Visit to Brežice

One of the most popular Slovenian towns near Zagreb is Brežice, known as a 'shopping destination' with numerous shops that Croatians spend days exploring, wanting to shop more affordably. It takes about twenty minutes from the center of Brežice to the Zagreb Arena if you cross the border crossings Harmica or Mala Bregana and follow the local road to the desired location. For this shopping trip, you do not need a Slovenian vignette. By force of circumstances, you will see that Brežice has become a shopping destination by traveling along the main or secondary roads.

The first thing you will see are signs for the thermal baths, the thousand-year-old Mokrice castle, numerous restaurants and farms where good food has been served for years, but also the pearl of the old city center, the Posavina Museum with the Knights' Hall, which attracts many tourists from around the world with its beauty. In addition to shopping, Brežice has a lot to show, so take advantage of the proximity to the continental part of Croatia, as well as attractions that are unique to this place (and for which the tickets are cheap).

Don't you believe it? The first thing that will catch your eye as you drive towards Brežice is the green metal bridge - Most čez Savo in Krko, which, as its name suggests, takes you across the place where the Krka flows into the Sava. In addition to being visually interesting (you will have a reason to take photos of it), the history of this bridge is also fascinating. It was built in 1906 as the longest bridge in Europe, and its design attracted numerous artists who painted, photographed it, and also chose it as a backdrop for a film. Scenes from the 1987 film "Armor of God" were filmed on this bridge, starring Jackie Chan.

Of course, you won't 'fly over' it at high speed, but just look at it on the way to Brežice and then pass it when you go from Brežice to Zagreb. Driving around Brežice is easy because many roads are one-way, so everything seems to be close and in a circular drive around the center. To explore this little town, park (for free) in the parking lot on the bridge that you will cross before entering the old city center. As the well-known rule is to 'act like a Roman in Rome', so start or end your day in Brežice like a local.

At first glance, hidden in the city park, the Youth Center (Gubčeva ulica 10a) is a wonderful oasis where you can drink a nice coffee and eat a warm croissant in the morning, and in the evening, you can enjoy club music and great entertainment that attracts all generations. Here, you can enjoy concerts and mini-theater performances, and in the summer, you can cool off on the terrace while admiring the view of one of the historical pearls of Brežice Castle.

The Posavina Museum of Brežice tells the story of the history of this region especially, and when you are in Brežice, you should visit it even if you can say that you are not a fan of museums. Following the signs, you will walk through the permanent exhibition of this region, enjoying the many interactive ways of telling the history of this region, which all generations will enjoy. An interesting fact is that you can bring your four-legged friend with you on the visit - you will see one part together, and you will continue the other part alone, leaving the dog in care.

The most memorable part of this castle is the Knights' Hall, which has baroque frescoes that give the space a 3D dimension and simply attract the eye in every detail. When purchasing a ticket for the Posavina Museum of Brežice, you are offered a combined ticket for the Brežice Water Tower - the newest attraction of this town. The Water Tower is as high as 46 meters, and you can explore the floors by climbing the circular stairs or using the elevator. It was built in 1914 and became a museum in 2021. It has been telling the story of the importance of water for this region ever since. This is where the Krka River flows into the Sava River, and numerous thermal springs have enabled Brežice to become a spa destination. Just a few kilometers away are the Terme Čatež and Terme Paradiso Dobova, whose pools are influenced by the thermal water of this region.

If you look from the Posavina Museum in Brežice towards the Water Tower, you will see that they are connected by two streets. The first, adorned with a wooden bench with a carved heart through which a pillar can be seen, is the former 'Beverly Hills' street, while the second is a craft street, today full of interesting places that each offer a special offer. There is the well-known Huda pizza for all lovers of Neapolitan pizza, the Santa Lucija pizzeria, which has an excellent range of various foods, and two exciting locations, especially for those who want to have a quick bite while enjoying a coffee.

In the direction of the Posavina Museum Brežice, on the left side, is Kavarna Žagar, whose interior resembles an Italian film. Although Slovenians Renata and Dušan run this place, they do not hide their love for the Italian culture of drinking fine coffee. They offer guests Italian coffee (which, as they say, has people from Zagreb and Samobor coming to this address for years) and a unique Foki sandwich that is served warm. You will also be greeted by Croatian daily newspapers on wooden holders at this place.

On the opposite side of this street is Yogurtlandia. If you travel often, you've seen this logo in Europe, and this type of yogurt in cups or on pancakes and waffles is served in Slovenia only in Brežice. The owner of this franchise is Monika Žokalj, whom you'll see behind the counter, she helps you choose two of thirty different flavors with which to sweeten your day. The pancakes at this place smell like grandma's, they're so big you can eat them in pairs, and they cost 4 euros. Speaking of prices, we added up all the bills - Brežice is a good destination, even if you go sightseeing. A combined family ticket (parents and two older children) for two museums (Posavina Museum Brežice/Water Tower) and a savory or sweet snack (Foki sandwiches or frozen yogurt at Yogurtlandia) fits into a budget of about 50 euros.

If you explore the old part of Brežice, take advantage of a nice and sunny day for wonderful attractions on the road between Brežice and Zagreb. Here too, you can choose the desired direction and choose the water or energy path with the Sv.Vid viewpoint, which offers a view of the beauties of this region. When it comes to water, this destination has Terme Čatež and the increasingly popular Terme Paradiso, just four kilometers from the city center. Older generations will be familiar with this place (there was a cult disco club here about twenty years ago), which now offers an experience for the whole family.

A smaller, four-star boutique hotel with rooms overlooking the water riviera offers special benefits for couples and families. For those who love nature, there are beehive-like houses in the glamping park. You can go for a day of swimming or sauna at the Paradiso thermal baths, or choose one of the packages and relax over the weekend. Another direction for exploring the Dobava area is the 'Sv. Vid direction', which you can reach by car or, even better, on foot along a gentle path with minimal ascent.

At the highest point of the climb (it takes about 40 minutes from the tourist office in Čatež) on Šentviška gora, there is the church of St. Vid with a bell that makes good wishes, be sure to ring it and see the panorama. From here, you can see the entire Krško - Brežiško polje, and on clear days, you can even see the Kamnik-Savinjske Alps. Since Brežice is special in many ways, the descent from Šentviška gora will take you part of the way to the Roman road, where Gostilna Pension Les is located. Don't be surprised by the Zagreb license plates in the parking lot. The food here has been good for years, and local gastronomes especially praise the mushroom soup, homemade paprika pasta with homemade sausage, and the specialty of all specialties - fried liver.

Foto: Nikola Zoko