Laško: Culture, Hiking Trails and Regional Cuisine

A building more than 500 years old, a thatched granary and a toplar hayrack are part of the Aškerc Homestead at Senožete. The literary and ethnological collection there is dedicated to the poet Anton Aškerc. Tastings of homemade sheep’s cheese are also available. Architecture, literature and a regional specialty give the place a range of cultural highlights.

Cultural history in Laško and Jurklošter

The Laško Museum is housed in a renovated old market barn on Aškerčev trg. Its three permanent exhibitions explore the history of Laško, the brewing industry and spa tourism, as well as the geology of the area. The exhibition “Laško – A Journey Through Time” traces the town’s historical development from prehistoric times onward. The museum is also open to individual visitors and is included in several guided tour programmes.

The Carthusian monastery of Jurklošter was founded in the 12th century. A defensive tower and the Church of St. Maurice are preserved from the monastery in the Gračnica Valley. The moderately difficult Orionova pot trail begins and ends in Jurklošter and passes through Mrzlo Polje, Pojerje, Blatni vrh, Puršnica and Marof. An educational nature trail, it follows the traces of ancient cultures through the Gračnica Valley; Počerenski slap is a named viewpoint along the route.

Tabor Castle also tells the story of the area: it once served the local nobility as an administrative seat and courthouse. Today it houses a restaurant with a wine cellar. A depiction of Medusa on Orožnov trg points to settlement in the Laško area as early as Roman times.

Hiking Trails, a Cycling Route and Viewpoints

The trails around Laško offer a range of experiences. A1 – Planinska pot na Šmohor leads through forests and meadows to a popular excursion destination above Laško. A2 – Rečiška krožna planinska pot loops around the Rečica Valley. B2 – Pot po nekdanjih trških mejah Laškega follows a historic circular route along the former market boundaries. For several years, the municipality has hosted traditional hiking events on well-maintained and signposted themed trails.

When considering the distances, it is worth noting the scope of each route: the Pot SREČNO is 29.7 kilometres long in total, of which 7.7 kilometres run through the municipality of Laško. The Laški krog is a 49-kilometre cycling route starting in Laško. Bikes can be hired and returned through the Kolesce bike-sharing system at stations in Celje, Laško, Žalec, Polzela, Zreče, Slovenske Konjice and Štore.

The 851-metre-high mountain Sveta Trojica above Jurklošter is a popular excursion and viewpoint. In clear weather, the view extends to the Dolomites in Italy, Sljeme in Croatia and several border mountains in Austria, including Peca. A hiking route in Laško also leads to the wind harp on Hum above the town. Fly-fishing is possible on the Gračnica in summer.

Spa Park and Regional Specialties

Giant sequoias planted in honour of Queen Victoria of England stand in the spa park at Rimske Toplice. Along the path are 24 energy points in the Roman style. Thermana Laško has thermal-water pools. If these are important for your stay, check the latest information about the facilities before visiting.

Regional cuisine offers its own points of interest: Laška južina is a vegetarian dish made with millet porridge, potatoes, beans and honey-glazed vegetables. Potica s pregreto smetano is considered a traditional Laško specialty. At several beekeepers’ establishments, you can learn about the tradition of beekeeping. Pavus is the first restaurant in Laško to receive the “Okusiti Laško” certificate.

Discover more destinations: Laško, Radeče, Svibno, Trobni Dol, Rimske Toplice, Mozirje, Litija, Šmarje Pri Jelšah.

Return to the main travel overview: Slovenia.