Goriška Brda - an Illustrated Itinerary
Hey at least you get an ‘a’ in the end!
Goriska Brda is a lovely, relaxed wine region in the northwest of Slovenia. It borders Italy and in the past has switched hands between Italy and Austria Hungary empire that encompassed Slovenia. And to the untrained eye, it very much appears a mini-Tuscany. While a lovely place to unwind for as long as you want, we would suggest spending two nights in the area.
Suggested Day 1 - Late Afternoon Arrival
Solkan bridge
On the way in, check out Solkan bridge over the Soča (the green river) - it is the second longest stone bridge in the world! Although at this point the river will likely be muddy, it’s still a pretty cool color. If you stop next to it , you can also see preserved WWI bunkers and kitchen of the many international soldiers guarding this bridge. Bonus: watch people bungee jump from the bridge next to Solkan.
Dinner with a view
There are many places with great views in the valley. Upon friends’ recommendations, we had a great time at Kabaj
Suggested Day 2 - Relaxation
Gonjače Tower
Climb the tower in Gonjače. Not for the faint of heart — especially when it wobbles — but, being on a hill, it affords stunning views
Walk through historic village of Šmartno
Šmartno is “mediaeval town with character,” a very small cute village with lovely views. Visit the tiny wine museum to learn how wine was processed in the old days. Plan 30-40 minutes to tour the village, plus a stop for lunch
Have lunch in Hisa Marica
Šmartno doesn’t offer a ton of lunch options, but among the few present, Marica is frequently recommended. You’ll find decent food and prices, but like many places in Slovenia, allocate plenty of time
€10 delicious truffle pasta!
Taste regional wines at Vinoteka Brda
They offer wines from across the region. We actually managed to miss this to my great chagrin
Walk around local villages
After the wine tasting, walk it off by exploring picturesque villages around Dobrovo (the town in the center of Brda) - Biljana, Medana, Gradno. We didn’t get to do this, but these are reputed to be the most beautiful spots
Biljana ©brda.si
Taste wines at a boutique winery - see below
Get gelato in Italy
After the wine tasting, feed your sweet tooth. With Italy just a few miles away, jump across the border and get true Italian gelato. With Slovenia part of the EU, there’s no more time-consuming passport checks!
Ruins of the old border crossing to Italy
Day 3 - on the way out - Trieste
After a relaxed breakfast in your hotel, head out to Trieste, about an hour away, and get an Italian take on the same region.
Brda guides frequently mention Dobrovic castle, but having spent over a month in Slovenia, we felt castled out. But if that’s your jam, it looks quite imposing
© outdooractive.com
Brda Wineries
From both other’s reviews and our own experience, the best part of visiting wineries in Slovenia is spending time with the winemaker. Overall, we found local red wines generally disappointing to the Californian palate. White wines, however, can hold their own. And of course, you have to try orange macerated wines, some of which can be quite delicious.
~~~~ Visited ~~~~
Best: Kabaj
Not sure if they do traditional wine tasting as such, but either way stop by for a glass or a wine pairing with dinner.
A couple were pretty good though and we actually did buy a bottle. But the real hit of the visit was the home-made prosciutto — the best we've ever had.
Largest producer in Brda. Initially were excited because they have a wine-themed escape room for! We have heard Slovenia is one of early adopters of escape rooms, with probably the highest per capita number of rooms in the world, so not too surprising to find one at a winery. Unfortunately, it was closed after a storm did some damage when we were visiting. Other than that, no reason to come here. No atmosphere, poor wines.
~~~~ Commonly recommended but we didn't visit ~~~~
Sadly, they were closed for vacation in August.
All kinds of people recommended this place, as we found out after the fact.
Where to stay
There are lovely BnBs and small hotels sprinkled throughout the valleys. We found Booking.com to have the most options, but the cutest towns fill up ahead of time, so book as early as possible.
Hope you enjoy your trip!
Did we miss something? What was a highlight for you? Let us know in the comments!
