Celje - Castle of Celje - Ljubljana

Route: Maribor - Celje - Castle of Celje - Ljubljana - Maribor
Duration: 9 h
Our first stop will be at the city Celij where the old city centre of Celje is exactly as it appears from the Old Castle of Celje. Lovely and picturesque, with intertwining streets and events along the Savinja River. You will descover the City of the Counts , it is even more exhilarating to learn about the historic periods that have left their mark on Celje. During our visit  you can feel the today’s and past beat of one of the most interesting historic Slovenian cities.  Also you will see Celje Castle, Princely Palace, Alma M. Karlin’s Statue, Christian baptistery, Municipal Market, The Assumption of Mary Church,  Prothasi Manor, Celje People’s Theater with Guard Tower, Josip Pelikan’s Statue, Celje Central Library, Old Counts’ Mansion, Quarter house with Alfred Nobel’s statue, The Artists’ Quarter, St. Daniel’s Church, Municipal Poorhouse with St. Elizabeth’s Chapel, The Water Tower, St. Mary’s Shrine, Hohenwarter House, Galvani Trg (Main Square) and more. Next we will visit to the romantic, enticing, magnificent, dark, frightening – the Celje Old Castle. A mighty walled castle towering over the city is sure to leave you speechless. Once you visit it, it will stay in your memories forever. The earliest written reference to the Old Castle of Celje dates back to 1323. The original design only included a Romanesque palace and the walls. It was given its today's scope and appearance by the Counts of Celje, the most renowned and notable noble dynasty seated in the area of present-day Slovenia. Their reign and power had a long reach and they had a substantial impact on the political fate of the Central European region. The first Count of Celje to move to the Celje Old Castle with his wife and four children was Friderik I. After moving in, he started to refurbish the castle into a more comfortable dwelling. In the following decades, they extended the curtain wall to include the eastern inner ward, while the four-storey guard tower (the Friderik Tower) took over the main defensive role. Herman II used this tower a dungeon as he locked up his own son Friderik II, after whom the tower is named, due to Friderik's forbidden love for Veronika Deseniška. Next we will reach the Ljubljana which is often called a European jewel or described as a small blend of Prague and Amsterdam. It is a 'town with a soul', as visitors often comment. This vibrant old town is concentrated along the Ljubljanica River, and the castle on a hill still looks like it is protecting the romantic city below.  You will stroll along medieval streets, admire an interesting blend of different architectural styles, 'see' and 'be seen' on several famous promenades along the river, discover some of the Ljubljana’s hidden monuments, relax in the city’s greenery, and hear stories and fairytales that connect the present and the past. You will see all the major sights in Ljubljana including the main square with the Prešeren monument, Franciscan Church and Three Bridges, Congress Square (Park of the Star), the National University Library, Križanke Monastery, the New Square, the Cobbler's Bridge, the Old Square (the oldest street), the romantic river promenade, the Municipality Square, St. Nicholas Cathedral, the famous Open Air Market, Butcher's Bridge, and Dragon Bridge. After free time we return to Maribor.
Price: Per person