Hostels in Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia

Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia -- in the north of the country -- used to form part of the historic Styria region, which immediately indicates its close connections to Austria, which is only about twenty kilometres from here. Slovenj Gradec enjoys a scenic location in the Mislinja Valley, just east of the Karawanks mountain range. Another reason to come here is that it can be a good base if you are aiming to do some hiking in the Karawanks mountains.

With the name of Slovenj Gradec meaning little Slovenian castle, it is no surprise that before the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, this town was traditionally the ancestral seat of the Windisch-Graetz noble family. In fact, the area was predominantly German-speaking until the World Wars, after which the people of German origin were expelled.

Since the second half of the twentieth century, Slovenj Gradec has mostly been known as an industrial town, which is an important economic and political center of the Slovenian part of Carinthia. Therefore, it is not your typical tourist destination. However, if you are in the area, there are a few sights worth visiting, especially because in recent years, the town was a partner of Maribor as the European Capital of Culture and that has brought some major cultural improvements to the place. First of all, the parish church and Gothic chapel dedicated to the Holy Spirit are nice, even if they're not too different from other churches around. The town hall houses the Slovenj Gradec Art Gallery, which displays some art of European significance. Moreover, in the mid-nineties, the remains of what is believed to be the oldest church of Styria were excavated.

Despite it being a small and rather nontouristic place, the town is home to a limited number of youth hostels in Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia. Your Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia hostel, which operates as part of the local youth centre offers en suite eight- and four-bed dorms in a nice, modern building. However, if this choice does not satisfy your needs, you can also look around in Velenje or Maribor for more hostel options.