A visit to the country side with white birch trees

Bela krajina is a region in the far southeast of Slovenia; it’s surrounded by the River Kolpa, the Gorjanci Hills, and the Kočevski Rog plateau. It’s a mostly karst landscape with many karst phenomena. Bela krajina is home to white birch trees, rich flora and fauna, and peace and quiet. It is sparsely populated, and the most important towns are Metlika and Črnomelj. Two landscape parks can be found here: the Lahinja Landscape Park and the Kolpa Landscape Park.

Active experiences in Bela krajina

The River Kolpa is considered to be one of the warmest rivers in Slovenia and it’s ideal for many water sports. In summer, it reaches a pleasant warm temperature and is thus great for swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, and other water activities. Explore this calm river in a canoe or a boat. Fishermen are also excited about the River Kolpa. A fishing licence is mandatory.

Are you up for hiking or running? Choose one of the 25 well-maintained and marked hiking trails. You can walk directly along the River Kolpa or hike up to Mirna Gora Hill or Krašnji Vrh Hill.

The terrains are more than suitable for cycling, too. The diverse countryside provides excellent conditions for family cycling and for those who like to test themselves on more demanding trails. There are 15 well-maintained cycling trails with various levels of difficulty.

Bela krajina is also known for its rich cultural heritage, which is evident due to many events held there. We recommend that you attend Jurjevanje – the oldest folklore festival, which has been held since 1964, or ‘Semiška ohcet’ (a traditional Semič wedding ceremony).