Discover Celje: Castle, museums and city forest

Celje combines medieval buildings, Roman traces, museums and opportunities to spend time outdoors. When planning a stay, it helps to keep the city’s different highlights in mind: from the castle and archaeological finds to exhibitions, memorial sites and recreational trails.

Castle, Roman Celeia and historic architecture

Celje Castle is Slovenia’s largest medieval castle and one of the city’s best-known landmarks. During a visit, you can see Friderik Tower, exhibitions and the remains of the castle halls; guided tours are also available. At the Princely Palace, the exhibition “Celeia – a town beneath today's town” tells the story of the remains of Roman Celeia preserved on site. It is the largest presentation of these finds to date. The permanent exhibition “The Counts of Celje” is also located in the same palace.

Different periods of history also meet in the historic city centre: it is home to the remains of an old Roman road, medieval towers and a significant architectural heritage landscape. Marijino znamenje was erected in 1776 and was Celje’s first public monument. The original Photo House Pelikan, dating from 1899, offers another way to explore the city’s history. It is designated a cultural monument and is located on Razlagova Street as an outpost of the Celje Museum of Recent History. The upper floor houses a skylight studio where photographs can still be taken; such studios are among the few of their kind in Europe.

Museums, memorial sites and exhibitions

The Celje Regional Museum presents archaeological, historical and art-historical collections spanning the period from prehistory to the First World War. The permanent exhibition “Living in Celje” focuses on the life of the city and its inhabitants in the 20th century. It includes a recreated city street with craft businesses and workshops. Master craftspeople occasionally give demonstrations there—the timing of these demonstrations may vary.

Stari Pisker is a memorial site and an outpost of the Museum of Recent History Celje. The museum section focuses on 35 original farewell letters from hostages from the Celje area. The memorial rooms are located in a prison that is still in operation, so advance registration is required for a visit. As access rules may change, it is advisable to check in advance.

The Alma Karlin Memorial House in Pečovnik was renovated and opened as a public memorial house in 2014. It houses the exhibition “Alma M. Karlin's Lonely Journey”. The house also hosts numerous cultural events, including the Summer in Celje festival; event dates may change. The Centre for Contemporary Arts accepts bookings for guided tours of current exhibitions, and advance booking is recommended. The Centre also manages the Celje Gallery of Contemporary Art.

City forest and outdoor activities

The Celje City Forest has seven adventure trails and one educational and adventure trail. The Celje City Forest Treehouse is open to individuals and groups. It frequently hosts workshops, concerts and poetry readings; the programme may change seasonally. The trails and events offer different ways to enjoy a stay in the forest, and need not be part of the same experience.

Celjska Koča is a hill and recreational area accessible on foot, by bike or by car. A zip line offers another activity there; it is considered one of the longest in Slovenia. Well-maintained hiking and cycling trails, an adventure park and a summer toboggan run are located around Celjska Koča. Below Osenica Hill are the “Celje trails” downhill mountain bike tracks. As routes and conditions may change, check the latest conditions before riding.

More things to explore during your stay

Science, technology and innovation are at the heart of Tehnopark Celje. It is the first and largest park of its kind, offering opportunities to play, learn, socialise and explore. Herman's Den is a children’s museum and a space for children’s creative activities. At Tropska hiša, you can explore ecosystems from around the world and a Mesozoic ecosystem with moving models of prehistoric reptiles. A programme also enables participants to learn about, experience and touch animals. The animals included depend on recommendations and the participants’ wishes; programme details may change and arrangements may be required.

Celje brings together a wide variety of themes: historic architecture and collections, a memorial site requiring advance registration, trails in the city forest, and activities focused on technology and nature. When planning your stay, you can choose what to focus on depending on whether you are more interested in history, exhibitions or outdoor activities.

Discover more destinations: Nova Cerkev, Dobrna, Štore, Vojnik.

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