Gornja Radgona: Trails, Culture and Wine

A themed trail about 15 kilometers long, an artificial lake and historic exhibition venues show how varied the ways of exploring Gornja Radgona can be. The options range from hiking and cycling trails to a museum and castles, as well as sparkling wine experiences and an annual market. During your stay, you can choose what to focus on, whether it’s the landscape, history or local culinary culture.

Discover trails and landscapes

The Apolonija Trail starts in Gornja Radgona, is about 15 km long and invites you to discover the municipality’s natural and cultural heritage. You can use it as a hiking or cycling trail. Since trail conditions can change, it is best to check them before setting out.

The Trstenjak Trail starts at the international border crossing in Gornja Radgona and passes through Negova. It reaches Janžev Vrh, surrounded by vineyards and wine cellars. The Pot med jezeri trail consists of three informative hiking trails and is suitable for all generations. Numerous mineral springs and mofettes can be found along the Pot med jezeri trail. Its three hiking trails also let you explore Negova Landscape Park, with its diverse flora and fauna.

Negova Lake has been protected as a landscape park since 1967. It is an artificial lake covering 11.3 ha, created by combining three castle ponds. Its rare plants include water caltrop (Trapa natans) and the white water lily (Nymphaea alba). In Lisjakova struga Forest Park, an educational trail draws attention to the flora and fauna of a unique habitat along the Mura River. The Border Panoramic Route offers another perspective: it ends in Gornja Radgona and provides views of vineyards and a panorama stretching across the border.

The trails differ in their specific features: the Apolonija Trail has a stated length and can be used on foot or by bike, Pot med jezeri comprises three hiking trails, and the Trstenjak Trail connects the places of interest along its route: the border crossing, Negova and Janžev Vrh. This gives you different starting points for planning your activities.

Museums, castles and history

A guided tour of Gornja Radgona takes you from the old town hospital, past Aleja velikih and Spominski park Nikoli več, by the statue of the herbalist Apolonija, and on to Most prijateljstva. Since the tour route may change, it is best to check before taking part.

A permanent exhibition at the former Radgona Hospital is titled “Bridges of Radgona.” The Renaissance hall of the Špital Museum displays works by Styrian painters and sculptors from the 18th and 19th centuries. The collection includes archaeological, ethnological, artistic and other cultural-historical objects, documents and records from places in western Slovenian Styria, as well as items related to its history and to the people who lived there from prehistoric times to the present day.

The Negova Castle complex is a cultural monument of national importance and includes a herb garden with a wide variety of species. The interior of New Negova Castle can be visited independently from April to November. Check current visiting hours before your trip. Radgonski grad Castle is first mentioned in the 12th century. Smodniški stolp, also known as Pulferturm, is a significant surviving monument of Gornja Radgona’s former fortifications.

Dajnko’s birth house is one of the few surviving and restored typical thatched-roof Pannonian houses. It preserves an ethnological collection of old tools, an original living area with a table and bench, a tiled stove and a black kitchen. The individual rooms and furnishings offer a distinctive glimpse into local architectural and everyday history.

Wine and local traditions

The Radgonske gorice cellar tour includes three characteristic wine cellars in the Radgona region: Under the Rock, Under the Roman Wheel and Under the Waterfall. The offering includes a Golden Radgona sparkling wine and a still wine. At the experience at Hiša penin Frangež, sparkling wines are presented alongside homemade specialties, anecdotes, information and the story of how they are made. At “Untouched by Light,” the sparkling wine of the same name is served in complete darkness. As visitor experiences may change, check in advance for the current offering.

The traditional Leopold Market has been held since 1700 and attracts participants from near and far every year. It showcases traditional local crafts, Prlekija cuisine, and products from craftspeople and entrepreneurs. If the market is an important part of your trip planning, check the event date before you arrive.

Discover more destinations: Radenci, Gornja Radgona, Lenart, Idrija, Novo Mesto, Tržič, Ptuj, Logatec.

For the main travel overview: Slovenia.