Novo mesto

Dating back to prehistoric times, Novo Mesto is a lovely town in Slovenia’s Dolenjska region. It has a world-renowned archaeological heritage, earning it the nickname “City of Situlas”, as numerous situlas have been discovered in the area. Novo Mesto has been a hub of artistic creation in numerous fields (music, literature, visual arts) for centuries. Its 1920 exhibition Novo Mesto Spring brought together artists of different genres and marked the beginning of avant-garde art in Slovenia. In terms of architecture, Novo Mesto is, as is the tradition of many Slovenian towns, very colourful and mixed. An example is the Novo Mesto Cathedral, perched atop Kapitelj Hill. It’s dedicated to St. Nicholas and is an authentic Gothic building that was rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 17th century. Another architectural landmark is the nearby Otočec Castle. First mentioned in the 13th century, Otočec Castle is located on an island on the Krka River, which was formed by digging a channel around the castle to form a defence moat. Today, Otočec Castle is a luxury hotel with a world–class restaurant. Besides its gorgeous Main Square, Novo Mesto offers visitors plenty of outdoor activities, the most prominent of which are hiking, cycling and kayaking. The surrounding landscape has numerous marked hiking trails, the longest of which is the 150-km-long Trdina Trail, while the Krka river comes alive with rafters, kayakers and fishermen during warmer months. Novo Mesto is located amidst endless vineyards and the natural beauty of the Krka River Valley where wine enthusiasts take tours throughout the Lower Carniola region. The locally produced red wine is called Cviček. It’s a blend of several varieties of local wines and is the most popular beverage in these parts.