Celje and the thermal spas, Slovenia: things to do, when to go and how to get there

Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Celje, Slovenia’s third-largest city, stands in the Savinja river valley in the country’s central-east, about an hour’s drive from the capital. It was the Roman Celeia, a wealthy town granted municipal rights in the year 45 and once nicknamed the “second Troy.” Part of the Roman streets and houses are exposed in the subsoil of the old centre.

In the Middle Ages, the town was the seat of the Counts of Celje, the most powerful noble family in the Slovenian lands. They ruled from 1341 to 1456, became princes of the Empire, and competed for influence with the Habsburgs. Slovenia’s coat of arms inherited the family’s three golden stars. The family castle, on a hill southeast of town, is the largest fortified complex in the country, and in the old centre the Princes’ Palace and the Stara grofija house the regional museum.

Down the Savinja, just over 10 km away, Laško offers spas, a brewery founded in 1825 and, in July, the Pivo in cvetje (beer and flowers) festival. To the east, near the Croatian border, Rogaška Slatina is a long-established spa resort known for its mineral water high in magnesium, its thermal park and its crystal glasswork.

Trains connect the three towns, and the destination combines medieval history, museums and days of rest in thermal waters.

This destination brings together 3 cities: Celje, Laško, Rogaška Slatina.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Celje and the thermal spas is

Boundaries: Geodetska uprava Republike Slovenije (GURS), Register prostorskih enot, 28/02/2024, licença CC BY 4.0. Adapted by Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Celje and the thermal spas

✈ Letališče Jožeta Pučnika Ljubljana (LJU), in Brnik · 95 km to Celje

By the A1 motorway, Celje is about an hour’s drive from the capital. By rail, Laško and Celje are stops on the Ljubljana–Maribor line, and a branch line runs from Celje to Rogaška Slatina. For flights, Ljubljana serves Celje and Laško; Zagreb is closer to Rogaška Slatina.

Suggested arrival point: Celje

Savinjska · Celje and the thermal spas Capital Suggested arrival point

Celje

Slovenia’s third-largest city, in the Savinja valley. It was the Roman Celeia and the seat of the Counts of Celje, who ruled much of the Slovenian lands in the 14th and 15th centuries. The family castle, on a hill to the southeast, is the country’s largest medieval fortification. In the old town, the Princes’ Palace preserves the skulls of the counts and the Roman ruins beneath the ground, and the Stara grofija features Celje’s painted ceiling.

Savinjska · Celje and the thermal spas

Laško

Small town on the banks of the Savinja River, at the foot of Mount Hum, known for its thermal waters and for the brewery founded in 1825, the largest in the country. The Church of Saint Martin, of Romanesque origin, dominates the center. Every July the town hosts Pivo in cvetje, a beer-and-flowers festival. Trails climb Mount Hum, with views over the valley.

Savinjska · Celje and the thermal spas

Rogaška Slatina

Spa town in eastern Slovenia, near the border with Croatia, with centuries of treatment traditions. It is known for Donat water, high in magnesium, which is drunk in the Pivnica water hall, for the spa park with 19th-century buildings, and for its crystal tradition. The Anin dvor museum tells the town’s history.

Festivals and events

Festivals in Celje and the thermal spas

Dates change every year: check this year's date before you travel.

July

Food and drink · Laško

Laško Beer and Flowers Festival

On a weekend in mid-July, usually from Thursday or Friday to Sunday.

Since 1964, the small town of Laško, on the banks of the Savinja River, celebrates its beer and its flowers in July, with concerts on several stages in the town center, a parade of decorated floats, marching bands and fireworks over the river.

Festival calendar in Slovenia

The local experience

Things to do in Celje and the thermal spas

Celje · Savinjska · Castle

Celje Castle

The largest medieval fortified complex in Slovenia, on a hill southeast of Celje, once the seat of the Counts of Celje. It has walls, courtyards and the four-storey Friderik Tower, with views over the Savinja valley.

Laško · Savinjska · Church

St. Martin's Church, Laško

Parish church in the center of Laško, of Romanesque origin, with Gothic and Baroque additions. It is considered one of the most important Romanesque buildings in Slovenia. A Roman stone lion stands beside it.

Rogaška Slatina · Savinjska · Park

Spa Park Rogaška Slatina

Park at the heart of the spa town, with about 10,000 m² of flower beds and boxwoods, the Tempel Pavilion beside the mineral spring, the statue of Count Attems, founder of the spa, and 19th-century buildings.

Rogaška Slatina · Savinjska · Museum

Anin dvor

Rogaška Slatina’s cultural center and museum, near the spa park, with five collections: glass and crystal, historic prints of the town, a collection of autographs and memorabilia, the parks and the waters.

See 4 more places in Celje and the thermal spas

Laško · Savinjska · Nature

Mount Hum (Laško)

Hill of 583 m that rises above Laško and the Savinja valley. A trail of about 3.8 km starts from Tabor Castle and climbs roughly 300 m to the summit, with views over the town and the valleys.

Celje · Savinjska · Museum

Princes' Palace Celje

Palace in Celje’s old town that houses the regional museum, with the Counts of Celje exhibition, the family’s room of 18 skulls, and, in the basement, Roman Celeia streets and houses viewed from walkways.

Rogaška Slatina · Savinjska · Hot springs

Pivnica de Rogaška Slatina

Rogaška Slatina’s mineral water hall, where Donat water, rich in magnesium, and other town waters such as Styria, with a stronger taste, are sampled straight from the springs.

Celje · Savinjska · Museum

Stara grofija

Renaissance mansion in Celje’s old town, headquarters of the Regional Museum, with the painted Celje ceiling (Celjski strop), an architectural and sky illusion made around 1600, and collections of art and history.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From spring to autumn, April to October, visits to Celje Castle and walks in the spa parks are more pleasant, and summer brings events at the castle. Laško holds its beer and flowers festival in July. The spas operate year‑round, and winter is a good time for them.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Two days allow for one day in Celje, visiting the castle and museums, and another day in Laško or Rogaška Slatina. With three days you can see all three towns and still have time for the thermal baths.

Which city to stay in

In Celje, the old town—between the railway station and the Savinja river—puts the museums within walking distance and makes train connections to Laško and Rogaška Slatina easy. Spa visitors usually stay in Laško, near the Savinja, or in Rogaška Slatina town centre, around the thermal park.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Celje and the thermal spas

How many days to stay in Celje and the spas?

Two days cover Celje and one of the spa towns. With three days, you can visit Celje, Laško and Rogaška Slatina and still have time for the thermal waters.

Can you reach Celje, Laško and Rogaška Slatina by train?

Yes. Laško and Celje lie on the Ljubljana–Maribor line, and Rogaška Slatina is served by a branch from Celje. Check the timetables, because trains on that branch run less frequently.

Is Celje a good day trip from Ljubljana?

Yes. The trip takes about an hour by car or train. In a day you can climb to the castle and see the Princes’ Palace, with Roman Celeia remains beneath the old town.

Do you need a car in Celje and the spa towns?

No. Trains connect the three towns, and the town centres are walkable. To reach Celje Castle without hiking, a car or taxi is helpful.

Best time to visit Celje and the spas?

April to October, for the castle and outdoor walks. The spas operate all year, and winter is a good season for them. In July, Laško hosts the beer and flowers festival.

Celje and the thermal spas

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

The cities on this trip