Hiking Slovenia Dolenjska Carniola

Slovenia

Five hiking sections in the south east of Slovenia, Dolenjska (Lower Carniola)

Getting there: coming from the north (Austria) by the Karawanken-tunnel, the lakes near Bled are beautiful, you still can see the great  mountains of Austria and Slovenia, but Slovenia has, further on in the south, other beautiful hiking areas. We decided not to do the great (awe) hikes in those mountains, but to explore the countryside in this new country (since 1991). South East from the capital Ljubljana. The Dolenjska region. 
Dolenjska, part of the former duchy Krain (Carniola). For a long time it was a crown-country of the Hungarian-Austrian empire. Empress Sissi, you remember?
Accommodation: “Zimmer frei”, B&B, private pensions. Once we had a problem in finding a place to sleep, but with help from the local ex-postman in Videm, who makes his loft available, that problem also was solved. 
Maps: we bought local maps in the cities we stayed. Or buy at home: Planinska 19 Dolenjska - walking map, Slovenie 1:50.000 - Planinska Zveza Slovenije.Or: Kompass-maps on the internet.
The trails were well marked and maintained.

Easter 1996: a round-walk through a typical middle-European countryside in the south-east of Slovenia, near Sevnica and Grosuplje. A sloping landscape with farms and little villages, estates, woods, rivers, creeks. Beautiful paths - rural roads between the villages.
Height on trail: 500-700m.

Day 1: Grosuplje - Videm (Dobrepolje)...........18,5 km
Day 2: Videm - Stavĉa Vas (Dvor).....................23,5 km
Day 3: Stavĉa Vas - Novo Mesto.......................21,0 km
Day 4: Novo Mesto - Šmarješke Toplice..........14,0 km
Day 5: Šmarješke Toplice - Grosuplje
            (last kilometers by train: the Novo Mesto - Gosuplje line)

On trail: friendly people, hospitable, hills with vineyards, wine cellars to try the local wine, valleys in silence, health resorts in Smarjeske Toplice (for those who have time………), a friendly and relaxing landscape. Impressive in its simplicity. Sometimes the landscape was reminiscent of the sweet-voiced moods of the Sound of Music, but that's obviously very personal. Or, like a tourist office writes in a flyer: its isolation explains why it is considered one of the country’s most romantic regions.
In the valley of the River Krka, many ancient castles can be found, most of which are now ruins.
The beautiful old town centre of Novo Mesto by the Krka river.

You have a good chance of encountering a so-called Kozolec along the way. A wooden hay rack. On the racks, grass and all kinds of other agricultural products are dried. They often have typical structures.

The quirky Slovenian wine called Cviček is produced here.

On your way home you can visit the capital: Ljubljana. The castle above the city or the City Museum ( Mestni muzej Ljubljana) .
Or stay another day in Novo Mesto (day 4), a beautiful town. With an enchanting old town surrounded by the mighty Krka River and a perfect view of a postcard landscape. In the city itself the Franciscan monastery, St. Nicholas Cathedral. Or ask about the ruins of Soteska Mansion to imagine yourself in a crush of romanticism..
Novo Mesto is also the birthplace of Melanie Trump. But perhaps this is for you just a reason for not visiting the town.

Read more about the 5-day hike in Dolensjka, Slovenia. 

Below a video about the hiking area (with Julie Andrews?):