Description
GET YOUR HEALTH IN POSAVJE, WAKE UP YOUR HEART IN THE LAND OF WATER AND WINE
Let’s start with the wind in the hair through one of the warmest places in Slovenia.In Posavje, everything flows prettier – water into wine and words into laughter.Bubbles dance in noble sparkling wines and thermo-mineral springs. The Old Celts and after them the Romans adored the world along the Sava River, the largest Slovenian water vein in the world.Through Pannonia and Posavje, their soft wine hills and fertile fields, the army of Gaius Julius Caesar built the most important road to the south and east of the old world.In the Posavje region, the new world expanded with the castle gentlemen who used to enjoy their life in mansions and castles centuries ago.The same walls and legends still pamper and excite us today.On the journey we experience a large quartet of Posavje region’s castles – Mokrice, Brežice, Rajhenburg and Sevnica, from where is the first lady of the United States.
For the health and good will in Posavje region, we sip the best wines and sparkling wines produced in traditional methods in family vineyards. For strength, the local hosts serve us specialities from local gardens, nearby forests and rivers. The joy of life is awakened here quickly. This is supported by comfortable and well-wound electric bicycles, since in the land of electricity powered by the Sava River, it is also possible to make cycling more mobile.
If you look at the map of Slovenia as a lovely hen and try to find her heart, it is right in Posavje region.Pet Shop Boys knew this, who recorded a video for their song Heart.When you experience the landscape and hospitality of this placein Europe, your heart becomes more joyful.
DAY ONE: FROM CASTLE PEARS TO THE DEVIL IN A BOTTLE IN A CELLAR
Peaks of the day:
– Mokrice Castle Park with a mysterious chapel of love
– A castle cellar with a devil in a bottle
– a castle restaurant with deer and fish delicacies
The town of Mokrice is our first stop. What kind of estate is this! Not only is the star architect of golf courses here created the most demanding Slovenian golf, there are orchards and botanical gardens growing around the castle, which is one of a kind in Slovenia.In the middle of the hill lies the chapel of St. Anna, the patron saint of love.She couldn’t help the Countess Barbara, there are a lot of legends circulating about her, but what would the world be without big love stories. We will toast to love with a “mokriškaviljamovka”, which we call the house devil in a bottle, created with pears that grow on the trees, growing near the castle. Sometimes the Slovenian men compete with each other who can empty more glasses, but we will not join them in this, because there’s an enjoyable wine trip across Slovenia in the Castle Cellar waiting for us. In the castle dining room, we indulge ourselves to an excellent chef master, who will prepare for us his specialities, fish and deer. Equipped with rustic looking luxurious rooms of the Renaissance castle, which host us for the night, bears the records of various noble families of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, well-known healers and writers.Small castle windows open scenic landscapes to the Pannonian plains and the hills on the horizon.
DAY TWO: FROM CAOS TO CAESAR, WITH A BIKE TO CAESAR’S PAMPERING
Peaks of the day:
– e-cycling along the Sava River between hills and fields
– castle Brežice and the chivalry hall with the famous Ovid’s metamorphosis
– the best local ice cream and bird singing on the panoramic route
– Superior dinner with wine and view of the waves of vineyards
After the castle breakfast, we wind off with the wind in the hair on the electric wheels with our guide.The longer we drive, de more we enjoy pushing the pedals between the wine hills, fields and river embankments of the Sava River.The path leads us past the largest natural spa of Slovenia in Čatež.The healthy thermomineral waters of Slovenia pave the way to the surface from depths more than 1000 m below ground and feed the springs in nature, and then as a healing water flow to all the bathing places in the area.Today’s goal is Brežice.In the castle we learn the power and influence of Posavje region families.The most beautiful is the Knights’ Hall, where on the baroque painted ceilings and walls, Ovid’s metamorphoses from the chaotic birth of the world to Gaius Julius Caesar, appear.The history of the warring Celtic and Roman people, the Counts of Celje and the international dynasties, as well as the peasant rebels, is blowing through the Krško-Brežice gate.In the Splavar restaurant, we can’t resist the well-deserved lunch on the terrace and the best ice cream far around.Now we are ready for a new panoramic cycling route along the channel of the lake along the Sava River, which is full of life and chatter.The protected nature of the basin is home to many birds and deer. A drive past the interactive energy center Gen and the only nuclear power plant in Slovenia – KrškoNuclear Power Plant. Krško. Views of the former Trappists’ vineyards on Sremič bring us to the restaurant Tri lučke, which is like a lighthouse in the middle of the Gorjanci wine-growing waves. A dinner with a noble local wine and the oldest wine press in Europe is an exclusive experience.
DAY THREE: FROM THE STRICTNESS OF THE TRAPPISTS TO THE LUXURY OF THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE FIRST LADY OF THE USA
Peaks of the day:
– a story about mysterious monks who make the best cheese, chocolate and liqueurs
– hiša vina in čokoladeKunejand the production of your own chocolate
– the birthplace of the first lady of the USA and the cake of Melania
– the castle of Sevnica and the drama of Countess Mathilda
– tasting of the incredible white Frankish
Still stunned from the night view of the starry sky, we descend on a new day on the path of the trappers who bought the castle Brestanica in the 19th century.This strict and ascetic monastic orderwas known for its very sustainable life and the rule that you have to produce everything you need yourself.But they knew how to create some wicked delicacies, among them the world-famous cheese, chocolate and beer, which are still being produced in several monasteries’ breweries in Europe.For liqueurs and chocolates made by the Posavje’sTrappers for the court of Vienna, Emperor Francis Joseph awarded them a quality recognition called Imperial.To the homeland of the Trappists in the castle above the Sava River, we drive through the adrenaline drive through the tunnel along the railway line of the former mining railroad.Some culinary secrets of the Trappists are revealed by the Kunej family, which is famous throughout Slovenia for the innovative merging of wine and chocolate.In their workshop we try out the production of our own chocolate and try their chocolate wine.Then we have one last bit of the way to the Rajhenburg castle with a tour of the interactive museum of the Trappists, which leads us to the monastic life and their herbal garden.We treat ourselves to a coffee with a view and we continue our way along the densely populated Sava River to the upper part of Posavje towards Sevnica, the birthplace of the first lady of the United States of America.The final castle experience of the quartet of Posavje region’s castles is awaiting us. We stop at a boutique family hotel with recognized local and original cuisine.The famous Melania cake was invented here, and they nicely made fun of Melania’s husband, the current President of the United States.The last Countess of Sevnica has a similar name as one of the most influential ladies in the world, so we are also going to see Mathilda’s rooms inSevnica castle.Mathilda’s love story is also very interesting, as she fascinated the then Vienna Palace.Full of interesting stories we are waiting for a big finale.We saved the best for the end when we celebrate the tasting of the Blue Frankish, which entered in Sevnicato a new era and became a White Frankish, and this innovative wine is produced by one of the most celebrated Posavje region’s winemakers of Kerin.Finally, we load the bikes on the train and return to Brežice. Do you remember when was the last time you travelled with train? We believe that the Posavje’s spirit will get under your skin with this nostalgic ride even more.
Technical data
Technical data – Cycling
Sava – cycling tour – 1st day
Sava – cycling tour – day 2
Sava – cycling tour rounds – option 1
Sava – cycling tour rounds – option 2
Technical data – GPX file
Sava – cycling tour – 1st day – GPX file
Sava – cycling tour – day 2 – GPX file
Sava – cycling tour rounds – option 1 – GPX file
Sava – cycling tour rounds – option 2 – GPX file
