www.radolca.si

I then hiked up to St. Peter’s Church and onwards to the Sankaška koča mountain hut and further to the Smokuški vrh viewpoint.

From the viewpoint I carried on along the ridge in a westerly direction.

Initially, the trail is easy to follow through the forest, but in places along the ridge it is quite rocky and a couple of times I found myself wondering if I’d reached the end of the trail as it seemed to disappear, but after scrambling past a few rocks the trail continued.

There are views all around – towards the Jelovica plateau, Bled and the Julian Alps to the south…

…towards Mt. Stol and the Završnica valley to the north…

…and towards Jesenice and the Upper Sava Valley to the west.

If you’d like to make it a circular route – regular readers will know I’m obsessed with circular trails! – then continue until you descend to the point see in the photo below.

At this point you could opt to turn right to reach Titova vas (Tito’s Village), more about that here.

Alternatively, turn left and follow the trail back towards the Sankaška koča mountain hut, following the occasional sign for the Juliana long-distance hiking trail.

Follow the trail uphill and, shortly before returning to the hut, you will see the following sign, where you turn right.

Hiking poles and appropriate hiking shoes or lightweight hiking boots are required for this hike.

Click here for more information about hiking in the Radol’ca area.

© Adele in Slovenia

What’s New, What’s Hot and What’s What!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, cycling in Slovenia, Gluten-Free Expo Slovenia, gluten-free food in Slovenia, hiking in Slovenia, hiking trails, ifeelsLOVEnia, Jelovica, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia blog, Slovenian Coeliac Association, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca, Žirovnica by

It took its time but at last I can say that summer seems to have arrived in Slovenia!

There’s so much going on at this time of year in Radovljica and the surroundings, I’ve put together this blog to help you narrow down the choices of what to do and see, where to go, and, as per the title, what’s new, what’s hot and what’s what!

Since many visitors to the area are interested in the great outdoors, I’ll start with some tips for hiking and cycling, which also happen to be my two favourite summer activities.

My cycling tips: Radovljica to Žirovnica and the Završnica valley; Radovljica to Begunje na Gorenjskem and the Draga Valley; Radovljica through the Lipnica Valley to Kropa and onwards to Jamnik (by bike via the road or on foot through the forest)

The Završnica Reservoir, photo: Visit Žirovnica

My hiking tips: Kropa to the Vodiška planina mountain pasture; Lancovo to the Hunters’ Lodge on Talež on the Jelovica plateau; Begunje na Gorenjskem to St. Peter’s Church; Draga Valley to Mt. Begunščica via the Roblekov dom mountain hut

In addition, there are plenty of other activities and events to ensure you won’t be bored this summer!

Open-Air Cinema – outdoor film screenings under the stars. Click here to see the programme.

Photo: http://www.radolca.si

NEW Sailplane Grand Prix – the Lesce Sports Airfield will host the FAI Sailplane Grand Prix, which is a qualification event for the world championship. Find out more here.

Photo: http://www.radolca.si

Summer Guided Tours – between 15th June and 15th September you can take a guided tour, organised by the Radovljica and Begunje tourist information centres. Click here for more information.

Thursdays in the Square – live concerts and Taste Radol’ca street food in Linhart Square. Click here to find out more.

Radovljica Festival – lovers of early music have been enjoying the Radovlijca Festival for more than 40 years. In addition to concerts, music workshops also take place. Click here to read more.

And finally, I can’t wait to tell you about my latest ‘project’. After last year’s successful Festival of Gluten-Free Flavours and Fun in Radovljica, this year I’ve gone one step further and it’s now turned into Gluten-Free Expo Slovenia!

The Expo provides visitors with an opportunity to discover new products and flavours, buy some of the best gluten-free food available, listen to esteemed speakers from Slovenia and further afield and discover medieval Radovljica and its surroundings. The Expo features over 25 providers of gluten-free food, 2 food trucks, a children’s programme, live music, expert talks and workshops, and an entertainment and sports programme featuring, among others, guided tours, guided walks and cycle tours. All this and more!

Everyone is welcome, regardless of whether or not you follow a gluten-free diet. Entrance is free. You can read more about the expo in Slovenian here https://glutenfreeexposlo.com/ and in English here https://glutenfreeexposlo.com/en/

© Adele in Slovenia

 

 

 

A New Look for Old Kropa

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, hiking in Slovenia, hiking trails, ifeelsLOVEnia, ironworking, Jelovica, Kropa, museums in Slovenia, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia blog, Slovenian Coeliac Association, Slovensko društvo za celiakijo, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

While at first glance the former iron forging village of Kropa, in the Lipnica valley, may appear to be a sleepy backwater, a closer look reveals it has plenty to offer. Add into the mix the ‘world’ above the village, on the Jelovica plateau, and there’s more than enough to see and do for a short stay in the village or as a base for exploring the surrounding area.

If you are looking for a budget option, the village is now home to a new hostel – Bajta Kropar’ca – as seen below.

The hostel, which has a total of 38 beds (33 in seven rooms and 5 in a small apartment), is housed in a renovated house, in a quiet location in close proximity to the village centre and the Kroparica stream. The shared areas have a well-equipped kitchen and dining room, featuring an original farmers’ stove, which, in addition to the handmade furniture, provides a homely and warm feeling.

Hostel Bajta Kroparica - Book directly

Elsewhere in the village itself you can visit the Iron Forging Museum, the Vigenc Vice forge, the Fovsaritnica Museum House, and the Mosaic Exhibition Gallery.

To explore the world above Kropa, you can choose from one of the many hiking trails up to the Vodiska planina mountain pasture. One of the paths begins from the Slovenska peč smelting furnace, as seen below, before first leading to the source of the Kroparica stream.

As part of the activities during Coeliac Awareness Month, the Slovenian Coeliac Association organised various activities through the month of May, one of which (which, as vice-president and acting president of the Gorenjska branch of the association, I suggested and organised!), was a hike up to the Partizanski dom mountain hut on the Vodiska planina mountain pasture, where they serve a-m-a-z-i-n-g gluten-free štruklji!

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Trust me, for coeliacs, being able to feel ‘normal’ and eat in a mountain hut, in the knowledge that the food has been prepared carefully by someone who is well aware of the steps necessary to avoid contamination, is like winning the lottery! Thank you Heidi Kardoš!

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No doubt our smiles say it all!

For one of the best vantage points around, and a particularly good spot to await sunrise, take a hike (or drive) up to the village of Jamnik, home to the Church of St. Primus and Felician.

foto of Jamnik by Anton Calpagiu, Shutterstock

Photo: http://www.radolca.si

Until next time…!

© Adele in Slovenia

 

Chocolate Comes to Town!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, Festivals in Slovenia, gluten-free food in Slovenia, ifeelsLOVEnia, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Radovljica Chocolate Festival, Slovenia blog, Slovenian chocolate, Slovenian Coeliac Association, Slovensko društvo za celiakijo, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

It’s that time again! Chocolate time! The time of the year when Radovljica does what it does best, i.e. puts on a fab 2-day festival and feasts on chocolate(s) galore!

This year’s Radovljica Chocolate Festival takes place this weekend, i.e. 20th and 21st April.

I recently attended the festival press conference, where I was privy to insider information about the festival, which I can now share with you!

A new feature this year is Photolandia, which is already operational now, where you can get your photo taken, post a postcard and get in the festival spirit!

As has been the case for the past few years, a competition was held prior to the festival to find the winner of the title ‘Best Chocolate Praline‘. This year, six Slovenian chocolatiers entered 12 chocolates and for the first time two rounds of judging were held; the first took place in Radovljica, where the master patissier Naser Gashi from La Ganash and the editor of the magazine Pet Zvezdic (Five Stars) Urša Cvilak tasted and assessed all 12 chocolate pralines. They chose the best six, which, on Monday 8th April, then went forward for judging in Austria at the Zotter chocolatier, where the three winning chocolates were chosen.

Morda je slika naslednjega: 2 osebi, knjiga in besedilo

At the press conference, we were fortunate to be able to try this year’s winning chocolate – crunchy yuzu – and, for a change, I was even able to try it, as it is made by the Lucifer chocolatier whose chocolates are all gluten free!

Visitors to the festival this weekend will also have the chance to vote for their favourite among the finalists.

Another new feature of this year’s festival is an exhibition of chocolate mosaics, which is on view in Radovljica Manor. The project connects artists and handicraft people in the municipality and also has a charitable note, as after the festival the mosaics will be donated to residential communities and departments of the Matevz Langus Centre in Radovljica, the Pediatric Department of Jesenice Hospital, the Radovljica Home for the Elderly, and the Kresnica Youth Crisis Centre.

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Since Radovljica is so well connected by public transport, and since the festival is so incredibly popular and the organisers strive to make it as sustainable as possible, visitors are asked to, where possible, arrive by public transport. To that end an arrangement has been reached with Slovenia Railways that additional trains will stop at Radovljica

The two-day festival programme is as jam-packed as ever. Full details can be found on the new Radovljica Chocolate Festival website.

Some of the highlights of this year’s programme include the amazing acrobatic Dunking Devils, cookery workshops for adults and children, ChocoBaroque, live music, circus shows, face painting, a honey adventure and more.

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Check out the official Chocolate Festival video here!

And don’t worry, the festival goes ahead come rain, shine or snow (yes, at the time of writing this it’s snowing heavily, whereas last weekend we were in shorts and t-shirts and eating ice-cream!), since the stalls, as well as a large number of the activities, are undercover.

By the way, for any fellow coeliacs, there will also be a number of stalls offering gluten-free chocolates and also gluten-free pancakes will be available on the Torras stall together with information about the Slovenian Coeliac Association.

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Hope to see you (t)here.

© Adele in Slovenia

 

Easter Traditions in Slovenia

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, ifeelsLOVEnia, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Radovljica Chocolate Festival, Slovenia blog, Slovenian culture, Slovenian food, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

With Easter just a few days away, I thought I’d write a blog on Easter traditions in Slovenia, covering everything from religious and secular celebrations to, of course, food and other traditions.

Easter is celebrated here in a number of ways. It begins on Palm Sunday when people can be seen flocking to churches around the country carrying bundles of branches and leaves, called butare, which are then blessed as part of a custom thought to date back as far as the 9th century.

Easter ‘butare’ bundles in front of the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Brezje. Photo: Visit Radol’ca

Žegnane – the blessing of food on Easter Saturday – takes places around the country in front of or in churches or, as seen below in Lancovo, near Radovljica, at shrines in smaller settlements. People take baskets of food, covered with embroidered cloths, to be blessed. However, this food cannot be eaten until Easter Sunday. Then, after a period of abstinence (by some), with a fast beginning on Ash Wednesday, food becomes a big deal as tables in homes around the country can be found bursting under the weight of potica, which is the star of the show, as well as baked ham, horseradish, eggs and more.

Potica is a traditional Slovenian sweet baked at Christmas and Easter holidays, and is arguably the most famous Slovenian dish. It could be said that no Slovenian holiday is truly complete without a slice of traditional potica. Apparently, there are over 80 different types of potica in Slovenia, yet in most shops and bakeries there are only the usual staple varieties, such as; walnut – by far the most commonly found – as well as poppy seed, tarragon, coconut, and potratna –  a layered ‘luxury’ potica, made with curd cheese, walnuts and layers of light and dark sponge.

Gluten-free potica is also now widely available, such as seen below, so no need for us coeliacs to miss out.

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Gluten-free walnut potica and coconut potica – Sladki butik Ines

Pirhi, another staple on tables at Easter, are coloured eggs, traditionally dyed using onion skins. Spring flowers or leaves are attached to the eggs during the dying process to produce the characteristic pattern.

The game of ‘fucanje‘ traditionally takes place at Easter. Players compete in a coin throwing contest, each aiming for their coin to land closest to the target. The winners then ‘takes all’!

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On Easter Sunday in the municipality of Radovljica ‘fucanje‘ takes place outside the cultural centre in the villages of Mošnje and also in Begunje na Gorenjskem behind the Pr’ Tavčar restaurant.

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Rolling eggs, or Easter egg hunts, are other traditional Easter games.

Lov na pirhe na Blejskem gradu - THE Slovenia

On Easter Sunday, a typical Easter feast in Slovenia usually looks something like this…

I can’t finish this blog without mentioning the retirement of Slovenia’s best ever ski jumper, Peter Prevec, who officially made his last competitive jumps at Planica last weekend.

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Peter’s records speak for themself, among them:

  • 203 FIS WC appearances
  • 51 FIS WC appearances
  • FIS WC victories
  • 15 wins in one season
  • Winner of the Crystal Globe 2015/2016
  • Winner of the Ski Flying Crystal Globe in 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16
  • Silver and Bronze medal winner at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014
  • Silver and bronze medalist at the Nordic World Ski Championships

Originally from the Poljane Valley, Peter now lives with his wife and two children in Radovljica. To show our gratitude and appreciation to him, the town is putting on a celebrate his exceptional sports career this Tuesday (i.e. tomorrow) at 5pm, to which everyone is invited, featuring live music with Saša Avsenik and the Lesce Wind Orchestra.

And finally, it’s less than a month until the Radovljica Chocolate Festival. This year’s festival will take place on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st April and, as ever, will feature a chocolate-packed and entertainment-packed programme, so plan your visit now! Should you need any help planning your visit, contact the Radovljica Tourist Information Centre.

© Adele in Slovenia

Hidden Treasures in Kropa!

Posted in Adele in Slovenia, hiking in Slovenia, hiking trails, ifeelsLOVEnia, ironworking, Jelovica, Kropa, Radol'ca, Radovljica, Slovenia blog, Tourism Radol'ca, Visit Radol'ca by

A visit to the Radol’ca area isn’t complete without a visit to the Lipnica valley, home to, among others, the former ironworking villages of Kropa and Kamna Gorica.

The former – the larger of the two and formerly the most active – is home to the Iron Forging Museum and a wealth of technical heritage.

Even after living in Radovljica for nearly 17 years (gosh, how time flies!), there are still things to be seen, places to be discovered and people to meet … providing you have a curious mind, of course.

And so it was that last week I discovered an exhibition that I didn’t know existed. The Mozaic Exhibition Gallery, which is tucked away in a house among Kropa’s narrow streets.

It’s a bit higgledy-piggledy and the exhibits aren’t displayed as one would expect in a gallery, but perhaps that’s what makes it all the more interesting, as it’s a real labour of love for the owners Stane Pavlovič and his wife, Bojana.

It’s fun trying to identify well-known buildings and people. Can you see anyone, or anything, you recognise?

Everywhere you look something catches your eye.

In addition to making mosaics, the couple also have an extensive library and even a greenhouse attached to the rear of the house. Who would have thought that cacti can be found growing in Kropa of all places, which during winter barely sees the sun?

Entrance to the exhibition is free of charge, though voluntary contributions are, of course, always welcome. To arrange a visit contact Stane on 040 349 472 or send an email to stane.pavlovic@gmail.com

While in Kropa, in addition to the aforementioned Iron Forging Museum and Mozaic Exhibition Gallery, you can also visit (upon prior arrangement) the Fovšaritnica Museum House and the Vigenjc vice nail forge, or hike up to the Vodiška planina mountain pasture on the Jelovica plateau, where you can enjoy some typical mountain food at the Partisanski dom mountain hut.

We had the first snowfall of the year in the valley last week, so I’ll leave you with a ‘snowy’ picture I took on a bitterly cold morning earlier this week. Today, thankfully, it’s been almost spring-like.

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© Adele in Slovenia