Rogatec and Podčetrtek

In Roman times a road ran eastward from Celje through Šmarje pri Jelšah towards Rogatec. The settlement already became a parish seat in the middle Ages, but was not granted market rights until 1875.

In a side valley below the northern slope of Boč lays the village of Lemberg, which obtained market rights as early as in 1244. Today it is a small village and bears no track of its former economic strength.

The road and railway fork near the village of Mestinje. One pair leads southward through the Mestinjščica Valley towards Podčetrtek, and the other along a narrow valley eastward towards Rogaška Slatina. In the village of Podplat near Mestinja the road branches northward towards Ptuj.

The thermal springs at Rogaška Slatina were already mentioned in documents in the encircle a well-manicured park set in a forest – covered, hilly landscape.

Leaving Rogaška Slatina, the road and railway enter the valley of the Sotla River, along which runs the state border with Croatia. Traffic routes run along the Sotla River past Rogatec towards the east and leave Slovene territory near Dobovec, where they head southeast towards the Croatian town of Krapina. The state boundary curves across the almost uninhabited Sotla Valley towards the north. Extending south of Šmarje pri Jelšah is a world of rolling hills whose slopes are dotted with numerous solitary farms.

Podčetrtek is also dominated by a castle, which once controlled the entrance to the Sotla Valley. Below the castle is the Atomske toplice thermal spa. In Olim near Podčetrtek is a manor house with preserved Renaissance defense towers.

The journey is great. And do not forget to visit also Ljubljana, Postojna Cave, the lakes of Bled and Bohinj and many other beautiful places on the sunny side of the Alps - Slovenia.

From Rogatec and Podčetrtek back to the Savinja-Sotla Region