Prekmurje is located in north-eastern Slovenia; it’s a region nestled between state borders (of Austria, Hungary, and Croatia) and the Mura River. Prekmurje is famous for being the home of prekmurska gibanica (a type of Slovenian layer pastry), vanilla ice cream with pumpkin seed oil, and bograč (a Prekmurje dish similar in a way to goulash); the region is also a nesting grounds for white storks and where people talk with a peculiar accent. It’s where you’ll find Evangelical churches and a synagogue, bicycle routes going through flat land, and hot springs and thermal spas, and also where you’ll meet friendly and good-hearted people.
We were driving through flat terrain, which gradually changed into hills and increasingly fewer houses. We arrived in Goričko. Our first stop was Grad Castle, the largest castle complex in Slovenia. The admission price is 4 euros and the castle is open every day except Mondays. It has 365 chambers and, as we were told by the guide, a legend surrounds the castle about the king who was said to sleep in a different chamber every night. We took a peek at the royal chambers, marvelled at the Knights’ Hall and visited the energy points in the meadow in the atrium. There’s a wonderful English landscape park outside the castle.
We descended the hill and turned right. We arrived to Vulkanija, which we recognised right away by Oli the mascot standing by the entrance. The admission fee is 10 euros per person; the museum is closed on Mondays and you need to book in advance. The guide first introduced us to a few interesting facts relating to the origins of the volcano, and we also got to meet Oli who joined us many times while we were walking around the museum. The museum is interesting and suitable for families. We looked at how the universe came to be using 3D goggles and I must say they really did a great job creating a true storytelling atmosphere using special effects like heat, rain and snow. We travelled 6,000m below the surface, took a look at minerals, took part in Oli’s quiz and then got on a small train that took us back to the surface. The journey took us through ice and dinosaur bones, but the train driver was skilful at manoeuvring the train, getting us safely above ground. The tour takes 1 hour, but it’s loads of fun and educational. We definitely recommend it!
We also took a tourist train for a scenic ride through the town of Grad. We stopped at a quarry where we watched two short films and the children searched for olivine mineral. The ride took about 45 minutes.
We parked our car at the Pri Martinu guesthouse and followed the arrow that lead us through freshly mowed grass to the rotunda. The St. Nicholas Church dates back to the 13th century and is one of the two oldest preserved churches in Prekmurje. What makes it interesting are its circular floor plan, humble appearance and idyllic surroundings.
We took a whole day to explore Murska Sobota. Our first stop was a visit to the Pomurje Museum Murska Sobota, which is housed in a castle. We visited the temporary exhibition titled 100 Facts About Prekmurje, which is hosted in the two upper rooms. Using graphics, the author wonderfully presented the landmarks of the landscape – from cuisine, traditions and architecture to artists. Quite an interesting exhibition! Going one floor down, we visited the permanent exhibition about Prekmurje, encompassing the period from prehistoric times to the present day. It’s a collection rich in exhibit pieces that vividly depict life in the region. The contemporary period is especially nicely presented with models and recordings of conversations between various people. The admission price is 3 euros and the museum is open every day except on Mondays. There’s a large pond in front of the castle with footpaths and lots of shade under the trees, and even all the trees are nicely marked. We hid on the bench under a tree to get away from the scorching sun and noticed that a family of ducks were – just like us – cooling in the shade as well.
Our next destination was Expano that stands on the shore of Lake Sobota. We were fascinated by the pavilion, the interactive museum inside it and the whole story that is unfolding by the lake. We first watched the seven-minute film that took us back into the past when the area was submerged under the Pannonian Sea. It was a superbly produced film and we really felt like a horse was going to rush into us or a shark swim past us. The next few stops included us listening to the music of Prekmurje, watching films produced in Prekmurje and measuring our concentration by looking at drops of water. Finally, we flew with a hot-air balloon over Prekmurje, which was another best thing besides the film at the beginning. We looked backwards, up and down because of the 360-degree camera, and we constantly had the feeling that we were floating in air, travelling from Grad Castle and past the rotunda to the Vinarium Tower. Exhilarating experience!
We had lunch on the terrace; the service was out-of-the-ordinary, yet interesting. The food was from the Prekmurje region, and we even tried the langaš. The staff was really friendly. We swam in Lake Sobota in the afternoon. There are changing rooms and bathrooms under the restaurant terrace, and children can use the playground, while the lake is surrounded by footpaths. It’s perfect for a whole day of enjoyment. The only thing missing was a bit of shade.
We stopped at the Rakičan Mansion, which was just a stone’s throw from Murska Sobota, before the sun set. We parked the car by the road and upon gazing the shaggy horses went to the park where a large swing was set up. The charming 17th-century mansion is now home to a research centre and an equestrian club, and it also houses a café.
While driving through Odranci, we noticed the tall and quite unusual St. Trinity Church, so we made a short stop. What made the church so interesting was its octagonal shape. The church rises high up into the sky and has three belfries.
While exploring Prekmurje, we noticed that Beltinci was a small town with a charming castle and a huge park. There are two bicycles exhibited at the entrance to the castle. The latter also hosts an apothecary exhibition and an exhibition dedicated to noble families. We headed to the castle tower for some coffee and prekmurska gibanica.
We visited the “Island of Love” in Ižakovci, which is very close to Beltinci. Signposts guided us there from the main road through the forest and all the way to the car park. There are two bridges linking the island to the shore, one is wooden (looks really nice, but mosquito repellent is necessary) and the other is a recently renovated stone bridge adorned with a heart shape. We got onto a ferry attached to a wire rope, held taut between the riverbanks, and crossed to the other side to Prlekija, and then back again. The ride costs 1.5 euros.
We left the main road and were driving between maize and pumpkin fields, thinking our navigation sent us the wrong way, when we arrived to the Kovač farm. We immediately saw the lavender field. When we got close, we even started smelling lavender and heard the sound of bees buzzing around. Sadly, though, we visited the field late in the season (we visited Prekmurje in late July), and the lavender was already losing its gorgeous purple hue.
We took a look at the traditions of pottery, firing of clay and the building of traditional thatched-roof wooden houses in the pottery village of Filovci. It’s actually an open-air museum where you’re supposed to take a tour on your own while walking from one object to the other and reading labels with descriptions. The admission price is 4 euros.
We put Bogojina on our bucket list because of Plečnik’s church. It’s an atypical and asymmetrical sacral building that, apart from the belfry and the cross, isn’t reminiscent of a church on the outside at all.
We turned left in Dobrovnik and came to a car park near Lake Bukovnik after three kilometres. The parking fee is 2.5 euros for a whole day. Lake Bukovnik and its surroundings have a lot to offer. There’s an adventure park for children as well as adults in the forest across the road with climbing routes of various difficulty. The lake has an area dedicated to a playground for children with various fairy-tale hero characters, and there’s a marked hiking trail with 26 energy points winding through the forest to the St. Vitus chapel and spring. We happened to be there in the hot, early afternoon sun, so a walk through the forest really felt good.
We stopped at the foothills of Lendavske gorice by the Ledava river in Slovenia’s easternmost town. We found the Museum of Citizenry, Typography And Umbrella Manufactory in a building with a yellow stucco façade and arched windows. The admission price is 2.50 euros and the museum is open every day except on Mondays. We also visited the square where the house of culture and the synagogue are located. There’s a wonderful city park in the back, with lots of green and shade as well as a playground. We drove towards the St. Trinity Church that houses a glass coffin with the mummy of Mihael Hadik. We also found the scenic bench and from it we marvelled at the steep hill slopes of Lendavske gorice and the Vinarium Tower. The 53.5-metre tall Vinarium Tower with its steel construction is undoubtedly one of the most popular attractions in Lendava. There are stalls with local products outside the tower; we could smell waffles and langaš (an otherwise typical Hungarian dish). We bought our tickets on the ground floor (one ticket costs 7 euros) and looked around the shop that sells lovely souvenirs. We took the lift to the top. It was a sunny day, so we could enjoy a wonderful view of the surroundings and all three neighbouring countries (Austria, Hungary, and Croatia). The view was truly wonderful.
We stayed at the HI Radenci, which is a great starting point if you want to explore Prekmurje, and there’s even the Goričko Landscape Park nearby. Hostel Radenci is located in the heart of unspoilt nature, between the plains on the left bank of the Mura and the wine growing regions on the right bank. HI cardholders also get 10% off their stay.
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