We also sat down in front of the Meda pastry shop and bravely ordered the first spring ice cream. The Kočevska kepica, which is mixed at Med from all the types of ice cream they have available, was a really sweet fit. We crouched like martins on the sunny platform, from where the view stretches all the way to the parish church of St. Jerne.
We have to admit that cities with rivers running through them seem somehow cosmopolitan and exciting at the same time. The Rinža is a distinctly karst river, with the most water in the spring and during the rains, but on its way it changes its name and flows into the Kolpa as the Bilpa.
CITY LIFE
In Kočevje, social life mostly takes place on the main square, called Trg zbora oplascev; here, in 1943, on the first liberated territory, Slovenian statehood germinated. Young people also gather in bars Zeus and Laguna in the industrial zone a little further away. Traditional tourist events take place on the square, in July and August there are Summer evenings on the city platform, in September, when motorcyclists gather, the city streets are filled with the smell of gasoline and the deafening noise of steel horses, and in December it is filled with New Year's stalls. It is recommended to visit the Provincial Museum of Kočevje, where the permanent collection of drawings by Božidar Jakac and the collection of the Lost Cultural Heritage of Kočevje Germans stand out the most. From the city, you can enjoy a nice walk to Fridrihštajn Castle, where Friderik II. Celjski made a love nest for his beloved Veronika Deseniško, from where they had a wonderful view of the city below. Otherwise, the people of Kočevci also impress with their manual skills, wood lovers should visit his nephew Matija Kobol in Šalka vas (01/895 22 72), who conjures useful bowls or decorative bears out of wood with a chisel, and those who are more impressed by the touch of cold metal should stop by with Jože Lisac. You will be surprised what works of art master Jože conjures up with an ordinary welding machine.
SPRING LUNCH IN THE SHELTER OF THE FOREST
Kočevje or Kočevsko is known for its endless forests, bears and honey. They say that bears have a sweet tooth, which we did not check, but you will certainly lick your lips after the honey and mead offered at the Kojek family apiary (01/895 10 51). For culinary pleasures, it is best to drive a little out of town, although you can also get lunch, brunch or pizza in the center. In the direction of Ljubljana, just a stone's throw from the road, there is a hunting lodge hidden in the forest, wittily named Gostilnica Falkenau. The interior is decorated in a hunting style, with wooden paneling and hunting trophies on the walls, and the culinary offer goes far beyond these frameworks, although they are also known for excellent game dishes, fans swear by deer ham, bear goulash or stewed wild boar. On warmer days, we recommend visiting this inn for families with small children, as there are swings and a slide outside, which allow parents to eat lunch in peace. After lunch, you can take a little walk in the forest, and maybe you will come across a bear somewhere. Otherwise, the locals hinted to us that they also take good care of the hungry at the Fajfarca inn, you can find it in the direction of the Mozel and Črnomlje.
WITH PETR KLEPEK AROUND KOLPA AND WILD FORESTS
If you want to experience Kolpa in its entirety, so to speak, from the source, drive to Osilnica, the smallest Slovenian municipality, where the Kovač Hotel and Sports Center grew from the former village family inn. Here you can eat, spend the night, relax in the sauna, and above all, taste the joys and mysteries in the upper reaches of the rather wild and unpredictable river. The brave will go down the rapids with a kayak or canoe, while the less experienced just trust the raft guides, it will be exciting enough, but at the same time safe. Kolpa is also attractive to fishermen, but if you don't like to get your feet wet, you can go hiking in the wilderness or try your hand at archery. The people of Osilnica also like to brag about their brave fellow villager Peter Klepec, who lived in these places in the olden days and once saved the land from the violent Turks. It is also possible to cycle along the Kolpa, on the way you can stop at the Zdravič tourist farm in Vasa (01/894 22 77), where they offer home-made dishes and produce to give you strength for the next kilometers, or visit the Konda farm in Dolo pri Stare trg, known for its sheep's cheese and yogurt (01/894 36 71).
