Kočevski gozd and Kolpa – a little different splash

The high house or palace and Dalmatin's chapel in the castle are of Romanesque origin. It was named after the famous Protestant writer Juri Dalmatin, who translated the Bible into Slovenian right at Turja Castle. Today, in addition to visiting the interior of the castle, it is also possible to go back in history by watching knight games or participating in an archery workshop. But let's not stay too long in the past, because the present is the only one we can live, so let's continue our journey forward to the center of Bela krajina - Ribnica. When we arrive in the town, we can already see its landmark from afar, the Ribnik parish church with two characteristic bell towers, which were built according to the plans of Jože Plečnik. Then let's learn more about the more than 500-year-old tradition of making dry goods, which has been preserved until now. The rich collection can be seen in the museum in Ribniška Castle. But if we want to see for ourselves what skills are necessary for a good craftsman, we can make an appointment with master Andrej Lovšin, who will show us in his workshop how cooking pots, hammers, cutting boards and other wooden utensils are made. But it can happen that the sight of cookers and ladles and other household utensils makes us want a delicious snack or an early lunch, which is why they like to serve us a selection of home-made dishes at the Pri Pildarju Inn. Among them are house specialties, such as goulash, tripe, pork loin or venison, and for dessert, one should not miss their homemade potica with a glass of local wine.

Primeval forest and game
Just fortified, let's continue to the most preserved natural area of Slovenia as well as Central Europe, Kočevje, where we are offered to explore its mysterious landscape. It is interspersed with forested mountain ranges, which existed as an impassable primeval forest a century ago, and some of this has been preserved even today. The mighty trees rise up to 50 meters high, measure a meter and a half in diameter, carry up to 50 tons of wood mass and are 500 years old or more. Bears, wolves, lynxes, wild boars, deer and other game live in their shelter. It is also lively in the underground caves, where many rare animals live, including the human fish. Those who are not content with just this description and are brave enough to see for themselves the diversity of the Kočevo forest, will set off on one of the many forest trails and be careful not to upset any of the animals living there. Others will learn more about the richness of the forest in the Kočevje Provincial Museum, which is open from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offers us a tour of the archaeological, ethnological, historical and art-historical collection as well as other guest exhibitions for 2 to 3 euros. .

Warm bath and magical paintings
After an exciting exploration, only a jump in the river can cool us down Kolpa, 292 km long, where as much as 113 km of the national border between Slovenia and Croatia runs along its course. The river is characterized by clean water, a naturally preserved riverbed, numerous rapids and shallows, which is why it is a boating paradise organized by various associations and tourist agencies. Among them is the company Kolpa Adventures, which offers a wide selection of different adventures in its organization. One of the most attractive is certainly Robinson boating, where for three or four days (for about 32 or 50 euros per person) we simply surrender to nature, take only a sleeping bag, a tent and a lounger with us, and camp and eat in nature and enjoy the unpredictable adventures that Kolpa takes care of. Its diversity and beauty can also be admired through hiking, fishing, picnicking or cycling, as there is never a shortage of activities on its riverbank. Our last destination is still ahead of us, the southernmost point of Slovenia, which is in Kot pri Damelje, and the four most mysterious caves of Bilpa, which lie on the border with the municipality of Kostel. The most famous of them is the fourth, which was only discovered in 1983, and its walls are painted with many human, animal and superstitious characters. Families of bats hang from the ceiling, so it is impossible not to remain indifferent when visiting. And this feeling of mystery and magic accompanies us even on the way home, even if we no longer believe in fairy tales.